A Viper V10 is Concealed in This Honda S2000

      Autotopia LA/YouTube

      If you happen to know of a Viper V10 without a home, we might recommend considering a Honda S2000. While this engine swap isn’t as common as the widely shared LS swaps, we stumbled across a 10-year passion project that is both classy and crazy in its execution.

      Rather than a Norwegian drift car, we discovered a widebody S2000 that doesn’t appear to have originated in someone’s garage, though it certainly did. The YouTube channel Autotopia LA recently featured Rich and his Honda roadster powered by a Viper V10.

      Rich explained that the third-generation 8.3-liter V10, sourced from a 2006 Dodge Viper, produces 510 horsepower and 535 pound-feet of torque. Nevertheless, the most captivating aspect of this project car isn’t the engine, which Rich kept untouched; it’s everything else he accomplished with it.

      Rich mentioned he bought the vehicle without seeing it first, based on a link shared in a forum. He noted this was during a time when V10 engines and S2000s were viewed as “idiotic,” a sentiment echoed in the forum discussions. But Rich saw it differently: “Oh, this was a message from God,” he told Autotopia LA host Sean. Although it appears God didn’t provide all the necessary details in his message.

      Upon finally receiving the vehicle, he remarked, “I literally threw everything away.” Of course, he kept the engine. However, the S2000 was a disorganized project from top to bottom and side to side. Essentially stripped down, Rich began the process of fabricating and painting, skills that are not his strong suit. Yet, you wouldn’t know it from the finished product, as he made a raised double L88 hood scoop look like it belonged on the S2000.

      If Dr. Frankenstein were a car enthusiast, this is the Viper V10 S2K he might create, though Rich’s build isn’t a monster in the traditional sense. Starting at 2:52, Rich details the various challenges, parts, and collaborators who helped make sense of his otherwise wild purchase. With so many custom elements, it’s understandable that it took a decade for everything to come together.

      Rich’s S2000 boasts a 47:53 weight distribution for its 3,201 pounds. He handled the balancing and setup as he aimed to create a track-ready car. At the 10:00 mark, host Sean takes the wheel and is impressed by the stiff ride, which isn’t overly harsh. However, by the time the clock hits 16:20, his reaction shifts (“Holy sh*t balls”).

      The video is nearly 20 minutes long, filled with intricate details about the car that make it worth watching in full. Alternatively, if you just want to hear the raw sound of the V10 echoing through a canyon for a minute, you can start at 17:15. Just forgive Sean and his crew for their occasional colorful language; they’re simply affirming that all of Rich’s efforts were entirely worthwhile.

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