Post by: twistedsymphony on April 03, 2007, 01:47:00 PM
I sold my WRX last December, after paying it off I made $4K, the money I've been able to save a few more grand since then (mostly due to not having a car payment).
Now that the warm weather is here I'm itching to get out of my pickup and into something sporty.
I've decided 100% without a doubt that I want a MY95-98 240sx
It needs to be a stick shift
It needs to be in good shape drivable/inspectable/no rust/no mechanical problems/etc.
I live in NH but willing to go to neighboring states: VT, ME, MA
I'm looking to spend about 4-5K on the car... the only way I would consider an Automatic is if it was 100% flawless and a good price, then I'd at least consider it for a transmission swap.
I plan on building a Silvia 14.5... S14 rear end S15 front end and S15 engine, I've already done my research I know everything involved, I know who I'm going to buy the parts from, I've got the cash I need for the first part of the conversion (engine swap) and I've talked to people who've done the conversion already and willing to lend me a hand if I get stuck. Though I'm doing an engine swap I want the car to be in good mechanical shape before the swap to help ensure that everything is in working order before hand. I want to upgrade the car not repair a basket-case.
All I need now is the car. I've been searching autotrader, uncle henry's, and craigs list daily.
The reason I'm posting this here is because I've found the best deals are usually the ones sitting on the side of the road with no other advertising. So if anyone here lives in the New England area and knows of a nice 240sx for sale.. PLEASE let me know
Post by: Rylinkus on April 03, 2007, 03:47:00 PM
nevermind, it was already in your post (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)
If I see anything Ill let you know.
This post has been edited by Rylinkus: Apr 3 2007, 10:48 PM
Post by: Alex548 on April 03, 2007, 03:51:00 PM
If you're in need of an S13 project car (1989 240SX coupe) with Automatic tranny (that needs repair) let me know.
I spent thousands of dollars on it and even replaced the engine, but gave up after the tranny sprung a leak.
My mechanic wanted it so he can convert to Manual tansmission and race it, but he never gave me the cash ($500).
I'm considering trading it to him for new motor mounts and timing belt for my 92 Talon.
Probably not worth it after shipping costs, but you never know.
I'm in Cali so it would be a cross-country delivery (or a cross-country drive).
The engine would make the trip (35,000 miles), but the tranny won't (211,000 miles and a major leak).
Post by: twistedsymphony on April 03, 2007, 04:46:00 PM
@Alex:
It'd be about $1100 to ship here. I know because one of my friends just moved to SanDiago and had his Mazda 3 shipped out
Though I guarantee it's in WAY better shape then most of the S13s around here, Winter driving is hell on the body/frame of a car.
Most of the S13s I see advertised are:
QUOTE
$1500, floorboards rusted out, broken shock mounts due to rust, wont pass inspection, perfect for a drift conversion
what engine do you have in your car; or did you just put another KA24DE in it?
If I were to go S13 it would have to be a 91-94 because the 89-90s are slightly different making the engine swap more difficult/expensive. I'd probably go for an S13 ragtop tough, since they're so friggin rare
Post by: Alex548 on April 03, 2007, 04:57:00 PM
I've also replaced the rear differential, all rotors, pads, tires, A/C control unit in the dash, both Power window motors/regulators (driver and passenger), and a bunch of miscellaneous crap. It doesn't have rust that I know of since it never snows around here. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)
It's equipped with HUD (Heads up display), but the windshield has a crack. It didn't have a crack in September 06, but since it's been sitting at my mechanic's shop it magically appeared. The dashboard is also cracking all over the place from the effects of the weather. After replacing the engine, it passed California's very strict emmision testing, but after the tranny sprung a leak I gave up on the car and eventually planned non-op'ed it when renewal time came around (August 06).
In it's condition and considering the shipping costs, it's definitely not worth your time to get this thing shipped over to you since you can probably find them in good running condition for about the same amount of cash you'd spend on this one. . . unless you had money to burn and felt motivated to play with a project car.
This post has been edited by Alex548: Apr 4 2007, 12:04 AM
Post by: Rylinkus on April 03, 2007, 06:03:00 PM
Post by: yaazz on April 03, 2007, 06:40:00 PM
Post by: twistedsymphony on April 04, 2007, 05:36:00 AM
QUOTE(Rylinkus @ Apr 3 2007, 08:10 PM) 
looks nice but I'm looking for a 95 or newer model (different body style)
QUOTE(yaazz @ Apr 3 2007, 08:47 PM)
240's are a dime a dozen here and very cheap... too far away though
Where exactly is "here"
Post by: Rylinkus on April 04, 2007, 11:39:00 AM
QUOTE(twistedsymphony @ Apr 4 2007, 12:43 PM)
looks nice but I'm looking for a 95 or newer model (different body style)
Where exactly is "here"
Gotcha. I've seen one for sale recently. Not sure exactly where though. Ill keep my eyes open, but it's always hard to find a specific car like that. It may be elusive prey.
Post by: twistedsymphony on April 04, 2007, 01:54:00 PM
when it's something you don't _NEED_ you can afford to take your time looking.
I've seen two so-so ones come up recently
a Silver 95 in keen NH with a crappy half-finished body kit and leaky oil pan (165K miles too)
and a blue/purple 95 in Mass that looks really clean but has a nasty crack in the dashboard... the guy responded to a WTB and sent me pics but it's it's been a week and he hasn't returned my email with some questions like: how many miles? how much? how does it run?... from the pics it looks decent though.
I'm really pissed I didn't start earlier though... two really low mileage, low price, nearly flawless 95 240s went just 2 weeks before I started looking... I saw the posts on 240sxone.com (240 Owners of New England).
This post has been edited by twistedsymphony: Apr 4 2007, 09:00 PM
Post by: twistedsymphony on April 05, 2007, 06:18:00 AM
I found a nice looking clean 240 in VT, mid swap with an S14 SR20det blacktop. really clean body the swap needs the harness done and the intercooler installed (missing hoses but it's a brand new aftermarket intercooler).
it's an S13 but for the price it's worth buying just for the motor+intercooler.
I just have no idea where to look to have the thing transported, most towing companies around me wont go that far and most car transport services want specific pickup and dropp-off locations
Do they rent tow trucks by the day?
Post by: gainpresence on April 05, 2007, 09:09:00 AM
You should be able to get an exact price on their website.
This post has been edited by gainpresence: Apr 5 2007, 04:09 PM
Post by: twistedsymphony on April 05, 2007, 11:45:00 AM
QUOTE(gainpresence @ Apr 5 2007, 11:16 AM)
Uhaul would run you around $400 if you used their trucks, or about $75 to tow it with yours.
You should be able to get an exact price on their website.
oooh... I hadn't even thought of those light car trailers...
Post by: twistedsymphony on April 05, 2007, 12:08:00 PM
CAR #1
Vermont: 91 S13 with a S14 SR20DET motor and a Greddy FMIC doesn't run because the wiring harness still needs to be converted and the intercooler needs to be hooked up Also I'd need to rent something to get it hope and finish it up. $3500 though it's not the body style I want I figure it might be worth it just for the motor and FMIC.
(IMG:http://memberuploads.xbox-scene.com/uploads/2007_04_05/20_31_05_front.jpg) (IMG:http://memberuploads.xbox-scene.com/uploads/2007_04_05/20_31_16_engine.jpg) (IMG:http://memberuploads.xbox-scene.com/uploads/2007_04_05/20_36_03_FMIC.jpg)
CAR #2
Mass: 95 S14 bone stock 151K miles imported from Georga by a 240 collector (the guy has 5 of em and a few skylines too) so the body/frame are clean, only problem is a cracked dash but I figure I could probably find a junkyard donor for that. $3K and I can drive it home.
(IMG:http://memberuploads.xbox-scene.com/uploads/2007_04_05/20_42_10_Front_driver_s.jpg) (IMG:http://memberuploads.xbox-scene.com/uploads/2007_04_05/20_42_53_front_passenger_s.jpg) (IMG:http://memberuploads.xbox-scene.com/uploads/2007_04_05/20_44_13_IP_s.jpg) (IMG:http://memberuploads.xbox-scene.com/uploads/2007_04_05/20_44_33_dash_s.jpg)
Anyone have advice on things to check for/look out for when buying a used car car? I've only ever bought 1 used car before (my Toyota pickup) and I had a mechanic friend with me... this time I wont have him to tag along.
Post by: Rylinkus on April 05, 2007, 03:15:00 PM
http://www.unclehenr.....N#-2136516114
I like the SR20det blacktop myself. But thats personal preference I suppose. I actually like that body style too, so that may be part of it.
Post by: twistedsymphony on April 05, 2007, 05:55:00 PM
QUOTE(Rylinkus @ Apr 5 2007, 05:22 PM)
Uncle Henrys comes out today and youre not talking about this gem?
http://www.unclehenr.....N#-2136516114
FRESH ORANGE PAINT! Does that come with authentic orange peel too!?!
I'll be ready for Fast and the Furious 4 with that beast
QUOTE(Rylinkus @ Apr 5 2007, 05:22 PM)
I like the SR20det blacktop myself. But thats personal preference I suppose. I actually like that body style too, so that may be part of it.
If I do get an SR20DET it will definitely be the blacktop, no question there... though I'm going to see if I can get a hold of a RB25DET or at least an RB20DET... 6 cylinders is so much nicer
As for the body style. As far as stock 240s go I completely agree that the pop up style looks better, but I'm planning on swaping out the headlights/hood/fenders and front bumper with S15 stuff... IMO the S15 front end with S14 rear end is Dead Sexy
Post by: Rylinkus on April 06, 2007, 09:09:00 AM
QUOTE(twistedsymphony @ Apr 6 2007, 01:02 AM)
FRESH ORANGE PAINT! Does that come with authentic orange peel too!?!
I'll be ready for Fast and the Furious 4 with that beast
If I do get an SR20DET it will definitely be the blacktop, no question there... though I'm going to see if I can get a hold of a RB25DET or at least an RB20DET... 6 cylinders is so much nicer
As for the body style. As far as stock 240s go I completely agree that the pop up style looks better, but I'm planning on swaping out the headlights/hood/fenders and front bumper with S15 stuff... IMO the S15 front end with S14 rear end is Dead Sexy
I know a guy around here with the RB25DET engine swap. It's a damn quick car. That's for sure. Though repairs are retarded expensive. I can't remember what it was that he broke, but I know the car was up for months over .... a bent valve maybe? Something to the tune of 3 grand? I can't remember the details, but I remember it was an expensive motor to repair.
Post by: twistedsymphony on April 06, 2007, 01:02:00 PM
d-damn, though I suspect something like a bent valve, no matter what you'd be stuck with a hefty repair bill, not so expensive to replace the valve as it is to fix everything around it that became damaged from the valve bending.
Post by: twistedsymphony on April 16, 2007, 05:35:00 AM
QUOTE(CKwik240 @ Apr 15 2007, 02:48 AM)
www.nicoclub.com
There is a classifieds section in the forum. Feel free to check it out.
cool thanks... think link is blocked at my work though, so I'll have to wait until tonight to check it out
Post by: grim_d on April 16, 2007, 05:44:00 AM
QUOTE(twistedsymphony @ Apr 5 2007, 07:15 PM)
Anyone have advice on things to check for/look out for when buying a used car car? I've only ever bought 1 used car before (my Toyota pickup) and I had a mechanic friend with me... this time I wont have him to tag along.
things like, makinf sure it's not stolen, making sure it's not a previous insurance write-off, not a chop-shop number, stuff like that is pretty important lol.
Best thing to do would be to find out what their common ailments are, so you can check to see if the one you are interested buying sufferes from any of them.
Check the underside of them for rust on the sideskirts, where it reaches the rear wheel arch, it being a nissan and all.
other standard checks like making sure the clutch is good (put it in 4th, rev her up high, pop the clutch, if shes stalls, clutch is good) are always good to do.
Post by: twistedsymphony on April 17, 2007, 05:44:00 AM
Post by: grim_d on April 17, 2007, 05:54:00 AM
QUOTE(twistedsymphony @ Apr 17 2007, 12:51 PM)
good advice, I particularly like that clutch trick
oh yeah and check ALL the electronics.
nissans are notorious for having their electrics fail, i don't mean important stuff like spark plugs, headlights though, just stuff like heater switches etc.
for example my heater only works on the highest setting and led in my rear window demister button doesnt work.
if i had electric windows/mirrors, they probably wouldnt work either
i mean it's not hard stuff to fix but taking the dash apart is always a bit of a nuisance.
Post by: twistedsymphony on April 23, 2007, 06:43:00 AM
http://boston.craigs.../316811445.html
I think it looks TOO perfect
There are a lot of inconsistencies too
-Carfax shows a clean history, but it also shows the car as owned by someone in Florida and that the color is Green as of this year (it could have been a repaint but the pics have a red engine bay and door jams)
-The title states that it's an "s15" I would assume they meant an S14 to S15 conversion (aka S14.5) since the S15 was never released in north America and only available as a RHD. However the Front end is definitely not s15 (s15 had tear drop shaped headlights) It looks like the stock style front end from the USA 1997 240 + an aftermarket bumpercover.
-The title states that it has SR20DET with 500hp, despite my skepticism about the advertised power (though the engine bay DOES look like it has quite a few go-fast parts) the listing text says it's a 2.4L ... ok so is it a turbocharged KA24 or a SR20 swap?
Despite the inconsistencies the price is amazing if it is what it says it is.
My guess (hope really) is that it's some local dealership that just doesn't know what it is they have.
I've already shot off an email asking to look at the car.... it can't hurt
Post by: grim_d on April 23, 2007, 07:00:00 AM
Based on a couple of the cars inb the background of the pictures this could easily be the case, best bet is to conatct.
500bhp, easily possible, but this could be from a dyno, and based on at the crank rather than at the wheels, that's the easiest way to increase bhp
best thing to do is go and check it out.
Post by: lostboyz on April 23, 2007, 08:36:00 AM
Post by: twistedsymphony on April 23, 2007, 09:50:00 AM
QUOTE(lostboyz @ Apr 23 2007, 10:43 AM)
it is now flagged for removal, too good to be true i guess
Where do you see that it's flagged for removal?EDIT: Nevermind, I just needed to refresh the page.
...
damn
Post by: Alex548 on April 24, 2007, 12:34:00 AM
Good luck on your search. Keep us updated on what you find.
Post by: twistedsymphony on April 24, 2007, 06:26:00 AM
1995, SE trim, Maroon in color
96K original miles
1 owner - old lady (well, in her 50s, even still it's not some chump kid)
CarFax shows a spotless history
I don't have any pictures but she claims the car is in great shape, it had some surface rust on the rear quarter panel that she had repaired by a body shop a few months back. and the exhaust had been replaced once before.
Also she apparently had Nissan replace the turn signal level 4 times from when she would catch her purse on it and break it off while getting out of the car
Apparently she's selling it because it started overheating last week and she's ready for something new (understandable the thing is 13 years old).
She's taking it in to Nissan today so they can officially diagnose why it's overheating.
Also she's a AAA Plus member and they'll tow up to 100 miles, so if it's still overheating and I like it she can have it towed back to my house where I'll just replace the motor
I plan on checking the electronics for flakeyness and the frame for rust/rot (if the exhaust and rear quarter panels had problems before I figure I better check the underside)
One thing I have a problem with... is she doesn't know jack about the car... I'm curious if it has ABS, an LSD, and if it has the Nissan's Super HICAS. Anyone know where I can check these things... is there something I can look for in the engine bay or some other kind of indicator?
since getting rid of my WRX I really mis having ABS, and I'll probably do more autocrossing then drift racing in this thing so an LSD and the HICAS would be nice to have.
Post by: grim_d on April 24, 2007, 06:55:00 AM
If it's an Actual SE model then it might have ABS and an LSD. but they were optional and i think only available to the SE.
So i mean unless she treated herself when she bought it then chances of it having anything you want are unlikely.
Post by: twistedsymphony on April 24, 2007, 07:06:00 AM
QUOTE(grim_d @ Apr 24 2007, 09:02 AM)
1995 means that it wont have HICAS, AFAIK they stopped that in in 94.
