As some of you may know, Im looking to buy an S2k (well, helping my parents out with the payments) for graduation. Looking thru some posts, it looks like the S2k is a pretty fragile machine. I am looking to do some heavy mods to the car including a turbo w/ a built block and running high amounts of boost. It doesn't look like the car's drivetrain can take that much power and stay together...

I am also looking at 350Z's, they seem to have a lot of aftermarket potential tho it seems like the cost will be a bit higher....or a lot higher depending on what root I go. Anyways, my question here is am I exaggerating the problems? I doubt I will be running from a dig very often because I'm aware of the problem, but I still don't want to be worried every time I open the thing up. I am aiming for ~500wHP, which is quite a bit more than some people are running and even they are breaking parts left and right it seems.

 

I suggest you buy an 03 Cobra.

 

Or a C6 Z06

 

I think that might be a little out of his price range. An 03 Cobra can be had in the low 20's and will easily see that much power for about 1/4 of what it would cost in the Z or the S...

 

Ahh.. cobra.. for some reason i was thinking Viper.

 

...............In my mind, at some point (and 500 HP is well beyond this point) it makes no sense to try to make something out of a car (or anything else for that matter) that it was not intended/designed to be.

 

This is not a car you want to put 500 WHP in.. not what it was designed for. get something else

 

Here's a rule of thumb I like to follow: If you can't afford to drive a car without making payments on it, don't modify it to the point where your engine may turn into a glorious and expensive fireworks display.

 

Spryguy,

I think that's a personal matter. I think it'd be unfortunate if people didn't try to stretch things beyond their intent.

There are many folks out there who have done amazing things with the S2000 as a baseline.

That said, 500HP on the S2000 is too high a goal for most. I think the original poster should reconsider that, unless he is willing to have the car out of commission more than operational.

 

Totally agree.

This was NOT designed to be a dragster, which is the only reason you would need 500HP. It's a roadster... a car designed for handling and overall driving experience. You're going to ruin the entire dynamic of the car by attempting something like that.

Lots of kids are all talk and no walk when it comes to doing heavy FI modding on a car. If you are serious, I suggest you look toward something American with lots of displacement. Although, I promise you a stock S will be almost as much fun as a 500 HP Mustang.