The life of my S2000
12-23-2011, 05:52 PM
#1
The life of my S2000
Part 1/7
Well, its Christmas time, your shopping is all done (I’m sure) and as the song says; the weather outside is frightful.
Perhaps you could make a brew, put your feet up, forget about the sorts of numbers that your girlfriend is massacring your credit history with, and share with me in the life and times of my S2000.
This is not a definitive parts guide, just my experiences with the brands I chose. It's more about a story being told.
Here we go……
It began in September 2009, after owning a few Honda’s beforehand, and having a more than unhealthy infatuation with the brand I purchased my 2002 S finished in beautiful Berlina Black (or swirlina black as it became known, due to the immense difficulty one has in avoiding the creation of small scratches and swirls!).
64,000 miles, garaged, previous lady owner (yes, really!) and rocking nowt aftermarket but the roof down on the move mod and a K & N cone in the airbox.
I’d viewed a couple before, all of a standard lower than I wanted, but I knew TPO would be a great buy after just a few minutes of a very enjoyable test drive around the Hertfordshire countryside.
The steering feel, the quick turn in, the perfect driving position (I’m 6ft 4”) and the noise on cam (airbox lid off, obviously) just kept me grinning from ear to ear on every drive.
That’s before you get to the great looks, the roof down thrills and the bullet proof Honda reliability (TCT noises notwithstanding!) It wasn’t long before the modding bug hit hard, every area listed above, great as it was, I felt could be tailored and improved to better suit my senses.
I'm no stranger to mechanical work, and my skills with spanners are matched only by my determination to get a job done, well, whatever the weather. The hours I have spent under my Honda's over the years would be regarded as insane by some. If I wanted normality though, I'd play table tennis!
Lots of jobs await, years worth even. Just have to let the worst of winter pass......
See part 2!
Well, its Christmas time, your shopping is all done (I’m sure) and as the song says; the weather outside is frightful.
Perhaps you could make a brew, put your feet up, forget about the sorts of numbers that your girlfriend is massacring your credit history with, and share with me in the life and times of my S2000.
This is not a definitive parts guide, just my experiences with the brands I chose. It's more about a story being told.
Here we go……
It began in September 2009, after owning a few Honda’s beforehand, and having a more than unhealthy infatuation with the brand I purchased my 2002 S finished in beautiful Berlina Black (or swirlina black as it became known, due to the immense difficulty one has in avoiding the creation of small scratches and swirls!).
64,000 miles, garaged, previous lady owner (yes, really!) and rocking nowt aftermarket but the roof down on the move mod and a K & N cone in the airbox.
I’d viewed a couple before, all of a standard lower than I wanted, but I knew TPO would be a great buy after just a few minutes of a very enjoyable test drive around the Hertfordshire countryside.
The steering feel, the quick turn in, the perfect driving position (I’m 6ft 4”) and the noise on cam (airbox lid off, obviously) just kept me grinning from ear to ear on every drive.
That’s before you get to the great looks, the roof down thrills and the bullet proof Honda reliability (TCT noises notwithstanding!) It wasn’t long before the modding bug hit hard, every area listed above, great as it was, I felt could be tailored and improved to better suit my senses.
I'm no stranger to mechanical work, and my skills with spanners are matched only by my determination to get a job done, well, whatever the weather. The hours I have spent under my Honda's over the years would be regarded as insane by some. If I wanted normality though, I'd play table tennis!
Lots of jobs await, years worth even. Just have to let the worst of winter pass......
See part 2!
12-23-2011, 05:53 PM
#2
Part 2/7
First things first. Sorting the swirly paint.
After much back ache and soggy knees (from the wash water on the ground, obviously) on a very cold February day this was the finished result:
I used meguiars clay bars, 3 step paint renovation and a lot of hard work! Big respect to those who do this for a living! I couldn't!
I also used meguiars products on the roof, wheels and tyres.
TPO had full Honda service history when I bought her, but (this next sentence is meant to be light hearted, no offence to anyone from whom it's their job!) those monkey's idea of a service and mine are two very different things!
So I set about almost every job in the book, and a few more besides! Including clutch fork grease (massive difference).
The next thing for me to fix was the less than adequate stereo, roof down at motorway speeds; it would have been easier for me to listen to the stereo of the car behind!
The plan was to fit Hertz DSK 6.5" speakers and tweeters in the doors, using crossovers and fit a rear roll hoop set up using the same make DSK speakers and tweeters, but in a 5 1/4" fitment so they could be mounted flush. This would be controlled by a nice Alpine, and all powered by a 600 watt amplifier tucked away in the boot.
After much trim removing, wiring, amplifying and swearing through the cold I had a very clean sounding, powerful and neat stereo install! Tough enough to stand a direct hit from Deadmau5 at all sorts of silly speeds!
So that's my controls, and my tunes sorted. The final modifications to 'where I live' came in the shape of some Muz mats, a facelift silver radio door and the running of an iPod j-link connector between my alpine and the secret compartment. I also added a modifry glovebox organiser, which should have been factory fitted in the first place!
Now, let's see if we can't make her look a little more aggressive, and improve the handling whilst we are there.
The basic lighting could do with refreshing, so i got some icy white LED number plate lights, and LED side repeaters for a crisper look.
I'm not a hellaflush man (although I do like the look, I'd hate the lack of practicality!) I'm more hellafunctional, and I had big brake plans in the pipeline. So the wheel choice was a simple one, OEM sized (my04 at least!), Japanese look and reasonably light.
Rota Torques fitted the bill nicely, I went with Pirelli P Nero Zero tyres initially, but more on that later. Held on with black nuts (ahem....)
Good start, but now we need to deal with that arch clearance.....
A set of Eibach springs came on for the right price on the forum, so I snapped them up quickly, and had them fitted ASAP.
Fantastic difference, the wheels filled the arches a lot more, and the car felt sharper. I'd gained a little more camber visually, but I was happy to trade a little tyre wear for the improved corner grip, and I was still no where near the ride height where the bump steer problems can rear their ugly heads.
