Just picked up an 02 s2k couple days ago, plan on spending quite a bit of time at the track with it. Historically I've always had German cars and know nothing about Honda. What are the essential mods for this car to make it funner and the manufacturers. Generally I almost always do brakes first...

Thanks in advance.

 

You are on the right track for brakes. New DOT 4 fluid, lines (those are 10 years old) and race pads of your choice (hawk and carbotech XP10 front XP8 rear) you may want to buy a set of rotors to use with those pads if you daily drive the car so you can go back to stock when you get home......Sticky tires of your choice....Star Specs, Kumho XS, RS3 if you can find them or RE11's if you can afford them. Last, get a god alignment. That's it.

Do a search for alignment settings as I cannot remember. The STR thread may have some ideas but we need to know what wheels you are running as well as what shocks/springs. You may be all OEM, we don't know. Post that up and we can help you better. Also, where are you from or what tracks to you go to?

 

The be honest with you the S2k doesn't need anything to make it "funner". Just get good tires and go however since you did mention track and you are an AP1, I'd say the minimum for reliability would be:

1) AP2 intake side valve retainers
2) AP2 new style oil banjo bolt
3) Brake pads that take the higher temp (Carbotech XP10/XP8 seems the be the most popular around here but some of use Hawk)
4) Tires
5) Bigger front sway bar for crisper turn in and to balance out the generally oversteer prone AP1
6) If you're on the east coast you will almost certainly need a rollbar (harddog is the most popular)

There are plenty of threads that discuss all these items on the forum so just search to get details.

After this, the list can go on and on

 

Doesn't it always...

Thanks guys. I'm actually in Dallas, but moving back to California in two months (where I'm from) and will be hitting Laguna Seca and Thunderhill with some regularity (Sears Point now and then, but it's a wall filled track and a bit scary). The car is not my daily (C63 AMG Coupe Edition One is my daily).

Car is bone stock 2002 (as far as I know anyway). Definitely notice the understeer as previously mentioned, but damn it's fun!!!

Is there a "removable" roll bar available anywhere.

The main thing for me is I don't really want to trailer the car, so want to make sure it's drivable to the track and back.

 

IMO, you don't need anything but fresh DOT4 fluid and appropriate pads. I've had no problems using Carbotech XP8s all around, and Hawk HP+ all around on street tires (NOT HPS which are utter garbage!). The HP+ have more bite, and work better cold, XP8s can take higher temps.

Stock AP1, to me, doesn't have steady-state oversteer. What it does have is major lift-throttle oversteer due to toe change with bump, which is addressed with driving style (don't lift, never lift...).
IMO, you don't need a front bar for the stock-suspension car.
I did the banjo bolts while I was installing a baffled pan. I don't think they're strictly necessary.
Don't think the retainers are necessary either, but you should inspect yours (do a search). If any *do* show evidence of cracking, replace w/ AP2. I put 142k of street miles and ~22 track events on my AP1, no evidence of cracked retainers. I think stock are fine indefinitely unless the engine has been mechanically overrevved to something like 10k.

The HardDog bar is the way to go. Fits great, installation isn't that bad. The most time consumingn part is trimming the interior parts to fit after the install if you want to keep them.
I went with no diagonal and removable harness bar, as my car is a daily. Wouldn't go with the removable diagonal, as it leaves a metal tang protruding down from the main hoop with diagonal removed.

 

Thanks! With roll we are still able to close the top no problems? Cheapest car ever to get track ready. Awesome.

 

Yup, a soft top (and hard top) both fit over a Hard Dog.

 

big front bar imo

 

There are a few things that would "prevent' you from legally driving it and "technically" driving it to the track. If you stay on street tires, you should keep a relatively quiet exhaust, with rollbar and seats/harness and still be able to drive to the track.

If you go R comps or a wide open exhaust, then you'll have to trailer. Good luck

 

For second I though I was reading my post but since this is my first it can't be
Last week I did track day at Laguna in my CLS63 and after one session it was clear I have wrong car. Bought S2000 few days ago just like you and looking to hit same tracks
I ordered hard dog roll bar, advice from track day provider. I will also get coilovers (thinking KW V3), get car set up with alignment and pretty much leave rest alone.