[This story originally appeared in the May 2010 issue of Super Street with the headline "Mass Effect."] Within the last couple years, you will have undoubtedly noticed the growing abundance of aero parts from ASM in the US. Some of the top S2000 builds stateside all rep ASM aero and their influence on the S2K crowd is undeniable. Though the parts aren't exactly the most affordable to the most conventional Honda Civic/Acura Integra crowd, S2000 owners are definitely willing to dish out the dough for ASM products. Why? Well because true enthusiasts know that ASM designs and develops their goods with pure function in mind. They test them rigorously and even document the testing daily on their very own online blog. The style and beauty of their product just happens to be an added plus. What many may not know about ASM is that their company name is actually an acronym for Autobacs Secondhand Market. Yes, the same Autobacs that we all know of in the States as the now defunct Super Autobacs that was once in Southern California. In Japan, they're better known for their endless supply of used automotive performance parts. At one point they were so popular that enthusiasts began requesting original parts from the Autobacs group and that ultimately gave birth to what is known today as ASM. ASM gained popularity all over the world with their I.S. Design aero parts line and soon began building complete cars to challenge the Tsukuba circuit in Japan. Shinichiro Kanayama and ASM had one goal in mind; to build a track capable car with components that they deemed worthy to be competitive and that were completely streetable. When other companies failed to meet ASM's high expectations, they went the do-it-yourself route and developed their own. Sean Klingelhoefer - MotorTrend The only other contributor that they worked closely with was TODA Racing. TODA not only has deep roots in JGTC but is world renowned for their development of championship-winning race engines. Building street-application components doesn't sound like something TODA Racing would do on a regular basis but they were more than willing to help Kanayama and ASM. If you happen to have caught some images of the ASM S2000 online, you may have seen it in two different incarnations; the version that you see on these very pages and a much wider, more aggressive manifestation. They are two very different roadsters that serve their own individual purpose. The one with the full widebody outfit is the Tsukuba Special S2000 No. 2, whose destiny lies in destroying the N/A FR track record at Tsukuba circuit. The comparably more subtle Tsukuba Special S2000 No. 1 was built to showcase ASM's ability to create a competitive racecar with publicly available, street-ready products. What makes this S2000 competitive is the power from the TODA Racing-built F20C and the weight-reduction made possible by the dry carbon armor that shrouds the entire chassis. Sean Klingelhoefer - MotorTrend The TODA-spec F20C is a stroked, high-compression version of Honda's high-revving roadster engine. The cylinder head features TODA's Spec A camshafts, adjustable cam gears, and complete TODA valvetrain. Increased displacement comes by way of TODA Racing forged pistons, rings, crankshaft, and I-Beam forged connecting rods. Air flow is pulled into the head with four individual throttle-bodies while exhaust gases are expelled from an ASM -07 header and one-off I.S. Design Siren Circuit exhaust. Aero-enhancements are the key to the Tsukuba Special No. 1's success. Not only does it lighten the load and get the AP1 around the track, the I.S. Design line is what single-handedly put Autobacs Secondhand Market on the worldwide map. The aggressive styling of the I.S. Design body panels, vented front fender, and rear over-fenders are pure function. OEM Grand Prix White paint also disguises the fact that every I.S. Design piece on this S2K was crafted in super lightweight dry carbon fiber. Every body panel removable was replaced with ASM I.S. Design dry carbon. The only metal that remains is the full stitch-welded and gusseted reinforced chassis. ASM doesn't limit themselves to just aerodynamics and bolt-on engine components; they've also developed their own adjustable ASM SRE suspension system. The 3-way adjustable dampers feature Hyperco springs which help to keep this S2000 planted firmly as it exits the corners of the Tsukuba Circuit. Housed under the dry carbon wheel wells and rear over-fenders are aggressive 18x9.5-inch British White Prodrive