Wild Wide Ride: Charles San Gil’s LS2000
Honda’s S2000 was a celebration of the legendary S-series roadsters. What happened when Charles San Gil put a LS2 in it?
The Honda S2000 AP1 was a well-respected sports car when it was first introduced. It had some tendencies to get a little loose under hard driving, but overall it was an amazing car from Honda. Its namesake is two-fold: first, the S is the designated lineage from Honda for all the rear-wheel-drive roadsters. Second, it was only two-liters (2000cc) in displacement with the F20C. It is also considered a front-midship engine thanks to the number one cylinder being behind the centerline of the front shock towers, giving it a near perfect weight balance.
Now, while this is great, the F20C did leave something to be desired for some speed freaks. Charles San Gil is one of those people. So he took out that two-liter, four-banger, and replaced it with something with four more cylinders: the LS2. Despite that gain of four more pistons, the engine still resides behind the front shock towers. The finished product is the widebody LS2000, or as San Gil calls it, the “LS2K”.
Under the hood.
The engine is a LS2 crate engine that features a road racing top end package. This means it gets the LS2 heads with a three-angle valve job, GM Performance head bolts, and LS2 head gaskets. Inside those heads are a set of Texas Speed and Performance (TSP) trunion bearings for the rocker arm. Said rockers now feature LS7 lifters. These are bumped open by a TSP Torquer V3 camshaft, and TSP double valve springs held in by titanium retainers. To fit the LS2 into the engine bay of the S2000, a set of Flyin’ Miata swap headers hug tightly to the block. An OEM F-Body oil pan lets the engine clear the stock S2000 crossmember with the Import Muscle Engine mount kit. The LS2 intake manifold directs air into the cylinders, while a 92mm billet aluminum throttle body draws the air from a custom air intake with JDM Sport couplers.
The support system behind the LS2 V8.
The T56 six-speed transmission is sent torque by an ACT LS2 prolite flywheel with a six-puck clutch. The one-piece. custom and lightened driveshaft sends power back to the S2000 differential housing. Inside that housing is a Cusco two-way limited-slip differential.
The 18-inch MST Suzuka wheels are wrapped in Continental Tires in 245/35R18 front and 295/35R18 rear. Wheel motion is controlled by a set of JDM Sport 32-way adjustable coilovers, while Spoon Sports under body braces further strengthen the chassis. For stopping power, Brembo four-piston front brake kit with drilled two-piece rotors reside under the front wheels.
Form and function, inside and out.
The LS2K has a body will make heads turn. It’s hard to miss the Japanese Super GT inspiration. The convertible top has been replaced with a carbon fiber Forbidden USA hard top, to further drive home the race car aesthetic. The APR front carbon splitter matches the Battle Aero chassis mounted swan neck rear spoiler. The rear tail lights are AP2 LED conversions, while the headlights come from Spec-D Tuning.
Inside, the trim and interior pieces were converted to AP2 OEM pieces. A Cusco Safety 21 four-point roll bar, with harness bar, protects San Gil in the event of a roll over. The NRG quick tilt hub attaches the matching NRG steering wheel allowing for easier exit and entry. The original S2000 digital gauges work with the GM PCM, thanks to the LSX wire harness analog to digital gauge conversion and addition of HP Tuners tuner.
You might think that a car with this wild of a body kit would be a show and trailer queen, but that isn’t the case. San Gil drives this car on a nearly daily basis, and drives it to every show he displays his car at. The body work done by TL Auto Body would make most sweat at the thought of just driving it on to a trailer, but not San Gil. He, rightfully, enjoys his car and the power the LS2 puts down without hesitation.
