Ketchup to Mustard - Vboy's slow build thread 2.0 (Spa Yellow AP1)
#21
It looks better in pictures. Rigid collars are coming up on my 'list of mods' though. You'll likely be my go-to for the install!
Thanks homie. The "simple and clean" look has really been growing on me. Obviously I want more than just wheels and suspension though.
Thanks homie. The "simple and clean" look has really been growing on me. Obviously I want more than just wheels and suspension though.
#22
A relatively small change that made a huge difference from a driving perspective. Swapped out my TWM M1 Abrams shift knob for a BattleCraft Hyper Teardrop in 44mm trim. I’ve tried numerous shift knobs throughout my ownership of both S2000s and for the time being this has been my favorite. It’s not heavily weighted like other knobs I’ve owned, but because it sits higher the moment arm is extended thus reducing the effort to change gears. Also since it is lighter the feedback from each shift is great. The machined aluminum finish matched surprisingly well with the center “H” on the steering wheel which was an aesthetic plus.
#23
#24
This update has been a long time coming and I am still playing catch-up. Been super busy with work, traveling, and the purchase of our very first home! Now that I have a garage to keep the S in, no more storage unit!
The next big purchase for my money pit happened somewhat unexpectedly. I was informed that a long-time (I’m talking purchased the car brand new) S2k owner that used to be very active in the community was finally parting out their car. To say this car was “modified” was a gross understatement as it had a laundry list of high-dollar, hard-to-find JDM goodies. Two items in particular caught my attention: an authentic Mugen SS front bumper (already painted Spa Yellow) and an AP1 Mugen Sports exhaust.
Long story short I worked out a package deal with the seller for both items. My other half and I booked a one way flight to SoCal and we rented a minivan to load up the parts and drove back. All done within a weekend!
Once I saw the parts in person I knew it was the right call as everything was in fantastic shape. From what the seller told me they had purchased their AP1 brand new, drove it for 10k miles and begun adding one JDM aftermarket part after another. By the time they began parting out the car to sell earlier this year it only had about 22k miles on the clock! Meaning the bumper and exhaust had only seen ~10k miles.
Once the parts were brought home safely my first order of business was to install the Mugen exhaust and get my Tanabe sold. As for my impression of the sound and performance I didn’t really notice any change in performance when compared to the Tanabe; but this was all via my butt dyno, so if there was any change (unlikely) it wasn’t noticeable. There was however a surprising difference in sound. The Mugen seems almost quieter than stock at idle. Zero drone under all loading scenarios. But once you open it up and really allow the car to rev out the sound is FANTASTIC. Clean, subtle, and purposeful. It’s the perfect exhaust for what I wanted and the subtle sound pairs well with the higher cruising RPMs from my 4.77 final drive.
Fit and finish were spot on with the titanium muffler sections showing just a hint of discoloration around the exhaust tips. The stainless piping on the rest of the exhaust provides the durability for a primarily street driven S. Overall I was very happy with my purchase of the Mugen Sports exhaust.
The next big purchase for my money pit happened somewhat unexpectedly. I was informed that a long-time (I’m talking purchased the car brand new) S2k owner that used to be very active in the community was finally parting out their car. To say this car was “modified” was a gross understatement as it had a laundry list of high-dollar, hard-to-find JDM goodies. Two items in particular caught my attention: an authentic Mugen SS front bumper (already painted Spa Yellow) and an AP1 Mugen Sports exhaust.
Long story short I worked out a package deal with the seller for both items. My other half and I booked a one way flight to SoCal and we rented a minivan to load up the parts and drove back. All done within a weekend!
Once I saw the parts in person I knew it was the right call as everything was in fantastic shape. From what the seller told me they had purchased their AP1 brand new, drove it for 10k miles and begun adding one JDM aftermarket part after another. By the time they began parting out the car to sell earlier this year it only had about 22k miles on the clock! Meaning the bumper and exhaust had only seen ~10k miles.
Once the parts were brought home safely my first order of business was to install the Mugen exhaust and get my Tanabe sold. As for my impression of the sound and performance I didn’t really notice any change in performance when compared to the Tanabe; but this was all via my butt dyno, so if there was any change (unlikely) it wasn’t noticeable. There was however a surprising difference in sound. The Mugen seems almost quieter than stock at idle. Zero drone under all loading scenarios. But once you open it up and really allow the car to rev out the sound is FANTASTIC. Clean, subtle, and purposeful. It’s the perfect exhaust for what I wanted and the subtle sound pairs well with the higher cruising RPMs from my 4.77 final drive.
Fit and finish were spot on with the titanium muffler sections showing just a hint of discoloration around the exhaust tips. The stainless piping on the rest of the exhaust provides the durability for a primarily street driven S. Overall I was very happy with my purchase of the Mugen Sports exhaust.
#26
Beautiful story. Im still trying to piece together who besides mugenap2 had a yellow mugen build. Maybe ive been off the forums too much lately. Definitely getting the ap2 version exhaust for my car though.
#27
Thank you, sir! Yea, that's two trips so far specifically for Mugen parts now. haha
Thanks man. His username was Wongawa I believe; an OG member back in the early 2000s. I'm partial to the looks of the AP1 mufflers (wish they would've just kept them for the AP2 version imo), but I've heard the sound is nearly identical between both.
Thanks man. His username was Wongawa I believe; an OG member back in the early 2000s. I'm partial to the looks of the AP1 mufflers (wish they would've just kept them for the AP2 version imo), but I've heard the sound is nearly identical between both.
#29
Autox won't let you swap between OEM bumpers? Man, they're dedicated to upholding the stereotypes about hardcore autoxers.