If it's an Actual SE model then it might have ABS and an LSD. but they were optional and i think only available to the SE.
So i mean unless she treated herself when she bought it then changed of it having anything you want are unlikely.
I wasn't aware that they stopped the HICAS in 94... I know the LSD is a fairly straight forward install but how difficult is it to upgrade to ABS? do you just replace the master cylinder or are there other things involved?
Post by: grim_d on April 24, 2007, 07:19:00 AM
QUOTE(twistedsymphony @ Apr 24 2007, 02:13 PM)
I wasn't aware that they stopped the HICAS in 94... I know the LSD is a fairly straight forward install but how difficult is it to upgrade to ABS? do you just replace the master cylinder or are there other things involved?
neither was i, but i did a little digging and apparently that is the case, for the 240's anyway, unless it was an SE it probably wouldn't of had it anyway, but it CAN be added if your willing to do the work.
Yeah the LSD is an easy job. itl cost you maybe not even $100 for the diff and the fitting, even less if your a competent welder.
ABS isnt really regarded as an aftermarket upgrade, i mean i hear the modules for these cars run about $700, and i think the whole process of getting it done can run into 4 figures. If you really want ABS i think your gonna have to buy a car that comes with it, however you should do a little digigng on that and see for yourself.
Post by: CKwik240 on April 24, 2007, 04:30:00 PM
QUOTE(grim_d @ Apr 24 2007, 06:26 AM)
Yeah the LSD is an easy job. itl cost you maybe not even $100 for the diff and the fitting, even less if your a competent welder.
Not sure why you would need to weld unless you are shortening the existing driveshaft. I did mine with nothing but wrenches, sockets and a jack.
I should also note that Z32 300ZX normally aspirated diffs are also semi-compatible. They have the same nose length as the non-LSD 240sx diff as the ABS sensors for the 300zx were mounted on the sides as they have 4 channels of ABS vs the 3 channels the 240sx's had. The problem is the side output shafts of the 300ZX uses 5 bolt flanges and require replacement. And these output shafts are no longer available through Nissan unless they were resurrected for the newer RWD nissans. The other problem was that when they were available, they cost about $300 for the pair. But if by some chance you can score a set of these output flanges cheap, and can source a NA 300ZX diff, then this would be another option. Be aware that the stock 240sx output flanges will not work with a VLSD. They will fit, but will not engage the viscous coupling essentially leaving you with an open diff.
Post by: grim_d on April 24, 2007, 05:00:00 PM
QUOTE(CKwik240 @ Apr 24 2007, 11:37 PM)
Not sure why you would need to weld unless you are shortening the existing driveshaft. I did mine with nothing but wrenches, sockets and a jack.
i stand corrected then, i just did a little reading about replacing the diff and that's the impression i got
If it's bolt on then happy days!
Post by: Rylinkus on April 24, 2007, 07:31:00 PM
Post by: twistedsymphony on April 25, 2007, 06:02:00 AM
I suppose if it doesn't have the LSD it would give me an excuse to upgrade to to a nicer electro/mechanical one... I really don't like the viscus diffs, my WRX was all viscus and that's one of the things I hated about it.
Post by: grim_d on April 25, 2007, 06:05:00 AM
QUOTE(twistedsymphony @ Apr 25 2007, 01:09 PM)
ok So I did a Car Fax and it says that the car IS an SE model
I suppose if it doesn't have the LSD it would give me an excuse to upgrade to to a nicer electro/mechanical one... I really don't like the viscus diffs, my WRX was all viscus and that's one of the things I hated about it.
go forth and buy!
Post by: twistedsymphony on April 25, 2007, 10:34:00 AM
I figure it's worth it just for the motor/FMIC as long as the motor actually works but I need to figure out how to get it back to NH it's 6 hours on the road round trip and not only does my truck not have a hitch I doubt the engine would be up to the task of pulling another car.
I could probably buy that one AND the one in MA.
Post by: Rylinkus on April 25, 2007, 02:55:00 PM
Post by: twistedsymphony on April 26, 2007, 05:55:00 AM
QUOTE(Rylinkus @ Apr 25 2007, 05:02 PM)
yeah I saw that one listed on 240sxone.com too the previous owner chimed in and dubbed it a complete rust bucket
Post by: twistedsymphony on May 02, 2007, 06:20:00 AM
ok I've weeded through a lot of junk listing looking for the right car.
There is a guy in Portland with a drop dead beautiful 95 240sx black every last factory option low miles (69K) original paint and not so much as a scratch on it... reasonably priced below book at $5500... the only problem is it's an auto
I've put off looking at it trying to find a 5 speed... after looking all sorts of overpriced borderline junkers I called up the guy in Maine and made an appointment to see his car on Sunday (I have family commitments Friday and Saturday), figuring it's too perfect and an auto will just motivate me to do the swap sooner.
This morning I did my daily rounds of searches and what do I find... not one but TWO 240sx's that are essentially EXACTLY what I want.
http://boston.craigs.../322548719.html
^ The exact color I wanted, the front end swap done, sunroof... the interior trim is a little ugly and that spoiler will go but CHRIST it's only $4300!!!! if it's for real I'd take the day off from work tomorrow and drive down there with cash in my hand...
This is where the paranoia comes in... it was listed last night around 6pm and the guy only has an email address.. I've sent him an email but I'm seriously worried someone else will swoop it up
The other one:
http://nh.craigslist.../322666351.html
$7000 it's got the factory KA24 motor but the internals are all redone and it's got a turbo... ALSO has the S15 front end swap... no pictures but if it is what he says it is $7K is a steal. I'm not overly worried about this one being picked up as fast considering his location and the lack of pictures but damn if I don't have time to go look at the damn thing
I don't want to blow off the guy from Maine but it's not like I can easily stop in Keene, Boston, and Portland in the same day... they're all about 100 miles in opposite directions from where I am...
quite possibly THE WORSE weekend for these cars to pop up... where the hell were they last week
GAH!!!!
Post by: twistedsymphony on May 02, 2007, 09:39:00 PM
QUOTE(CKwik240 @ May 2 2007, 04:05 PM)
It would appear the 2nd one isn't turbocharged. He has a turbo, but listed it under the uninstalled parts section.
ahh i didn't notice that. Even still, free turbo, coil overs and sways too! those are fun to install.
Post by: twistedsymphony on May 03, 2007, 04:30:00 AM
I emailed and called yesterday morning and neither one of them has got back to me
Post by: twistedsymphony on May 04, 2007, 05:39:00 AM
-hock on ebay/make some $$$ back
-bolt on to KA and make a torque monster
-swap to an SR and use it there for an HP monster
I'm cool with all of those scenarios
The one in Boston vanished from craigs list, I think it was a scam because doing a google search of the contact email I found the same exact listing in 4 other area craigs lists.
... the douchebag in Keene wont return my calls either
Post by: twistedsymphony on May 10, 2007, 12:54:00 PM
)The douche-bag in Keene has his car still listed. I called him 3 times in 4 days and that was a week ago... still no call back so he can shove his 240...
I postponed the trip to Main last week to pursue these other cars and that was a mistake. This Saturday I'm driving up to portland and if this car drives as good as it looks I'll have some new wheels
Here are some pics from the car in Portland:
Take a look at that last picture and tell me why I've been hesitant about this car
I figure it will motivate me to do the engine swap sooner... every other aspect of this car is perfect... including the price.
Post by: Lemon Crevice on May 11, 2007, 10:03:00 PM
QUOTE(twistedsymphony @ May 10 2007, 03:30 PM)
Take a look at that last picture and tell me why I've been hesitant about this car
the only thing i could think of that i don't like about this car is the Auto tranny but when your doin an engin swap a tranny swap would be a nice thing to do while your at it.
Post by: twistedsymphony on May 14, 2007, 07:24:00 AM
I put a deposit on at Auto 240 in Maine it seriously looks just as good in person then it does in those pictures, in some cases better.
The body has a few minor scratches and is a little faded (all original paint) but it doesn't have a single ding or dent ANYWHERE. All the rubber around the windows, lights, etc. looks brand new and the undercarriage is impressively clean, Honestly the WRX I owned for 5 years had a dirtier undercarriage then this car.
It drives and shifts smooth.
The steering pulls a little to one side and shimmies slightly under breaking but it's got original tires and brake pads so I figure it could probably just use those as well as an alignment. (I plan on replacing the brakes anyway)
All and all I was blown away by it, I highly doubt I could find a cleaner 240sx if I searched country wide for the next 2 years.... and if I did find one I wouldn't have paid as little as I did.
I'm still waiting for him to get the title in, having called the state it will likely be another week to week and a half. I'll be sure to take pictures once I've got the car back home.
Post by: ubernewb on May 14, 2007, 10:32:00 AM
guess you'll just have to get cracking on that engine/tranny swap..
haha
Post by: jesterrace777 on May 16, 2007, 02:55:00 AM
Post by: twistedsymphony on May 16, 2007, 06:53:00 AM
QUOTE(jesterrace777 @ May 16 2007, 05:31 AM)
Congrats man, I know what a pain in the ass it can be to find exactly what you are looking for in a car. I have been searching for about 2 months with no end in sight. Funny you should mention that about the 240sx with the swap as there is a '92 for sale in my area that just had the swap done. It's expensive but if everything checks out I might go for it.
how much are they asking? I can let you know if it's "expensive" based on the prices I've been seeing.
.... I passed up a large number of s13 240s looking for an s14
BTW have you ever seen an s12 chassis? it was available in the US from 84-88 as the 200sx and came with either 1.8L 4cyl turbo (CA18ET) or a 3.0L 6cyl NA (VG30DE)... it looks like a ridiculously cool vehicle if you can actually find one.... if they had those engine options in the s13 and s14 chassis I'd bet the "240" would have sold a hell of a lot better.
Post by: Rylinkus on May 16, 2007, 09:27:00 AM
QUOTE(twistedsymphony @ May 16 2007, 02:29 PM)
BTW have you ever seen an s12 chassis? it was available in the US from 84-88 as the 200sx and came with either 1.8L 4cyl turbo (CA18ET) or a 3.0L 6cyl NA (VG30DE)... it looks like a ridiculously cool vehicle if you can actually find one.... if they had those engine options in the s13 and s14 chassis I'd bet the "240" would have sold a hell of a lot better.
My step father used to own one. I would have been my first car, had my parents not sold it a few months before I got my liscense. Very nice little rides. Kind of reminds me of the hatchback Corolla GTSs
Post by: jesterrace777 on May 16, 2007, 01:23:00 PM
QUOTE(twistedsymphony @ May 16 2007, 02:29 PM)
how much are they asking? I can let you know if it's "expensive" based on the prices I've been seeing.
.... I passed up a large number of s13 240s looking for an s14
BTW have you ever seen an s12 chassis? it was available in the US from 84-88 as the 200sx and came with either 1.8L 4cyl turbo (CA18ET) or a 3.0L 6cyl NA (VG30DE)... it looks like a ridiculously cool vehicle if you can actually find one.... if they had those engine options in the s13 and s14 chassis I'd bet the "240" would have sold a hell of a lot better.
8K is what they are asking. I know that's a very high price but my hope is that it is in really good shape and not just some engine swap in a car that has been beat to shit. Either way, no harm in checking it out.
Post by: twistedsymphony on May 19, 2007, 06:36:00 PM
QUOTE(jesterrace777 @ May 16 2007, 03:59 PM)
8K is what they are asking. I know that's a very high price but my hope is that it is in really good shape and not just some engine swap in a car that has been beat to shit. Either way, no harm in checking it out.
eeesh... that's kind a rediculous price... I'd say even if it was the cleanest s13 on the road it's over priced... Most of the SR swapped S13s I see are going for $4K-$5K
I'd say it's only worth 8K if the thing is flawless/tons of othe mods /body swapped. because that's what 8K will get you with an S13
btw.. is it a hatch/coupe/convertible?
Also an UPDATE on my car:
-still no word on the title yet (supposedly it can take up to 45 days
) but I found a shop that specialized in 240s... the mechanic owns 8 himself! .. anyway he quoted me $1100 parts+labor to do the 5 speed swap which is about what I was expecting to pay just for parts alone (apparently he's got donor cars laying around and oodles of left over tranys from SR swaps so his part cost is pretty much 0 )... it works for me... I'll probably have it done the week after I get the car. The guy comes highly recommended from anyone I've ever talked to .While it's cool to do my own work the price he quoted makes it nearly a wash and I don't even have half of the tools needed and no experience.... I'll just be happy to be driving a super clean 240 with a stick shift
... the tranny was the only thing I didn't like about the car.
Post by: jesterrace777 on May 20, 2007, 12:28:00 AM
QUOTE(twistedsymphony @ May 20 2007, 02:12 AM)
eeesh... that's kind a rediculous price... I'd say even if it was the cleanest s13 on the road it's over priced... Most of the SR swapped S13s I see are going for $4K-$5K
I'd say it's only worth 8K if the thing is flawless/tons of othe mods /body swapped. because that's what 8K will get you with an S13
btw.. is it a hatch/coupe/convertible?
There are some things to consider though. I live in a very dry climate so the odds of getting a rustbucket are almost non-existant. There aren't very many 240sx's for sale in my area PERIOD. Let alone ones with the engine swap already done. As for hatch/coupe/convertible, it is a coupe (thank heavens) but not sure if it is a hatch or not. I need to get some more details on it.
Post by: Rylinkus on May 20, 2007, 10:37:00 AM
QUOTE(jesterrace777 @ May 20 2007, 08:04 AM)
There are some things to consider though. I live in a very dry climate so the odds of getting a rustbucket are almost non-existant. There aren't very many 240sx's for sale in my area PERIOD. Let alone ones with the engine swap already done. As for hatch/coupe/convertible, it is a coupe (thank heavens) but not sure if it is a hatch or not. I need to get some more details on it.
I disagree. 240SXs with swaps are rare anywhere. There just were never the numbers of them on the road that you see in some civics, etc.
As for rust, Id think in a dry climate a rust free car is a moot point. In Maine a rust free car is a selling point. In Arizona it shouldnt be, as all the cars should be rust free. I agree that 8k seems quite high.
Twisted: Do this engine swap.....
http://www.cardomain.com/ride/2260807
Post by: jesterrace777 on May 21, 2007, 02:50:00 AM
1. 1995 Lexus SC300 (Rediculously high mileage of 133K, however it has no leaks and everything looks like it has been well maintained). Not to mention everything checks out on carfax. It is one of the smoothest riding sports coupes I have ever been in. The car is currently on ebaymotors and I might get it for quite cheap.
2. The aforementioned 240sx
3. 1994 Lexus ES300 (once again rediculously high mileage of 140K) but the price is right and it looks pretty clean.
4. 1994 Z-28 Camaro with a 6 speed manual and 75K original miles. Price is decent on it.
Post by: twistedsymphony on May 22, 2007, 06:23:00 AM
s13 hatchback:
The hatch back model has a really large/near horizonal rear windshield and blacked out triangular rear windows with a "240 SX" logo on the bottom window. The tail lights are ovals flattened on 2 sides with two big round lights in them (kind of like a mini-skyline)
The hatchback is pretty much exactly the same car as the Japanese 180sx with the exception of the motor... the 180sx in Japan came with a number of flavors of SR20 or CA18 (the more common motor for which the car was named)
s13 Coupe:
the coupe has a really squared off almost sedan like rear window, much more vertical. tailights are really wide and square with the lights as horizontal lines.
The coupe is similar to the same year Silvias in Japan (200sx in europe) with a few major differences, aside from the motor the front end was completely different. the us 240sx had the flip up headlights from the 180sx where the silvia/200sx had thin wide rectangular headlights with 2 or 3 projectors; no flip ups.
Putting the Silvia headlights on a hatck back is called a "sil-eighty" meaing silvia front end 180sx rear end... in the states it's often referred to as a "sil-forty" because it's a 240sx... sil-eightys were popular in Japan with drifters who wrecked their front end, the silvia front panels and lights were significantly lighter, cheaper, and more abundant then the flip up lights from the 180sx making it a popular swap. An aftermarket shop eventually started manufacturing a small number of official sil-eightys complete with badges and a few other supporting modifications. It was never an official Nissan product though.
