Not just SoCal; watch the auction sites. I really only wanted an AP2 in Rio Yellow Pearl, and their values are perilously close to $30k. In fact, a 70k mile example I bid on last year on BaT or C&B (in San Jose) went for over $30k.
Ultimately I "gave up" and just bought a 981 Boxster S (a 2013) for $42k. A 986 Boxster from the same era as an S2000 would absolutely be S2k prices.
I owned a Miata and wanted to own an S2k before moving up to the Boxster, but for today's asking prices, it just didn't make sense.
I'd still send the Civic. Sending another convertible is imitation, but sending a Civic, a people's car, especially an older model, would by quite humorous.
find an old one, connect the odometer to count the distance flown in addition to the x00k miles it already has, stream the video as it flies around the moon and back.