S2000 - A Long Term Experience

Apr 2, 2008 - Frosty Fun

I returned from alert last Saturday during an unexpected blizzard. We had received 8-14" of snow. Montana weather can be quite unpredictable and the forecast had called for rather mild weather for the 4 days I was in the field. As such, I drove my S to work. When I returned to the parking lot on the 4th day, I couldn't even see my car. The strong winds (~45mph) had blown a hefty snow drift over my car. Surprisingly, the tiny battery held a charge and the car started right up. After a great deal of creditcard shoveling and a proper warmup time, I headed home.

Now here's the crazy part. The blizzard was still unloading and the winds were still high. The combination of the 2 left a most unusual feature on my car. When I pulled into my garage, my car had 1" 'canards' across every conceivable surface. Even the hood (which stays quite warm) was covered in these 1" razorblade-like stalagtites, giving the impression my car was the unwanted spawn of a Honda and some arctic blowfish. Wouldn't you know it? By the time I rushed in, got my camera, and came back out, much of it had melted down.

I have one more winter here, so I'll try to catch the effect next year.

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Apr 1, 2008 - Introduction

Where to start
Since I can't start from the beginning, I figured I'd write a short entry on how I've gotten where I am today. I bought my S in 2004 from a good friend (Jeff) while I was living in Santa Maria, CA. Jeff had unfortunately experienced a life-changing event and felt compelled to sell all his toys, which included my S.

The S before me
The S was a show & test car before I got it. Jeff built it himself (with the help of friends, collegues, and his shop) and turned an ordinary 2001 S2000 into a work of art. Vortech, a supercharger specialist, inclined Jeff to offer the car to test a new centrifugal supercharger they had developed. When Vortech had determined proper tuning, the car was returned. SuperStreet Magazine later approached Jeff to present the S in their September '03 release.

California
When I first purchased the car from Jeff, I had to wait an excruciating week for it to arrive (VA to CA). I took it to a drag strip to test the capabilities of the car. Amazingly, I was able to return a 12.1s 1/4 with a trap speed of 127mph on slicks. As much fun as it was, I needed to make it better. Immediately after I paid it off, I replaced the Stg 4 clutch with a Stg 3 for a more street-friendly application. Afterward, I received orders to move to Montana.

Montana
While in Montana, I've been able to participate in SCCA events. I only recently got my SCCA membership, so this year will be the first for me to accrue points.

From here on out
The purpose of this blog is to present the pleasures and challenges I have faced with this car. Montana is a challenging place in its own right, so I feel this is a good place to start.

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