570BHP Turbo S2000 Changes the Tone
A string of bad luck with a newly purchased AP1 leads to one man's ultimate turbo S2000 build.
Hooked
You might not know it just by looking at the car in its current state, but the process of this build has been nothing if not full of obstacles. The UK's Jez Besley was introduced to the wonderful world of the Honda S2000 by a friend. He was blown away when his friend took him out for a ride in his roadster, and he was hooked immediately!
Photos: Fast Car
The Right Candidate
He started doing research on the Honda and discovered its aftermarket popularity. The more he learned about it, the more he wanted one. So, he started his search to buy one in the used market. He was able to find this car that, at the time, was significantly closer to stock than it is now. The 1999 JDM import came with BC Racing coilovers, OEM hardtop, a carbon-fiber hood, among other minor mods. With 63K miles on it, the Berlina Black S2000 was just what Besley wanted.
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Bad Luck Begins
So far so good, right? Well... the long string of misfortune with the car started only a few days into Besley's ownership of it. Driving it around on a rainy day, Besley spun the real wheels and heard a massive clunk from underneath the car. It wouldn't move. And putting it into gear would only result in rather scary noises. Sadly, a driveshaft and the differential had been broken.
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The Rebuild
Although disappointed, Besley used this as an opportunity to begin the process of his dream build. He started by upgrading the diff and the driveshafts. And he didn't stop there. He began collecting parts to strengthen the car's power output to take advantage of the improved drivetrain. Once he had all the parts ready, he took the F20C out to send to a local engine builder. He trusted the builder would get everything done correctly. He was mistaken!
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More Engine Trouble
After about 400 miles of driving, the engine started smoking. The engine building shop claimed the fault was a bad head gasket. Besley ended up paying out of pocket for the repairs. The engine worked fine. So he decided to go ahead and install the massive Precision 6266 turbo, giving him 540 horsepower at the wheels. Life was good until the car started smoking again. The engine builder refused any responsibility, while Besley's independent inspection of the motor showed the builder had not only not done their work correctly, but they also didn't use the bearings Besley had provided.
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More Rebuilds
This debacle resulted in a legal dispute between Besley and the shop. But through it all, he kept looking at the glass half full and was eager to move on. So he had the engine rebuilt, properly this time. He installed the bodywork, had the car wrapped, and has been enjoying driving and displaying it at shows. Not to say the bad luck was all behind him, though.
>>Join the conversation about this Turbo AP1 S2000 right here in the Honda-Tech Forum!
Happily Forever After?
The engine had to be rebuilt again, as it was destroyed due to a mistake on the part of a body shop. But they did accept full responsibility for it. And after yet another rebuild, the S2000 is putting down 570 horses to the wheels. Let's all have our collective fingers crossed that Besley has seen the end of his troubles with this car, and can enjoy it in all its glory for years to come.
>>Join the conversation about this Turbo AP1 S2000 right here in the Honda-Tech Forum!
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