See part 3!
First things first. Sorting the swirly paint.
After much back ache and soggy knees (from the wash water on the ground, obviously) on a very cold February day this was the finished result:
I used meguiars clay bars, 3 step paint renovation and a lot of hard work! Big respect to those who do this for a living! I couldn't!
I also used meguiars products on the roof, wheels and tyres.
TPO had full Honda service history when I bought her, but (this next sentence is meant to be light hearted, no offence to anyone from whom it's their job!) those monkey's idea of a service and mine are two very different things!
So I set about almost every job in the book, and a few more besides! Including clutch fork grease (massive difference).
The next thing for me to fix was the less than adequate stereo, roof down at motorway speeds; it would have been easier for me to listen to the stereo of the car behind!
The plan was to fit Hertz DSK 6.5" speakers and tweeters in the doors, using crossovers and fit a rear roll hoop set up using the same make DSK speakers and tweeters, but in a 5 1/4" fitment so they could be mounted flush. This would be controlled by a nice Alpine, and all powered by a 600 watt amplifier tucked away in the boot.
After much trim removing, wiring, amplifying and swearing through the cold I had a very clean sounding, powerful and neat stereo install! Tough enough to stand a direct hit from Deadmau5 at all sorts of silly speeds!
So that's my controls, and my tunes sorted. The final modifications to 'where I live' came in the shape of some Muz mats, a facelift silver radio door and the running of an iPod j-link connector between my alpine and the secret compartment. I also added a modifry glovebox organiser, which should have been factory fitted in the first place!
Now, let's see if we can't make her look a little more aggressive, and improve the handling whilst we are there.
The basic lighting could do with refreshing, so i got some icy white LED number plate lights, and LED side repeaters for a crisper look.
I'm not a hellaflush man (although I do like the look, I'd hate the lack of practicality!) I'm more hellafunctional, and I had big brake plans in the pipeline. So the wheel choice was a simple one, OEM sized (my04 at least!), Japanese look and reasonably light.
Rota Torques fitted the bill nicely, I went with Pirelli P Nero Zero tyres initially, but more on that later. Held on with black nuts (ahem....)
Good start, but now we need to deal with that arch clearance.....
A set of Eibach springs came on for the right price on the forum, so I snapped them up quickly, and had them fitted ASAP.
Fantastic difference, the wheels filled the arches a lot more, and the car felt sharper. I'd gained a little more camber visually, but I was happy to trade a little tyre wear for the improved corner grip, and I was still no where near the ride height where the bump steer problems can rear their ugly heads.
See part 3!
12-23-2011, 05:55 PM
#3
Part 3/7
Now, the braking.
As I'm sure you are aware, there is nothing wrong with S2000 OEM brakes, many of the big power boys still keep the single piston set up. I am a however a sucker for the looks of a big brake kit tucked behind the alloys, and it's something i've wanted (and occasionally needed!) on a few of my past cars (e39 m5 anyone!!!)
So, following lots of research, and seeing their adverts plastered in every car magazine and on every webpage I I jumped straight in. K-sport 8 pots with Ferodo DS2500 pads, 330mm discs, braided lines and all that jazz I felt comfortable that i'd covered braking on the front of my S adequately.
What an understatement!!!!
This kit, despite what many haters and brand name fan boys will tell you absolutely stunned me when installed! And it never stopped impressing me for every one of my drives after fitting! I am an extremely late braker, and on road or track this kit never faded once, the pedal felt the same at the end of a session as it did at the start. On my old Prelude I ran dixcel type z pads on FCR discs, and tended to get through a set of pads every 6 months (it was my high-mile daily driver!) at around £150 a set, with a disc change (£300) on every second set of pads, meaning that in a year I'd spend £600 on brake consumables.
With this kit, the Ferodo DS2500 pads lasted for about 20 months, and the discs had barely worn any lip! Meaning that the kit had paid for well over half of it's initial outlay! When the pad change did come, I was amazed to find that all 16 pistons we're still immaculately clean, and there was no deterioration to the finish of the calipers either, great stuff.
Anyway, enough about the brakes already!
The magic of the S had also managed to convince my friend Kris to partake in some roof down/9k rpm action, so I now had a playmate for b road blasts.
The drive home! (Bit of British weather never hurt anyone!)
Washed and Waxed:
See part 4!
Now, the braking.
As I'm sure you are aware, there is nothing wrong with S2000 OEM brakes, many of the big power boys still keep the single piston set up. I am a however a sucker for the looks of a big brake kit tucked behind the alloys, and it's something i've wanted (and occasionally needed!) on a few of my past cars (e39 m5 anyone!!!)
So, following lots of research, and seeing their adverts plastered in every car magazine and on every webpage I I jumped straight in. K-sport 8 pots with Ferodo DS2500 pads, 330mm discs, braided lines and all that jazz I felt comfortable that i'd covered braking on the front of my S adequately.
What an understatement!!!!
This kit, despite what many haters and brand name fan boys will tell you absolutely stunned me when installed! And it never stopped impressing me for every one of my drives after fitting! I am an extremely late braker, and on road or track this kit never faded once, the pedal felt the same at the end of a session as it did at the start. On my old Prelude I ran dixcel type z pads on FCR discs, and tended to get through a set of pads every 6 months (it was my high-mile daily driver!) at around £150 a set, with a disc change (£300) on every second set of pads, meaning that in a year I'd spend £600 on brake consumables.
With this kit, the Ferodo DS2500 pads lasted for about 20 months, and the discs had barely worn any lip! Meaning that the kit had paid for well over half of it's initial outlay! When the pad change did come, I was amazed to find that all 16 pistons we're still immaculately clean, and there was no deterioration to the finish of the calipers either, great stuff.
Anyway, enough about the brakes already!
The magic of the S had also managed to convince my friend Kris to partake in some roof down/9k rpm action, so I now had a playmate for b road blasts.
The drive home! (Bit of British weather never hurt anyone!)
