# My 05 Rio s2000 with CTSC Double Din setup Build Details



## s4play (Dec 7, 2009)

Build: Took delivery of this car 2/16/06 and the build duration lasted about a year in which each aspect of the car was carefully perfected. I'm an avid IASCA competitor back in my H.S. days but now prefer a fully balanced car.

*note: Car was recently sold in search of a white s2000 CR for my next build

Honda built a great sport roadster when they created the s2000 but one thing they lacked was sound deadening so that was the first order of business along with a set of Tien Coils for a better ride height 

Dropped on Tien coils (what's not visible is the roughly 3-4 boxes of dynamat used):









Doors each got liberal treatments of the Dynamat before each Focal was installed:









Interior was stripped for Dynamat as well:









Trunk area badly need the dynamat:









Engine bay BEFORE I touched it (BONE STOCK)









Engine bay AFTER I worked my magic (CTSC puts out about 304 hp to wheel)


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## s4play (Dec 7, 2009)

This part of the install is where it starts to get a bit "hairy" as I did not want to use a stock DIN sized radio. I've had great luck with Eclipse double DIn units so I decided to use an Eclipse deck and cut a hole in my dash. The air bag brackets and passenger vent had to be re-located to make this possible. Most double din you see on s2000's protrude out too far. I insisted on a flush design so we literally used up every last inch of space since the radio depth is roughly 7" deep. I also took this time to wire up the PAC interface so it can retain the steering wheel controls and mute function. The infared "eye" was mounted near the dome lights and fires down into the radio 

Picture of OEM dash BEFORE the surgery begins:









Stock radio compartment now houses some car electronics and concealed by a smoked plexi door:


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## s4play (Dec 7, 2009)

4/19/05:

Most of the dash cutting and clearing space for the new deck has been done. These pics show the open hole in the dash. As you can see there is a lot of room back there once the airbag bracket has been modified. Also the vent duct has already been cut in this photo. Normally there is a black plastic tube that runs to the passenger vent. Wiring for the NAV antenna, radio, RCA's, Valet switch, AUX 
Input for Ipod has all been connected at this point.


























Almost done, now comes the paint work:


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## s4play (Dec 7, 2009)

Here's the amp rack finished and ready for installing. We will be installing this OVER the OEM gas tank area to save space. Since this is a stealth type trunk installation our goal was to MAXIMIZE space in the already tiny s2000 trunk.

2 major flaws with most s2000's is that owners use the tub area for a subwoofer and they try to put the amp rack where the spare tire is or they just eliminate the spare! Bad idea because on the s2000 if you were to get a flat tire, the OEM tub acts as the storage space for the damaged tire/wheel combo. If you put a subwoofer in the tub that means your passenger gets to hold the dirty tire! The OEM spare location is too thin to hold a full size tire.....

After testing we've found out subs do NOT sound good firing up into the trunklid so we designed the subwoofer to fire from the driver's side corner into the cabin at an angle.

here's the amp rack with the Alpine PDX4.150 amp and crossovers mounted:









Custom subwoofer enclosure allows full access to spare, tool well plus sounds awesome with the JL 10w6V2 subwoofer:










The trunk lid was probably one of the most VITAL areas to dynamat to keep the bass nice and tight:

BEFORE:









AFTER:


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## s4play (Dec 7, 2009)

2/1/07: Installed Comptech Clutch and Lightened Flywheel

(these were a necessity once the CTSC was installed as the stock one would NOT hold the power and slipped badly)


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## 00poop6x (Jan 20, 2007)

I remember doing a double DIN cut in the S2000 a loong time ago  Good job. I used a JDM Honda Pilot (maybe different model?) screen bezel, fits PERFECT 

What did you use to make your bezel trim?

*EDIT*

Come to think of it, I have no clue which model the bezel came from. It's frustrating me right now.

*EDIT2*

It was the S2000 one, duh. haha


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## futurecivic (Dec 7, 2009)

i have also installed a few double din's in s2000's but in the factory radio location not alot of fun but good experience and the end result was amazing and the customers were both very happy


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## GSlider (Jun 11, 2009)

Nice work, but I can't believe you cut the dash in that.


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## s4play (Dec 7, 2009)

GSlider said:


> Nice work, but I can't believe you cut the dash in that.


Cutting the dash is the oNLY way to make it look oem and stock. We even have a dummy shroud made so when not in use it looks relatively un-obtrussive 

Granted this is not something you want to do if you are worried about resale value but my car was never about that. We wanted the ultimate setup.

I will post some finished pictures and you will agree there is nothing nicer!


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## Irishfocus06 (Sep 11, 2008)

Install is coming along nicely! 

I betcha that car fly's down the road! Wish I could take a run in that sucker! Beautiful ride.


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## s4play (Dec 7, 2009)

Irishfocus06 said:


> Install is coming along nicely!
> 
> I betcha that car fly's down the road! Wish I could take a run in that sucker! Beautiful ride.


It was faster with the supercharger but it only made 304 rwhp on the dyno so not that impressed. This time around though we plan to do a stand-alone engine management, bigger injectors on our 09 GPW car.

Our goal is a very realistic 380 rwhp with this new car.


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## crx4luke (Aug 9, 2008)

Build pics look good so far. Looking forward to the finished pics.


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## vince_2o6 (Dec 30, 2010)

Nice work! Can you tell what's the dimension of the hole? 
I'm planning to do this to my car too.

Thanks in advance,


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## s4play (Dec 7, 2009)

vince_2o6 said:


> Nice work! Can you tell what's the dimension of the hole?
> I'm planning to do this to my car too.
> 
> Thanks in advance,


Trust me that will be of no help to you...you need everything to fit in alignment so the whole is relative to the deck you select and how you build the bezel.


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## josby (May 8, 2011)

This is awesome! I just got an '08 yellow S2000 a month ago that I'm about to start on, and your project is definitely an inspiration.

Can you comment on how you did your amp rack? I too have a PDX 4.150 and tried test-fitting it this weekend. I could just barely fit it in between the insulation that's on the top of the tank and the insulation on the bottom of the plastic tray/top area. Did you remove that insulation in order to get the amp + board to fit in that space?

Also, is your amp rack secured to the car in any way, or is it just held in place by all the things around it?

Thanks!


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## s4play (Dec 7, 2009)

congrats on your 08, we recently acquired an 09 GPW (last year) and planning to do an even crazier setup this time with an iPad2 in the dash 

For our 05 Rio we REMOVED the rear undertray so the bass ports through better with less rattle. (this rear piece rattles like crazy)

Once removed you will find plenty of clearance for the amp. We built the amp rack out of 1/2" MDF and secured it using the oem bolts on the back side of the roll hoops so it's a very sturdy fit and finish.


here's the finished product for the 05 Rio:




























here's a sneak peek at the interior so far with the source unit sitting behind a custom plexi window and ready for the iPad2 fitment above:


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## josby (May 8, 2011)

Looks great, though I see you made some changes from the earlier pics...I liked that blazing yellow shift boot!

I'd never considered taking that rear undertray out...or the fact that, being flimsy plastic hanging like that, it will probably rattle horribly. I can't get at my car to look at it to see, so I'll ask: does it serve any function, or is it just cosmetic? Not sure if your car is a daily driver or not...if it keeps water out of the trunk, I will have to keep mine in. *Edit: I had a chance to take a look at mine...definitely looks optional, although having something to cover it like maybe some grill cloth would be good.*

The new GPW sounds like it's going to be awesome...I hope you will be posting pics of the build!


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