-----
As for the price 240s are rare in general, though probably 80% of the 240s I see on the road or for sale are s13s and if I can get a near flawless example of an S13 with an engine swap for $5K in my rusty state of NH some schmuck in AZ asking $8K is a little ridiculous unless he's got some serious coin put into other areas of the car (coilovers/ Silvia front end conversion etc.). The only thing I would be warry of in your area is faded paint and a cracked dashboard.
Based on production numbers there were roughly 250K s13s manufactured from 89-94
Similarly the s14 (zenki) only saw about 30K manufactured from 95-96
and the s14a (kouki) only saw about 12K manufactured from 97-98
S14s will fetch a pretty penny... S13s are a dime a dozen... honestly for a car that old you see quite a few more of them on the road then any other car of that age due to their continued popularity.
S13 engine swaps are dirt cheap too... a period motor with all the fixins for a clean drop in with no metal working will run you $1500-$2000 + labor.
S13s with an engine swap aren't really worth all that much. it's an old car with a cheap motor... and there are WAY more motors available from importers then there are people interested in doing the swap.
Post by: jesterrace777 on May 22, 2007, 02:27:00 PM
Post by: twistedsymphony on May 23, 2007, 01:16:00 PM
QUOTE(jesterrace777 @ May 22 2007, 05:03 PM)
It's all a moot point now anyways. I just bought the Lexus SC300 today. I will be posting pics soon.
Awesome... I wish my car buying experience was that easy
the SC300 is a hot ride.
Post by: jesterrace777 on May 24, 2007, 12:36:00 AM
The car is a very smooth ride and purs like a kitten even at over 100MPH. No straining or shaking like most vehicles. It's also the only sports coupe I have ever been in where you don't feel every bump in the road.
Post by: ubernewb on May 24, 2007, 02:11:00 AM
Post by: jesterrace777 on May 24, 2007, 03:06:00 AM
Post by: twistedsymphony on May 24, 2007, 08:01:00 AM
QUOTE(jesterrace777 @ May 24 2007, 03:12 AM)
As for buying a car being that easy, don't kid yourself. I have been shopping for a car for about 2 months straight.
BAH HAHAHAH
I decided to sell my WRX for a new car LAST SUMMER
I finally sold it LAST DECEMBER
and I finally found the car I wanted about 3 weeks ago and put a deposit on it
I don't have that car yet... why?
It would seem that the original owner (from CT) sold it to a shady dealer in Maine. The dealer never registered it or applied for a Maine title transfer. The guy who owns it now bought it from this dealer signed the title and the dealer was going to file the title paperwork for him. In the mean time he took the BOS from the dealer and registered it in Maine and the dealer fell into legal trouble and had all of his paperwork seized (including the CT title and the unfilled Maine title application).
So I've been told that I will be waiting 4 to 6 weeks before the current owner receives the title... this is after I was told 3 weeks ago that it would be another week to week and a half.
Then once I get the car it's going right into the shop to get the transmission swapped out
This isn't the first car I've placed a deposit on either... One I drove 3 hours to look at and was called the next day saying that he decided not to sell it because his other vehicle (a pickup) was having engine trouble and he would have no choice but to drive the car until he could get around to fixing the truck.
And another one that I drove 2 hours to see and was told that it had slight overheating problems after really long drives... yeah it wouldn't even make it off the lot for a test drive.
Never mind the 8 or so people who I called/emailed multiple times and received NO RESPONSE WHAT-SO-EVER. Despite the fact that weeks after my first attempt at contact I watched the vehicles get relisted with lower prices and more desperate sounding descriptions.
looking for a car you like for 2 months... test driving it and handing over some cash in exchange for the keys and a title is what I would call a VERY EASY car buying experience.
Post by: jesterrace777 on May 24, 2007, 12:27:00 PM
Post by: twistedsymphony on June 23, 2007, 05:21:00 PM
QUOTE(jesterrace777 @ May 24 2007, 03:12 AM)
... As for buying a car being that easy, don't kid yourself. I have been shopping for a car for about 2 months straight.
...I'm just posting to remind jesterrace777 that I STILL don't have my 240sx yet... I've been in the market since December 06 when I sold my WRX that's 6 months ago...
I started this thread about 3 months ago
I put a deposit on a car 1 month ago but still don't have it due to issues with the title.
... enjoy your Toyota... bastard
Post by: jesterrace777 on June 25, 2007, 01:29:00 AM
Post by: twistedsymphony on June 25, 2007, 08:28:00 AM
QUOTE(jesterrace777 @ Jun 25 2007, 04:05 AM)
No such luck I am afraid. The aftermarket catalytic converters have given up the ghost (shoddy install job) so I am pretty much having my whole exhaust redone by my mechanic. Needless to say I really can't afford to have it done so I am probably going to have to sell it. I am pretty set on leasing a new vehicle so I can have a monthly payment without the hassle of dealing with expensive surprises on maintenance. Even though I will never be able to get a car as nice as the Lexus, I have been seriously considering a Scion TC.
it's a 1995 and that means they don't need to check the OBDII port for inspection/emissions
pull off the cat get a steel rod and smash out the honeycomb ceramics inside of it... put it back in place and snip the trace going to your check engine light.
They run clean enough that it should still pass the sniffer (if your state even does the sniffer test)
... enjoy your new car
even aftermarket cats run between $150 and $300 and if you can turn a wrench you can put it on yourself. Having the whole exhaust rebuilt seems like you're looking for an excuse to not keep it.
Post by: jesterrace777 on June 25, 2007, 04:59:00 PM
As for the pipe sniffing there is no way that I would pass air emissions without a decent freeflowing exhaust with cats on it. I just got the car back and it was damn spendy but it looks great underneath now and the car has the best airflow that it has ever had. It also has a little bit more of an aggressive sound to it. That being said, I can get a smoking lease deal on an '08 Scion TC and I will probably opt for that in a couple of months. I keep doing the figures and I just can't justify the disparity between how much I have put into the car thus far and how much I will need to put into it within the next year (struts and tires will probably need to be done in this time frame and the struts are HORRIBLY EXPENSIVE!!!!!!!!). I can afford the monthly payments on the Lexus easily, but these surprise maintenance issues are just killing me. So when I consider that for around $50 a month more than my current monthly payment that I can have a brand new vehicle with a warranty and no bizarre maintenance surprises that cost me hundreds of dollars at a time, I have a hard time justifying holding onto the Lexus. If I were a handy man that knew my way around cars and had the shop and tools at my disposal to do so, then it would be one thing. Given the fact that my knowledge of cars is limited to specs, and diagnosis I am hardly in a position to really be able to do all of these things on my own. If you guys knew how unsteady my hands were, you wouldn't even think of suggesting that I pick up a welding/cutting torch.
Incidentally, the '08 Scion TC is an impressive little brut. Definitely plenty of horsepower and torque for a 4-banger (reminds me alot of the Nissan Sentra SE-R Spec V) and in terms of launching, it is actually quicker than my Lexus. I test drove the base model with the 5-speed manual and it is more than sufficient for the average person's needs. Corners and turns on a dime. Not as smooth of a ride as the Lexus but definitely a fun little car to drive. It is one of the few four cylinders that I have been impressed with.
Post by: twistedsymphony on June 26, 2007, 08:34:00 AM
When I first bought it:
-new windshield
-new washer pump
-new rear breaks
-fender flares (to pass inspection because the tires were too wide)
-Full alignment
The windshield and the flares I knew about getting into it, the pump and the brakes I didn't.
A 6 months later it needed
-new ebrake (because I drove off while it was still on... d'oh)
-new tires
-full alignment again
-new ball joints
-new muffler and exhaust hangers... the original hangers were welded directly to the muffler by the previous owner and it caused the exhaust to crack... goody goody gum drops
-rebuilt rear diff because it was leaking fluid all over the place.
6 months after that it needed
-new clutch (the pressure plate cracked and the clutch stuck together... driving to the shop without the ability to disengage the clutch was sure fun.
-another new washer pump (they were literally cracking apart and falling off)
-Repaired rear right shock mount TWICE... the metal literally snapped, they welded it, it snapped again, then they fabricated a whole new part and it's worked great since.
3 months after that
-new radiator (I think the coolant was leaking on the washer pump and that's what caused it to break apart.
-new door handles... Somehow the passenger side door handle snapped... I ended up replacing both of them just in case
Now I think I might need new brake pads and the rear drums could probably deal to be resurfaced
inspection time is in july... I can't wait to see what they find.
This is also excluding a number of problems I've known about for quite some time but neglect to fix... like the AC that needs a recharge, window handles missing the knobs, paint that is in desperate need of stripping and re-spray, new front and rear bumpers, frame straightened (it's ever so slightly tweaked), crooked drivers seat (yes I drive leaning towards the door), and a broken oil pressure gauge (at least I hope it's the gauge, it's not leaking or overheating so as far as I know the engine is a-ok )I really can't wait to get the 240sx I know it needs a little work (alignment, tires, new brake pads) but with only 60K miles and being completely unmodified I suspect it will be much less of a headache than my 150K mile beat-to-snot with homebrew repairs pickup
New cars are nice, but even with all the $$ I've dumped into the pickup it's less than a new one... and if I did spend the money to rebuilt a lot of it, it would still be less than a new one and I do love the truck (it's just bad-ass
)The Scions are awesome cars though, and relatively inexpensive, if the tC was RWD I would already own one...
Post by: jesterrace777 on June 26, 2007, 01:01:00 PM
Post by: xboxhackern00b on June 27, 2007, 11:34:00 AM
1st day i had a fowled plug so i bought a new set of 4
2nd day i hear something in my brakes so i check, somehow a rock or something got inbetween my rotor and pad and at threw the pad and into the rotor, so i bought two new rotors and a set of pads
Post by: Lemon Crevice on June 27, 2007, 08:04:00 PM
QUOTE(xboxhackern00b @ Jun 27 2007, 02:10 PM)
my car took a shit on me the past 2 days too
1st day i had a fowled plug so i bought a new set of 4
2nd day i hear something in my brakes so i check, somehow a rock or something got inbetween my rotor and pad and at threw the pad and into the rotor, so i bought two new rotors and a set of pads
those two aren't all that horrible and rather routine if you ask me
on my 90 Wrangler i had to:
1. replace front pads and rotors
2. replace rear shoes and drums
3. replace all brake lines
4. replace all 4 shocks
5. four new tire(wheels too but that was personal choice)
6. new tail pipe
7. new set of plugs
8. oil change, oil filter, fuel filter, fuel injector cleaner
9. replace all U joints on all four wheels and two for drive shaft
that was all in the first 2 months of owning the Jeep, but the past 2 have been smooth sailing(Knock on Wood), but i know that ill need new flares for my tires aswell im stickin out a good 2 1/2" on each tire. But since inspection is 8 months away whats the rush.
A more on topic Comment/Question:
Any new updates on when your getting your 240? When i got my jeep from NH( i live in MA) it took only a 4 days to get a title because the previous owner didn't have one, but maybe thats because it was from NH.
Post by: twistedsymphony on June 28, 2007, 08:14:00 AM
QUOTE(Lemon Crevice @ Jun 27 2007, 10:40 PM)
A more on topic Comment/Question:
Any new updates on when your getting your 240? When i got my jeep from NH( i live in MA) it took only a 4 days to get a title because the previous owner didn't have one, but maybe thats because it was from NH.
That depends how old your jeep is... 15 years or older and a title is not required in the state of NH (they wont even issue one) meaning that a registration and bill of sale from the previous owner is all that is needed. to get a title in another state.
my patience are wearing thin with this 240 deal... I've been keeping one eye on craigs list for another solid one but all of them either have 100K+ miles on them, are beat to snot, or they want way more than the car is worth.
Anyway a brief run down of this title crap:
-Back in may I looked at the car, agreed to pay $5500 for it gave the kid $500 for a deposit the rest to be paid when the title came in because he was waiting for the state to send him the title and we signed paperwork to this effect.
I was told that he had only owned the car since last October, the previous owner was from CT, and it wasn't driven the winter, he had only just registered it in the spring and decided that he didn't like having an automatic. He also pointed to an old BMW 5 series that he bought as a replacement for the 240 as his summer car.
I was told that it would be "a week to a week and a half" before I got the title and he said "I wish I had put a rush on it so we wouldn't have to wait"
-One week after putting down my deposit I get a call and was told that the previous owner had all of their titles put on hold and that it would take another month to month and a half. He also let me know that if I didn't want to wait that long he'd understand and would give me my $500 deposit back. I'd told him I'd wait.
-Over the next week I asked a few people I knew in Maine if they knew anything about title law there and how long things take... I heard that transferring a title from another state can take as long as 45 days before the state will issue a new one, but it's usually much shorter
-I then decided to call the Maine BMV and see if they'd give me any information... the lady who answered the phone was very helpful and when I gave her the VIN she informed me that not only was there no record of a Maine title having been issued there was no record of any application having ever been filed, nor was there any application being held for any reason... I informed her that the car had Maine plates on it and gave her the license plate number she confirmed that it was registered but she had no idea how they managed to register the car without a title... And she was adamant about not buying the car until I had the title (duh, but it was nice of her to make sure).
According to her the only way to get the title was to either A. find the original one and have it signed over or B. have the previous owner from CT file for a duplicate title and re-sell it (on paper).
-I then called the CT DMV, this time armed with only the VIN and the knowledge that the original owner was from CT (no idea who they are). After being put on hold for OVER AN HOUR (thank god for speaker phone next to my computer) I told the operator my situation and wanted to know if a title transfer had been filed. She asked me what year the car was and when I told her 1995 she insisted that I didn't need one in NH... after I explained to her that the law don't require them after 15 years and the car is only 12 she put me on hold for 10 minutes and came back to tell me that I was right. I then gave her the vin and she informed me that the the car was still legally a CT vehicle, and she had no record of any paperwork having been filed for a transfer to another state, nor any paperwork having been filed for a duplicate title...
-I sent an email out to the guy in Main telling him what I found out from calling the Maine BMV and CT DMV, told him I wasn't accusing him of anything but to just give me straight up what was going on.
-He told me that he didn't buy the car directly from the CT owner but instead from a dealer, the dealer was supposed to file the title application for him and he registered it by using the dealer bill of sale (which is a legal alternative to a title). He also told me that his new car was registered and that the 240 was being taken off the road (good)
-A week later I get another email from him saying that he found out the dealer never sent in the paperwork (no shit, I him that a week prior when I did the research myself) and that he was going to try to get in contact with him but he only had an email address so communication was slow (huh?). He said that he also found out that if he can't get the title from the dealer he would have to file for an "investigation of ownership" which can take up to 2 months, so he was going to try to get the title from the dealer... Strange how when I called the Maine BMV they never mentioned anything about that...
-last Thursday I get a phone call from him: he got a phone number for the dealer and talked to him.. the Dealer was going to be in Augusta on Friday and was going to look for the title but he was pretty sure that it was sent out way back when. The guy in main assured me that he would be calling me back Friday after he had heard from the dealer
so that was a week ago and I still haven't heard from him. I might call him tonight to chew him out.
A lot of people are just telling me to walk away but you know what, it's not costing me anything to wait for this chuckle head, and he made it clear when he bumped up the time table to months instead of weeks that he'd give me my deposit back. In the mean time I've been looking for a comparable 240, but I've had no such joy yet.
On more than one occasion I've been tempted to call the CT DMV to see if they'd give me the name and address of the official owner of the car, contact them and have them re-sell the card directly to me and then go have it repoed from the chump in Maine
Post by: Rylinkus on June 28, 2007, 10:29:00 AM
QUOTE(jesterrace777 @ Jun 26 2007, 08:37 PM)
I did the math and I have already put more into my Lexus (between original purchase price and everything I have done to it) than I would for leasing a Scion TC for 3 years (excluding the down payment on the lease). So unless my Lexus needs absolutely nothing else done on it in the next 3 years (very unlikely) then the Scion would definitely be a better deal.