Washed and Waxed:
See part 4!
12-23-2011, 05:56 PM
#4
Part 4/7
Following an engine clean, I realised that the airbox-lid off mod was making the bay look somewhat untidy. Being the child that I am; I wanted the noisiest induction kit that I could find! The usual options presented themselves, AEM V2, K & N FIPK, PRM etc, and I'd pretty much set my sights on the K & N, due to the neat install, simple looks and great sound. I liked the noise of the V2 in Kris's car, but I didn't fancy the plastic cutting, and the noise was somehow too 'distant' for me, being right down in the arch.
And then the HKS came onto my radar.....
I'd seen and heard the kit on a member's car before, and really liked it, it was wonderfully rare and I found the layout of the pipework and design of the heatshield intriguing, and that's before we get to the intake noise!
Maybe it's the shapes and lengths of the pipework, but this thing was amazing on cam! It had a real biting sound, turning into an almost chainsaw/old v-twin snarl at high revs! I knew i'd made the right choice, just wasnt sure about the chrome, so matte black it was!
So good was the sound that it necessitated a post midnight run to Dartford tunnel
Summer was upon us, and it was time for the S to be introduced to some proper roads. My friend Martin and I consulted google maps and decided that a repeat of last year's euro trip (which was done in my Prelude and his ITR) was on the cards, albeit with a few tweaks to ensure that we got a good amount of time on the Alps.
This was the basic route. We'd sail from Dover to Dunquerke, and head south to cover an anticlockwise loop through France down to Gap to take in the Route Napoleon, then around and on the alps through Italy, towards the Italian/Swiss border at Como/Chiasso. Up through Switzerland whilst paying a visit to the great passes in the area. Then onwards up through Austria, then to Stuttgart to visit the Porsche Muesem, next would be to the Nurburgring. And then finally the long stretch back home though the ever delightful Belgium.
Pictures speak a thousand words..... (There are loads, I just picked a few!)
It was on this trip that I truly had the greatest drive of my life! We headed away from Italy and back into France for this little bit, and what came next was around 15 minutes of the best switchbacks, chicanes, noises and scenery I've ever experienced. Im certain that this section of the mountain was supposed to take a lot longer to navigate, but for us it was a non stop battering on the senses, adrenaline filled, and an experience that I will reminisce on for years to come!
It was a sad day, on the boat back to Blighty when the holiday was done, as we ate the over priced and very British fish and chips I knew the stint before we could come out here again would a long one. TPO now had a taste for European roads, and the pleasures of the M20/M25 just weren't gonna cut it.
Oh well, maybe next year. Or maybe in a few months!
Kris, with his newly acquired Skyline decided that he fancied a bit of Nurburgring action for himself, so, in late September with not too much planning, the S2, Martin's ITR and Kris's skyline were bearing down on Germany once again.
It was a fantastic visit, nuff said!
See part 5!
Following an engine clean, I realised that the airbox-lid off mod was making the bay look somewhat untidy. Being the child that I am; I wanted the noisiest induction kit that I could find! The usual options presented themselves, AEM V2, K & N FIPK, PRM etc, and I'd pretty much set my sights on the K & N, due to the neat install, simple looks and great sound. I liked the noise of the V2 in Kris's car, but I didn't fancy the plastic cutting, and the noise was somehow too 'distant' for me, being right down in the arch.
And then the HKS came onto my radar.....
I'd seen and heard the kit on a member's car before, and really liked it, it was wonderfully rare and I found the layout of the pipework and design of the heatshield intriguing, and that's before we get to the intake noise!
Maybe it's the shapes and lengths of the pipework, but this thing was amazing on cam! It had a real biting sound, turning into an almost chainsaw/old v-twin snarl at high revs! I knew i'd made the right choice, just wasnt sure about the chrome, so matte black it was!
So good was the sound that it necessitated a post midnight run to Dartford tunnel
Summer was upon us, and it was time for the S to be introduced to some proper roads. My friend Martin and I consulted google maps and decided that a repeat of last year's euro trip (which was done in my Prelude and his ITR) was on the cards, albeit with a few tweaks to ensure that we got a good amount of time on the Alps.
This was the basic route. We'd sail from Dover to Dunquerke, and head south to cover an anticlockwise loop through France down to Gap to take in the Route Napoleon, then around and on the alps through Italy, towards the Italian/Swiss border at Como/Chiasso. Up through Switzerland whilst paying a visit to the great passes in the area. Then onwards up through Austria, then to Stuttgart to visit the Porsche Muesem, next would be to the Nurburgring. And then finally the long stretch back home though the ever delightful Belgium.
Pictures speak a thousand words..... (There are loads, I just picked a few!)
It was on this trip that I truly had the greatest drive of my life! We headed away from Italy and back into France for this little bit, and what came next was around 15 minutes of the best switchbacks, chicanes, noises and scenery I've ever experienced. Im certain that this section of the mountain was supposed to take a lot longer to navigate, but for us it was a non stop battering on the senses, adrenaline filled, and an experience that I will reminisce on for years to come!
It was a sad day, on the boat back to Blighty when the holiday was done, as we ate the over priced and very British fish and chips I knew the stint before we could come out here again would a long one. TPO now had a taste for European roads, and the pleasures of the M20/M25 just weren't gonna cut it.
Oh well, maybe next year. Or maybe in a few months!
Kris, with his newly acquired Skyline decided that he fancied a bit of Nurburgring action for himself, so, in late September with not too much planning, the S2, Martin's ITR and Kris's skyline were bearing down on Germany once again.
It was a fantastic visit, nuff said!
See part 5!
12-23-2011, 05:58 PM
#5
Part 5/7
Following the fantastic ring trip of September 2010; it seemed that I had reached the limits of what OEM suspension (albeit with different springs) could do for me with regards to roll resistance, it was time to get a little more aggressive.
