Under the hood Ryan has stayed true to the CR's minimalist formula, foregoing any sort of forced induction system in favor of a few simple but effective upgrades. The centerpiece of the underhood modifications is a huge GruppeM carbon-Kevlar intake, looking a bit like two high-tech beehives at the front of the engine bay. The Kevlar material ties in nicely with the yellow valve cover and Comptech strut tower brace feet, whereas the anodized black ASM Race Spec catch can/battery holder is an extremely subtle piece, as is the S2Carbonworks coolant reservoir tank. The anodized black finish on the Berk Technology HPC header and Cusco radiator cooling plate, as well as the black Samco rad hoses keep the rest of the engine bay looking both function-oriented and extremely clean.
Ryan's show-quality-clean yet function-first approach is also readily apparent on the inside of his CR. He had the Recaro Pole Position seats and door panels custom-upholstered in black suede with yellow stitching, which just so happens to match perfectly with the Personal Neo Artis steering wheel. Schroth six-point harnesses hold Ryan and his passenger snugly in place when he's tearing it up at the racetrack (according to Ryan, his CR rarely leaves the garage unless it's heading to the track or an occasional autocross), while the Splash short hub and NRG quick release make it a little easier for him to jump in and out of the driver seat.
"The car was really built to be a good-looking track car," Ryan says. "What is the fun in having a fast car if it looks like a piece of junk? Alternatively, what is the point in having a nice-looking car if it's all show and no go?"
With wrench-turning help from friends Kris and Dustin, Ryan has clearly achieved these goals and in the process transformed his CR from Honda's homage to a bygone era to a truly hardcore track-ready racing machine.
Specs & Details
'08 Honda S2000 CR
Engine 2.2-liter F22C iVTEC inline-4
Engine Modifications GruppeM carbon-Kevlar intake, Berk Technology HPC header and 70mm HFC; T1R EM-R full titanium exhaust system, ASM Race Spec catch can/battery holder (anodized black), S2Carbonworks coolant reservoir tank (anodized black), Samco radiator hoses, Spoon radiator stays, Cusco radiator cooling plate (anodized black), Kenshin hood dampers, Yellow painted valve cover, AP1 spark plug cover (powdercoated black), Varley Red Top 15 battery
Wheels, Tires & Brakes 17x9.5" +47 Volk Racing CE28N (matte-black w/ Yellow pinstriping), Dunlop Star Spec 255/40ZR17 tires, Project µ front BBK and rear B-Force brake pads, StopTech rear slotted rotors and brake lines
Special Thanks To my family and girlfriend for always helping me and putting up with my car stuff. Also many thanks to Dustin and Kris for still helping me with installs; last but not least, big thanks to Ben at AJ Racing, Bryan at Berk Technology, Greg at GT Motoring, Calvin at GTSpec, Mike at Super Stripes Paintshop, and all my friends and TimeAttackForums.com and s2ki homies for support
Ryan Mahoney: S2000 Kingpin?
Has anyone built four finer-looking S2000s than Ryan Mahoney? Feast your eyes on his previous three builds and decide for yourself.
Worth Knowing
TimeAttackForums.com is a popular new portal for time attack enthusiasts to discuss the latest in time attack events across the country and around the world. From grassroots HPDE events all the way up to the highest profile time attack competitions, TAF covers it all. Best of all, many of the top time attack teams in the U.S. and around the world participate on this forum, meaning you can post questions about how to build and set up your track car and you just might get a response from tuning legends like GST Motorsport, AMS Performance and FXMD or professional drivers like Billy Johnson and Gary Sheehan.