I disagree with this math entirely. If you keep the Lexus you OWN a car. That you can sell at some later date for money. If you lease a Scion you own nothing. Looking at the costs and comparing them is a bit off I think.
Post by: twistedsymphony on June 28, 2007, 11:05:00 AM
QUOTE(Rylinkus @ Jun 28 2007, 01:05 PM)
I disagree with this math entirely. If you keep the Lexus you OWN a car. That you can sell at some later date for money. If you lease a Scion you own nothing. Looking at the costs and comparing them is a bit off I think.
oh yeah... I totally didn't pickup that he was LEASING the scion...
The only time where I would consider leasing a car is if the buyout at the end of the lease is some ridiculously low number.
For the most part though leasing is just a huge waste of money IMO. and an overall bad idea if you plan on ever making even minor modifications to the car.
Post by: lostboyz on June 28, 2007, 01:18:00 PM
Normally a lease is a dumb idea i agree.
Post by: twistedsymphony on June 29, 2007, 06:52:00 AM
I got a reply this morning:
QUOTE
Yea dude Im sorry, but I have some bad news! The dealer was bull shitting me the entire time and now Im forced to fill for an investigation. Sorry for any further inconvinience and dont know what you want to do. If you want I can give your deposit back or whatever, but this is gonna take some time! Get back to me.
Post by: Rylinkus on June 29, 2007, 08:03:00 AM
Post by: Berzerker92 on June 29, 2007, 02:03:00 PM
Post by: jesterrace777 on June 30, 2007, 02:36:00 PM
QUOTE(Rylinkus @ Jun 28 2007, 06:05 PM)
I disagree with this math entirely. If you keep the Lexus you OWN a car. That you can sell at some later date for money. If you lease a Scion you own nothing. Looking at the costs and comparing them is a bit off I think.
Not really. A car is a poor investment pure plain and simple (unless it is a classic or something else that appreciates). Thus far I am into my Lexus for $9500 (to say nothing of the interest involved). So unless I have nothing to deal with but oil changes for the next 2-3 years, the vehicle will easily exceed the cost of Leasing a brand new scion. While I agree that you can lose a bunch of money on leasing, it is all a matter of perspective. If you have the tools, skills to work on your own car, then I agree that it would definitely be to your advantage to buy a used vehicle and just take things as they come. However, for the rest of us who aren't so lucky, owning a used vehicle is a very spendy proposition and those surprise maintenance issues really do add up. To say nothing of the inconvenience of being without a vehicle (sometimes for several days). So while you are correct that in the long run that leasing isn't the most economical, it does put one into a position of having a reliable car for a reasonable monthly payment with no obligation to hold onto the vehicle after say 45K miles.
Post by: Lemon Crevice on June 30, 2007, 06:21:00 PM
QUOTE(twistedsymphony @ Jun 28 2007, 10:50 AM)
That depends how old your jeep is... 15 years or older and a title is not required in the state of NH (they wont even issue one) meaning that a registration and bill of sale from the previous owner is all that is needed. to get a title in another state.
yea my jeep is almost 18 years old so i guess it all worked out.
If i were you id strongly consider pulling out and get your deposit back, maybe you can work out a deal with him and when, if he does ever get the title he can sell it to you, and in the mean time you can still look. The advantage is this way you still have the same chance of the deal working out, you can still look for other 240's, and you will have your 500 so there is nothing to lose except for time.
Jester are you remembering to factor in that you will eventually sell the lexus and get something back. or the fact that you will lose money selling it now anyway which would pretty much add to the cost of leasing a Scion? Its your money so you can do what you want i just want to make sure you have all areas covered. And i would take a Tc over a Sc any day
Post by: gronned on June 30, 2007, 07:28:00 PM
Seriously, they're cool!
Post by: jesterrace777 on July 01, 2007, 12:13:00 AM
QUOTE(Lemon Crevice @ Jul 1 2007, 01:57 AM)
yea my jeep is almost 18 years old so i guess it all worked out.
If i were you id strongly consider pulling out and get your deposit back, maybe you can work out a deal with him and when, if he does ever get the title he can sell it to you, and in the mean time you can still look. The advantage is this way you still have the same chance of the deal working out, you can still look for other 240's, and you will have your 500 so there is nothing to lose except for time.
Jester are you remembering to factor in that you will eventually sell the lexus and get something back. or the fact that you will lose money selling it now anyway which would pretty much add to the cost of leasing a Scion? Its your money so you can do what you want i just want to make sure you have all areas covered. And i would take a Tc over a Sc any day
Yes, I know I will lose money. The fact of the matter though is that in addition to being between $4500-$4600 in the hole for the Lexus, I also owe $500 to my parents for helping to cover the cost of the exhaust overhaul on the Lexus. So until I get my parents paid off in the next few months I am looking at a $300 a month payment between the two. The advantage of getting rid of my car now is that I can get both of those paid off and still have a decent deposit on the lease and the monthly payment would be lower, to say nothing of the fact that I would have the piece of mind of a new car.
Post by: Lemon Crevice on July 02, 2007, 07:32:00 PM
Post by: jesterrace777 on July 03, 2007, 04:50:00 PM
1) 1988 Dodge Colt. Engine seized up 4 months after I bought it and had to be replaced.
2) 1992 Mazda MX-3. Synchro to the 4th gear was shot, ECU went bad and failed air emissions, exhaust began blowing white smoke.
3) 1988 Mazda RX-7. There wasn't a hose that I didn't replace under that hood and the fuel injectors leaked something fierce even after getting them cleaned, repaired, ect (serious fire hazzard).
4) 1997 Saturn SL2. Engine needed a minor rebuild within the first month of ownership, Transmission/Torque converter was starting to go when I got rid of it almost a year later. The engine was also starting to use oil at an alarming rate (If I didn't use 20W50 it would go through about 4 quarts of oil in 2-3 weeks).
5) 1995 Lexus SC300. Both Catalytic Converters and virtually the entire exhaust system had to be replaced within the first 5 weeks of ownership. Taking a look at the replacement cost for the climate control system and the suspension parts is enough to make even the most mechanically inclined person nervous.
Now maybe you can understand why I would be willing to go and lease a brand new vehicle. It doesn't matter how long I take to search, my mechanic going over it with a fine tooth comb, checking carfax, ect. I always end up with a vehicle that requires more than it's fair share of maintenance.
Post by: twistedsymphony on August 31, 2007, 08:07:00 AM
the beautiful example of a 240 in Maine the one I put a deposit on over 4 months ago...
well it turns out that the original owner donated it to the kidney fund and neglected to sign over the title.
the kidney fund auctioned it off where a dealer in Maine bought it.
The guy I'm buying it from "Stan" bought it from that dealer took the blue carbon copy of the title application and registered the car.
Since the state never issued Stan a title he contact them and an investigation was filed.
They never issued a title because when the dealer sent in the title application he failed to provide a bill of sale proving ownership... Also the reason his dealership was shut down previously is because he had done this on a number of other occasions as well.
So what happens now?
What happens now is the State of Maine is taking possession of the car and refunding "Stan" retail value.
... so what is easily one of the best examples of an s14 240sx in all of the USA (at least that I could find) may never see the road again because of a friggin paper trail.
Does anyone have any idea what Maine does with such vehicles? Do they destroy them? do they issue a salvage title and auction them off or what?
Because if this thing is going up for auction, let me tell you, I want to be at that auction.
Post by: xboxhackern00b on August 31, 2007, 12:04:00 PM
Post by: twistedsymphony on September 01, 2007, 07:15:00 PM
FINALLY
It's paid for... the title is signed over. I have to drive back to main with a trailer to pick it up (it's got a few engine problems and it's not registered so I don't want to drive it back).
Pics will follow soon. it's not perfect but I got it cheap enough that I'll be able to have an SR20 swap done (I decided not to do it myself) within a month or two
Post by: ubernewb on September 01, 2007, 08:48:00 PM
QUOTE(twistedsymphony @ Sep 1 2007, 06:51 PM)
I bought a 240 today
FINALLY
It's paid for... the title is signed over. I have to drive back to main with a trailer to pick it up (it's got a few engine problems and it's not registered so I don't want to drive it back).
Pics will follow soon. it's not perfect but I got it cheap enough that I'll be able to have an SR20 swap done (I decided not to do it myself) within a month or two
woo-hoo!! congrats on finally tracking one down! be sure to get some pics up as soon as you get her home
uberPost by: twistedsymphony on September 02, 2007, 12:45:00 AM
Pics that the seller took:
The Exterior:
A few problems here, there's a dent in the hood above the passengers side headlight where someone had backed up into it with a trailer hitch... it's ugly but the only thing it damaged was the hood.
The clear coat is pealing on the trunk lid and there is some very minor (half dollar sized) on the passengers side rear wheel well. Also the antenna is broken (happened some time after the picture was taken apparently)
Aside from that and 12 years worth of scratches and sun fading the exterior the body is in good shape. I plan on doing a front end swap eventually so the hood is going to get replaced anyway and it will likely get painted in a much brighter shade of red. at the same time fixing all the other issues... and antennas are cheap.
The Interior:
Missing floor mats and apparently the guy owned another 240 where the previous owner had painted the trim pieces yellow so he decided to swap them out for the good trim pieces in this car
...whatever, I'll try to strip the paint and if that fails I'm sure I can find some junk yard/ebay replacementsAside from that the interior is easily the cleanest interior of any 240 I've driven yet, no rattles or squeaks either.
The Engine:
The owner claimed the engine ran strong and reliably and he had used it as a daily for a year leading up to last November when he took it off the road and replaced it with a real daily driver... it seemed to run great for about 10 minutes and then like a switch was flipped it started sputtering and had really low power then it would click back to normal... He didn't come with me on the test drive but stood by that he had never experienced that even after we signed all the papers. it seems to me like a sensor is wonky or something got gunked up with the car sitting unused for nearly a year.
Aside from that the only engine related problems is a small hole in the muffler, no big deal because the exhaust is the first thing that's getting replaced.
The Suspension/Drivetrain:
The car has adjustable AGX Shocks in all 4 corners that are less than 2 years old... and you can tell. Every other 240 I've driven had blown shocks so it was refreshing to see how the car handled without a broken suspension
Overall it felt solid handling wise. There was a slight vibration on the front left wheel but it could have just been low tire pressure (again sitting for almost a year) he also threw in brand new drilled/slotted rotors and pad not even installed, so if it's a brake issue... well that's covered too.He didn't know if it had the optional Limited Slip differential, I did a little drifting in some dirt during my test drive (he wasn't with me
) and it felt like it had an LSD but I wont know for sure until I get under it. It also has ABS which is a fairly rare option in this model year, A lot of the wannabe drift racers pull it out because you can't lock the brakes but I actually want it in because I dont plan on drift racing and well... in my experience if you're not drifting ABS usually stops you better.
The one thing I didn't like about this car is it has 4 lug hubs and I really wanted 5 lug hubs.. No big deal really though poking around online it seems like a really simple install albeit a bit pricey... the hub&bearing units run about $500-$600 for the whole car NEW and it would probably take 2-3 hours tops to do the conversion. The expensive parts comes in when you also have to replace the rotors and wheels at the same time because they all rely on the bolt pattern.
Non Turbo 300zx brakes (front and rear) and rear hubs all fit the 240 as a direct replacement, and I can get the front hubs from either a JDM silvia or the 240sx SE model from the US.... so I'll probably see if I can find junkyard parts from a 300zx and save those parts until I need to replace the wheels and do them all at once.
The Modification plan:
I had nearly $7K saved toward this project car considering I spent less than half of that on the car I'm a few hundred short of being able to do an SR20 swap right now. I was quoted $4500 for a complete turnkey SR20 + 5 speed swap with the appropriate year JDM motor for the car.
So I'll be dropping $500 for a cat-back exhaust right away. and I should have enough money to have the swap done within the next month or two.
At that point I'll have a WRX killer that looks like trash
I'm planning on financing a daily driver/winter beater and selling my truck and if I can get $3-$4K for my truck then I'll have enough to do the Kouki Body swap and a fresh paint job... And then Hopefully I'll have enough money saved over the winter so that next spring I can do the wheels hubs and brakes and drive around in my very own Silvia
Post by: twistedsymphony on September 02, 2007, 07:26:00 AM
Also when it takes you over a years worth of searching to find the car you have plenty of time to save money.
Post by: ubernewb on September 02, 2007, 08:01:00 PM
but seriously, great find... looks a lot better than what you can get for the same money in the seattle area. .. you gonna go carbon with the hood, or stick with oem?
Post by: twistedsymphony on September 03, 2007, 08:22:00 PM
The 97-98 Model years had the same headlights in the us but the bumper cover and grill are slightly different:
There are a few other minor differences between the zenki and kouki styles such as the taillights, they're the same overall shape but the kouki tailights are darker and they have horizonal ridges going across them while the kouki tails are smooth. I think the factory lips are slightly different too but I'm not too sure
I basically have to swap out the headlights, hood, and fenders. I can either replace the radiator brace to fit the headlights or they make cheap converter brackets, and of course the bumper cover corner lights and turn signal indicators. Overall the parts for the front end swap run about $2200 if I were to walk into a Nissan dealership and order them all outright and order the bumper cover direct from the Nissan in Japan. though I can get the stuff for $1500 if I ebay it and forum scour.
I'm not entirely sure if I'll go USDM on the hood or after market CF. Also the bumper cover I could go JDM or get a more aggressive aftermarket bumper cover in a similar style. I'm definitely going 3rd party on the corner lights and turn signals to get them clear instead of orange. I'll also definitely go USDM headlights since they're projectors already and they're only $400 for the set from a dealer... I might go aftermarket on the fenders too since I can probably get them in fiberglass instead of steel and that will save a whole lot of weight.... I'm not sure about swapping out the radiator brace or getting the headlight swap brackets... the cost is roughly the same but the new brace would have to be painted and I'd have to drain and pull the radiator to swap it out where as the brackets just drop in.
The 95-96 with the oval headlights that I have is called "zenki" style
the reason I went with the 95 was for a few reasons
1. there were approximately 32K Zenki Style 240sx sold in the us and only 5K of the Kouki style made... so the Kouki style is a whole lot harder to find, who knows how many have been wrecked at this point.
2. since the kouki is the more desirable style and there are a whole lot less floating around they're WAY more expensive... case and point, a few days ago a base model 98 kouki automatic with 100K miles went up for sale for $13K in my area... so yeah. It probably works out cheaper to just swap out the front end.
3. OBDII was mandated in 96, meaning that 95 and prior don't need to conform to OBDII emissions testing (just a visual inspection and smog) This means that a 96-98 240sx cannot have the engine swapped with a JDM engine since the JDM computers don't support OBDII... with a 95 I can put an SR20DET in there and never have to worry about emissions testing as long as keep a cat on the exhaust... and as long as the shop doesn't recognize the engine under the hood as being JDM when they peek at it (if they even bother)
----------------
On another note I trailered the car back to my house today
I'm so friggin happy right now it's not even funny. I also think I might know what was causing the sputtering. when we went to take it off the trailer it wouldn't turn over (didn't even try) and peeking under the hoot the culprit was a ridiculously loose connection on the negative battery terminal. tightening that up it fired right up and didn't give an inkling of a problem on the quick jaunt up the street to my house from the parking lot where we unloaded.Here's hoping it was just a loose wire that was causing the hiccups earlier.
Now does anyone know where I could get a repair manual for this thing... I'd love to start tearing into it tomorrow after work
Post by: Perplexer on September 03, 2007, 10:57:00 PM
QUOTE(twistedsymphony @ Sep 3 2007, 10:58 PM)
Now does anyone know where I could get a repair manual for this thing... I'd love to start tearing into it tomorrow after work
http://pdftown.com/N...ice-Manual.html
Keep us updated!
Post by: twistedsymphony on September 04, 2007, 08:23:00 PM
I just got a call from the first guy I was going to buy a car from and he said he got a letter from Maine today that they're going to issue him a title.I waiting 5 months for that B*tch and three days after I decide to buy another car he calls to tell me this...
