I currently have (or will have) the following JDM exterior parts:

1. Mugen FRP hardtop (ordered, 2-3 month wait time)
2. Mugen SS wing (enroute, to be installed next week)
3. Seibon Mugen-style CF hood (to be replaced eventually by Mugen, J's Racing or Top Secret CF hood)
4. CraftSquare CF side mirrors

Sooner or later I will be purchasing a set of fenders (probably ASM) and a new CF hood (Mugen if the money is right). My question to you all is: from a car show perspective, does is matter if some of the JDM parts are mixed and matched (some Mugen, some J's etc.) or is it very important to stay with one manufacturer?

Thanks for your feedback!

 

I think from a car-show perspective, mix/match is encouraged. I suppose it shows that you think outside the box and try to tune your car in a DIY fashion rather than whipping out the catalog and purchasing every part from it.

From a performance standpoint (and most people will disagree with me here), it's better to stick mainly with one brand as most parts are engineered to work together from the same manufacturer. You might find different parts mixed together might work better, but this is usually due to serendipity rather than R&D.

 

Thanks for your inputs!

 

I think it will look good, but the hood will stand out until you get the Mugen (or other JDM hood).

The JDM CF weaves look waaaaaay better than the Seibon and other US weaves. Come to think of it I think Evasive has a one by one weave that looks pretty good and cost less than the JDM hoods That may be another option for you if $ for the Mugen becomes an issue.

 

sounds like a mean setup justin! except the Mugen SS wing, for some reason thats the only Mugen part i HATE! i say go with the gen i wing(3pc) or a BYS, but hey you know what you're doing.

 

Thanks...sort of. I really like the Mugen SS wing. In fact, it is my favorite wing for an S2000.

 

it doesnt matter to me at all nor do i think it should matter to you. I think its all aout what you think looks good cause you build your car for you. I think from an engine stand point there are too many options that offer positive results. I'm personaaly gonna be running a mugen intake with a hytech header and exhuast tuned by and ems. I persoanlly can care lees if im not running a full j's mugen set up etc. It all depends on what you prefer

 

Thanks for your input!

I am more concerned with matching exterior JDM products vice engine-related JDM products. The primary problem with running different exterior JDM products is that most have their own lines (styles) and mixing/matching could really throw-off those lines.

 

1) I agree w/ medicalstudent about the performance aspect of staying with one manufacturer -- for instance, Mugen tests all of their aero parts in a wind tunnel, and tests them to work together. The Mugen spoiler, for example, is made to work with the Mugen HT and will provide significantly more downforce with the hardtop (or so I've heard).

2) Car show judges will not care if you mix/match or stay with one manufacturer, as long as your build theme is in tact. If you're going for a big JDM show/VIP style then by all means pic the biggest, flashiest JDM VIP parts from different manufacturers. But don't say you're going for a Mugen theme and show up with both Mugen and Seibon parts, that will knock you down a peg.

3) What are you really mixing and matching? So far, all of your parts are Mugen (except for the hood, which is a Mugen knock-off that you say you'll be replacing with an authentic eventually), and the only other brand you've mentioned is ASM for the fenders. Mugen doesn't make wide fenders (for public sale at least) so no car show judge is going to take points off your car for going above and beyond -- it sounds like your theme is a sort of "Mugen on Steroids", and something like those wide fenders would really help you out to that end.

 

[QUOTE=zbrewha863,Mar 6 2007, 07:51 PM] 1)