hey guys i got my s2000 about a month ago and one of my best friends keeps asking me to race him. he's got a 2000 mustang gt 4.8L V8. He's got his mufflers coming straight off the headers but besides that it is stock. My s2000 is still stock and i was wondering how i would do against him?? The race would be of course be on a straight away a little less than a quarter mile.. I know i would leave him sittin through a curvy road but how should i do in a straight away from a dead stop?? What do you guys think, should i go for it or what??

 

eh it depends on what the exhaust gave him. stock vs stock its a very good race the gt goes a 14.2 14.1 and s2000 does about the same.

 

It will come down to the driver. Race him at an autoX.

 

it is a 4.6 by the way.

 

The S2000 WAS NOT built to be a 1/4 mile dragger. First, you'll have to drop the clutch at 7000 rpm to get a great launch and second, the rear differential is known to NOT be very strong. Tell him you want to go to a road course and compare lap times. That's where you'll smoke him because a Rustang handles like a pig.

 

It really is a drivers race from a stop. Race him from a roll and you should pull away from him fairly easy (assuming the right speed and gear for the S ).

 

Are you sure about that? 4 cylinders vs 8 with twice the torque doesn't usually give the edge to the 4-banger on a rolling start.

 

You'd be surprised. My x-girlfriend had an '04 stang gt with the 4.6L. Out of the hole she would get a car length on me and I would have to work to catch up (wasn't launching hard). From a roll at about 40 I walked away with ease, those 4.6s run out of breath at higher RPM. Once rolling, torque doesn't matter, its all horsepower (and our 600 pound weight advantage).

 

I agree with all the above. Don't bother drag racing an S2000, its not a strong point for it. Do an autocross. And yes, once rolling torque matters little. Horsepower is king, especially once rolling and revs are up.

 

I'm with Vez on this.
Honda stuck it's neck out n' built us an "old-school" sportscar. They may not've taken the paint off to lighten it, but there sure ain't any excess meat on any of the spinny parts that make up the drivetrain.
Any of us that think repeated hard launches r' gonna be tolerated by our S2000s for long r' only foolin' 'emselves.
But'cha ain't gonna fool the metal. The metal knows, n' the metal ain't big on forgiveness.
'Sides, you don't go up n' duke it out with a pro boxer. You hamstring 'im by takin' 'im on in your area of expertise. (stamp collectin' n' macrame don't count) Like Go said: "race 'im at an AutoX."
Be well.
Java

 

I bought my car to have fun. Yesterday I dropped it at 7 and just bounced off the rev watching all the smoke behind me. Cars break if youre easy or hard on em why not have fun breaking it.

And what is with people saying drop the clutch at 7 grand for a launch my god. I do that to fry the tires. People must be driving around with slicks on race prepped roads. I think if i dropped it at 7 id get a 2.6 60 foot time. My other car I used to drop it at 7 grand and itd spin too and its awd.

 

well i ended up racing him tonight, i raced him like three times, the best drop was around 4 grand... we were dead even i am trying to post the video on youtube if i can i will give the link, but it was a good race thanks for the help maybe next time i can get him to go to an autox but i doubt he is that dumb... by the way does anyone know a good autox track i can drive my ride at around cinci??

 

Any smell of clutch after 3 times??

 

Smell clutch? Why would he smell clutch?

4 grand launches do seem about perfect for our cars. Sometimes on a warm day after ya scrub off the tires a 5 grand launch works very well too.

Congrats on the race people think the S is only for handling but it obviously holds up against a "muscle car"

 

i got the video uploaded ... if i have problems with my clutch after three races i will sell the car, i beat my old vw to death and never had a problem with the clutch and i know honda is better than that... anyways the filming is horrible but u can kinda see we were even YouTube - s2000 vs. mustang gt

 

Roon, not fer nothin' but VeeDub was never known for wastin' effort on parin' the weight of parts down to jus' what was necessary.
Once again it boils down'ta differen' strokes.
Be well.
Java

 

Roon, google is your friend.

cincyautox.org

There should also be a local SCCA organization. And you have my envy as well. You are very near Mid-Ohio. There just have to be high-speed driver education events offered there and you could get on a real race track. I'd love to get on that track!

 

if both cars had no passengers I would be willing to bet the s would win. The s is affected very badly by weight damn tqless cars

 

GLAD YOU SMOKED THE STANG. IF I DO ANY KIND OF BURN OUT, I CAN SMELL THE CLUTCH. THIS IS A WELL KNOWN WEAK POINT OF THE CAR AND MOST GUYS UPPING THE HP WILL BEEF UP THE CLUTCH AS WELL.

 

then no offense but if you smell clutch from doing a burnout then your clutch is either on its last leg or youre doing it wrong.

 

Smelling clutch? Get a new clutch and have more fun. It is not the end of the world. We should be happy that this Honda is rear RWD instead of FWD like the rest of the Hondas! Gotta launch that stewie sometime.

 

I Agree With Most All Of You. I Think The Best Way To Race, Short Of A Road Course, Would Be A Rolling Start About 40-45 Mph. This Would Put You In The Meat Of Vtec In Second Gear And You'll Walk Away. You Could Also Do It In 1st Gear At 6500rpm's.or About 20 Mph. I Wouldn't Do A Drop Clutch Start Either. Good Luck!

 

S2000 hands down...

 

Pardon me, but what is AutoX?

 

Autocross. Racing around those orange cones in a course usually laid out in a big parking lot.