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View Full Version : What Should I Do S14 After Front Crash?


kairojya
10-30-2012, 07:25 PM
I've taken over a build from a friend, it was mine for awhile, then his, now he went to JDM-land for a few years so I'm back in charge ... anyhow for the full details of my build plans/progress feel free to check it out here: Taking Over This Kouki Project (http://www.tamparacing.com/forums/nissan-builds-projects/793002-taking-over-kouki-project.html)

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So I have a 97 240sx with an S14 SR and Greddy FMIC kit. My friend rear-ended someone lightly and of course the car has no bumper support or crash bar. The impact was around the passenger headlight and pushed in apron around the battery try a bit. The car has been sitting around for a bit before I picked it up.

So far a body guy pulled out the apron area a bit but it's definitely not to spec:

http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/3423/img0421sj.jpg

I have since relocated the fuse-box to the cabin and swapped to some widened fenders. This is how the car sits currently:

http://img213.imageshack.us/img213/6448/20121030181946.jpg

Some things to note:
-The upper radiator support (blue) is rivetted in on the left and right sides at the top part of the chassis (under where the front fender bolt location is) and those three brackets/runners in the front are bolted at the bottom behind the intercooler.
-The part behind the drivers headlight has been removed from the radiator support and I intend to remove the part behind the passenger headlight too
-The middle bracket is only used by the intercooler as I have hood-latches and do not use the OE latch
-The headlight brackets do me no good as they are for Zenki headlights
-These fenders equally do me no good because mounting the headlight to them seems like a sure way to fail

What should I do?
This is very much a project car for me and I have the funds and time to do it right. I will barely drive the car when finished and I just want a clean, functional, fast street car (400whp~).

The way I see it I have these options:

use this haggard Zenki upper support and make it bolt-on (for easier engine pulls) or weld it in place. Then make new brackets for the headlights.
have a body shop professionally install an OE replacement core support ($450~ for the part, god knows how expensive the labor will be)
have a fabricator make some kind of tube setup. Keep in mind whichever option I still need a crash bar/bumper support made anyhow


I figure I could also have tubs made while I'm at, especially since I'm running Enkei 18x10.5 +15 all around ... I think I'm going to get a couple 9" wide wheels for the front eventually..

I'm thinking if I go the custom route, I could either move my intercooler or get a new one and have shorter plumbing made. I'm somewhat on the fence about keeping A/C, so I'm not sure if there's anyway I could do a v-mount setup and retain my condensor lol. Should I even bother going the custom route? The intercooler was twisted somewhat in the wreck, I straightened it back out on a press and it held 25 PSI when I tested it on the bench.

I have a 2871 .86 with a welded internal WG, a Ryo tubular manifold, a Ryo elbow, and a Synapse 40mm WG that will be going on the car as soon as I get this all figured out..