Not being a chap given to doing things by halves I realised the only way to adequately lower my S and keep good geometry was going to be the whole enchilada; height adjustable coilovers, front and rear bump steer kits, and driveshaft spacers. Much research was performed, and the ordered spec list was Meister R coilovers (zeta R - 10/10 rates), T1R rack spacers and drive shaft spacers, with hardrace rear toe arms. I didn't hold out much hope that the original droplinks would be removable without a fight (which turned out to be true!) so I grabbed four of those as well.
I had a little problem to tackle before that lot could go on however....
Yep, you guessed it, 2 seized rear camber adjusters and a seized compliance adjuster! NOOOOOO!
The toe arms and driveshaft spacers fitted.
Honda's 'intelligent' decision to not sell the bushes separate to the wishbones was one that led me to polybush's website, where the full kit for the S2000 was purchased. Then, after getting some super sharp Bosch blades for my sabre saw we began the tiring cutting process.....
Actually, not that tiring, since the saw did all the hard work! They are still tough little bastards those adjustment bolts, especially the compliance collar. Nevertheless, following a short stint on the press (hydraulic press that is, not a newspaper.....) this was the end result:
All suspension parts fitted, with plenty of grease, new split pins etc. The result was absolutely, positively...... Awful!
The car felt about as stable as bambi on a frozen lake! The front took a flying leap at every ditch on a country road, the back snapped out quicker than Vinnie Jones in 'those' days, and it just felt wobbly and loose.
Money and time wasted then?
Na of course not! It just needed the professional eyes of a hunter hawkeye machine to look at it.
The initial checks showed that just 2 values were within limits, with the rest being numerous degrees out, and neither axle was pointing directly forward!
A little bit of ratcheting, more swearing and a few compliments from the alignment technician on my polybush handiwork (I thank you ) we made all those nasty reds green!
Paid my dues, and headed out on a lovely sunny Saturday for a test drive and check to make sure everything was good. It didn't take long! The difference was staggering, and grip was absolutely immense!
The chassis felt so communicative now, every notch in the road was either communicated to my hands through the wheel, or to my derrière via the seat. Body roll was perfectly contained with the coilovers on medium settings, and the rear was infinitely adjustable at will according to my right foot, which is what a rear drive roadster is all about for me!
That's another one ticked off!
Now is that standard exhaust too quiet for a sports car?
Yes was the answer, and not having the budget (or inclination for that matter) to lash out £XXXX on a titanium system or the like, I opted to go for a 2.5" twin system for a good price. A lengthy (but highly enjoyable) road trip up to the peak district after work one Friday night, and following a quick fitting I was back on the road, under a perfectly clear nights sky with the roof down. It was already past 12 at this point, and I've still got hundreds of miles to get back to Essex, but I bet the S would be fun on a clear Snakes pass at this time of night.....
It was! tunes playing, intake growling and new exhaust humming this went down in history as one of the greatest drives I had in the S, so much so that when I eventually arrived in Sheffield, I hadn't even noticed that it was now past one, and I should probably be getting home! So I pointed the nose at the M1 and began the long stint home, still roof down, grinning the whole way (and turning in fair MPG, I don't mind saying )
I'd purchased an OEM front lip, and a low level OEM rear spoiler a while back, but had just never got round to fitting em. Well, as we approached summer, it seemed like now was a good time for painting, with the horrors of winter road salt now just a distant memory.
Whilst the bumper was in the paintshop, the notion came to me to get rid of two (technically three) blights on the front bumper. The enormous (and affixed from the rear as well!) number plate plinth, and the ghastly headlamp washers. I much preferred the clean lines of Kris's JDM (which was now sold! - he likes him a Skyline or two at this point!)
Conscious that the area was subject to flex and vibration, I was nervous of the traditional filler route, so after a discussion with the body shop manager, he tried a super flexy resin type filler, which he claimed would have the movement capabilities of the bumper plastic.
He was right, the finish was spot on, and with the Honda badge and number plate holes smoothed off as well the finished bumper was looking quite smart in my opinion. He also put his perfect paint finish on the spoiler too.
Doesn't berlina black look awesome when it's fresh!
The fitting was simple with the bumper, with a marginal difference to how the arch liners and undertray bolt to the bumper around the front lip.
The spoiler fitting was of course a much more involved process featuring a drill and much 'clenching'
This is the job halfway through, truly the embodiment of 'measure twice, drill once'!
All fitted perfectly!
See part 6!
Following the fantastic ring trip of September 2010; it seemed that I had reached the limits of what OEM suspension (albeit with different springs) could do for me with regards to roll resistance, it was time to get a little more aggressive.
Not being a chap given to doing things by halves I realised the only way to adequately lower my S and keep good geometry was going to be the whole enchilada; height adjustable coilovers, front and rear bump steer kits, and driveshaft spacers. Much research was performed, and the ordered spec list was Meister R coilovers (zeta R - 10/10 rates), T1R rack spacers and drive shaft spacers, with hardrace rear toe arms. I didn't hold out much hope that the original droplinks would be removable without a fight (which turned out to be true!) so I grabbed four of those as well.
I had a little problem to tackle before that lot could go on however....
Yep, you guessed it, 2 seized rear camber adjusters and a seized compliance adjuster! NOOOOOO!
The toe arms and driveshaft spacers fitted.
Honda's 'intelligent' decision to not sell the bushes separate to the wishbones was one that led me to polybush's website, where the full kit for the S2000 was purchased. Then, after getting some super sharp Bosch blades for my sabre saw we began the tiring cutting process.....
Actually, not that tiring, since the saw did all the hard work! They are still tough little bastards those adjustment bolts, especially the compliance collar. Nevertheless, following a short stint on the press (hydraulic press that is, not a newspaper.....) this was the end result:
All suspension parts fitted, with plenty of grease, new split pins etc. The result was absolutely, positively...... Awful!
The car felt about as stable as bambi on a frozen lake! The front took a flying leap at every ditch on a country road, the back snapped out quicker than Vinnie Jones in 'those' days, and it just felt wobbly and loose.
Money and time wasted then?
Na of course not! It just needed the professional eyes of a hunter hawkeye machine to look at it.