I told him I want my money back anyway... there's still a chance he wont get it and who knows how long it will take Maine to actually issue the title... I don't even want to know if he gets it or not.
At least with the one I bought I have a whole lot more money left over to play with.
Post by: twistedsymphony on October 02, 2007, 08:29:00 AM
I guess he started driving it again when something happened with his other car but I put new tires on it, gave it an oil change, flushed the tranny and a full alignment. and I knew it needed an alignment/tires when I drove it before.
so I guess that's decent... at least I know if he's driving it around it should be good to get back to NH without problems.
Once I've got this in I can put the red car on the market and once that's sold I can SR swap the black one...
Post by: twistedsymphony on October 09, 2007, 07:36:00 PM
now I've got 2 240s
anyone want to buy one I need money to buy a stout Japanese engine
I'm so friggin happy it's not even funny
Post by: blame canada on October 10, 2007, 02:08:00 PM
Post by: twistedsymphony on October 12, 2007, 12:35:00 PM
Post by: ubernewb on October 15, 2007, 09:05:00 PM
Post by: grim_d on November 11, 2007, 09:21:00 AM
i'm thinking about getting a s14 or an s14a (depends on what i can find when i have saved the cash) but i wanted to know how spacious the interior is. Being a sports coupe and all, is it quite cramped?? I'm pretty tall (6'2") and im a big fella.
I was terribly uncomfortable sitting in a friends preludes passenger seat so im hoping you can tell me what they are like?
cheers
Post by: twistedsymphony on November 11, 2007, 08:36:00 PM
you can completely forget about passengers in the rear the back of the front seats are just about rubbing on the front of the back seats with tall drivers. I'm 5'7" and the rear seat passengers only have about 4" of leg room where my seat is adjusted and I've got about 2" of head room
It is a very tight cabin... Personally I love tight cabins but where I'm a fairly small guy I found that even the 240 was exceptionally small. the only car I've ever been in that was smaller on the inside was a Focus.
the proportions of the cabin are very different from most cars since the car is so low and the seats are right up against the floor you sit with your legs almost straight out which means that how cramped you feel really depends on how your height is proportioned between your torso and legs. Side to side the space is fairly comfortable. I've go really broad shoulders (my shoulders stick out about 2" on either side of an standard airplane seat) and I'm fairly comfortable in the 240 in that regard.
Most people I've talked to, big and small either love or hate the 240... you'll really just have to sit in one to tell.
the s14 and s14a are identical interior wise so if you have a chance to sit in one you can be sure that the other will be the same.
Post by: grim_d on November 12, 2007, 04:07:00 PM
i hope headroom isnt an issue as that would just kill it, i have long legs rather than a stretched torso so i guess ill have to see about headroom. I recline my seat A LOT, do you think that could be a possibility?
Rear passenger wouldnt be an issue, back seats wouldnt be in long enough
currently with my sunny, i have the seat right back and there is about an inch of legroom, people aint allowed behind me.ach i guess i'll just need to try one. i really want one though
cheers anyway.
Post by: twistedsymphony on November 12, 2007, 08:34:00 PM
after going for a drive tonight and paying closer attention their is less head room than I thought. less than 1" between my head and the ceiling... but I do sit fairly upright and the sunroof lowers the headliner considerably as well..
leaning back would definitely give you more head room though.
Check out this site to find owners in your area: http://www.sxoc.com/vbb/index.php
it's a fantastic site for UK based s chassis owners. I'm sure you could find something for sale in your area listed there, or at very least a friendly club member willing to take you for a ride
Post by: grim_d on November 13, 2007, 04:03:00 AM
done alot of reading and it does seem that if your height is in your legs you can get away with it, so theres a chance, if not, bolt the freaking seat straight to the floor
Post by: twistedsymphony on November 13, 2007, 12:57:00 PM
you'll be able to get yours with the REAL motor, the SR20DET and I'm sure 90% of them had 5 speeds... I can't wait to put the proper motor and tranny into mine... I just have to ditch this red car
Post by: grim_d on November 13, 2007, 01:26:00 PM
Ideally i would want a pulsar GTI-R, again with the sr20det, but being that it's a road going rally car, maintainance is pricey.
I'm just so glad to be of age now where i can get a proper car
Post by: twistedsymphony on November 14, 2007, 10:24:00 AM
I would have loved to get my hands on an S14a 5-speed with an SR but the only ones for sale here in that configuration are those that were modified that way and they typically run $14K-$20K from what I see on ebay and craigs list.
IMO they're worth that price which is why it's worth it to me to buy a low mileage auto for about $5K, put about $5K into swapping the engine and tranny than another $2K-$3K into swapping the body.
no one wants to buy my high mileage auto for $3.5K though
As for the Pulsar... screw that RWD FTW
I've never owned a FWD car, and if I can help it... I never will. I'd rather drive an auto RWD/AWD/4WD than a FWD stick.
Post by: grim_d on November 14, 2007, 11:53:00 AM
QUOTE(twistedsymphony @ Nov 14 2007, 06:00 PM)
As for the Pulsar... screw that RWD FTW
pulsar gti-r, constant 4wd with rear LSD, road going rally car
Post by: twistedsymphony on November 14, 2007, 03:14:00 PM
It's not made in the states and it's not a Skyline so that means I know NOTHING
Post by: grim_d on November 17, 2007, 11:28:00 AM
Post by: twistedsymphony on November 17, 2007, 10:07:00 PM
I had to remove and send out the gauge cluster because of a flaky odo/trip meter Then there were some wires in the trunk going to the lights on the trunk lid that needed mending, and the rear tires needed to be replaced...
I've got a brand new exhaust system for it that I haven't yet installed. I've also got a set of Nissan 300zx front calipers stainless braided lines and Brembo rotors that will be installed at some point. They're used obviously so I'm going to rebuild the calipers and have them powder coated in red.
Aside from that there's a cracked piece of plastic on the lower half of the drivers side mirror mount that I'm going to swap out for the good one on the car I'm selling. One of the rear speakers buzzes a little and I'm not sure if it's a bad connection/loose surrouding material/bad speaker, it's not that noticable so it will probably stay that way until it starts to piss me off. Oh and the left washer nozzle doesn't shoot straight so I'll likely replace that as well.
so there's lots of little things, not bad at all for a 12 year old car.
If you're interested to know what to look for in terms of what breaks most often on the s14s here is a break down of what was usually broken on the cars I test drove:
-blown shocks.... every last one of them had blown shocks except the two I bought, the red one wasn't blown because they had just been replaced, and the black one's shocks are good but definitely showing their age.
-horrible window motors, absolutely every s14 I drove the drives/passengers side window mechanisms moved and sounded like it was about to fall apart. electric mirrors were often not far behind
-listen to the motor (this goes for the SR20 as well as the KA) and once it's warmed up you might hear a faint rattle.... that's the timing chain guide broken loose and moving about inside the engine... swell huh..
-exhaust leaks... every last one of them had exhaust leaks
that's most of it....
Post by: grim_d on November 18, 2007, 02:58:00 PM
as far as the blown shocks and exhaust, the comulsary yearly MOT here means it wont be too much of a problem, regardless, coilovers and S/S system would solve it
Post by: twistedsymphony on November 19, 2007, 12:45:00 PM
...or worse... all three
Post by: CKwik240 on November 21, 2007, 03:08:00 PM
Why not just turbo the KA? I was pulling 230 WHP with a very mild set-up when I had one. Not judging, just curious about your reasoning...
Post by: twistedsymphony on February 03, 2020, 02:54:00 PM
As for the SR20
-even with the tubo/intercooler it's significantly lighter in weight (100+lbs) than a factory KA
-it's unique... I know 4 people with s14 KA-T setups and NONE with an SR s14
-it's cheaper when you consider I'd have to do a 5 speed swap if I kept the KA and an SR motor comes with one.
Two things drew me to the 240
1. was the power/weight potential combined with a very low and nimble sports-car chassis
2. was the fact that I could (relatively) easily swap a different motor in there and get a very unique vehicle.
...and I kind of lose #2 going with a KA setup.
This post has been edited by twistedsymphony: Yesterday, 10:55 PM
Post by: twistedsymphony on November 26, 2007, 11:39:00 AM
the RB engines are retarded heavy (700+lbs)
As for the price the SR swap isn't all that much different than a KA build... There's a shop not too far away that specializes in 240s and I was quoted $4200 for a complete notch-top SR swap + 5 speed swap installed and ready to go. The guy also goes up to Canada and hand picks/brings back the motor himself a trip which I'm told I'm welcome to accompany him on if I so desire.
KA turbo kits go for around $3K and I've priced the 5 speed swap at about $1100... and then I'd still have to do all the work myself...
if I was starting with a 5 speed it might be a little different but considering the costs the SR is actually cheaper for me.
Post by: twistedsymphony on November 28, 2007, 05:09:00 PM
QUOTE(CKwik240 @ Nov 26 2007, 07:08 PM)
Sounds like a pretty good deal on the SR. But if you plan to upgrade power, you're going to want to use a larger turbo and intercooler. Just be prepared for some additional costs. Aside from the costs, the SR is a great motor. Not to mention, low mileage ones are actually not hard to find. Low mileage KA's are of course, becoming very rare.
yeah considering the rarity of the low mileage KAs I'm actually debating just putting mine on a rack after I pull it. it's only got 60K miles on it after all... I've already had 3 different people make offers to buy it when I put in the SR
I realize the added costs of a bigger turbo and an SR I'm only looking to get 300-350bhp out of the thing... I also like doing a little bit at a time enjoying the slightly more advanced performance each step of the way.
a nimble/light weight car with good mid range power is my main goal I'll likely do an FMIC and boost controller when I swap the front end for the JDM K's Kouki front end.
Then for stage 3 I'll go with a new fuel system and something like a Disco Potato for a turbo as that seems to mesh the best with my power goals.
all through out this I'll be doing the occasional suspension upgrade some nice springs and adjustable shocks, then maybe some strut tower braces and new bushings throughout followed by sways and endlinks and then torsion bars and other linkages... wheels at whatever point I get tired of looking at the stockers.
all of this stretched out over a 5 year period
Post by: grim_d on March 21, 2008, 09:52:00 AM
Post by: o The Drizzle o on April 22, 2008, 10:08:00 PM
Post by: twistedsymphony on April 23, 2008, 08:13:00 PM
after I got the black 240 I registered it and got it inspected, it needed 2 new tires, and a bunch of wires in the trunk lid were broken and needed to be fixed to get the tails and reverse lights fully working and a couple of other things. One of the front wheel bearings is apparently on it's way out so I'll likely replace that soon.
I had a hard time selling the red 240 last fall so I just stored it for the winter planning on selling it this spring (funny enough I re-listed it on craigslist this morning)
Since both cars sat in storage for the winter I ended up saving enough cash to do the engine swap in the black one without selling the red one.
I got in contact with the local shop that does these swaps and he started looking for a motor, after a few months I couldn't find an SR20 that was in good enough condition that I would consider putting in my car.
SO ... I started looking at alternatives, and after much deliberation I settled on a Chevy LS1... yes a V8. Apparently they fit quite well and for only an extra 50Lbs over stock added to the front end they offer nearly 400HP in factory trim + a light tune... and they're a dime a dozen in the junk yards.
it will cost me a little more than an SR swap but I think it will work out much better, oh and I'm going to do the swap myself
Due in part to the cost savings, in part to the amazing support I've received from the 5 or so other people who have done this swap, and in part to the fact that the shop that was original going to do the SR swap is closing down do to marital problems with the shop owner and his wife I've already started collecting parts for the swap and once I'm far enough along I'll start motor hunting
I still need some tools too, namely an engine hoist.I bought a kick ass 3" cat back exhaust for the car last year but haven't put it on yet due to issues with the mounting studs on the factor cat... so right now I'm looking for an after market 3" cat for it so I can just cut the old one out and bolt it all up. (no one makes any direct replacements but Catco sells a generic that can be modified to fit, some people sell premodded ones for $150 but that's about 3 times more than th unmodified version so... the hunt continues
)i'm also getting ready to replace the factory speakers with some Apline stuff since the factory stuff is hurting
I also got set back in my engine swap cash a bit since winter home heating oil f-ing murdered me. coldest/longest winter in NH's recorded history coupled with the highest oil prices of all time does not make for a happy bank account.
I'll likely post updates on this stuff on solid-orange.com
Post by: twistedsymphony on April 26, 2008, 01:33:00 AM
QUOTE(Maaaaarc @ Apr 26 2008, 03:26 AM)
New here, Hi.
Glad to see a fellow 240sx Enthusiast. I've had 2 so far, an S13hatch and an S14 Zenki.
I sold the S14 a while back, when Tokyo Drift came out, and am looking to either get another Zenki or a coupe S13.
We'll see.
Good luck with your project maaan.
..this may sound dumb, but if you have any question, ask me.
I'm in the scene pretty deep.
I have a question... do you know where I can get a 3" cat for a reasonable price? no one has been able to answer that for me very well.
Post by: twistedsymphony on April 26, 2008, 08:47:00 AM
I can't believe how fast it got here, I'm going to have to hunt down a harness adapter. I so wasn't prepared for this thing to get 2-day delivery
Post by: twistedsymphony on April 27, 2008, 09:15:00 AM
I can get an unflanged catco for $45 shipped, but weld two hunks of metal on either side to bolt it up to the 240 and suddenly everyone wants 150+ shipping.
Post by: twistedsymphony on April 27, 2008, 09:43:00 AM
This unit is AWESOME and everything I wanted it to be. The navigation works fantastic, the picture quality is great and it sounds fantastic. All of the touch screen controls are easy to see and understand too.
I still have some stuff to finish up though, I need to find a more pertinent route for the GPS receiver module as right now it's just running along the floor under the passenger's floor mat. I need to get an antenna adapter so I use the regular radio, and I'll probably want to bypass the factory amp in the trunk as right now it's way too loud, and the sound quality will probably be better coming directly from this unit.
Post by: grim_d on April 27, 2008, 05:00:00 PM
QUOTE(Maaaaarc @ Apr 28 2008, 12:18 AM)
I had a RS*R Catback on my '95 with a test pipe and it passed smog with flying colors.
I've known others to pass smog with just a test pipe.
..I thought you wanted an SR in this car?
um..SR's are illegal, so why not a test pipe?
Plus it makes it sound more bad ass.
IMHO.
sr20's are illegal? that's fucked up!
Post by: twistedsymphony on April 27, 2008, 10:41:00 PM
QUOTE(Maaaaarc @ Apr 27 2008, 07:18 PM)
I had a RS*R Catback on my '95 with a test pipe and it passed smog with flying colors.
I've known others to pass smog with just a test pipe.
..I thought you wanted an SR in this car?
um..SR's are illegal, so why not a test pipe?
Plus it makes it sound more bad ass.
IMHO.
I live in NH... we don't have smog testing here, but inspection stations are required to lift the car and verify the presence of a cat... with my last car (a 2002 WRX) I put in a test pipe (technically a down pipe that elimated the cat but.. same thing) and failed at every single inspection station I brought it to because of it. Eventually I'd end up having to drive 2 hours round trip to a shop where I "knew someone" to get a sticker.
It was a huge headache and I'm not about repeat that with this car.
As for the SR yes they are illegal (grim, they're illegal because they were never sold in the US by Nissan, so they don't meet US emissions regulations), but as long as you don't have to pass OBDII (which I don't because it's a 95) then most shops wont know the difference...
besides I've decided to go LS1 instead of SR, which, among other benefits keeps the car legal.
Post by: Dano2k0 on April 29, 2008, 09:48:00 AM
Nice job on the wiring harness aswell, looks a nice job.
Have you fitted your new speakers yet? it'd be nice to see what youve got and when they are fitted, i assume once they are in completely that the original grills will be covering them though?
I need to measure up in my front doors and see what speakers i can fit in them and order some new ones.
Cheers
Post by: twistedsymphony on May 01, 2008, 08:41:00 AM
Saturday I'll be installing my exhaust... it's f-ing sweet, it's a custom 3" catback with a magnaflow muffler with rolled and polished dual tips.
