LoneStarS30Z

I was expected you to swoop in and grab it for the matching bucket lol.

Thanks for quick sell Felipe, the funds will be going towards another coilover set up for my Cosmo. If either one of you guys want another seat to match, let me know and I'll keep an eye out!

bouford

thx chris!

wish i could do a asm bucket in my old age. just can't do it anymore. josh got it so it's cool.

wow a cosmo. haven't heard that in over 15 years when i was visiting oki in 99

thx again will. it's awesome to receive parts from oki. i miss that place. definitely planning a visit soon. wonder how kadena looks nowadays?
i'll let you know when i need matching seat

AE_Racer

Chronicles top 10, and SS? Congrats! Well deserved.

WhyW

Top ten on Chronicles! Congrats Bouford!

sillyboybmxer

I actually looked at my GF when it was posted and said "whatcha think about that? Do you want to sit in that "

bouford

thx sir!

appreciate it!

I actually looked at my GF when it was posted and said "whatcha think about that? Do you want to sit in that "
[/quote]


thank you joey for picking my03 for the top 10 honda builds of 2014. i am truly humbled. thank you to everyone involved in my build.
congrats to hanzel and all the other hondas as well for making the list. i am in very good company

bouford

link: http://stickydiljoe.com/2015/01/05/t...-of-2014-10-6/


joey's kind words:
“The ultimate catalog Honda build…”

Photos: JZNSN2U Photography (& Reese Shiroma (auto-x photo))

Felipe Madamba has one of the best Honda builds in Hawaii. I say that with extreme confidence. I’m even more confident in saying that it is probably one of the best S2000 builds in America.

When I was hired last year to go be a guest judge at the Spocom Hawaii ’14 event, I spotted this build and knew instantly that it was the best in the building. When it comes to building a catalog-perfect vehicle, it just doesn’t get any better. On top of that, it is also 100% homegrown and built by a privateer without the help of any major shops or sponsors. This is a special car for me because it, along with a handful of other great Honda builds in HI in 2014, helped to restore my faith in the Hawaiian tuner community. Growing up, Hawaii used to be one of the premier destinations to draw inspiration from. It was about as close to Japan as it would get for many of us at that time and it just seemed like the enthusiasts there had a closer touch to Japan, almost more so than California and the rest of the West. If you were around during that time, then you know of DOHC Research, Team Rice, and other sites that showcased some of Hawaii’s best. The Hondas they produced were incredible but around the mid-2000s, it seemed like their Honda community just sort of fell off. Those great builds that we looked up to were being sold or parted-out and there was a little bit of a gap there where Hawaii sort of lost touch while the rest of the country grew. The builds nationwide got better and the new generation seemingly forgot about Hawaii. They don’t have nearly as many events or the same type of media exposure as many of the states here on the mainland so it almost was a little too easy to forget that Hawaii knew how to put a car together. Felipe’s S2000 blows that idea out of the water. All of a sudden, not only was I looking at a full (and I mean FULL) ASM-themed S2000, I felt like I unearthed a gem that the rest of the world had not had the opportunity to witness yet. I personally had not seen an S2000 with this much ASM goodness that wasn’t a shop car or properly sponsored to serve as a demo car for a business. It looked like the tuning shop ASM in Japan had built the car themselves.

I had a chance to chat with Felipe briefly and he seemed like a kind, humble guy which made his build that much better. He’s one of those guys that doesn’t expect anything and when he won that day at Spocom Hawaii, he didn’t even pick up his award because he didn’t think he would win anything. In an era where people with high expectations and an overly aggressive sense of entitlement exists, it’s refreshing to meet guys like him who are genuinely happy to just be at an event with their car. It isn’t about winning but more for the love of the build. If you appreciate their car, they are surprised and humbled, never expecting anyone to bow at their feet to worship their work. I think it almost helps that Hawaii is a bit removed from the rest of the country so that they don’t see the type of craziness that we do here on the mainland. Their enthusiasts stay tight knit and are sort of protected from the rest of the world. Things don’t progress nearly as fast as they do here, but that is almost a good thing because when you see their cars, you get that sense of tradition and understanding that was learned from the previous generation.


Everything in this build is high-quality stuff. There isn’t a part on this S2000 that would make you want to ask Felipe why he chose that particular part over another. When I say it is ASM-themed, I don’t mean it’s “ASM-style” like all the other S2000s around which are 75-90% running replica/fake ASM aero. Felipe’s S2000 is legit. The only thing I would really change about it is the fact that the engine bay isn’t color-matched but there is so much good in this build that it triumphs that. The guy just seems to understand quality and choose the right components for his car. Add to that a killer color combo and you have execution at its finest. The engine bay isn’t tucked or shaved in any way but Hawaii just hasn’t yet gotten involved with engine bay customization to that level yet. I guess if he has one thing to work on in the future, that would be it, but honestly, his S2000 is nearly perfect the way it is. While Hanzel Tango’s build is a re-imagination of a catalog car, Felipe’s is an example of exactly why we love catalog builds. Its proof that you can stay traditional without being boring. You get a glimpse of his S2000 and you just want to see more, and that is why it is one of my ten favorites of the year.

toddxxx

congratulations on the top 10 man!

Nick_S2K

Congrat on the top 10! Love everything about your S!

Feezy

Congratulations!