The initial checks showed that just 2 values were within limits, with the rest being numerous degrees out, and neither axle was pointing directly forward!
A little bit of ratcheting, more swearing and a few compliments from the alignment technician on my polybush handiwork (I thank you
) we made all those nasty reds green!Paid my dues, and headed out on a lovely sunny Saturday for a test drive and check to make sure everything was good. It didn't take long! The difference was staggering, and grip was absolutely immense!
The chassis felt so communicative now, every notch in the road was either communicated to my hands through the wheel, or to my derrière via the seat. Body roll was perfectly contained with the coilovers on medium settings, and the rear was infinitely adjustable at will according to my right foot, which is what a rear drive roadster is all about for me!
That's another one ticked off!
Now is that standard exhaust too quiet for a sports car?
Yes was the answer, and not having the budget (or inclination for that matter) to lash out £XXXX on a titanium system or the like, I opted to go for a 2.5" twin system for a good price. A lengthy (but highly enjoyable) road trip up to the peak district after work one Friday night, and following a quick fitting I was back on the road, under a perfectly clear nights sky with the roof down. It was already past 12 at this point, and I've still got hundreds of miles to get back to Essex, but I bet the S would be fun on a clear Snakes pass at this time of night.....
It was! tunes playing, intake growling and new exhaust humming this went down in history as one of the greatest drives I had in the S, so much so that when I eventually arrived in Sheffield, I hadn't even noticed that it was now past one, and I should probably be getting home! So I pointed the nose at the M1 and began the long stint home, still roof down, grinning the whole way (and turning in fair MPG, I don't mind saying
)I'd purchased an OEM front lip, and a low level OEM rear spoiler a while back, but had just never got round to fitting em. Well, as we approached summer, it seemed like now was a good time for painting, with the horrors of winter road salt now just a distant memory.
Whilst the bumper was in the paintshop, the notion came to me to get rid of two (technically three) blights on the front bumper. The enormous (and affixed from the rear as well!) number plate plinth, and the ghastly headlamp washers. I much preferred the clean lines of Kris's JDM (which was now sold! - he likes him a Skyline or two at this point!)
Conscious that the area was subject to flex and vibration, I was nervous of the traditional filler route, so after a discussion with the body shop manager, he tried a super flexy resin type filler, which he claimed would have the movement capabilities of the bumper plastic.
He was right, the finish was spot on, and with the Honda badge and number plate holes smoothed off as well the finished bumper was looking quite smart in my opinion. He also put his perfect paint finish on the spoiler too.
Doesn't berlina black look awesome when it's fresh!
The fitting was simple with the bumper, with a marginal difference to how the arch liners and undertray bolt to the bumper around the front lip.
The spoiler fitting was of course a much more involved process featuring a drill and much 'clenching'
This is the job halfway through, truly the embodiment of 'measure twice, drill once'!
All fitted perfectly!
See part 6!
12-23-2011, 06:00 PM
#6
Part 6/7
Whilst the paintwork was being done, with the car at mine, immobilised, I had decided to do a clutch change, since I had developed the 'deceleration buzz' so familiar to MY00 owners. Exedy OEM clutch was chosen, and whilst working in that neck of the woods, I decided to throw in a Fidanza flywheel as well. Which is a tried and tested mod I've had on all my Honda's.
The car now had a beautifully weighted and smooth pedal, alongside some seriously quick idle-redline capabilities thanks to the new flywheel!
Some summer pics:
Pretty low!:
This is broadly the setup that took me through most of 2011. Many pub conversations let me to changing this and that in pursuit of a different look, (euro is a favourite of my friends) but I couldn't hack the BBS wheel cleaning in cold weather, the continuous scraping of wheels on arch and the general lack of drivability that is lost from a car when you go this route! I drove my S briskly as you should, and having no suspension travel and tyres basically laying on their side is going to affect things somewhat!
In a bout of teenage rebellion to these suggestions, I decided a more track-ish look and feel was on the cards, along with a little more power. Supercharging was speculated upon many times, but after much 'testing' at the Nurburgring and GP circuit with a few supercharged and even turbocharged S2's it was deemed that N/A power was more applicable and exploitable for my driving style. Leaving track knowledge and driving abilities aside; my S, with a hundred or more BHP deficit on the others had no problem keeping up through the corners and leaving most over the laps we did. So noisy and revvy N/A power it was to be!
Before power, must come grip.
The Pirelli's had pretty much had it by now, so it seemed fitting that I source some good dry weather performance tyres, since my S is my weekend pleasure and I don't have to do any miles in bad weather if I choose not to.
Yokohama Advan's were selected. They fitted the bill well, in the dry, on road or track they offered biblical levels of grip, good wear rate and weren't massively noisy when cruising either.
In the cold and wet however, not so good!
Not dangerous exactly, they just didn't have the same predictability as the Pirelli's did, the snap out was much more sudden, and less well communicated.
It was ok though, since I was only gonna push hard on nice, warm sunny days....
For power, ITB's were researched, but deemed a bit unnecessary, and I didn't want to have the cold start and tuning issues that this setup can sometimes bring. It seems that the factory intake is sufficient for a good level of N/A power. Certainly for the level that I wanted.
To begin, I had to free up exhaust restrictions. I planned a Mugen manifold, 70mm decat and a nice 70mm system. Initially this was to be a T1R single, (I loved the noise!), but after hearing sound clips of an Invidia N1 Dual I decided that this was the one to go for, it's also known to make good power increases with a few other breathing mods.
Fitted:
The sound, combined with the intake was spine tingling to say the least! Yes, it's very loud and yes, if you catch it at the wrong part of the throttle there is some drone! (stick the bungs in ya big girl!) but for the most part this system is everything I wanted on my S; no rasping, great build quality and a track sound on cam, this system certainly delivered!
Since I had bigger track plans, I thought now would be a good time to install a baffled sump, and a catch can just to catch any excess vapours.
Catch Can Fitted:
Just gotta wait a few weeks and save so that I can get the next bits....
