NISM0's 240 Thread: Still Around

3,174
United States
Pinckney, MI
NISMO_S13
If I had the money
A few years ago I bought a 1989 Nissan 240SX. It sat dormant for years until we touched it. Earlier this month we got new suspension on it and the ball began to roll again. Although after the suspension was done, I was lost on what to do next. The goal of this thread is to keep updates on my car and get help with what to do next from the people here who seem to know everything.

Current Mods:

  • Powered by Max Coilovers
  • Megan Racing exhaust
  • Straight Pipe (Test Pipe)
  • Upper Front Strut Bar
  • Rocket Bunny Duck Tail
  • Enkei 92 Wheels
  • Hankook RS3

Future Mods
  • Roll Cage
  • Rebuild or replace rest of suspension
  • Redo Brakes
  • Fix my missing lug
  • Paint
  • Fix frame rust best as possible
  • Fuel Cell
  • KA24DE to be rebuilt

I don't have enough money to do much right now, around 2 grand, but since at the moment I have no other things to pay for, the 240 gets it all. I'm going between getting new brakes and a new front right lug (I only have 3), getting new wheels (too many on list), and getting the Rocket Bunny kit. I'm thinking brakes are probably the best move right now since they are the most important and the others are just visual.

And now a few photos to make the thread complete.

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Yay?

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Cool, that's one of biggest things I'm concerned with :lol:. I want it to at least sit well while the the rest of the body starts to come together.
 
If you're serious about wheels you're going to want a 5-lug swap. It's nearly impossible to find appropriately sized wheels for a 240 that are 4-lug.
 
That's what I've been thinking....well realizing. The wheels I've been looking at are some SSR Professor, Ronals, TE 37s and such, but they rarely show up in 4 lug. I have found some, but they are pretty expensive and hard to come across. I think though I'll put wheels lower on the list since they're so many choices and ways to get them.
 
(Future mods change front bumper) jokes beauty is in the eye of the beholder:) but anyways im looking forward to seeing the updates.
 
If you're serious about wheels you're going to want a 5-lug swap. It's nearly impossible to find appropriately sized wheels for a 240 that are 4-lug.

I have to ask, are spacers illegal in America like they are here? I have the same problem but if I do a 5-bolt swap it's going to be defected. Luckily I've already found a set of wheels that fit the Skyline nicely. I'm actually pretty sure the 240/180SX has the same sort of stud pattern as mine does.
 
I don't think they're illegal here, my dad has some on his Focus. My stud pattern is 4x114.3, excpet the front where its 3x114.3.
 
Spacers are not legal in Michigan, I have no idea about other states.

Looks good though, you're on your way to building up a decent looking car. You going to drift it or just keep something sporty to play around with?
 
Ha well that's were it gets fun. I know it won't fit some peoples taste, but I think it should look cool. My plan is to make a stancework, rally, autocross car. I'm going to keep it clean, no rust or zip ties, all nice neat is my goal. I may get a light pod later when I have money and throw the spare tire in the rear like the Focus Rally cars had. Then you know the stanceworked thing, and the autocross side would just be tight suspension, full roll cage ( I guess rally too), but just make it racey. No idea when it'll all start really coming together since the winter is coming :guilty:, but that's been my vision for awhile now. All I have left to do on the body is the front lip and some sort of fender flares, possibly Rocket Bunny, and then a Wangan or duck tail wing. After that though the body is done. I'm not sure on what color yet though, matte black was on the list but it seems to be really popular now so I don't know about that one.

Oh yea, I also like the huge diffusers that some time attack cars have.
 
You had me at Stanceworks :lol:.

But sounds like a pretty cool idea, I'll be curious to see how it all comes together. I'm sick of seeing the same crap over and over again in the automotive world, it's like no one can think for themselves. I'll keep up to date on this for sure and I'm sure I'll see it eventually since we tend to run into each other at various events.
 
Spacers are not legal in Michigan, I have no idea about other states.

Really?

I'm guessing it's roughly as illegal as not having all of your emissions equipment intact... As in while according to the law it's illegal, there's no simple way for you to get called on it here.
 
Yup, however as long as you do have those ridiculous stuck out wheels and tires that Latino's love to rock on crappy pick-ups or mini vans from the 80's, I think you are fine.
 
Yea I'm hopping it comes out well. It'll be different that's for sure so that's a positive. You'll probably see it eventually, once we get a new battery and find out why it can hold a charge, and why the clutch pedal is laggy, but after that it should be fine.
 
My plan is to make a stancework, rally, autocross car.
The car isn't going to be good at any of those if you try to go for all of them, and you've already got the wrong coilovers for everything but being "stanced."

PBM coilovers are mainly set up for drifting, and they're underdamped on the compression end and overdamped on the rebound, so basically on quick transitions or bumpy roads (i.e. autocrossing and rally) they bottom out and stay there until the bumps/quick transitions stop and the car has enough time to return to normal height. Although, from my understanding it's a pretty predictable setup for drifting, but I've never drifted on a set.



That aside, my advice is buying a 5 lug conversion and doing a 300zx brake swap at the same time, and then buying some wheels to go with it. That way you take care of brakes and wheels and widen your options as far as wheel choice goes.

Oh, and get a oem lip for the front of it. Pignoses look somewhat decent with a lip on them, and just terrible without it.
 
If possible, I do not think you have a differential... I may be wrong on this one.
240sx Tech is your friend
You can also find the Factory Service Manual on the net somewhere.
S13lip.jpg

I may try that when I get paid. Where did you get your upper strut bar?
 
