Nissan 240sx

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Prowler

Super Moderator
I'm looking at a 1990 Nissan 240SX. I don't know a whole lot about them, but what I've read makes me want one more and more. I took a friends 92 Camaro out for a spin today and am now convinced I need RWD. Drifting y0! That's the number one selling point I've found in the Nissan. Second, it's cheap insurance and cheaply priced, under $3000. That would give me cash to spend on it for a trade in of my auto Accord. People I know who have had 240's have loved them. Reviews on Edmunds.com were very good and it seems that the cars have few problems and strong engines. Also I can swap in an SR20DET =)
Now onto the specs of the car:
1990, 140hp, 5 speed, rwd, 12valve, 2.4L, red, sunroof, good interior/exterior, 2600lb's.
008173-E.jpg

Anyone care to add info on the 240? Know people who've had one? Recommend me selling my automatic 94 Accord with 130k miles for it? Thanks!
 
The Basics

The 240sx is a badass car. No doubt about it. Shares similar rear suspension with the 300zx, great front to rear weight ratio, very neutral handling at the edge, stable at high speeds. The coupe has a stiffer chassis and is aa true a Silvia(PS13) as you'll probably get if you do the front end conversion. It is also slightly better for drifting due to the added metal behind the seats. The hatchback (RPS13) is slightly heavier due to the extra glass, but nonetheless a amazing car. The Kouki JDM taillights are very nice, resembling the R32 style. The front end can also be swaped to creat a Sil180 and looks excellent, it was such a popular swap that nissan released some sil180 body styles from the factory.

Power Time!

For the $ this car is deadly. The swaps can be less or more than a Honda swap, depending on what you know, where you go, and what you do. Some of the engines you can put into the S13 chassy and the latter chassis are: SR20DET, CAxxDET (xx = 18 and 20), RBxxDET(T) (xx = 20, 25, 26+). These are all powerful and have pro's and con's. If you do an SR, you are going to be fast, no question. A stock SR20DET with intake, exhaust, BOV, and boost contoller pushes an easy 230-250 whp. they can potentially lay (skilled driver) a low 13 high 12 in the 1/4 mile.

The Turns

Sure its powerful, but man can this thing turn! Minor suspension tuning will see it playing with the true sports cars. Truely skilled suspension tuning will see it matching and passing many of the sports cars. There are different set ups in its suspension, road race, track, drag, street, and of course...Dorifto!. This car loves to be sideways just like the AE86 [if you dont know what it is, learn about it] does. This is THE if not one of the most popular drift cars in Japan, and other countries like Austrailia where it has a huge following which means easy to get cheap parts(the exchange is half for us.).



I'll stop there, I could go on for days and days about the whole nissan family. ANy questions, go try Freshalloy.com, its a bood basic site...there are many more. Or Message me. I may own a honda(Turbo D = Crazy torque) but I am obsessed with Nissans...and hondas.

Rob

:lol:
 
i looked forever for one before i got my lude. i would only buy a coupe and only nice one. the ones i found tended to be ragged out and in need of a lot of minor repairs. i say look untill you you find a nice coupe or untill you can't stand to look any more.
 
Thats a good way to go, get a clean car that way. You can pick em up for 800$ with a blown motor here and there. I'd say pay the least possible.
 
The one and only bad thing on a 240sx is the transmission. They do not take the abuse that the rest of the car can put them through. Now the good stuff handles great, responds well to small mods, Will take any and all abuse you throw at it (except transmission) has several engine choices which others have already listed, stiff chassis. The cars are great just get a HD transmission and you will not be disappointed.
 
There is will be a S13 rollin out in Montana in a few weeks, there is alot more to do with the Sr20DET swap than what is obvious, my friend who is building it has spent a few years researching the best parts to build this car and still it has taken forever. It is a sweet idea but is way harder to get a lot of the parts and finding a Coupe in decent shape is even harder it seems.
 
first, sprocker, tell your friend to get the jdm JUN front bumper. Much better, just over $700 B)

240sx.org is a very good site. They have good info as well as insight as to what shops will swap very professionally.

As for engines, the sr20 is very good for 300-350hp(little over) on stock internals and requires more money for 400hp+.
The ca18 is good to about 250-maybe300hp on stock internals, but is relatively cheaper for 400hp+ compared to the sr.
And of course RB series are good for a lot of power everywhere.

So I would say get the engine for what hp numbers you're looking for. Sr's make good 300hp's cheaper than a ca, but because of it's design the ca can produce a lot more hp easier for less cash than the sr.(of course, it still costs a bunch for real high numbers on a ca)
 
I think I'll keep looking. The next year model of 91 went to DOHC 16v and 15hp more. Ideally I want a 95 and will be on the look out this summer.
The guys name that's selling here is Pat Dolan or Olson. I can't exactly remember, but ask at American Spirit and they know. Just in case any of your friends were looking.
 
Well my friend already has a bumper, a friend of ours was in Japan and got ahold of Bomex of Japan and got it shipped over here, the main thing to make the SR get the high Hp is little things that help make it run better, like using the MAF sensor from a 300zx and lots of stuff like that. My friend has been working with Heavy Throttle to get the right parts to hit over 300Hp, the only thing he is still needing is a Jim wolf ECU, but he's just going to use an SAFC and some bigger injectors until he gets the money for the JWT ECU, there is also a 1996 240 being built by another friend but he just bought his Fiance some fake boobs so he's broke but having his own fun for a while. Man maybe I should sell my car and get my girlfriend some fake boobs. Prowler good luck if you go for it, only problem is the weight, you could get a hatchback civic or CRX and do a swap and the throw on a turbo or even some now and be able to smoke almost anyone, although the drifting won't be there. Well maybe I'll see you around town this weekend!
 
I'll be out this weekend Friday and/or Saturday night after 9. A friend showed me today an awesome drag area that's marked. Go along the river past American Spirit and the turn before Planet Lockwood. A ways out there you can find a long strip of abandoned highway. Next to no one lives out there and the one big building has people that dont' care. They've watched for a few years the muscle cars race up and down. I was out there today lighting off fireworks, and got a few vids for everyone to enjoy. The sound does no justice at all, sorry for that. Watch the video first and then check out the pics
http://www.hondagallery.com/~prowler/junk/shoebomb.avi
http://www.hondagallery.com/~prowler/junk/shoe1.jpg
http://www.hondagallery.com/~prowler/junk/shoe2.jpg
http://www.hondagallery.com/~prowler/junk/...ottlerocket.avi
Good ol' Montana fun, where you can buy illegal fireworks at Indian Reservations. They classify all that stuff as rodent control, so you can buy it legally there.
 
let me tell you, my friend had a 93 w/ super hicus(aws over 30mph) and it was FAST, but he went through 3 cluches in less than 6 months. All of them were hi-performance and one of them was a stage 2.
 
I've had my heart set on one of these for a few months, just saving my cents to buy one, so far I have a used condom, 3 pennies, and a half a stick of buble gum I found on the street. I want the newer body style? and thoughts on pro/cons of newer body to older body? other than $$$?
 
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