Next up was to order the manifold and decat, and get booked in for some rolling road time and mapping. For now though, it's a sunny Sunday and I think I'll pick a mate up and we'll go for a spin.
That; turned out to be quite a true statement, and one that would make an irreversible change to my S......
I, like most other S2K'ers (or any car for that matter) consider myself a decent driver. I have owned a variety of cars over the years, and driven three times that many besides. I lived happily in the bubble world of believing that my smooth inputs were legendary and my oversteer; world class.
You'd read on the forum about people crashing their S2's, in winter or any other time and amidst the sympathy (and hyena tactics if they had any good bits - you know what I mean!) you have this small thought that maybe they could have done more to avoid/rescue the slide/spin that you definitely could have rescued.
Accidents are simply something that happen to other people, right....?
Morning. A familiar road. In lovely weather. A pace that I'm usually on. Big smile on my face, and one to match from my passenger. Cut a good 'line' through a long uphill left hand bend.
The first I knew of the slide was the nose changing direction. There was no weightlessness from the steering wheel, nor had I lifted the throttle! It was like the whole car had been put on ice.
Get that opposite lock on, now!
We're too close the edge of the road......
The tyres are screeching now.....
That barrier is too close, we're going in....
I close my eyes, hands firmly gripped on the wheel, I push myself back into my seat, to distance myself from the barrier......
The smooth feeling through the steering wheel turns bumpy and rough; the nose is on the grass.
That sound......
I'm aware of spinning, fast, and many times....
When I open my eyes, the smell of coolant is thick in the morning air, the bonnet is bent back over the windscreen and we are facing out to the road. I look to my left, my passenger looks worried, and somehow sad, maybe he liked the S as much as I did. Nevertheless we both acknowledge that we are physically unscathed and since neither airbags deployed; we are in reasonable shape.
Do the doors still open? Yes.
Gotta get out and get the car to the side of the road. This isn't going to be good.
Fast forward to a little in the future, my good friends (and you realise HOW good at times like this!) have sourced me a trailer, a tow car, and a garage/lockup to keep the car in, for whatever work is deemed necessary. Good eh!
TPO is not dead, just resting.
A lucky escape then?
So it seems. Both myself and passenger, following a small checkout at the hospital were deemed to be fine, and so much was salvageable from the S that it actually for a time looked possible that finding a straight shell to stick all my bits in was a possibility.
That was before I discovered the difficulty in buying a straight, but not-declared-scrapped
shell! They ain't out there!
And even if I did eventually find it; after any and all paintwork had been done, I'd have spent a tonne of money to make the same car I already had!
You may be wondering at this point; why not go through the insurance?
Well, this is not the correct venue to make my case, and I don't wish to cause offence to anyone who works in that particular trade; but I know for a fact that I would have been worse off after those sharks had given me 'book value' (even with all mods declared) and probably put my premium up somewhat due to the 'own fault' circumstances.
When I'd returned to work following the accident I went out with the work mates, for some food and a consoling 'sorry about your car but glad you're alright' type drink. Halfway through the evening, about 11.30 I was well fed and certainly well watered, and I recieve a picture message from Kris (of the ex S2000 variety!):
It took me a while to work out what it was (and a semi drunk phone call on my part from outside the restaurant certainly helped!) but it seemed that whilst I was getting pissed and gorging on Pizza in the warm, Kris and my brother (adopted - sort of) were skinning their knuckles on a freezing October's evening stripping the car down, and making good progress too! (thats my diff on the jack by the way!)
This made me feel all warm inside (or maybe it was the beer....)
I said it before, times like this you find out who your mates are!
Not going through the insurance was the right choice it seems, because now, 2 months and a bit after the accident I have made good money selling the parts from the car, and if I get close to what I want for drive train I'll have plenty to start my new project! My losses in this matter were not solely financial however.
I loved that car! I'm not one of those weirdo's i've seen on TV (in America mostly!) who will engage in, errr unnatural acts with their cars, but I really enjoyed driving it, modifying it and just generally owning one of Honda's finest.
See part 7!
Whilst the paintwork was being done, with the car at mine, immobilised, I had decided to do a clutch change, since I had developed the 'deceleration buzz' so familiar to MY00 owners. Exedy OEM clutch was chosen, and whilst working in that neck of the woods, I decided to throw in a Fidanza flywheel as well. Which is a tried and tested mod I've had on all my Honda's.
The car now had a beautifully weighted and smooth pedal, alongside some seriously quick idle-redline capabilities thanks to the new flywheel!
Some summer pics:
Pretty low!:
This is broadly the setup that took me through most of 2011. Many pub conversations let me to changing this and that in pursuit of a different look, (euro is a favourite of my friends) but I couldn't hack the BBS wheel cleaning in cold weather, the continuous scraping of wheels on arch and the general lack of drivability that is lost from a car when you go this route! I drove my S briskly as you should, and having no suspension travel and tyres basically laying on their side is going to affect things somewhat!
In a bout of teenage rebellion to these suggestions, I decided a more track-ish look and feel was on the cards, along with a little more power. Supercharging was speculated upon many times, but after much 'testing' at the Nurburgring and GP circuit with a few supercharged and even turbocharged S2's it was deemed that N/A power was more applicable and exploitable for my driving style. Leaving track knowledge and driving abilities aside; my S, with a hundred or more BHP deficit on the others had no problem keeping up through the corners and leaving most over the laps we did. So noisy and revvy N/A power it was to be!
Before power, must come grip.
The Pirelli's had pretty much had it by now, so it seemed fitting that I source some good dry weather performance tyres, since my S is my weekend pleasure and I don't have to do any miles in bad weather if I choose not to.
Yokohama Advan's were selected. They fitted the bill well, in the dry, on road or track they offered biblical levels of grip, good wear rate and weren't massively noisy when cruising either.
In the cold and wet however, not so good!
Not dangerous exactly, they just didn't have the same predictability as the Pirelli's did, the snap out was much more sudden, and less well communicated.