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The car isn't going to be good at any of those if you try to go for all of them, and you've already got the wrong coilovers for everything but being "stanced."

Oh, and get a oem lip for the front of it. Pignoses look somewhat decent with a lip on them, and just terrible without it.

I just want the look of the mix. I know it could never do rally, but I love the way they look so I'd like to mix it in.

I have an oem lip I just haven't gotten it on yet.

I may try that when I get paid. Where did you get your upper strut bar?

Ebay. The same place where I got the car :lol:.
 
Thank you, I'm glad the stance worked out good.

I'll be sure to keep this updated, but it's going to take a little bit to get it road ready again and the winter is coming so that's going to pretty much halt all progress.
 
So, just a question. I know everybody knows the Rocket Bunny cars, they're awesome. I love the fender flares they have and they sell them by themselves. What I'm wondering is, how bad would it look with the flares by themselves and no front, rear, or side skirts? I don't mind if they stick out a lot, since I can just get some spacers. I'm goiong to get the duck tail for sure, but the flares just stand out to me and I really want them. I just don't want to get them and find out they won't fit by themselves or just look bad.
 
The flares for the hatchback are designed for use with the whole body kit.
 
The flares for the hatchback are designed for use with the whole body kit.
Agreed. They will look very overdone by themselves.

I would just go with ZG flares, I think it would work well.

Although you're going to need some 10 inch wide wheels at least to make them look right. I'm not going that direction simply because I'm not willing to shell out the money required for maintaining that look without looking broke-status.
 
Alright thanks, I figured that would be the case but it was worth a shot. I'll defiantly look at the ZG Flares and other like it. Maybe someday I'll go with an entire Rocket Bunny, but I'm getting the wing for sure :D.

The whole wheel thing to me is the most confusing because I want the wheels to look good, but getting the right size so thy don't look bad seems tough. Right now I really like the Impuls Silhouettes I saw on the StanceWorks forums. Those are just :drool:.
 
Don't buy JIC Magic Coilovers, I have them on my 350z. They're really nice but if your going to be autocrossing, they might blowout on you. Invest the money into some Stance or HKS Hipermax RS 3 I think coilovers. Tein's are just super overpriced. I would for sure start with your suspension. Then wheels and tires. You don't need an expensive brake kit for your car. Do some research, 300zx brakes are quite common I believe with 240s. You shouldn't be investing into a RB or SR swap quite yet. Learn how your car handles at its limit. Then start adding small modifications. Trust me, you will be much more happier if you learn how to handle your car at its limits early on then throwing a RB26 or SR20 and trying to go balls to the wall on your first track day. God forbid that you blow your motor during your first track day.
 
I have Max Coilovers on right now, I just need anti roll and other small parts. I was thinking about 300 brakes for while and engine swap is WAY down the list, if it even happens. Not too much is going to happen in the next 4 or 5 months so I have time to plan everything out better.
 
I know this may not sit well with everybody, but it's my car :D. Last weekend I went to a Hot Rod show that takes place every year. The basement is always home to the Rat Rods, which are my favorites by far. That got me thinking, what would the 240 look with the hood grinded down to the bare metal? I don't want it to get all rusty, although I know it'll happen because of the bare metal. It's really just a test run to see what will happen. I don't plan on going to the steel on anyother part of the so hopefully it'll look good with the black I plan on painting it.

The drill I was using and the metal brush really did nothing so tomorrow I'm going to get some better sanding pieces. I'm pretty pleased with the little bit that is showing through now and can't wait for the whole thing to be done. Plus, it feels good to be working on a car again and doing some mods.

I also plan on putting legit hot rod looking louvers in the hood too. I want to get a nice mix of import and classic American cars in it. A little like Rusty from StanceWorks, just not as extreme.

Here's the little bit of progress I've got done. Like I said, not much, but it gets the imagination going.


Corner Drill by NISM0_SKYLINE, on Flickr
 
I think it's gonna look bad but when it's done and you're not happy with it you can always just paint over it.

I think SR20's are overpriced, and you should try and ditch the SOHC engine and go for a KA24DE. Build + turbo it and you'll have a nice reliable motor that produces a significant amount more useable power than an SR20 or RB20, and won't blow up when you look at it wrong like an RB26.
 
Yea, that's why I'm not too worried, a nice paint job can fix anything.

I think for right now I'm just going to rebuild the KA and see what I can swap out of it. Since it's cheaper I can get more down and I can tear it down myself since I already have it.
 
Haterz are gunna hate, always. If you like it, roll with it.

And you better take it out this summer and we better have a Michigan meet up. Ty is getting suspension on his ZX2 and Brad is doing something, listening to Lady Gaga in the Celica probably. I'm getting a suspension setup on the Cooper too. A BBQ and photoshoot is definitely in order!
 
Honestly you could go DE cheap as... Head/intake/header/DE ECU. Well, provided the harnesses are all the same etc.

Few hundred for a good chunk of power sounds like a decent deal to me.

Or, just an idea, Ford 4.6 DOHC swap. It'd cost roughly the same as an SR swap given you can quite literally get the motor for free + elbow grease and make 280-300hp at the crank right off the bat.

As for the bare metal hood... I think it could go either way honestly; it'll definitely be "different" but I don't know yet whether it'll be a good or bad different.

Edit: As for a Michigan meet... Hopefully my Bird will be running/driving soonish; if it is, I'll do my best to be there.
 
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