I bought it last fall but had problem getting the rusted up bolts off my old exhaust. I found another semi-local 240sx fanatic who's going to give me a hand this Saturday. He's done an S15 Silvia conversion on his car so I'll be sure to take some pics of that too
here's a picture of what it looks like
I took pictures of the exhaust when I unpacked it but I haven't put any of them online yet.
Also yesterday I got in my Silvia Digital Climate Control system...
The 240sx has the typical fanspeed, hot/cold,vent-selection setup, in Japan however they offered an optional digital climate control system where you could set the temperature you wanted it and it utilizes all of it's sensors to regulate the temperature in the cabin..
It's quite the difficult conversion as there are a half dozen sensors that need to be installed, some of which need to be modified for fitment in a left hand drive car, and to make matters worse, since it's a pain to completely remove all the wires out from the dashboard out of the junked Japanese car they typically just snip the wires a few inches past the connector, which means I have to completely rebuild the wiring harness (though buying it this way instead of a complete harness saved me about $150)
it should be a fun project though, not to mention a sick addition to my car
Post by: ubernewb on May 01, 2008, 01:11:00 PM
QUOTE(twistedsymphony @ Apr 27 2008, 10:17 PM)
I live in NH... we don't have smog testing here, but inspection stations are required to lift the car and verify the presence of a cat...
which is why god gave us bits of pipe and sledgehammers...
unbolt cat, beat the innards out with the pipe/hammer combo, bolt cat back in.. congrats, you've now got a test pipe that looks like the factory cat.
can't think of a single car i've had that didn't get the treatment.
Post by: twistedsymphony on May 02, 2008, 06:03:00 AM
QUOTE(ubernewb @ May 1 2008, 03:47 PM)
which is why god gave us bits of pipe and sledgehammers...
unbolt cat, beat the innards out with the pipe/hammer combo, bolt cat back in.. congrats, you've now got a test pipe that looks like the factory cat.
can't think of a single car i've had that didn't get the treatment.
Actually on my old truck I just took the heat shielding off an old exhaust and scrapped it around a random section of pipe where the cat should go... the WRX wasn't so easy though because the ENTIRE exhaust had been replaced and it was 3.5" inner diameter pipe at that... so no factory heat shield was going to fit around it convincingly, nor did I have a factory cat to bang out that wasn't going to cause restrictions clean either.
Post by: twistedsymphony on May 04, 2008, 05:23:00 PM
and the guy helping me with the install was able to fix the broken stud.Here are some pics:
it's a custom made to order design by a company called BRM
3" stainless Steel piping with a 14" resonator chamber and a dual 2.5" tipped Magnaflow muffler.
Post by: grim_d on May 06, 2008, 07:59:00 AM
i would have riced it up with a 4-inch slash tailpipe style
Post by: twistedsymphony on May 06, 2008, 09:18:00 AM
QUOTE(grim_d @ May 6 2008, 10:35 AM)
that looks the nuts mate bet it sounds nice. get a vid or sumthin up so we can hear it
i would have riced it up with a 4-inch slash tailpipe style
I did have the option of a single 4" tipped version of this exhaust but I opted for the dual 2.5" tips, I thought they looked much more classy. I had a 4.5" tip (on a 3.5" exhaust) on my last car and it drew way too much attention
As for a video my brother will stop by next weekend to film it.
Also I got my new speakers in last night... they're f-ing sweet, I need to finish making my custom amp-bypass harness before I install them though.
after seeing Dano2k0's thread I decided I needed to pickup the pace.... my new rule is to "do something every day" to my car... no matter how small...
Post by: grim_d on May 06, 2008, 10:09:00 AM
looking forward to seeing your speakers.
hopefully i can join the club and get a car w.i.p going in the coming months when i get a new car, i straight up REFUSE to do anything to my current shed
Post by: twistedsymphony on May 06, 2008, 12:10:00 PM
Post by: grim_d on May 06, 2008, 12:29:00 PM
QUOTE(twistedsymphony @ May 6 2008, 07:46 PM)
What are you driving now, and what do you plan on buying?
currently im still driving a tired old 94 sunny (as can be seen in post your cars up)
the current plan is to get a GTI sunny to do up for a while till i save up the cash for either a
pulsar/sunny GTI-R (im a bit of a sunny freak)
mercedes 190e Cosworth
s14 (though im still not sure if i fit)
nice examples of each can be picked up for around £4000 but id like to get a shiner.
Post by: twistedsymphony on May 06, 2008, 01:59:00 PM
Before you even get in the car to test drive for the first time, reach down and slide the seat all the way back and angle the steering wheel up.... this is doubly important if the current owner is female
I can't tell you how many s14's I test drove where I attempted to get in only to look like I was falling down and kicking the steering wheel at the same time... then getting back up and adjusting things just to get in it.
I'm not very tall but I'm barrel chested and I've got quite broad shoulders (I sick out a good 2 inches on either side of an airline seat) The 240 is quite comfortable once the seat and steering wheel are adjusted properly, though climbing in and out is an adventure.
Post by: grim_d on May 06, 2008, 03:25:00 PM
Post by: twistedsymphony on May 09, 2008, 08:20:00 AM
most recently I finished building an amp bypass harness since no one on the market makes them... I wrote a tutorial too which you can read here: http://forums.nicocl...rothread/335534
I might put in my rear speakers soon, since that will be easy and one of the stockers is blown... the fronts will take some work since they're components, I'll wait till my car situation is settled since the fronts will be a project and my car will be out of commission in the mean time.
Post by: ubernewb on May 09, 2008, 08:03:00 PM
Post by: ubernewb on May 13, 2008, 02:30:00 AM
Post by: twistedsymphony on May 13, 2008, 11:01:00 AM
Mini Status update:
Over the weekend I installed some new rear speakers, Apline type Rs... the install was pretty painless but I modified my amp bypass harness to run fresh wires to the speakers so I wouldn't have to do any splicing.
I have type R components for the front but with the Nissan being my only car right now I'm a bit apprehensive about installing them worried that if I run into any roadblocks I'll have to drive around with the project half finished. (same goes for installing the Digital Climate Control system).
I've got some 4 piston 30mm Aluminium calipers from a 300zx sitting around so I bought a brake painting kit for those... so over this week I'll be cleaning those up and painting them, getting ready to put them on the car... Again I probably wont install them until I have another car to drive...
Post by: twistedsymphony on May 27, 2008, 01:59:00 PM
but I've already got my eyes on a new one...
If I do get it I'll still keep my black S14... I'll just have 2
Post by: o The Drizzle o on June 26, 2008, 04:28:00 PM
Post by: lostboyz on June 26, 2008, 07:31:00 PM
and for drifting im sure you will have issues with the rigidity of the frame.
Post by: twistedsymphony on June 30, 2008, 07:48:00 AM
QUOTE(lostboyz @ Jun 26 2008, 10:07 PM)
wow never seen a convertible before, but automatic=no thx
and for drifting im sure you will have issues with the rigidity of the frame.
Convertible were only sold as an automatic... even in Japan (of which they only made 600 of them). Any 240 vert that has a stick shift was converted after the fact...
honestly it's not all that hard to convert the transmission in these cars ~$600 or $700 worth of parts and an afternoon worth of labor between two sets of hands.
The vert is horrible for drifting but not because of lack of rigidity, it has crazy amounts of extra bracing and is actually the stiffest version of the s13 chassis... it does weight close to 3000lbs and with the hydrolics for the top in the back the weight distribution is nearly 50/50... good weight distro is BAD for drifting.
I have ZERO interest in drifting anyway.
This car has unfortunately dissappeared from craigslist (though it expired so maybe it didn't sell and I can email the owner and still buy it
) I decided not to buy a VERT until I replaced my Tacoma... I just hope there is a vert around to buy at that point.-----------------------------------
Project update...
lets see in the last month I....
1.bought a brake paining kit with the intent to paint my 300zx brakes but never got around to it
2. My drivers window moves and rattles when partially option so I tore open the drivers side door to fix it only to find that I couldn't get to the problematic bolt without tearing apart the whole window mechanism (and didn't have time to do that)
3. attempted to install my new front component speakers only to find that the wires run along the TOP of the dashboard meaning I'll have to pull out the whole dash to place the X-overs (not a problem since it will make it easier to install the digital climate control system as well... I just don't have the time with this being my only car)
4. Bought a Nismo Power Brace (it goes between the subframe and the bracing under the radiator and has suspension parts attached to it) and decided to get some new Tension Rods before I install it (since I'll have to remove them anyway) and I'm still researching tension rod options.
5.Bought a set of Strut tower braces from TC Sportline only to find that the front brace doesn't even come close to fitting properly since it hits the brake master cylinder on the drivers side and a cruise control cable bracket on the passengers side:
http://www.web-nine....ics/fstbdsf.jpg
http://www.web-nine....ics/fstbdst.jpg
http://www.web-nine....pics/fstbps.jpg
I'm calling them today to get this thing replaced with one that fits or my money back
6. Bought some urethane exhaust hangers since my 3" exhaust on the squishy factory rubber hangers rattles against my sway bar on cold days... popped in the urethane hangers and so far so good (not really worth taking a picture or posting about this though... at least I got SOMETHING done
..... So that's where I am
I also have on order
-JDM Silvia Power folding mirrors
-JDM Kouki rear spoiler
-Kouki sideskirts
-some spare trim pieces so I can paint my center console
-shock and springs (though I might just resell these since I got them so cheap and it's not exactly what I want)
A picture... so fresh and so clean ...
Post by: twistedsymphony on August 25, 2008, 07:17:00 AM
Anyway, I had to replace the tension rod bushings up front to pass state inspection (since the old ones were cracked) and I used the opportunity to install a Nismo Power Brace up front...
I'm kicking myself for not taking any pictures and it's not something I can do after the fact since it's completely covered up now that it's installed... if you're really interested you can see what it looks like here: http://zilvia.net/f/...ce-install.html
my car has a plastic shield on the underside of the engine bay which is why you can't see it.
----------------
In addition to that I had some free time over the weekend so I installed a TCSportline rear Strut Tower Brace. I think it looks pretty cool and it really improved the stiffness of the rear end, feels like I put in new shocks.
It passed right through the carpet so rather than cutting a big hole I just put two slits in the carpet to feed the bracket through, made it a really clean install.
Post by: twistedsymphony on August 26, 2008, 10:45:00 PM
Yes, that is an LS1. Yes, it came out of a Corvette. Yes, it is going in my 240.
Post by: Infamous Ob on August 27, 2008, 01:20:00 AM
Post by: Dano2k0 on August 27, 2008, 07:24:00 AM
Keep a look out in my thread for my transplant too, probably will be cracking on with it within a month or so.
Should be a fast 240 by the time youve got that engine in, any plans for tunning mods on it aswell?
Oh and are you fitting it yourself?
Cheers
Post by: twistedsymphony on August 27, 2008, 08:13:00 AM
no plans for power modifications right off the bat but the engine is rated at 345hp (257 kW) and 350 ft·lbf (470 N·m) torque... considering the Nissan KA24DE makes 155hp I think an extra 200hp will be fine for a while
seriously though, once the engine is in my attention will likely turn towards suspension, and fitting the widest tires that will fit under the fenders
Post by: Infamous Ob on August 27, 2008, 12:48:00 PM
Post by: twistedsymphony on August 28, 2008, 09:34:00 AM
I'd like to go with the OEM Kouki K's Aero from Japan.
Post by: Infamous Ob on August 28, 2008, 06:56:00 PM
Post by: twistedsymphony on August 29, 2008, 09:59:00 AM
Post by: Infamous Ob on August 29, 2008, 04:45:00 PM
Post by: twistedsymphony on August 29, 2008, 11:05:00 PM
Post by: Infamous Ob on August 29, 2008, 11:45:00 PM
Post by: twistedsymphony on August 30, 2008, 11:54:00 PM
those aero parts I already have are not installed... they wont be installed until I've got everything else and can get the whole thing done at once.... that wont be for quite some time though.
Post by: Infamous Ob on August 31, 2008, 01:29:00 PM
Post by: twistedsymphony on September 01, 2008, 02:29:00 PM
and before I can start I need to get my vehicross road legal (needs brakes and tires)
I probably wont be starting until the end of september... in the mean time I'm collecting all the necessary parts.
Post by: Infamous Ob on September 02, 2008, 02:51:00 AM
QUOTE(twistedsymphony @ Sep 1 2008, 04:05 PM)
I still have to find a trasmission
and before I can start I need to get my vehicross road legal (needs brakes and tires)
I probably wont be starting until the end of september... in the mean time I'm collecting all the necessary parts.
Well that's always good to be prepared. Hopefully I'll be deployed sometime this month. Plan on doing any mods to the Vehicross?
Post by: twistedsymphony on September 02, 2008, 07:38:00 AM
probably some other minor stuff too, a lift eventually, and an upgraded stereo (though the factory stereo is pretty damn good). I've debated power folding mirrors and swapping over the analog climate control system to a digital climate control system. ... I've got both of those things lined up for the 240 right now, I'll probably do them before the engine just to get them out of the way.
Post by: bucko on September 05, 2008, 03:17:00 PM
QUOTE(twistedsymphony @ Aug 27 2008, 06:21 AM)
Coming Soon...
Yes, that is an LS1. Yes, it came out of a Corvette. Yes, it is going in my 240.
5.7Ltr? I don't think the tax man and Gordan Brown would have an insrance group for that here.
Should be some seriouse fun when you get it ready.
Post by: grim_d on September 05, 2008, 06:54:00 PM
QUOTE(bucko @ Sep 5 2008, 10:53 PM)
5.7Ltr? I don't think the tax man and Gordan Brown would have an insrance group for that here.
Should be some seriouse fun when you get it ready.http://www.parkers.c...ax/?deriv=14796
would depend on the year of the vehicle it was in, pre 2001 and it would be the flat rate for engine over 1459cc, post 2001 and its 455 notes for the year, sheesh.
and a corvette c5 (i assume what that lump is from) is a group 20 on the insurance.
Post by: twistedsymphony on September 08, 2008, 07:42:00 AM
For insurance I'll have to get an appraiser to value the car then my insurance is adjusted accordingly.
for registration, it's based off the cars initial value and how old it is.
I think I paid about $80 to register it last year... and most of that was because I have a vanity plate
old cars are dirt cheap to register in the US... my old Toyota Pickup was like $32 for the year I think.
you get raped on new cars though... it's not uncommon for the registration to be upward of $800.
Post by: grim_d on September 09, 2008, 12:31:00 PM
QUOTE(twistedsymphony @ Sep 8 2008, 03:18 PM)
Yes it's from a 1999 C5... and this is the US they don't really give a crap about engine size when insuring or registering.
For insurance I'll have to get an appraiser to value the car then my insurance is adjusted accordingly.
for registration, it's based off the cars initial value and how old it is.
I think I paid about $80 to register it last year... and most of that was because I have a vanity plate
old cars are dirt cheap to register in the US... my old Toyota Pickup was like $32 for the year I think.
you get raped on new cars though... it's not uncommon for the registration to be upward of $800.
Is registration like a one time fee when you become the new owner of a vehicle?
bucko and I were talking about car tax here, a yearly (or every 6 month if you choose) ass raping, for cars made before 2001 its based on engine size, currently around £120 for the year on car with <1459cc and around £210 for >1459cc, which isnt TOO bad.
Problem is, cars made >2001 it's based purely on emissions, ranging in bands in which you pay anything from aroun £35 to £500 for the year, this is why nearly everyone here is driving around in brand new 1 litre peices of euro crap.
And if you don't pay it and get caught (Which you will) then you cars gets sezed and crushed, no questions.
Driving a car in the UK is like dropping the soap in prison, painful.
Post by: twistedsymphony on September 09, 2008, 01:15:00 PM
it's completely controlled by the individual state, so I have to go to my town hall to re-register every year.
the first time you register the car there is an extra fee for "title transfer" the "title" is a document that proves ownership of the vehicle.... your registration is also tied to the number plates on the car. a "vanity plate" is a custom number plate that you can specify yourself.. but they charge you extra.
