everything will run smoother if you get a tune-up, but you need a whole new swapped manual transmission... i have a red '97 Prelude SS tranny... no mods or anything yet.. dont worry too much about your engine, just because its an auto, you can get the basic bolt-ons, i/h/e, some laughing gas would also do the trick, but if your friend is saying he "smoked" a RSX Type-S and an S2000 and your keeping up with him? You have got a special lude my friend, b/c i can barely keep up w/ my friends RSX Type-S.. the RSX your friend raced, the driver probably cant drive a stick too well or it was a base RSX 4spd auto... Ive seen the Type-S beat a Mustang GT and many other v8's... Anywho.. try and stick to the basic bolt-ons and a few other little things.. stick to looks mainly... what can i say? i would much rather a 5spd, but.. i love my lude to much to give it away for any other car with a 5spd...

later..