Daily Slideshow: S2K Represents at the LA Auto Show
For the most part, you know what you're getting when you get into the LA Auto Show, but sometimes you are in for a surprise or two. This S2K crafted by local builder Glen Villanueva and his team at Long Beach Auto-Tech will take your breath away.
The Thing from the Garage
I came to this year’s LA Auto Show with a mission to check out a short list of vehicles I wanted to cover. Most of the cars we write about were found in the South and West Halls and they were the 2018 offerings from Lexus, Porsche, Chevrolet, and Ford, among others. It wasn’t until I descended into the “The Garage,” which featured customized exotics and renowned tuners, that I literally stumbled upon this S2000 that two weeks later is still etched in my mind. It was not part of a Honda performance exhibit. It was actually the featured car in the Al & Ed’s Auto Sound display. There was no information on this car other than the brands stamped all over it. So I came home and did a little digging to find out more about this baby.
>>Join the conversation about Glen Villanueva's stunning S2000 right here in S2Ki.com.
The Accidental Builder
To understand this S2000, you need to understand the man behind it. Glen Villaneuva is an “accidental” car builder who owns and operates Long Beach Auto-Tech, which he founded in 2005. According to his website bio, he spent his childhood days watching his father work on cars and learned how to extend the life and performance of every car. As he got older he learned he integrated computer-based diagnostic tools into his auto repair techniques. He opened his own business to honor his father, who was more interested in helping repair friends and neighbors cars than he was being compensated for it.
>>Join the conversation about Glen Villanueva's stunning S2000 right here in S2Ki.com.
S2KILLN It
Villaneuva had a motive behind the madness of his 2004 S2000 that now carries the vanity plate S2KILLN. He felt that if he could make it stand out in a crowd, it would be great advertising for his business and over the last several years this gorgeous rolling advertisement has not gone unnoticed around the streets of Long Beach, automotive shows like SEMA, and most recently at the LA Auto Show.
>>Join the conversation about Glen Villanueva's stunning S2000 right here in S2Ki.com.
All About that Bass
Villaneuva and his team at LBAT (known as the 52 Squad) have put a lot of care into this S2000 and they have also received help from R1 Concepts, DTA Motorsports, Falken Tires, Import Fashion, Street Lightz, Ballade Sports Project, Firm 400, Extra Dope Society, and DaYUUM.com. More recently, this gold-dripping beauty has been outfitted with a killer sound system by Al & Ed’s Auto Sound.
>>Join the conversation about Glen Villanueva's stunning S2000 right here in S2Ki.com.
Below the Belt
So what makes this S2000 stand out? We will start with the wheels because Villaneuva has confessed that he always starts with the wheels and tires first. If you get that part right then everything else is icing on the cake.
Wheels and Tires
- WEDS Sport Kranze LXZ Wheels (with chromed lips and Gold Plated faces)
- Custom Red Center Caps
- 18×11.5” in the rear and 18×10.5” up front
- Originally, the wheels are wrapped in Falken ZIEX up front (215X40X18’s) and with Falken ZFK 452’s on the rear (245X45X18’s). Now the wheels are wrapped in Toyo Proxes.
Suspension
- TEIN Street Flex Dampers (Type Flex Coilovers)
- BEAKS Polished Sub Frame Tie Bar (rear)
- DOWNSTAR, Inc. Spike Lug Nuts
Brakes
- R1 CONCEPTS Cross Drilled and Slotted Rotors with a custom R1 logo
- ACT Performance Clutch Street Disk
- ACT Performance Heavy Duty Pressure Plate
- ACT XACT Prolite Flywheel
On the Outside
The exterior of this S2000 has seen some changes since it first rolled out of Villaneuva's shop. Aside from some changes to the front bumper and grille (adding carbon fiber elements), this is what you can find on car:
- VOEM Front Bumper a shaved “H” Emblem and license plate bracket holes
- OEM Front Lip
- Custom Carbon Fiber Front Splitter
- Custom LED Yellow JDM Driving Lights
- JDM Clear Side Markers with LED’s
- JDP Engineering Carbon Fiber Rear Spoiler
- JDP Engineering Carbon Fiber Rear Diffuser
- ASPEC Billet Antenna
- 10k HID bulbs with OEM ballast
- Rear Brake Light Auto Flash Controller
- VIS Racing Carbon Fiber Side Splitters
- JDM Red “H” Emblem on the trunk
- Debagged side S2000 emblems
- Custom Hood with gold plated vent grills
On the Outside Looking In
A few changes have been made here, also, but for an overall list of the original mods and upgrades, take a look below.