GC-07J wheels. Sticky Bridgestone RE-11 rubbers are the tire of choice and also the tires that ASM employees recommend to their customers. The performance vs. wear rate is what makes them the better choice compared to other, more race-bred units. Sean Klingelhoefer - MotorTrend The cockpit of this Honda S2000 also carries an ASM-influence. A single Recaro ASM Limited RS-G racing seat and Takata safety harness keep driver Hiroki Kato firmly in place as he tears through the track. The ASM version of the RS-G seat is a reupholstered, limited-edition run of the Recaro seat with only 500 units produced. Like the exterior, the door panels have also been replaced by dry carbon pieces. An Alcantara suede-wrapped dashboard adds a touch of class to the raw, gutted interior. All engine meters and warning indicators are displayed on the Mugen ASM Multivision display. What's truly remarkable about the ASM No.1 S2000 is not limited to the impressive 1'01"587 it ran at the last RevSpeed Tsukuba Time Attack. Think about this: without the graphic livery, this roadster is a street car assembled with parts that are easily accessible to the general public. It's exactly what ASM set out to do. Sure, you may not have the expert engine builders at TODA Racing at your whim but the parts are definitely available to build towards the output of a TODA-spec F20C. The combination of function and gorgeous form is what makes I.S. Design so popular among ASM loyalists. Dry carbon isn't exactly cheap or easy to come by however. To make their line-up accessible to all S2000 enthusiasts, they also offer a more affordable option by producing their parts in fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP). Sean Klingelhoefer - MotorTrend We may never own such a wonderful piece of machinery or ever have a chance to set foot on the legendary Tsukuba Circuit—it just isn't realistic. Even if we could, most of us would probably get laughed right off the track. ASM gives S2000 owners the reassurance that if were at all possible, they could have comfort in knowing that their cars would perform competitively on the track. The air of attainability is what makes this build so great. Tuning Menu: 2000 Honda S2000 Owner: Autobacs ASM Yokohama Hometown: Yokohama City, Japan Occupation: Developing high-end, uncompromising automotive parts and accessories Power: 282 hp/203 lb-ft Engine: 2000 2.4L TODA Racing-built F20C; Spec A valvetrain, including camshafts, adjustable cam gears, polished valves, up-rate valve springs, valve retainers; bottom end with forged pistons, piston rings, I-Beam forged connecting rods, and crankshaft; Sports Injection Kit, fuel rail and Anti G-Force oil pan; Bosch fuel pump; ASM -07 exhaust manifold; ASM I.S. Design Siren Circuit one-off exhaust, Sports Catalyzer and oil cooler/radiator combo; Sachs oil filter; Midland engine oil; FWIN 3-layer radiator; Billion radiator hoses; Mugen thermostat and engine mounts; Varley Red Top Racing battery Engine Management: Motec M400 tuned by TODA Racing Drivetrain: Drexler/ASM limited-slip differential; ASM SRE metal clutch disc and carbon-fiber driveshaft; TODA Racing lightweight chromoly flywheel Footwork & Chassis: ASM SRE 3-Way Damper Kit; Hyperco springs (14 kg/mm front; 16 kg/mm rear); ASM 26mm front sway bar, zero bump-steer brackets and fully reinforced front/rear subframes; Spoon Sports rear toe control arms; Mugen hard bushings; D-Dream full stitch-welded and gusseted chassis; custom-built rollcage Brakes: ASM/AP Racing front brake calipers; Zone front and rear brake pads; ASM stainless brake lines and brake fluids Wheels & Tires: 18x9.5'' Prodrive GC-07J (+50 offset); 265/35-18 Bridgestone RE-11; one-off titanium lug nuts Exterior: ASM I.S. Design dry carbon front bumper, front lip spoiler -07, front aero fenders -04, side diffusers, rear over-fenders, rear aero bumper -06, rear diffuser and Enhanced rear wing GT-09; dry carbon doors, GT-06 aero bonnet and rear trunk; front canards -07; Duralumin front and rear tow hooks; Mugen dry carbon hardtop Interior Recaro ASM Limited RS-G Alcantara seat; Takata safety harness; MOMO Mod 31 340mm steering wheel; ASM Racing steering boss, dry carbon inner door panels and Alcantara dashboard; ASM Mugen Multi-Vision Meter Thanks You: TODA Racing; driver Hiroki Kato; Succeed Sports; Prokidai Racing; Yamaco Enterprise; Japan Racing Nicole; Recaro Japan; Prodrive Japan; Go Tuning Unlimited
Liked by Carter Hill, Emma Lewis
Liked by Carter Hill, Emma Lewis
Liked by Carter Hill, Emma Lewis