Fast Facts
Honda S2000
Owner C-West
Hometown Nishinomiya City, Japan
Daily Grind Being too legit to quit
Power max hp: 280 metric hp @ 8,800 rpm; max torque: 191 lb-ft torque @ 7,500 rpm
Under the Hood 2.2 liter dry-sumped fully-balanced engine, C-West carbon induction box, Carbon Air Cleaner Duct, fuel pressure regulator, connecting rods, crankshaft, aluminum radiator and carbon radiator shroud (PCC); AUTOSTAFF suction pipe, custom center pipe, custom titanium exhaust; TRACY throttle body, pistons and camshafts; NGK spark plugs; OEM fuel injectors; Bosch fuel pump; Mugen exhaust manifold; Samco radiator hoses
Drivetrain Ogura Hyper single clutch; AUTOSTAFF aluminum engine and transmission mounts
Stiff Stuff Mugen upgraded bushings; stitch-welded body; Tein dampers
Rollers ADVAN A048 255/40R17 tires; ADVAN RGII 17x9 and 17x9.5 wheels
Stoppers Endless Mini six-pot calipers and MA45 brake pads; C-West stainless brake lines
Outside C-West Version 2 front bumper, front canards, front duct, duct cover, side skirts, rear bumper, GT II wing (1470mm) with garnish flap, GT carbon mirror, GT bonnet, Super Trunk front/rear fenders and rear diffuser
Inside Bride Zeta II NEOS seat; Takata harnesses; Mugen 6-point rollcage; C-West Original Meters, side chassis stabilizer and door panels
Lighten Up
You may know that carbon fiber can be up to 75-percent lighter than a piece of steel relatively the same size. That same carbon fiber can also be up to 10 times stronger than steel and far more resistant to the elements. What you may not know is that the origins of the metal weave date back as far as the late 1800s. The first major documented use of carbon fiber was in 1878 when Joseph Swan used carbon fiber created from cotton to develop the electric light bulb. It was almost 100 years later before scientists would develop what we know as carbon fiber.
In the early '60s, Japan and the UK almost simultaneously beat out the United States in producing a carbon fiber from polyacrylonitrile (PAN). The UK's Royal Aircraft Establishment is regularly credited with the invention of a composite material that would revolutionize not only the aircraft industry, but everything from medicine and music to motorsports. Carbon fiber is quite simply thousands of thin threads of carbon, typically weaved into a cross-hatch pattern.
Carbon fiber may have been invented in the '60s, but it took another 10 to 20 years before it would come into widespread commercial use, appearing in golf clubs, fishing poles and, of course airplanes. But it's in Formula One that carbon fiber-particularly dry carbon-made its biggest public splash. Today it's one of the leading materials used to develop monocoque racecars like those seen in F1, Indy and, yes, even NASCAR. Some companies such as Toho market carbon fiber under trademarked names, such as the company's own Tenax.
Like any market, prices are driven by supply and demand. There's a huge demand for carbon fiber and little supply. Recently the price of carbon fiber has seen a huge spike, reflected in the cost of many aftermarket products and even cars. Use for the stuff hasn't been limited to multi-million dollar racecars; Saleen reported that the costs of the carbon fiber used in the S7 supercar have more than doubled. The Irvine-based supercar maker had to hike up the price of the S7 by $25,000 this year. Other cars that use carbon fiber (and are potentially affected by the increased cost) include the Koenigsegg CCR, Bugatti Veyron, Pagani Zonda and even the Chevy Corvette Z06.
Required Learning
What makes carbon fiber so damn good? Check out some of its mechanical, thermal, electric and chemical properties.
Mechanical properties
Lower density than metal, high tensile strength and tensile modulus, and good fatigue resistance, wear resistance and lubrication.
Thermal properties
Low linear expansion coefficient, good dimensional stability, high resistance to mechanical-property deterioration caused by heat, and low thermal conductivity at extremely low temperatures.
Electric and electromagnetic properties
Electric conductivity and ability to shield electromagnetic waves, and excellent X-ray penetrability.
Chemical and physicochemical properties
Good chemical stability and excellent resistance to acid, alkali and various types of solvents.
Terms:
PCC (Polyester Carbon Composite)
PPCC (Press Polyester Carbon Composite)
CHC (Carbon Honeycomb Composite)
DCC (Dry Carbon Composite)