Project Honda S2000 - Modified Magazine

Project S2000 is currently undergoing a mock assembly. By completing a trial build, it becomes evident where custom brackets and welding work are required and which items can be removed. By completing these steps before paint, the final product ends up with a finished, well-thought-out execution. Once the mock assembly is complete the car will be stripped to the bare shell and mounted on a rotisserie (Car Twirler) so the paint shop can reach all of the hard-to-get spots.

In this installment we've fitted an array of exterior upgrades, including Downforce's newly released +30mm wide front fenders (AP1 and AP2 compatible). These are truly a work of art and represent some of the best composite work I've seen.

First off, Downforce is a company full of experts in the composite field that uses only top-quality materials in its molds and parts. This shows in all areas of the final product. Fitment is excellent (your paint shop will thank you) and maintains all of the OEM mounting points, which are further reinforced for added strength. This also means they're compatible with most AP1 and AP2 bumpers. Carbon-fiber ribs are bonded in to increase both the stiffness and strength of the panel. Select attachment points for the inner fender liner are maintained, though trimming of the liner will be required to take advantage of the added tire clearance. Installation is as straightforward as removing the OEM fender and installing the new one.

In addition to offering a weight reduction of 10 lbs compared to stock (5.6 lbs each versus 10.6 lbs each), you can fit some serious rubber under these fenders. With camber set to max negative (around -2.3 with stock components), we've fit a set of Kumho V710s in 285/30/18 on Advan Racing's 18x10-inch +35 RZ rim. This is an aggressive fit, but with the 3 degrees of negative camber there should be no clearance issues with the DF fender and the low offset gives the needed clearance to the inner frame member. If using a tire with a square shoulder, as opposed to the rounded shoulder of the V710, a 265/35/18 would be a better fit on the 10-inch +35. A pair of Spoon rear overfenders are currently in transit to make the necessary room in the rear.

Next up we fitted Downforce's carbon-fiber side diffusers. These lightweight pieces (2.4 lbs) look and fit fantastic (AP1 and AP2 compatible) and are available in either CF (plain or twill weave) or fiberglass. A UV inhibiting gel coat prevents yellowing with age. Installation requires drilling because Honda didn't provide any attachment points along the underside of the sill where these are secured to. It's possible to use some self-drilling/self-tapping fasteners for a quick and easy installation, but we opted to use M6 RivNuts and 6mm stainless steel button head fasteners, which offer a more secure hold and resist corrosion. The DF side diffusers will provide a perfect seal to our carbon flat bottom extensions in a future installment, but for now they work great all on their own.

In an effort to further reduce weight and aero drag, we fitted APR's Formula GT3 carbon-fiber mirrors. These nicely crafted pieces drop 4 lbs over stock (0.6 lbs each versus 2.6 lbs each) and reduce frontal area by approximately 47 percent. Part of the weight savings comes from the elimination of the remote electric adjustment, which is ideal for our race car application. The mirrors feature a billet aluminum mounting base and offer a wide range of adjustment to suit all driver heights/seating positions. Both the driver- and passenger-side lenses are convex to minimize blind spots (very important when strapped in and unable to do blind spot checks) and feature a blue anti-glare finish to reduce reflections from headlight glare.

Finally, we bolted on APR's GTC-300 carbon-fiber rear wing. APR has a wide range of direct fit applications, including the S2000. We opted for the wider 67-inch version for increased downforce and to better match the extra width of the rear overfenders. We had a great experience with the 61-inch GTC-300 we used on the original S2K project car and are sure similar performance gains will be found with this wing.

The span-wise twist in the GTC-300 is also a perfect match for the Spoon roof, maintaining a constant angle of attack across the full surface of the wing. Be sure to visit the aprperformance.com website for CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) simulation of the various profiles available. A wing's efficiency is measured by comparing its lift (negative lift in our case) to drag (resistance to forward motion). The greater the lift/drag ratio, the better. We found the GTC 300 to be the best option for our application.

That's as far as we've gotten now, so stay tuned as we complete the mock assembly and get our S2K project ready for a fresh coat of paint.