I’m a really diseased particular person. I had my 2023 Subaru BRZ project car that I documented all of final yr. It was stunning, and completely modified with my Recaro Pole Position seat, Nitron three-way motorsport dampers, Brembo Pista big brakes, and an entire lot of time spent in fine-tuning.
The BRZ was, functionally, the right observe and road automotive for me. I purchased it model new and put simply 22,000 miles on the odometer. I had simply barely began my journey with it. So I offered it and acquired a rattly previous Honda as an alternative.
Photograph by: Chris Rosales / Motor1
Meet my 2002 Honda S2000, draped in my favourite shade of Spa Yellow Pearl. My pal (who I bought it from) constructed it up over a number of years of proudly owning it, and the chance got here as much as purchase it. I couldn’t preserve the BRZ whereas proudly owning the S2000, so I needed to clear the house. But it surely was a chance I had waited a very long time for.
The S2000 has been on my hit record since… ceaselessly. It’s one in all my earliest “dream” vehicles, since I used to be 10 years previous. As a result of my mother and father actually had no clue what to do with my automotive obsession, they took me to dealerships as enjoyable weekend journeys. I’d run round, open the vehicles, and climb round. If I ever discovered a handbook, I’d spend my whole time there pretend shifting.
Sooner or later, my mother took me to a Honda dealership, and within the showroom was a yellow S2000, and as they are saying, the remaining is historical past
Now, there’s a yellow S2000 in my driveway. And in customary vogue, I purchased it and intend to instantly observe it at Buttonwillow raceway for my birthday. It comes with the entire goodies that my BRZ had, however in a barely completely different font.
As an alternative of Nitron R3s, it has JRZ RS Professional suspension. As an alternative of Recaro Pole Positions, it has Recaro RS-Gs. And as an alternative of Brembo huge brakes, it has AP Racing Professional 5000 brakes. It even has some pretty bonuses like an AP2 (2004-2009 S2000) gearbox with a barely shorter general gear ratio, an OS Giken limited-slip differential, and NASCAR-style Karcepts sway bars. The automotive is superbly constructed, so there isn’t a lot to do.
After all, I selected an AP1 due to the 9,000 rpm redline—and since I consider it to be essentially the most honest expression of the S2000. It’s what chief engineer Shigeru Uehara would have wished.
That stated, there are some notorious points with the automotive, notably the AP1s. The valvetrain is understood to be weak, as are the timing chain tensioners. My automotive was already bolstered in opposition to this with AP2 valve retainers and a Billman chain tensioner.
Photograph by: Chris Rosales / Motor1
However there’s additionally the AP1’s dealing with traits. Should you’ve been on YouTube lengthy sufficient, you’ve in all probability seen movies of individuals inexplicably crashing S2000s. That’s due to the S2000’s suspension geometry. There’s some secret sauce in there that makes the S2000 rotate in any respect prices, at any time. My automotive has some AP2 geometry correction as effectively, and bump-steer adjustable rear toe arms. That can grow to be vital later.
I all the time love to do a baseline of any automotive I purchase, so the S2000 obtained a recent set of Bridgestone RE-71RS tires and Counterspace Storage CP brake pads, together with an oil change and basic checkup. I discovered some free stuff and tightened it up, and changed a set of J’s Racing entrance decrease ball joints. Then I may lastly take it for its maiden voyage at Buttonwillow.
Photograph by: Chris Rosales / Motor1
Figuring it was a Honda, I road drove it the 100 or so miles to Buttonwillow for a day of open lapping with the SoCal Drivers’ Membership. Instantly, the automotive was manic and pleasant. It wasn’t shy about vibrating and rattling. The shifter is brief, direct, and in addition vibrates with the engine’s frequencies.
The engine—simply unbelievable. The resonance and aggression above 6,000 rpm, with an unbelievable scream to 9,000 that would shatter fillings. Mainly, the whole lot vibrates, and it’s pleasant.
I used to be prepared for a correct time out with my associates, in my new automotive, and I used to be eager to find what the legend of the S2000 really was. The automotive checked out effectively, so I set my observe tire pressures and went out for my first session.
By god, was it a handful. It couldn’t assist however always wag its tail and step out. I used to be so used to the molecularly dialed setup of my BRZ that this was an enormous adjustment. The place the BRZ had a wonderful, linear steering effort with real really feel, the S2000’s electrical rack felt useless as compared. That, plus diabolical dealing with, made my first laps an train in studying.
Photograph by: Chris Rosales / Motor1
I’ve by no means encountered a automotive with such a propensity for rotation. Half of it was the S2000—my associates all informed me that these vehicles require one other degree of precision and care. The opposite half was setup and my pure fashion. I really like hustling the automotive pre-apex and rolling tons of nook velocity. A correctly arrange S2000 will entertain this greater than some other automotive. My automotive had a bit an excessive amount of entrance grip.
Whereas I stored lapping, I constructed up a mannequin in my head. I began pondering, “OK, possibly rather less entrance sway bar. Add in some rear rebound to settle entry-mid…” Then I began feeling one thing odd. The rear shifted on the straightaway. Only a hair, however sufficient for my coccyx to grasp the motion. Unusual.
Photograph by: Chris Rosales / Motor1
Then it shifted once more, and the dealing with received barely bizarre. I’d exit corners, and the steering would shift a number of levels to the left or proper of heart, relying on the path of the nook. One thing was positively improper, so I began to chill down. Then, catastrophe.
A large clunk, and abruptly, the rear was fully out of my management. I introduced the automotive to a cease off-track, however with out a lot enter from my fingers. “Oh fuck,” I assumed. “I did it this time.” I waited till restoration automobiles received to me, because the observe was very popular with different vehicles. As soon as I hopped out, I discovered the problem fairly shortly.
One thing within the passenger rear suspension broke. My trackside guess was the upright, which might occur on S2000s with trendy tires. However for the reason that S2000 was my journey house, I needed to name the tow truck of disgrace again house, the place I may examine. My 8-hour observe day turned a 15-minute one.
Photograph by: Chris Rosales / Motor1
Upon investigation, it was the toe arm shanks that failed. The components had been about six years previous and lots of observe days previous, so it isn’t completely sudden. The truth is, it’s very fortunate that this failed on the observe. If this failed on Angeles Crest or some other canyon, it may have spelled catastrophe.
Nonetheless, I haven’t fairly conquered the S2000 but. There’s work to do right here. However that’s for one more weblog.
