I just turned 16, got my license a few weeks ago and I got a job. By September I’m hoping to purchase a 240. I should have about $5000 at the time. Heres the question. I know I want to do a SR20DET or RB20DET swap and I am fairly knowledgeable about cars also I’m a quick learner. So heres the question, since I’m storing it until I’m about 17 or 18 anyways and I plan to buy and install parts here and there when I get the money… should I buy a roller 240 in good condition and rebuild it from the ground up since I know what I want… or buy a complete 240 in good condition with a ka24 in it and sell the spare parts when I do the engine swap? Also which is cheaper to insure, the coupe or the hatch, thanks. I may also be interested in importing a 240… well silvia rather if the right price comes up.
Hey Stiky, i’m also from the rhill. Whats good? I was in the same position as you a couple years ago. My 2 cents is that if its your first car you should start with a stock s13 coupe or hatch doesnt matter i’m pretty sure insurance is the same. I think that a ka is a great starting engine. An sr seems like too much power for a first car, especially on stock suspension. There are alot of young s13/s14 owners who think about buying a “project” and then fixing it up and talking about throwing in an SR or and RB and building it to 300whp. This is a bad idea in my opinion, you’ll probably end up spinning yourself into a tree and wrecking your hard work.
Instead, focus on working the chassis to pristine condition and ensuring that the rust is completely elminated. Next i would replace those worthless struts and springs for some good struts and lowering springs (i think coils are overkill if this is going to be your DD). I opted for teins and gr2s, a good replacement if you’re looking for DD. This season i’m going for some stiffer springs like H&Rs and either koni yellows or tokico adjustables.
After, i would opt for some sways and endlinks and move onto other suspension stuff like adjustable RUCAS, LCAS essentially your multilink set up.
I want an SR too but i dont think i’ll be swapping it in until i run another season with my KA. If you have any questions we could meet up at a local nissan meet and talk it over.
In no way am i knowledgeable about s13s as i’m just another younger member, but i was in the same position and i think i chose the proper path.
yay another 16 year old from richmond hill !!!
im probably gonna get a stock car and just look for good condition frame…
ill worry about the sr and rb stuff once I get more money…
for now I just gotta keep saving.
btw cal were you at master qs yesturday?
Yea that was me. Later that night there was another white coupe pretty clean with a bings front lip parked beside me. Had steelies on and looked stock ride height
Yeah, I’m above average knowledge wise I would say, as I know alot more then most kids my age. Although I see what you mean about a stock car. I think i might hold out on the SR or RB swap and build up the chassis first to make sure it can handle the power without twisting. The good thing is though one of my friends might do an RB swap to his coupe so I’ll have a guideline to go buy. I know for sure I’m doing the one thing I’m doing is either a S13 or S15 swap as I absolutely hate the pig/shark nose looks wise. I shall see though, I hope to have my car by mid July, and a nice stock of parts by september… (suspension, rims/tires, lip kit, seats, harnesses, and maybe the front end conversion) I also want this to be a track car since I dont have money for two cars, is a gutted interior street legal or what, as long as I maintain the radio and etc?
wow you’ll get your car by july? nice
lol ill get mine by next year HOPEFULLY =P
but for now the suzuki aerio is awsome
well good luck with your project man sounds like you’ve got it planned out well
Yeah it’s because I’m saving every dime I make this summer, and I’ve had it planned out for about a year or two now, just need to find the parts for it and a garage.
lol this is sick cause im doing the exact same thing in a bit exept for the s15 end
Yea its all up to your own discretion, but i’d hold out on, the s15 front end espeically since its a HUGE investment and you dont want your nub g2 driving skills spinning a couple thousand dollar front end into a tim hortons. Gutted interior is legally acceptable, but if you cant afford 2 cars, i’d say keep the interior in until you have a beater. There’s no law that says you need an audio system. As long as you have all factory safety features installed and factory seatbelts (no 4 point harnesses) you’re pretty much good to go.
You can do with your car however you like, but just remember build and drive your car relative to your experience and make sure you dont make stupid moves like throwing a silvia front end onto a rusting coupe and driving it around without turn signals or a rebar just cause you’re to cheap to buy those. If you’re going to do a conversion, see it to the end, dont go half way and say “i’ll get that rebar later”.
Yeah, thats the thing, I either do the job right or I dont do it at all. I see what you mean about the g2 as well, I know what I want to do to the car eventually though. As for the 4 point harness, you can not use it for the street? Along with this, by gutted I mean right now only the back of the car (trunk space, seats, etc) and what not, I will probably keep the front of the car carpeted.
I didnt read all of the other posts, but my advise is to buy a stock 240, get it road worthy, maybe add a few minor mods if you want.
Start out stock, learn the car, learn its limits and develop driving skill. A stock 240 has plenty of power for someone just starting out. If you feel and learn the car when its stock you will appreciate every modification you do to it becuase you will notice the difference each part does and how it effects the dynamics of the car. Just feeling what different parts do is amazing experience into learning about your car.
Then when you get ahold of that and feel confortable with the car go ahead and add more power, brakeing ect. You wouldnt want to run that pretty S15 front into a fence because the road was wet and slick and you took a turn a bit to fast.
Thats my advise, take it as you wish.
Yeah, I’ve driven a stock 240 before but it was auto and I fell in love with it. I’m probably just going to buy a stocker and work on it because I want to learn the car inside out. I need to work on driving stick though, I’ve only driven it once or twice and I’m not that bad, just my down shifting.
Lawlz.
Sorry =(
pretty surprised to see there alot of 240sx enthusiasts in richmond hill… cool
thats pretty awsome man … i guess i was a bit like you. Real advise though … MAKE SURE, that you either own a beater, or a daily driver before you get a project car. I made the biggest mistake ever, buying a project before a beater, and now i’ve lost all that hard earned money. But, i did gain alot of experience and i learned a new life lesson. It may not seem like a big difference, but life is easier with 2 cars. Also, when you buy your s13, make sure that your not only checking for rust, chek the strut towers, hatch, rear trunk ( if its a hatch), life the carpet, check for rust. Bring it to a shop, lift it up, inspect EVERYTHING. DO NOT let this be your downfall. I thought i was smart, and fairly knowledgeable, but i ended up fucking myself over, after saving and planning for nearly 3 years, just because i didint pay attention to the small details. But yea … those are just my 2cents. Right now, for me, im stuck with a useless rolling chassis, and empty pockets. But, i learned my lesson, and now im going to sell it, save up for a daily, then get a clean s13.
bring car up form the US. rust free S13. replace interior parts as necessary.
focus on susp. brakes and tires
Yeah I see what you’re saying, how much would that cost though?
An Sr20det is not too much power lol…but if your not confident get a fresh ka 240sx from U.S.
Yeah, I’ve driven a mustang before and it didnt seem like too much power, I could handle it, so I dont know how a silvia with a SR20 would compare.