I'm about to pick up an AP2 S2000 most likely 04/05 and I always hear that it's not as good as an autocross car since they made the suspension softer etc etc. My question is this, is it only worse because Honda changed the shocks/struts and springs in the AP2 or is there actually a difference in suspension geometry in the control arms/chassis etc.

If it's just shocks/struts I have an extra set of AP1 suspension I can throw on it or just get some coilovers.

 

The lower arm's and the control arm's have the same part#, but the upper arm's have a differen't part#

 

So i'd have to switch 4 upper control arms, front and rear shocks/struts and springs to get back to AP1 handling?

 

also the rear suspension member is different, i dont know how different it is.

 

Unless you have the driving skills to take the car to nationals, the slight differences are not going to be an issue with autocrossing the car. Any year S2000 will be competitive in A-stock with a good driver.

 

I'm not sure that's true, from a pure time standpoint maybe but from a feeling standpoint I heard firsthand from a few very accomplished autocross drivers that the 04 feels noticably different with more understeer. One of them happened to own a 00 and a 04 then sold the 04.

I'm wondering what it would take to make the AP2 FEEL like an AP1. Are tein/megan etc coilovers available for AP2?

 

alignment, tire pressure ect.

 

Can you please elaborate? I don't see how just changing tire pressure and getting an alignment would account for different suspension pieces.

 

If you are going to bother changing all those components, might as well just upgrade to all aggressive track parts to squeeze every second possible since you will need them to be competitive in non-stock class which you will be in.

 

Actually, I believe you can have differently valved stock struts in stock class, so he may be able to get away with AP1 shocks/struts. Backdating/updating may also come into play, but I don't know the current status of the rules on that in SCCA.

All it took for me to make an AP2 feel like an AP1 was a bit more of a prod with the throttle.