Get Laid Off From Work? Build an S2000

1. Making the Best of a Bad Situation

If you've ever lost your job, you're already familiar with the horrible feeling associated with unemployment. That is unless your job sucked. But one good thing about not having a job is all the free time you suddenly find yourself blessed with. Sure, you could use that time to look for a new job or do something constructive with your life. But we'd rather use our newfound blessing to build a killer ride. Which is exactly what Blake Minton did when his job was unexpectedly outsourced to China. And he used that time so well, the finished product landed a Super Street feature.

>>Join in the conversation about this built S2000 right here in the forum.

2. New Directions

At the time of his unfortunate job loss, Minton was in the middle of building a 2002 Civic Si. He had already been modding Hondas for around nine years, but he decided to shore up his skills by taking an auto body repair class at a local trade school. It was there that he got the idea of building an S2000 instead of the Civic. At first, the roadster served as nothing more than a new daily driver. But the car garnered a good bit of attention everywhere he drove it, so Minton began working to make it his own.

>>Join in the conversation about this built S2000 right here in the forum.

3. Power Infusion

The first step was to extract more power from the stock F20C. Strict OBD-II inspection laws in Minton's home state of North Carolina limited his options, but he was able to make a CARB approved GReddy bolt-on turbo kit work. That modification alone gave Minton's S2000 a nearly 100 hp gain at the wheels, making it well worth the research headache. The mighty green S2ki now pumps out a healthy 296 whp and 212 lb-ft of torque.

>>Join in the conversation about this built S2000 right here in the forum.

4. Putting Your Education to Good Use

200+ man hours went into prepping the body, fitting the Shine front fenders, Seibon J’s-style carbon-fiber hood, and Back Yard Special rear spoiler, as well as molding the ASM rear over-fenders before several coats of Honda CR-V sourced Green Tea Metallic paint could be laid down. The fenders and flares gave Minton an extra 25mm of space, so he was able to fit a set of deep 18-inch Enkei wheels underneath.

>>Join in the conversation about this built S2000 right here in the forum.

5. Appreciating the Important Things

Minton's story is a great reminder of just how precious time is. Obviously, not all of us can afford to quit our jobs and build our cars. But he was able to make it work and spent a ton of quality time with his pals along the way as they all chipped in to make this amazing build happen. 

“This S2000 was and continues to be a true labor of love for not only me but for my crew and my family,” Minton explains. “I had some setbacks along the way, but I think those tough times helped make me stronger and made me appreciate the simple things that much more. I built my dream car, met some great people; what more could a guy ask for?”

>>Join in the conversation about this built S2000 right here in the forum.