Maybe other states in the USA base their registration fees off of engine size, I don't know for sure. I know in my home state of New Hampshire it's based on the age and original value of the vehicle. I've never heard of any other state basing it off of engine size though.
When you register you also get a little piece of paper with your name address, and info on the car, if you get pulled over by the police you have to provide them with this paper in addition to your license. if it wasn't registered there's like a $100 fine (I think this changes from state to state as well) worst case they might impound your car until you do get it registered, I doubt they'd crush it... The only time they crush cars is if they were imported illegally, or if it was used for street racing.
My state also has an annual inspections... it costs ~$40-$60 a year paid to a garage (who then pays a fee to the state) they check your emissions system, as well as general safety stuff like lights, tread wear, and body rot. Most states don't have inspections (maybe 14 or so out of the 50) and the ones that do require it vary in terms of how strict they are and what they cover.
This post has been edited by twistedsymphony: Sep 9 2008, 08:44 PM
Post by: grim_d on September 09, 2008, 03:41:00 PM
QUOTE(twistedsymphony @ Sep 9 2008, 08:15 PM)
My state also has an annual inspections... it costs ~$40-$60 a year paid to a garage (who then pays a fee to the state) they check your emissions system, as well as general safety stuff like lights, tread wear, and body rot. Most states don't have inspections (maybe 14 or so out of the 50) and the ones that do require it vary in terms of how strict they are and what they cover.
Yep we got them too, M.O.T's, every years after a car is over 3 years old. costs £45 quid and they are generally pretty strict. Just so happens my car tax and m.o.t fall in the same month, yay. Joys of driving eh.
Post by: deilzfcjk on February 03, 2020, 02:26:00 AM
That little KA24De(well not little since it's 2.4 liter) is a hell of a motor. It can stand abuse like no other engine. I love dumping the clutch, and having my rear end just swing and get loose. Thanks to that VLSD I got. It's so exhilarating.
Thanks for your amp bypass tutorial for the s14. I'm gonna need that if I buy a s14. :(IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif):
Enjoy your 240sx....lets us know what you got doing next.
This post has been edited by deilzfcjk: Yesterday, 10:28 AM
Post by: twistedsymphony on October 07, 2008, 02:45:00 PM
you should sign up on nicoclub.com and zilvia.net if you're not already
I run a local forum for 240 owners in my area 240sxone.com
Over the weekend I put in some new SPC rear toe links (fully adjustable with poly bushings... really nice) no picture of those though.
this is what they look like
I also found a sweet deal on a Silvia grill so I snagged that
i finally found a transmission for the LS1 swap, it shipped Friday so hopefully it will be in soon.
and just for good measure a shot of the pending rediculousness
I think next summer I want to buy an S13 convertible, I'll save my S14 KA and maybe rebuild it, turbo it and throw it in the vert... that would be teh sex
Post by: commandersafi on October 08, 2008, 05:13:00 PM
QUOTE(steveo1978 @ Oct 8 2008, 01:48 AM)
I hope You are also setting money aside for speeding tickets
He wont get any tickets....The cops wont be able to catch him
Post by: bucko on October 15, 2008, 03:17:00 AM
QUOTE(steveo1978 @ Oct 13 2008, 05:22 AM)
they wouldnt if they played fair. They cheat they call in backup and also use them damn spike strips
Here they don't bother unless your a danger to the public (all speeders should be imho) most of the time if you get speed camera flashed you check your mail and you get either/or a fine and points on your license.
I'm sure TS has more brains and sense than to speed, or he wouldn't be on this forum, he would be long time locked up.
Post by: twistedsymphony on October 15, 2008, 02:23:00 PM
I've probably been pulled over about 8 times or so... only ever got one ticket and that was the first time I was pulled over when I first got my license. That was for speeding, I took it to court and got out of it.
everything after that was petty crap like a "one of your license plate lights is out"... or "your licence plate frame makes it hard to read your plate"... or "you have a modified exhaust" (which BTW IS LEGAL, so if they actually issued me a ticket I'd probably take it to court)
I think my cars tend to attract attention so the 5-0 uses any little excuse to pull me over
I don't speed though... that's what weekends at the track are for.I get my kicks around town through the highway ramps... nothing on the books against acceleration (up to the speed limit) and hard cornering
Post by: grim_d on October 20, 2008, 08:21:00 AM
QUOTE(twistedsymphony @ Oct 15 2008, 09:59 PM)
I get my kicks around town through the highway ramps... nothing on the books against acceleration (up to the speed limit) and hard cornering
thats dangerous driving/reckless endangerment here
Post by: twistedsymphony on October 20, 2008, 08:27:00 AM
got my transmission in last thursday, Saturday I had big club swap meet and made about $450 selling old parts
Also got in a corvette gas pedal since the engine is Drive-By-Wire... after weighing the differences I determined that I was better off using the drive by wire throttle than the cable based throttle.
Post by: twistedsymphony on October 24, 2008, 03:59:00 PM
I suck at welding but that's only because my experience stops at a one day crash course and the fact that I don't own a welder.
that and I really don't want "solid mounts" since I want this car to have a very OEM feel when I'm done.
I'm torn between two kits
sikky: http://sikky.com/pro.../ls1__s14_240sx
and
Daft Innovations: http://www.daftinnov...3ls1/index.html
the sikky kit looks like it's well built (cnc machined mounts...) but the engine doesn't really sit the way I like it, it's expensive, and the oil pan leaves some big gaps into the bell housing which isn't cool.
The Daft Innovations kit is much cheaper by comparison, and looks just as well built (welded mounts instead of CNC but good welds) Also this kit include Headers which are like $700-$800 so that's a big savings... The problem with the DI kit is that I've never seen pictures of it installed in an S14... the tech guy says they have one customer who used it in an S14 but that's where it ends...
they also haven't responded to my emails....
Post by: yaazz on January 23, 2009, 11:45:00 AM
Post by: twistedsymphony on February 23, 2009, 01:14:00 PM
http://forums.240sxo...p;pictureid=189
http://forums.240sxo...mp;pictureid=14
http://forums.240sxo...p;pictureid=195
also had to pull out most of the underdash stuff to get the factory harness out
http://forums.240sxo...p;pictureid=191
before the mount kit gets here I need to do the following
-label and remove the LS1 harness
-remove the corvette headers
-swap out the corvette oil pan for a GTO oil pan
-swap out the auto flywheel for the 6 speed flywheel and clutch
-saws-all off a couple of nubs on the transmission and mount it to the motor
then when the kit gets in we can drop in the motor...
once that's done it's all plumbing and wiring (which is a whole lot more work than it sounds)
----------
also last saturday I bought some new wheels... here are some picture (the previous owner of the wheels had the same exact car as me so these are pics of his car):
Post by: lostboyz on February 23, 2009, 08:10:00 PM
Post by: grim_d on February 25, 2009, 01:14:00 PM
Post by: twistedsymphony on February 25, 2009, 03:48:00 PM
Post by: Dano2k0 on February 25, 2009, 05:08:00 PM
Good luck with the engine conversion, keep us posted.. Ive got cracking with mine aswell this last week or two, this weekend should be the big change though so i'll no doubt try and keep posted on here aswell.
Looking nice though, bet its going to be a beast when done
Post by: twistedsymphony on February 28, 2009, 11:15:00 AM
http://forums.240sxo...p;pictureid=263
http://forums.240sxo...p;pictureid=264
http://forums.240sxo...p;pictureid=265
http://forums.240sxo...p;pictureid=266
http://forums.240sxo...p;pictureid=269
http://forums.240sxo...p;pictureid=270
http://forums.240sxo...p;pictureid=271
http://forums.240sxo...p;pictureid=272
I picked up an engine stand and an engine leveler at the Tractor supply company that recently opened up near me (that place is AWESOME for tools)
Post by: Rylinkus on February 28, 2009, 07:56:00 PM
Post by: grim_d on March 01, 2009, 07:46:00 AM
Post by: twistedsymphony on March 06, 2009, 04:02:00 PM
...shoveled out the snow bank in front of the doors, assembled my new engine stand, picked up all the garbage around the garage swept and then moved all of my tools out of my old tool box and organized them in my new tool box. I started when I got home from work took an hour break for dinner and stopped around 11:30. Saturday is supposed to be Warm again so hopefully I can get some actual work done on the car... ---------------------
one thing I DID manage to do last night though... I took some dimensions to send to local manufacturer for a custom badge I'm going to have made
Post by: w2kj on March 07, 2009, 07:26:00 AM
QUOTE(twistedsymphony @ Feb 28 2009, 12:51 PM)
engine mount setup came in today
sweet looking mount! i've been watching your wip...and frankly; i'm quite impressed with what you are doing. i'm fixin' to start a wip o' my own...soon. it's nice and warm here in texas
...i'm hoping to get a bunch done today and have s'more pix to start my wip.Post by: twistedsymphony on March 18, 2009, 07:19:00 PM
Next time I have a 2nd set of hands to help me I'll throw it up on the stand (I don't trust my ghetto-ass cherry picker to do it myself) then I can swap out the oil pan then drop it back down and throw on the new LS6 clutch... yummy
I also spent some time pulling off a bunch of unneeded brackets and other crap from the transmission and cleaned it up a bit while I was at it and mocked up the new transmission cross member.
My main attention now will be on the harness, I dumped all of the harnesses that I need to tie together into a big box and brought it into my office... looks kind of overwhelming.
Though spreading the KA harness out on the floor so you can see the whole thing all at once it doesn't look so bad. Trimming off the KA bits will be the easy part... the hard part will be weeding through what is and isn't needed on the LS1 harness.
I'll be documenting the harness modifications as well as I can, it seems to be the most poorly documented aspect of the swap... I'm much better at splicing wires than I am at turning wrenches so hopefully I'll be able to handle it without a problem :good:
Post by: _GhOsT_ on April 16, 2009, 01:08:00 AM
Post by: twistedsymphony on April 17, 2009, 11:03:00 AM
QUOTE
got rid of this rubber sh*t on my KA harness
cutt off the unused brackets on the trans for extra clearance
had to buy a new pedal and a "TAC" module that works with the motor setup
More work got done over the weekend, Oil oil pan was pulled off.
GM apparently decided it was a good idea to rivet the gasket to the oil pan so those had to be drilled off of the used GTO pan before we cleaned it up.
Windage tray and the new oil pickup tube bolted right up... say Hi to Joe...
however now I'm stuck on this... this is the old dip-stick hole which needs to be plugged. On newer GM vehicles they tap it and use a 1/8 NPT pipe plug. Joe and I drove around to every store in Tilton and Lowes was the only place that sold the tap, no one sold the plug. so I ordered the plug off of ebay ... after shipping I'm paying essentially $5 for a screw... waiting on that, I also picked up an in-lb torque wrench because the behemoths that I had were all too big to do internal engine stuff properly.
old cross member was pulled out too, here it is next to the new one. you can see the cut out center cross section and the engine mount humps are at a different angle (the new one is a modified RB cross member).
the new cross member is back in the car but the steering rack isn't bolted back in yet, I decided to order some steering rack bushings while it's off so I'm waiting for those.
I also got into today a bracket for the Clutch Master. This thing is f-ing slick... I don't know why I'm so excited about this little part but I am. I guess I just think it's cool that a custom part designed by some random guy looks so pro, and it was dirt cheap too, $25 shipped. I got it from Rigid over on silviav8.
I got my long-tube headers in too, I didn't get a chance to snap any picture of them though... in due time
another problem is that the placement of the GTO dip-stick it hits the back of AC compressor... I wont know how big of a problem it will be until I get the pan fully installed.
I've been working on the car regularly, the cross member has been installed with some new energy suspension bushings, I got the firewall cutout for the clutch pedal (and then sanded and painted) and the clutch pedal is installed with my snazzy adapter bracket. I can't put in the new clutch master until I get a rod and U bracket from an original 240 clutch master... I was going to grab one from Pat last Saturday but he couldn't find it
I took some measurements of dripht240's s14 pedals while I was there to get an idea of where I should cut my auto brake pedal as well as an idea of where the gas pedal should be mounted..
I discovered that Kurt is a filthy liar... (because he told me to just cut down the brake pedal instead of buying a new one) the way the S14 Auto brake pedal is designed it's impossible to cut it down and have it aligned in same spot as the brake pedal on the 5-speed... it would seem that this works on the S13 sice the arm mounts to the right hand side of the pedal on the S13 but it doesn't work on the S14 since the arm mounts to the center...
so now I need to find a new brake pedal... or at least a pedal arm to swap out... I can get a bran new one from Nissan for ~$75 which isn't TOO bad but I'd rather not spend that much if I don't have to.
I've also assembled the clutch line and the remote clutch bleeder... for reference here are the parts I used:
for the Bleeder setup:
everything ordered from http://www.pegasusautoracing.com
QUOTE
Soft Copper Crush Washer, 3/8 inch (or 10mm) ID - 3241-3/8
Male 10x1.5mm Metric Convex Seat to 4AN Male, Steel - 3265-44
18 inch Size 4 TFE Hose, Straight Swivels, Both Ends - 4-18-S-S
Female 10x1.0mm Metric Concave Seat to 4AN, Steel - 3265-19
10x1.0mm Bleeder Screw - 3266-03
Bleeder Screw Protective Cap - 3266-CAP
Male 10x1.5mm Metric Convex Seat to 4AN Male, Steel - 3265-44
18 inch Size 4 TFE Hose, Straight Swivels, Both Ends - 4-18-S-S
Female 10x1.0mm Metric Concave Seat to 4AN, Steel - 3265-19
10x1.0mm Bleeder Screw - 3266-03
Bleeder Screw Protective Cap - 3266-CAP
for the clutch line:
QUOTE
Brake Line, Speed-Flex, Braided Stainless Steel, 36 in., -3 AN Female, 10mm or 3/8 in. Banjo, Each - EAR-63010236ERL
Fitting, Adapter, Banjo Bolt w/Crush Washer 3/8"-24 Single, Steel, Zinc, Each - EAR-997503ERL
Adapter Fitting; Flare Clutch Fitting; AN Size -3; Male - RUS-640281
Fitting, Adapter, Banjo Bolt w/Crush Washer 3/8"-24 Single, Steel, Zinc, Each - EAR-997503ERL
Adapter Fitting; Flare Clutch Fitting; AN Size -3; Male - RUS-640281
that "flare clutch fitting" was only sold in pairs costing $22 so I bought a 2nd brake line to make 2 clutch cables and I figure I'll sell the other one.
I still need to mount the clutch lines to the trans and test fit it to make sure it's hammered out enough.
I also got my dip-stick plug in and James let me borrow a tap so I'll be wrapping up the oil pan swap soon.
I've also started identifying everything on the LS1 harness and wrapping my head around that... the GM FSM BLOWS but I've got an ecu pinout and using that I've found the GM Harness WAY more easy to work with than the KA harness... so hopefully I can get the harness all squared away.
hmm what else... oh yeah I bought an energy suspension master bushing set so I'll be swapping out a bunch of that stuff while it's easy to work on/get to and I've cleaned up the engine bay a bit more.
I've been taking pictures but I haven't pulled any of them off of the camera yet..
Post by: twistedsymphony on April 17, 2009, 01:08:00 PM
Also I've spent just about every night this week with a multi-meter and the LS1 harness figuring out which wire goes where and developing my own wiring diagrams
I've got it mostly figured out... what once looked like an overwhelmingly daunting task is now makes a lot of sense in my head.
this weekend I've got to do some stuff to my Vehicross... oil change, tire rotation, maybe fix my dead plate light (which is WAY more involved than it sounds)
if I work on the 240 I'll be mounting the clutch lines and test fitting the transmission and finishing up the oil pan.
