Daily Slideshow: The Man in the Mirror
The only thing better than one Honda S2000, of course, are these two from Trackspec Autosports!
Seeing Double
Honda's S2000 is one of the most enduring vehicles on the planet, even years after they stopped producing it. And the reasons why are simple - it's a fantastic platform and an excellent track day car. Which is why you'll find a number of them at any given track day event. And you'll find a pair of stellar examples, this AP1 and AP2, tucked away in the parking lot over at Trackspec Autosports. Speed Hunters "tracked" both of them down for this awesome photo shoot, and we're certainly glad they did!
Two Unique Takes
The colorful AP2 belongs to Tom Tang, who's owned the car since 2010. "Irene," as it's affectionately known, was purchased as a wrecked heap at auction, but you'd never know that today. The Silverstone metallic AP1 belongs to Son Vo, who acquired his car in 2013 with a mismatched front end. In the years since both cars landed in these men's garages, quite a few changes have obviously taken place.
Building a Hardcore Racer
Tang's AP2 has undergone a ton of changes over the years but currently sports a J-swap. It's a full-on race car, designed to compete in NASA's ST4 and E0 classes. Last year, Tang nabbed an 8th place finish in the NASA Super Touring 4 nationals and first in the regionals. But working with a 12:1 power-to-weight cutoff point, there was certainly room for improvement.
More Power (and Torque)!
To make his ride more competitive, Tang knew he needed to add power. But since class rules cap horsepower and not torque, this gave him a brilliant idea. He nabbed a J32A1 V6 from a 2001 Acura CL and slapped it into his ride, albeit with no time to add mods. So while Tang works out the kinks, he's busy building a new J32A2 with an eye toward that magical 12:1 limit. And the bonus is, with a little bit of work, this S2000 now sports a nearly perfect 50/50 weight distribution!
Milder, but Not Mild
Vo, a technician at Trackspec, has taken the knife to his ride many times as well. Power currently comes from the original 2.0-liter mill, but it sports an HKS supercharger on top. Though it's not quite as hardcore as Tang's ride, the AP1 competes in the ‘Street’ class in GTA Super Lap Battle, as well as VTEC Club's Group A.
Born to Run
While it looks a lot more like a street car, that doesn't mean Vo's AP1 isn't capable at the track. And it does sport a massive Voltex rear wing, along with a chassis-mounted alumalite splitter, so it's not like anyone is mistaking it for a stock Honda. HKS IV SP coilovers lower the car nicely over a set of 18x9.5-inch SSR GTX01 wheels wrapped in 255/35R18 Yokohama Advan AD08R tires. Along with the big blower, an EVS 70SSP exhaust helps give this AP1 a nice sound.
Why Choose?
Both of these cars couldn't be much more different, yet they share a number of similarities. And despite their inherent differences, both were built for one purpose - to go fast around a race track. It seems silly to compare the two, but that's just human nature. And that's the beauty of the wonderful world of the Honda S2000. Despite the fact that this model rode off into the sunset long ago, enthusiasts are keeping them alive by building each example into their own personal vision of the perfect car!