It's pretty much a Cusco party in the suspension department. At the front is a Type II lower bar and 30mm anti-roll bar. There's a lower subframe center bar, and out back is a Type I lower bar, a Type ALC OS strut bar, and a 32mm rear anti-roll bar. The only gatecrashers are a pair of J's Racing aluminum front inner fender braces and Zeal Function B6 coilovers. Tommy tuned the suspension to be somewhat on the soft side, six kg/mm at each end.
A six-pot mini big brake kit sounds like a double paradoxical whammy, but it all makes perfect sense on Planet Tuner, where Endless calipers and CCRG carbon/ceramic racing pads bite down on 12.9-inch slotted two-piece rotors, with stainless lines on the assist. In front of the brakes are white Prodrive GC-06H forged monoblock wheels for track duty, and bronze Advan RZs for the street. Tires are Nitto NT-01s at all times. And the proverbial cherries on top--titanium lug nuts from Go Tuning Unlimited, Tommy's company and, conveniently, the U.S. distributor for ASM; the manufacturer of high-performance goods like Tommy's front bumper and fenders, rear over-fenders, dry carbon hood, carbon fiber canards, dry carbon front splitter, short antenna, and intake duct. The side skirts and door caps are from GP Sports, the carbon fiber rear diffuser and vortex generators come from Top Secret, and there's also a painted Veilside carbon fiber rear spoiler.
Set on custom-made mounts are C-West mirrors in carbon fiber housings, and if those side markers look like they came from a Ferrari F430, that's because they did. The head- and taillights are from the AP2 model and if any S2000 owners want the same rear bumper, they'd better call Go Tuning, since this is a TSD (Tommy's Signature Design) special. Backyard Creations of South El Monte, CA, did the bodywork, which also includes a shaved trunk keyhole and a Clear Bra. BC's Joe Ortiz-Luis applied the Long Beach Blue Pearl paintwork.
It's time to climb inside, sit on the ASM Limited Recaro seats (mounted on matching seat rails and with seat side protectors), luxuriate in the Bride custom carpet and floor mats, secure ourselves with the Prodrive four-point harnesses, grab the Prodrive racing steering wheel (fixed to a Rapix quick-release assembly and Works Bell short boss hub) and smack the horn button that comes straight from a Honda NSX-R.
For such a small cabin, there's a whole bunch of stuff crammed in here. A custom-made carbon fiber gauge cluster houses most of the Defi catalog: BF boost, oil pressure, oil temp, water temp, EGT, plus a BF Link Unit II and Link Display VSD, visor shades, and fitting kit. Throw in an APEX'i turbo timer, a Prodrive Rapix key lock, and a JDM FD2 Type R shift knob, and watch cars disappear in the Zoom Japan carbon/Kevlar rear-view mirror.
Can there ever be too much red stitching? Not according to Tommy, who has it served up with the carbon fiber/leather elbow pad, the Alcantara/leather knee pad, plus Alcantara door inserts, sun visors, e-brake handle, shift boot and false glove box cover--all custom made.
Even the Honda factory has been tapped for some upgrades. The center console and leather cover is from an '07 S2000, as are the door panels. The radio lid is of the 2004 vintage and the navigation bezel is Honda JDM.
Track rats might wonder what an Icon DVD player with a 6.5-inch screen, Memphis Audio 6.5-inch carbon speakers and Kenwood 6.5-inch rear speakers are doing in a car that also sports a Cusco seven-point chromoly roll cage with a harness bar, but hey, it's all about freedom of expression. "I keep just the roll bar in for the daily commute, but the full cage goes in at the track," says Tommy. "I wanted to build something that reflected my own taste and style, that I could drive everyday and still beat on at the track."
So how did he get everything pulling together as one harmonious whole? "Trial and error. Working on the car, researching, troubleshooting. It helps me learn more." He knows enough to have won the title of JDM Showoff King 2004 and Nisei Best of Show 2008, plus several other awards. But is Tommy happy? "Always," he confirms, "Every time I think I can get rid of this car, I find new reasons to hold onto it." Tommy's next pursuit involves beating the S2K around a track, chasing down some time-attack records. Let's hope, for the car's sake, he app roaches driving it with the same care and patience as he has in building it.