It was ok though, since I was only gonna push hard on nice, warm sunny days....
For power, ITB's were researched, but deemed a bit unnecessary, and I didn't want to have the cold start and tuning issues that this setup can sometimes bring. It seems that the factory intake is sufficient for a good level of N/A power. Certainly for the level that I wanted.
To begin, I had to free up exhaust restrictions. I planned a Mugen manifold, 70mm decat and a nice 70mm system. Initially this was to be a T1R single, (I loved the noise!), but after hearing sound clips of an Invidia N1 Dual I decided that this was the one to go for, it's also known to make good power increases with a few other breathing mods.
Fitted:
The sound, combined with the intake was spine tingling to say the least! Yes, it's very loud and yes, if you catch it at the wrong part of the throttle there is some drone! (stick the bungs in ya big girl!) but for the most part this system is everything I wanted on my S; no rasping, great build quality and a track sound on cam, this system certainly delivered!
Since I had bigger track plans, I thought now would be a good time to install a baffled sump, and a catch can just to catch any excess vapours.
Catch Can Fitted:
Just gotta wait a few weeks and save so that I can get the next bits....
Next up was to order the manifold and decat, and get booked in for some rolling road time and mapping. For now though, it's a sunny Sunday and I think I'll pick a mate up and we'll go for a spin.
That; turned out to be quite a true statement, and one that would make an irreversible change to my S......
I, like most other S2K'ers (or any car for that matter) consider myself a decent driver. I have owned a variety of cars over the years, and driven three times that many besides. I lived happily in the bubble world of believing that my smooth inputs were legendary and my oversteer; world class.
You'd read on the forum about people crashing their S2's, in winter or any other time and amidst the sympathy (and hyena tactics if they had any good bits - you know what I mean!) you have this small thought that maybe they could have done more to avoid/rescue the slide/spin that you definitely could have rescued.
Accidents are simply something that happen to other people, right....?
Morning. A familiar road. In lovely weather. A pace that I'm usually on. Big smile on my face, and one to match from my passenger. Cut a good 'line' through a long uphill left hand bend.
The first I knew of the slide was the nose changing direction. There was no weightlessness from the steering wheel, nor had I lifted the throttle! It was like the whole car had been put on ice.
Get that opposite lock on, now!
We're too close the edge of the road......
The tyres are screeching now.....
That barrier is too close, we're going in....
I close my eyes, hands firmly gripped on the wheel, I push myself back into my seat, to distance myself from the barrier......
The smooth feeling through the steering wheel turns bumpy and rough; the nose is on the grass.
That sound......
I'm aware of spinning, fast, and many times....
When I open my eyes, the smell of coolant is thick in the morning air, the bonnet is bent back over the windscreen and we are facing out to the road. I look to my left, my passenger looks worried, and somehow sad, maybe he liked the S as much as I did. Nevertheless we both acknowledge that we are physically unscathed and since neither airbags deployed; we are in reasonable shape.
Do the doors still open? Yes.
Gotta get out and get the car to the side of the road. This isn't going to be good.
Fast forward to a little in the future, my good friends (and you realise HOW good at times like this!) have sourced me a trailer, a tow car, and a garage/lockup to keep the car in, for whatever work is deemed necessary. Good eh!
TPO is not dead, just resting.
A lucky escape then?
So it seems. Both myself and passenger, following a small checkout at the hospital were deemed to be fine, and so much was salvageable from the S that it actually for a time looked possible that finding a straight shell to stick all my bits in was a possibility.
That was before I discovered the difficulty in buying a straight, but not-declared-scrapped
shell! They ain't out there!
And even if I did eventually find it; after any and all paintwork had been done, I'd have spent a tonne of money to make the same car I already had!
You may be wondering at this point; why not go through the insurance?
Well, this is not the correct venue to make my case, and I don't wish to cause offence to anyone who works in that particular trade; but I know for a fact that I would have been worse off after those sharks had given me 'book value' (even with all mods declared) and probably put my premium up somewhat due to the 'own fault' circumstances.
When I'd returned to work following the accident I went out with the work mates, for some food and a consoling 'sorry about your car but glad you're alright' type drink. Halfway through the evening, about 11.30 I was well fed and certainly well watered, and I recieve a picture message from Kris (of the ex S2000 variety!):
It took me a while to work out what it was (and a semi drunk phone call on my part from outside the restaurant certainly helped!) but it seemed that whilst I was getting pissed and gorging on Pizza in the warm, Kris and my brother (adopted - sort of) were skinning their knuckles on a freezing October's evening stripping the car down, and making good progress too! (thats my diff on the jack by the way!)
This made me feel all warm inside (or maybe it was the beer....)
I said it before, times like this you find out who your mates are!
Not going through the insurance was the right choice it seems, because now, 2 months and a bit after the accident I have made good money selling the parts from the car, and if I get close to what I want for drive train I'll have plenty to start my new project! My losses in this matter were not solely financial however.
I loved that car! I'm not one of those weirdo's i've seen on TV (in America mostly!) who will engage in, errr unnatural acts with their cars, but I really enjoyed driving it, modifying it and just generally owning one of Honda's finest.
See part 7!
12-23-2011, 06:01 PM
#7
Part 7/7
So what next then? Well it's a been a bag of mixed emotions getting to this point. As I write this, I have a gearbox, seats and a few interior bits left to sell.
The decision was a tricky one, I was this close to buying a beautiful DC5 Integra, but…..
In the end I went for this:
I know what some will be saying, especially on a Honda forum full of fans as passionate as you guys, but once this thing gets under your skin......
