Believe it or not, J’s Racing is paying close attention to what you guys are doing in the US. Need proof? During our last visit, we asked them what kind of style they were trying to achieve. Their answer: “We want to build our cars just like the Americans.” So while you’ve been busting your balls trying to be like every J tuner, ironically, the Japanese have been hard at work so they could be more like us. They’re very much in tune with the trends we’re pushing, like K20 engine conversions into the Fit, and if you didn’t already notice, they also went through the trouble of buying a LHD S2000, just so the parts they designed would work for our market. How’s that for dedication?
This particular S2K is basically a street version of their Time Attack race car. The engine work is pretty mild but nonetheless focused on producing pure power for the naturally aspirated F20. A full carbon J’s intake reaches from the front opening on the J’s bumper, connecting to a massive plenum before it hits the throttle body. The positioning of the motor makes it hard to see the exhaust side, but a stainless J’s racing header, well hidden by a custom-fabbed heatshield, leads down to a titanium exhaust system, producing the power and the unmistakable Honda sound we all know and love. J’s takes full advantage of the parts it produces by programming their own ECU with data collected from their bouts in N1 racing, so you know the air and fuel is set perfectly.
The transmission could have been left in stock and still proven to be quite capable of light racing, but the J’s staff gave it an advantage by adding in a stronger clutch from Daikin, changing in one of their own 4.3 final gears and a 1.5-way limited slip differential for added traction. J’s took further steps to ensure rigidity by installing Mugen engine mounts and from their own catalog, an engine torque damper and differential mount.
The transmission could have been left in stock and still proven to be quite capable of light racing, but the J’s staff gave it an advantage by adding in a stronger clutch from Daikin, changing in one of their own 4.3 final gears and a 1.5-way limited slip differential for added traction. J’s took further steps to ensure rigidity by installing Mugen engine mounts and from their own catalog, an engine torque damper and differential mount.
At the time this was shot, the idea of putting big wheels on one of their demos wasn’t taken into consideration – in fact, the biggest they’d gone was 17s. Now they’ve managed to go XL by fitting on a set of 19-inch, polished Volk Racing GT-Vs that sport RE01R rubber from Bridgestone. And just because this S2000 wasn’t intended for the track didn’t mean it couldn’t be made to handle like the Time Attack version. J’s lowered it on their own spec coilovers then installed pillow mounts, camber plates for the front wheels, a roll center adjuster and rear control arms. The front shock towers have been tightened up with a J’s aluminum bar and down below there’s another bar to support the lower arms. Get up close and personal and you’ll also see that the factory brake calipers were changed for the bright red 6-pot calipers from J’s, which use racing caliber brake pads and stainless hoses.
The interior represents a true street car; minimal tweaks with the exception of a J’s shift knob and a Carrozzeria navigation unit mounted atop the dashboard. On the outside, it’s got the perfect look: a J’s body kit, 3D GT wing and a vented Type V carbon hood. No doubt it would feel just at home if it were ever seen on the streets of LA.
The interior represents a true street car; minimal tweaks with the exception of a J’s shift knob and a Carrozzeria navigation unit mounted atop the dashboard. On the outside, it’s got the perfect look: a J’s body kit, 3D GT wing and a vented Type V carbon hood. No doubt it would feel just at home if it were ever seen on the streets of LA.
With such a minimal approach to the build, J’s managed to capture the essence of American tuning much more so than we could have dared to imagine. In one car, they’ve managed to read our minds and satisfy our craving for speed. And they didn’t even have to try.
