Time Breaker

Words and Snaps by Ben

Be it to emulate a car seen on TV, at a race, in a garage, in a video game, or even to bring together a machine only seen in one's mind, the reasons behind every build are mostly unique. 

Builds evolve and tend to follow outside factors such as new techs and parts, changes in the owner's lifestyle, trends, or simply varied whims. Yet some of us are more focused and stick fervently to the rules and goals they set for themselves. 

Norman is such a man, and when his GC8 gave up on the hard life he gave it, he went to hunt for a RWD platform with which he could further refine his driving skills. 

His search led him to own this S2000, on which he set his new goal: to dominate the time attack.

Norman is not one to throw money at his car with hopes to make it faster. He is a precise and dedicated man who is building his car on a budget.

As such, he spends countless hours researching the most effective and bang-for-buck ways to meet his goals, without sacrificing on quality and reliability.

While the words reliable, quality and budget are rarely brought together in the same sentence, especially in motorsports, Norman is succeeding in this path, as his S2000 has never seen the shadow of a spanner other than when upgrading parts or casual servicing, and yet outdoes other cars on the track.

The research and precision he puts in his build makes for a small mod list where nothing on it is wasted. Everything that gets added to the S2000 has been carefully weighed, and the results speak for themselves - Norman has already clinched 2 podiums at TIMETOATTACK! Sepang in 2012 and 2013.

His secret recipe? It starts with razor sharp handling, provided by a set of Tein Super Racing Circuit Master coilovers, his favourite mod up to date.

Next, he focused his attention on getting the right wheels. His first set of wheels were Enkei RPF1, yet he was looking for something wider to have a bigger contact patch and achieve more grip. It all came down to a fight between weight and rigidity.

The wheel that Norman's research proved to be the best compromise of strength and price was the Enkei GTC 01. While heavier than the RPF1, the increased rigidity gives Norman a better feedback on the road, at the expense of a slightly increased turning effort.

The GTC 01's racing heritage shows through details such as the design, with spokes made to give ample space for big brake kits, and the dual valve setup - one to drain the air while feeding nitrogen through the other.

Wider wheels means more grip, but also means that Norman had to pull and roll his fenders to accommodate the 255mm wide Achilles 123S without rubbing. For this, he left his S2000 in the expert hands of Lye Design, who pulled the fenders to clear the space so expertly, one would barely notice anything was done to them unless told.

While he was at Lye Design, Norman explored ways to keep his brakes cool during hot laps. The result is a custom brake duct system which catches air beneath the car and feeds it straight to the discs and pads. Thanks to this simple system, Norman never had the need to upgrade his brakes, and even after many laps against the clock, he never experienced so much as brake fade from his Project Mu brake pads.

The S2000's soft top makes way for Mugen's FRP counterpart, and extra downforce comes in the form of Wasp Composites' carbon kevlar race splitter at the front.

Mounted on the chassis itself, the splitter is sturdy enough for someone to stand on, which also means it won't shatter to pieces if Norman ever ends up in the gravels at the track.

The rear of the S2000 is complemented by a Voltex Type 2 for stability and grip.

Once again, Norman researched his mods thoroughly and found out that adding a gurney flap to the GT wing will provide even better efficiency. He thus added this option to his shopping list from Voltex when he ordered his Type 2.

With the handling, braking and downforce covered, Norman turned to the engine for some power, but mainly to ensure the F22C would remain reliable, even when pushed to the limit.

This Honda now breathes in from a Password JDM carbon fibre intake, and howls out through J's Racing exhaust manifold and FX 70RS dual exhaust.

Power is transferred through an ACT clutch to the drivetrain, and a Koyo radiator and Greddy oil cooler keep the powerplant running at optimum temperatures around the clock.

A Hondata Flashpro ECU controls the A/F ratio along the revs to a peak of 270hp.

Inside the cockpit, Norman is held in place by a Recaro SPG, while the occasional passenger only gets the stock S2000 leather seat.

Following Norman's sense of function before form, as well as his limited budget, he has only changed the essential parts, which, aside from the driver's seat, compromise of a Personal Neo Eagle steering wheel, and a set of gauges.

Defi's exhaust, water and oil temps, and oil pressure gauges sit prominently on the dashboard for on the fly checks of the vitals as the clock ticks by.

With this simple, well research function oriented build, Norman chases his dreams at the TIMETOATTACK! Sepang every year, aiming to outdo himself and the clock every year. 

Norman's been keeping detailed logs of his research, findings and track experience online for all to share and learn with him, check it out at racings2000.blogspot.sg!

Specs
Make	Honda
Model	S2000
Engine	F22C 2,200cc NA
Transmission	6 Speed Manual
Drive Layout	FR
Max Output	270bhp
Modifications
Power Mods
Intake			Password JDM Carbon Intake
Cooling			Koyo Radiator Greddy Oil Cooler
Exhaust		J's Racing FX 70RS Dual Exhaust J's Racing Exhaust Manifold
Driveline		ACT Clutch
ECU		Hondata Flashpro
Handling
Wheels	17' Enkei GTC01
Tyres	Achilles 123S 255/35R17
Brakes	Project Mu Brake Pads Custom Brake Ducts from Lye Design
Suspensions	Tein Super Racing Circuit Master
Exterior
Bodykit	Mugen FRP Hardtop
Downforce	Voltex Type 2 Wasp Composites Carbon Kevlar Race Splitter
Interior
Seats	Recaro SPG (Driver side)
Steering Wheel	Personal Neo Eagle
Gauges	Defi (Exhaust Temp, Water Temp, Oil Temp and Oil Pressure)

Special thanks: 

Norman would like to thank Mike Kang of CounterSpace Garage for all the tech help, Lye Design for the refinements to cooling and bodywork, YHI especially Isaac Tan for help on the rims, Dean Ong of Auto Racing Technik for the ECU tune and his wife for understanding his passion for driving.