Post by: twistedsymphony on May 26, 2009, 02:16:00 PM
engine bay cleared out
clutch lines installed and all unnecessary hardware removed
my craftsman torque wrench broke so we had to use an old-school torque wrench to install the clutch hardware. Also a friend of mind that works at a dealership supplied me with bolts for the clutch and bell housing and the flywheel bolts were the wrong size and they were short 2 bell housing bolts... Aggravating. Thankfully the flywheel bolts from automatic flywheel worked on the new fly wheel and we found some bolts that worked with the bell housing for the time being... placed those on the bottom so they can be swapped out later.
once the transmission was mounted up we set the clutch master in a vice and tested the lines for leaks... I didn't want to have to pull the whole thing back out of the car to fix the lines if there was a problem. It was kind of ridiculous but it worked well and the lines held up beautifully
dropping in the engine:
Once the engine was in and we attempted to bold it up we ran into some major fitment issues. It's sitting in the car right now but we're going to have to pull it back out to figure out how to get everything to fit. We didn't have time to test-fit the headers but a quick attempt showed that it wouldn't be easy and I'm concerned about their fitment as well.
First thing we noticed was that the transmission cross member didn't fit, we had major alignment issue with it but after we took out the mount and tried to bolt in the cross member alone (without it even touching the transmission) the bolt holes didn't even line up... with the passenger side bolts lightly threaded in, this is what the driver's side looked like:
The engine was IN and the mounts were bolted up and sitting flush the trans x-member was only bolted in on one side but sitting flush against the bottom of the car.
...but even still the engine sits slightly towards the passenger's side, and it's tilted slightly with the passenger's side HIGHER than the driver's side.
Checking the bottom we noticed that there seemed to be plenty of clearance of the driver's side but the oil pan was actually rubbing on the x-member in 2 spots on the passenger's side:
Also the hood clearance isn't happening either: as you can see the hood wont even be close to clearing the throttle body, not to mention the engine is tilted with the front way higher than the rear, which I'm worried will cause issues with the drive shaft.
The alternator isn't bolted on at the moment but it sits parallel with the throttle body and where it's off to the side I would imagine there will be clearance issues with that also.
the S14 heater valve was removed before we put the engine in, but attempted to test fit showed that the engine is tilted far enough back that it passenger's side rear coil pack will collide with the heater valve making it impossible to re-install. I'd considered trying to modify the system to use an in-cabin valve like the S13 but I'd rather not do that if I don't have to, and there are plenty of people with S14s using the external valve (sikky's kit even has you leave it on the firewall when doing the swap)
The Fujii SPL guys had some suggestions for modifying the kit for better fitment but if it came down to that I would rather have them fabricate completely custom mounts and not use the kit I bought at all.
It's daft innovations "new" kit with CNC mounts, and a notched S14 cross member. the header I have are daft innovations as well (cnc bent) and I'm worried how they'll fit.
I've sent an email to rich and hopefully he'll get back to me soon so I can figure out what to do next.
We'll likely be dropping the motor out the bottom next time which I'm hoping will allow us to install the headers off of the car and make everything go much more smoothly.
If anyone has any suggestions or advice, please let me know.
the only thing that went off without a hitch were the clutch and bleeder lines.. and I spec-ed out built those myself :roll:
Post by: o The Drizzle o on June 26, 2009, 06:03:00 PM
QUOTE(twistedsymphony @ May 26 2009, 04:16 PM)
my craftsman torque wrench broke so we had to use an old-school torque wrench to install the clutch hardware.
take it back and use that lifetime warranty on them... or even better, invest in some snap-ons
. my dad has a real nice snap-on torque wrench... he used to be a mechanic and bought alot of snap-on since the truck would come around to the garage
Post by: twistedsymphony on June 30, 2009, 07:48:00 AM
I ended up just buying a new one.
Post by: o The Drizzle o on July 05, 2009, 08:15:00 PM
Post by: twistedsymphony on July 06, 2009, 06:03:00 AM
I had a really good time and I was really happy with how many people came to help out, I can't tell you how much I appreciate it. Sad to say though that aside from making more room in the tunnel the day was a loss in terms of progress on the car.
After talking with Rich, showing him pictures of what was wrong with the fitment of the mounts before he said that he would send me a redesigned transmssion cross member and redesigned engine mounts, and that if the engine cross member had problems I could grind it down further myself. From Rich himself: "I can send you some modified mounts and a new transmission crossmember to correct your issues." All I ever received was a new transmission cross member.
So we pulled the motor hammered the crap out the tunnel more and put the motor back in. The new transmission cross member was exactly the same width as the old one, and couldn't be bolted up because it was mis-aligned by half the width of the bolt. Also I noticed that the Transmission X-members (both the new and old ones) were not square. I pulled off the original Nissan transmission crossmember for reference to make sure it wasn't supposed to be that way.
Here's the old one:
Here's the New One:
Here's the new one again from a different angle:
And Here is the original S14 Automatic Cross member for reference:
http://solid-orange....7/dtxm_org1.jpg
The transmission was litterally as high as it could go any higher and the shift box wouldn't fit in the tunnel:
However even at this height the Engine still had a crazy angle to it:
This picture taken with my cell from just inside the shift box shows that the engine is still cocked too:
We ran a shop towel up and over the transmission and arond the bell housing and were able to proove that there was ample room between the transmission and the tunnel (since the towels never tore and coul be moved about freely.
After looking at tings closely there is littereally no room to make the mounts shorter since the oil pan would run into the steering rack and cross member... pulling the motor back out and measuring however I noticed that there are significant difference between my stock S14 cross member and the Daft cross member. I think maybe I got an S13 or some other cross member instead.
Original S14 Cross member:
Daft S14 Cross member:
Original S14 Cross member:
Daft S14 Cross Member:
On the Daft X-member the mount surface's angle is steeper, it bumps up much higher, and if you notice where it's welded to the main piece the inside flange is much larger on the Daft one, and the flange along the bottom sticks out on mine where it lays flat on the daft one. Unless Nissan Changed the design mid-S14 cycle this is a different X-member.
Post by: o The Drizzle o on July 16, 2009, 09:33:00 PM
Post by: twistedsymphony on July 17, 2009, 12:35:00 PM
I'm giving the guy who made the kit one last chance.
he's sending me new mounts as well as a new transmission crossmember that uses some suggestions I gave him for the design.
we're going to try one last time on the 25th...
if it fails I'm sending it all back for a refund and I have a friend who's willing to weld me up a custom kit.
in the meantime I've been fixing up the convertible...
I think this week I'll try to tackle the wiring harness so it's ready to go once everything else is done.
---------
Also I traded my Cat-back for a full set of Skyline R32 GTR brakes... I figured that exhaust wasn't going to cut it anyway, and I'll need the stopping power.
I had a set of 300ZX front calipers but the GTR brakes are a little beefier.
cool thing is they have a separate E-brake assembly... but I'll need to source some R33 e-brake cables to make them work with my car.
Post by: twistedsymphony on July 29, 2009, 07:56:00 AM
Before putting in the motor I was super jealous of how Randall's tunnel looked and while the last time everything cleared I felt better with a little more breathing room. so we hammered out EVERYTHING forward of the pinch-weld up to the firewall and make it mostly smooth.
Not as Nice as Randall's job but after this photo was taken I think we hammered it smooth a little more before sanding and painting it. Much better looking than it was before.
Also before dropping in the motor I checked the transmission cross-member. Previously the cross-member was too narrow such that if one side was bolted in it wouldn't line up on the other. Also previously the cross-members were not square. This time the cross-member WAS square. it sat flush against the mounting surface and the bottom beam that held the transmission was level with the car. the mounting holes were still a hair off though. Previously the holes were off by about half a bolt width, now they were off by about a thread. We took a milling bit and widened the holes on one side just enough, and then repainted it.
Also previously the threaded rods that go through the mount were exceptionally long. with the rod threaded all the way into the mount it stuck out the other side of the engine cross member quite a bit. Enough such that previously we couldn't have the mounts attached to the engine when dropping it in as it wouldn't slide into the cross-member.
http://solid-orange..../07/di_mod1.jpg
Above you can see how much it stuck out after being bolted up to a cross member. I cut off 6 threads from the rod which made dropping the motor own with the mounts already attached much MUCH easier. In hindsight I probably could have cut off even MORE threads since the rod doesn't technically need to be threaded all the way into the mount... that would allow me to screw it in a little while dropping the motor in, sliding the motor into the cross-member slots, then threading the rod out a little to put the nut on.
The engine now sits low and level like it should
We put some grease on the throttle body and the alternator and test fit the hood. The hood closed without issue and completely clears the throttle body. the top of the alternator bracket rubs just slightly but is nothing to be concerned about.
The engine sits way lower now compared to how it did previously.
After fitting up the motor we tried for the headers. Drivers Side first, we hat to pull the coil packs, the alternator and the, searing column (Pro-tip: disconnect it at the bottom of the u-joint where it connects to the rack, and remove the pinch bolt completely), we also had to unbolt the master cylinder (the booster can stay where it is) and the header dropped right in no problem, with plenty of clearance around the rack and the frame rails
The collector does actually come up a little bit in the back and rub against the floor though, I'm not sure what I'm going to do about that, I might see if I can shift around the motor a little (you'll see why in moment) or failing that hammer the floor a little)
The passenger's side header was a bitch to get in. Again coil packs had to be removed, the starter motor had to be removed, also everything attached to the side of the fuse box had to be removed, the original S14 fuel filter and lines had to be removed and the huge bracket holding up the ABS module had to be removed too. we loosened the mount and hoisted the engine a little and the header went in after a little coaxing. Once it was in the clearance to the bell housing by where the starter goes is really tight but it clears, it also clears the floor unlike the driver's side. however it hits the engine cross member.
http://solid-orange..../07/header2.jpg
http://solid-orange..../07/header3.jpg
http://solid-orange..../07/header4.jpg
We marked it with a sharpie where it hits the cross-member. I'd like to see if I can shift the passenger's side UP slightly and the driver's side down slightly, that might fix this collision issue, as well as the floor board header collision on the drivers side, and clear up a tiny bit of space where the alternator bracket rubs the hood. Failing that I'm going to either hammer or slightly grind the top of the engine cross-member.
A note about the fitment of stuff, the ABS bracket will have to have the long arm that bolts to the frame rail removed completely, this shouldn't effect it too badly since it bolts to the chassis in three other places. Also the two brakes lines that go directly down from the module (rear brakes, and front right brake) will need to be bent back a little since they rub on the header as it is. I will take pictures of these changes when I make them.
On a whole I'm very happy with how today worked out, a few tweaks here and there but this is about what I had expected the first time I attempted this. I appreciate that Rich made the effort to make this right and send me new parts that worked and got them here when I needed them.
One last pic... I'm totally 4x4ing even with the LS1 in... and the car sat much lower with the KA.
Today the headers are being dropped off at the ceramic coater
Post by: lostboyz on July 29, 2009, 12:01:00 PM
Post by: twistedsymphony on August 13, 2009, 01:24:00 PM
minor stuff that I DID actually get out of the way:
-headers picked up from the ceramic coater (they look friggin awesome)
-ordered sway bar spacers (stock location wont clear the oil pan)
-modified the ABS bracket to clear the passenger's side header, cleaned it up re-painted and re-installed it
-pulled the steering column all the way out of the dash, and cleaned up and repainted the engine side of it.
-Ordered a power steering restrictor from Turn One which should make the steering feel more natural after the swap (from what I've heard the OEM pump is overkill)
-working on a circuit to handle the speedo conversion
stuff unrelated to the swap:
-I thought of a way to clean up some kouki taillights that I bought (since they were faded) and it turned out AWESOME, I installed the center section and need to clean up the sides a little more before I install though
-ordered some clear headlight covers (no fluting) and some Bi-Xenon Projectors with HIDs to do a retro conversion... ended up finding some kouki fenders and some cheap JDM kouki headlights so I'm going to re-sell the covers I just bought and retro the kouki headlights instead.
Post by: Liquid Oxygen on August 21, 2009, 06:45:00 PM
Post by: o The Drizzle o on September 20, 2009, 05:46:00 AM
Post by: yaazz on September 28, 2009, 05:05:00 PM
Post by: twistedsymphony on September 29, 2009, 09:51:00 AM
I installed the driver's side header, which entailed scrubbing the head with a wire brush and brake clean to get the old gasket bits soot and tape residue off... then I had to remove the brake master and booster, the coil packs and the alternator before hoisting up that side of the engine to get it in....
got the header mounted gasket slid in, and then torqued to spec. then re-assembled all the other crap I had to remove.
when i went to reinstall the steering column I realized the knuckle rubbed up against the 2nd runner from the front
so I bought a milling bit for my dremel and cut it out enough to clear without rubbing (it clears by about the width of a piece of paper... it shouldn't effect the strength of the knuckle at all , if you saw how and where it was cut you'd understand.
I was still weary of how close the other parts of the header were to the steering column so I hit up an old acquaintance to make me some cross member spacers... these would drop the motor DOWN by .25" the way the headers were shaped this would make more room for the steering column... I got those installed and it did free up a little more room, not as much as I'd hoped but enough.
after that I removed the back half of the original driveshaft and took measurements for my new driveshaft.
I also designed, ordered parts for and constructed the intake... which looks awesome
I installed the shift linkage, external shift boot as well as the decorative shift boot and I had a custom shift lever made up to fit the knob I wanted to use.
I also cut down the original factory fuel lines and had a hydraulics expert friend of mine mock up the fuel lines for me. we came up with a configuration to place the fuel filter/FPR under the decorative valve covers so the whole system is completely hidden. it looks awesome.
he had the lines made up and we went to install them last week but one of the fittings broke when we went to install them so he's getting that fixed right now...
I've done a few other things like mocked up the accelerator bracket and added a custom dead pedal
in the mean time I've got to finish up the wiring... and I've been designing the exhaust system.
once the wiring is done and the fuel lines are installed, I can put the other header in, re-install all the accessories and the cooling system... and I should be good to start her up
----------------------------------
on the vert I removed the EGR system,
even wrote a tutorial for it: http://tech.240sxone...de-egr-removal/
and installed a new starter so I could take it on a club cruise
also swapped out the clutch pedal and cleaned up the automatic brake pedal to fit with the clutch pedal better.
tonight if I have time I'm swapping out the gauge cluster for a digital one and I'm going to see if I can get it aligned soon because since I swapped out the shock/springs and tension rod bushings it could probably use it so I don't f-up the tires.
Post by: o The Drizzle o on November 06, 2009, 10:08:00 AM
Post by: twistedsymphony on November 12, 2009, 12:28:00 PM
it's actually easier for me to post what's LEFT to do as opposed to what has been done.
I'm 80% of the way through the wiring conversion, I'm waiting on some plug seals before I can finish it up (they should arrive this week)
I'm 95% done the Fuel lines, I need to call my buddy to see when he get over to my place and finish them up for me.
I ordered the parts I need to build the exhaust yesterday
I'm going to take some measurements again tonight and order the drive shaft.
once the wiring and fuel lines are done I'll need to put all the accessories back on the front of the motor, drop in the radiator, fill all the fluids and see if she runs
once that's one I'll need to drop in the Drive shaft and have the exhaust welded up before I can drive it.
it's very very close though
Post by: o The Drizzle o on March 02, 2010, 10:34:00 PM
Post by: twistedsymphony on March 11, 2010, 11:10:00 AM
Post by: deilzfcjk on May 10, 2010, 02:07:00 AM
Post by: twistedsymphony on May 17, 2010, 11:13:00 AM
click the solid-orange link in my sig.
Post by: twistedsymphony on January 11, 2011, 03:55:00 PM
Post by: grim_d on January 16, 2011, 01:00:00 PM
God I want a v8.
Post by: lostboyz on January 19, 2011, 08:16:00 PM
Post by: deilzfcjk on January 30, 2011, 04:31:00 AM
Post by: twistedsymphony on March 09, 2011, 03:51:00 PM
car runs beautifully, I was able to drive it for about a month before it got put away for the winter.
only problem is that on a 2+ hour drive the clutch started slipping a bit, I think maybe the fluid was getting too warm.
other than that it has some lose ends, like the speedo needs to be hooked up, I need to build a false floor to put over the computer to protect it and I need to re-install AC
I haven't done much to it over the winter. but on Saturday I'm bringing all my front end conversion parts to the paint shop to have them painted to match the car.
once I'm done it will look almost exactly like this:
^(except for the grill and the lip)
-----
As for the LSD, it's the factory R200v right now, but I plan on swapping to an S15 Helical with Q45 gears at some point.