Project ASS2000:
The Teardown-Rebuild Continues!

The engine, trans and subframe were ready to be bolted back up to the chassis at this point, although we did also install a Mishimoto oil cooler sandwich adapter in preparation for the rest of the oil cooler install, which we’ll show you in the next story. Plus we replaced the off-brand “Defense” oil filter with a premium K&N filter. We really like that K&N welds a 1” nut to the top of the filter for a wrench or socket, and they’ve even drilled hole in the nut for safety wiring. The resin-impregnated filter media also flows extremely well while trapping 99% of harmful contaminants.

Oh, and as part of an overall cooling package Mishimoto provided (and that we’ll cover in more detail next time), we also installed the silicone radiator hose kit while we had free and easy access to the coolant ports on the engine. These are a dual layer hose, with an outer layer of high grade silicone (in that all important gloss black finish Peter loves so much) and a heat-resistant embedded fiber inner layer that helps reduce under-hood temps and has increased pressure tolerance as well. These are high quality replacement hoses that are shaped for a perfect fit on the S2000.

From there we moved to the rear subframe, where removing the diff and control arms turned into a huge pain in the ass. Pretty much all of the bushings were seized so badly that there was no easy way to separate the control arms from subframe, which meant using more destructive methods. But hey, since we had a new (used but in good shape) subframe, we didn’t mind destroying the old one to get the diff and arms off it.

Then we installed the Hasport diff mount kit, which just like the engine mounts are beautifully constructed from 6061-T6 billet aluminum with polyurethane bushings.

The installation was quick and easy, and the stiffer bushings means less compliance and thus a more direct delivery of power from the differential to the rear tires.

With the rear subframe all tuned up, we installed the EVS Tuning high capacity diff cover on our otherwise stock AP1 differential. This is a seriously high quality piece, designed by Evasive Motorsports in California and manufactured in Japan. The beauty of this aluminum cover is that it triples fluid capacity within the diff, which will help reduce temps and increase the lifespan of the differential. The fluid will also need to be changed less frequently between track events, and with the removable plugs (2 regular, 1 magnetic) the cover is ready to plumb an oil cooler to or run a diff temp gauge to. Peter may have dropped the diff after installing this cover and damaged one of the cooling fins, but we won’t talk about that.

With the control arms all freed from their evil subframe masters, we ran them over to our friends at Creighton Service Centre in Hamilton, Ontario, where Bob and the boys pressed in a fresh set of Hardrace bushings supplied by Stage Four Motorsports. This included pretty much every suspension bushing front and rear, but we’ll cover these and all the other suspension geometry fixes we have from Buddy Club and SPC Performance in the next episode.

But as you’ll see in our video recap of all the mods outlined above, the ASS2000 continues to fight us on its transformation from crappiest S2000 in the world to track day monster capable of crushing the $90,000 Jaguar F-Type V8 S we tested it against in the very beginning of the project.

As for our running total on the cost of the build, the goodies above add up to right around $2180, bringing our running build cost to just over $15,000 so far, including the $4,500 purchase price of this crappiest-of-all S2Ks.

We’ll have another update on the ASS2000 very soon, since we’re busting ass to get her ready for the GridLife time attack event at the end of May.