- STATUS RACING custom reclining SPA Seats with a Carbon Fiber backing
- DOWNSTAR, Inc. custom (Gold Plated) Spike Shift Knob
- BROADWAY (9mm X 330mm) Rear View Mirror
- LED Interior lights, Trunk lights, and License Plate Frame lights
- ALPINE Type S 6 Component Door Speakers
- ALPINE CD Receiver CDE-HD137BT with Bluetooth and Pandora
- ALPINE 1000 (1000 Watt Amplifier)
- ALPINE 12” Sub Woofers
- AUDIO CONTROL “The Epicenter” Bass Enhancer
- FUSION AUDIO (4-Channel Amplifier and Wiring)
- MUGEN (Gold Plated) Roll Bar
- MUGEN Roll Bar Cover
- TAKATA Harnesses
- MUGEN Steering Wheel
- NRG INNOVATIONS Quick Release
- NRG INNOVATIONS Short Hub Adapter
- DTA PERFORMANCE AUDIO Custom Enclosure
Under the hood
- J’s RACING upper strut brace w/custom Gold Plated mounts
- Mugen (Gold Plated) Oil Filler Cap
- Mugen Brake Reservoir Cover
- Mugen Carbon Fiber Coil Cover
- Skunk2 Racing Mega-Power Headers
- Skunk2 Racing Test Pipe
- Skunk2 Racing VTEC (Gold Plated) Solenoid Cover
- MISHIMOTO Aluminum Radiator
- MISHIMOTO Radiator Cap
- CT Engineering Cold Air Intake with custom painted Air Intake Tube
- Custom OEM (Gold Plated) Valve Cover
- PASSWORD JDM (Gold Plated) Radiator Stays
- Black Works Racing Radiator Hoses
- Black Works Racing (Gold Plated) Battery Tie Down
- Killer Glass Upper Glass Tube with LED’s
- Invidia Q300 Stainless Steel Cat-Back Exhaust System
- NRG Innovations Polished Hood Dampers
- BISIMOTO ENGINEERING custom Chrome Plated Oil Catch Can
And First Place Goes To...
As stated earlier, the reason for this build was to get noticed, and this S2000 has certainly caught the attention of voters at auto shows across the nation. This LBAT S2K has won trophies for ”1st PLACE” HONDA CLASS (Nisei Week/ Stance Nation Import Show-Off 2013), ”1st PLACE” SLAMMED (Slammed Society-Long Beach 2013), ”1st PLACE” HONDA CLASS (Auto Gallery Car Show 2013), ”BEST HONDA” (Auto Fresh Car Show 2012), ”BEST OF SHOW/LOWEST ON COILS” (Infamous Car Show 2012), and various other awards that tell the story and solidify the achievements of Glen Villaneuva and his team at Long Beach Auto-Tech.
>>Join the conversation about Glen Villanueva's stunning S2000 right here in S2Ki.com.
Final Thoughts
I have seen a lot of S2000’S but I have never seen—or heard—one like this before and I am not sure I will again. Bless Glen V for his vision, his follow-through, and his willingness to share it with the rest of us.
>>Join the conversation about Glen Villanueva's stunning S2000 right here in S2Ki.com.