I will admit; it was a risky choice, particularly after my M5, which was a car that I just couldn’t bond with, no matter how I tried. My new affair with the M3 wasn’t an immediate love, and I do still find myself coveting a passing S2000 in the same way an ex lover yearns for his old flame. There is real magic in my M3 though. Despite what you will have heard about the Germans, the M people really pushed the boat out with this car, they really care. If you have the chance to drive one; yes it will feel heavier than the S2000, because it is, and yes it does feel larger, again; because it is. Overcome these two facts however and you have a beautifully built and finished, comfortable, wonderfully balanced, fantastic looking coupe with a staggering engine and sublime driving dynamics. Spend a few minutes sorting your driving position (including the electric adjusting side bolsters – love em) and find some open road, spin the straight six to 8000rpm and hang a hundred yards of opposite lock off a roundabout, Preferably with a CSL intake for aural pleasure…..
So for you guys:
Whoever bought something from me, big or small, you are carrying round a piece of the legacy that is, up to this point, the most enjoyable, fun and satisfying car I have ever owned and one that I will miss driving, badly.
Some people have said that the Japanese make soulless 'white' goods and sell them as cars.
They say that the only people who have managed to build character and soul into their cars are the Europeans.
This may be true of some of the Asian offerings, built purely to fill a gap in the market by business development types, who have no interest in cars.
Honda though? I disagree.
I'll let you research for yourself: but from bikes, motorsport heritage on two and four wheels and a fantastic design ethos embodied by intelligent build processes leaves you with the S2000.
Maybe I'll be back in another someday!
Remember though, if you didn't absorb anything else on this thread: (you're unlikely to have read this then eh!)
You CAN crash, it CAN be you!
If you're a petrolhead, a real one who is able to appreciate the wonder of the S2000, then make sure it's clean, well maintained and DRIVE it for gods sake! Dirt washes off, but if your S was gone tomorrow, you might just wish you had driven it more!
Keep your friends close to you, and remember that favours are a two way street. Got a mate that does a lot for you? Be ready to pay em back when the time comes.
Metal is replaceable, people are not.
Thanks for taking the time to read about my S2, be safe on the road, particularly with winter on us. It's been a fun forum to be a part of!
Epilogue.
No car before stirred the petrolhead soul like my S did. I'd watch the fuel blocks drop from the display as another afternoon turns to evening turns to night.
The roof down, the sunshine on my face turning to darkness, countered by the streetlights as the stars appear over my head. From city crawl, connected to motorway sprint morphing to backroad thrash, listening to each rpm rise and fall, with a soundtrack that defies the sum of the moving parts, and feeling every nuance of the road that I leave rolling behind me. I arrive at the junction that will take me back home, the rigours of life beckoning me like knowing demons from a depth of unwelcome and inescapable normality. I turn the nose away, onto new roads and destinations, and watch those same stars above my head give way, loosen their clutches on the inky blue sky that has another sunny day waiting in the wings. And I just keep driving, anywhere, and for no reason but that I can.
Freedom.
R.I.P TPO.
So what next then? Well it's a been a bag of mixed emotions getting to this point. As I write this, I have a gearbox, seats and a few interior bits left to sell.
The decision was a tricky one, I was this close to buying a beautiful DC5 Integra, but…..
In the end I went for this:
I know what some will be saying, especially on a Honda forum full of fans as passionate as you guys, but once this thing gets under your skin......
I will admit; it was a risky choice, particularly after my M5, which was a car that I just couldn’t bond with, no matter how I tried. My new affair with the M3 wasn’t an immediate love, and I do still find myself coveting a passing S2000 in the same way an ex lover yearns for his old flame. There is real magic in my M3 though. Despite what you will have heard about the Germans, the M people really pushed the boat out with this car, they really care. If you have the chance to drive one; yes it will feel heavier than the S2000, because it is, and yes it does feel larger, again; because it is. Overcome these two facts however and you have a beautifully built and finished, comfortable, wonderfully balanced, fantastic looking coupe with a staggering engine and sublime driving dynamics. Spend a few minutes sorting your driving position (including the electric adjusting side bolsters – love em) and find some open road, spin the straight six to 8000rpm and hang a hundred yards of opposite lock off a roundabout, Preferably with a CSL intake for aural pleasure…..
So for you guys:
Whoever bought something from me, big or small, you are carrying round a piece of the legacy that is, up to this point, the most enjoyable, fun and satisfying car I have ever owned and one that I will miss driving, badly.
Some people have said that the Japanese make soulless 'white' goods and sell them as cars.
They say that the only people who have managed to build character and soul into their cars are the Europeans.
This may be true of some of the Asian offerings, built purely to fill a gap in the market by business development types, who have no interest in cars.
Honda though? I disagree.
I'll let you research for yourself: but from bikes, motorsport heritage on two and four wheels and a fantastic design ethos embodied by intelligent build processes leaves you with the S2000.
Maybe I'll be back in another someday!
Remember though, if you didn't absorb anything else on this thread: (you're unlikely to have read this then eh!)
You CAN crash, it CAN be you!
If you're a petrolhead, a real one who is able to appreciate the wonder of the S2000, then make sure it's clean, well maintained and DRIVE it for gods sake! Dirt washes off, but if your S was gone tomorrow, you might just wish you had driven it more!
Keep your friends close to you, and remember that favours are a two way street. Got a mate that does a lot for you? Be ready to pay em back when the time comes.
Metal is replaceable, people are not.
Thanks for taking the time to read about my S2, be safe on the road, particularly with winter on us. It's been a fun forum to be a part of!
Epilogue.
No car before stirred the petrolhead soul like my S did. I'd watch the fuel blocks drop from the display as another afternoon turns to evening turns to night.
The roof down, the sunshine on my face turning to darkness, countered by the streetlights as the stars appear over my head. From city crawl, connected to motorway sprint morphing to backroad thrash, listening to each rpm rise and fall, with a soundtrack that defies the sum of the moving parts, and feeling every nuance of the road that I leave rolling behind me. I arrive at the junction that will take me back home, the rigours of life beckoning me like knowing demons from a depth of unwelcome and inescapable normality. I turn the nose away, onto new roads and destinations, and watch those same stars above my head give way, loosen their clutches on the inky blue sky that has another sunny day waiting in the wings. And I just keep driving, anywhere, and for no reason but that I can.
Freedom.
R.I.P TPO.
