mpact1981
10-13-2013, 12:23 AM
This build is already a year old but now that noticeable differences are finally happening and mistakes already being made I decided I should start documenting things more accurately and maybe get some tips along the way. By the way, I HAVE NEVER DONE MORE THAN SIMPLE MAINTENANCE BEFORE STARTING THIS PROJECT! I'm not some professional welder that's built 200 race cars like some of you, so cut me some slack... I also have a job and a family, along with deployments to deal with so this build will not happen overnight.
So, a little over a year ago my wife's sister called me and said she blew the engine in her 93' 240SX and wanted to know if I still wanted it. All I had to do was go pick it up from the mechanics shop. TITS!
Only problem was I lived in NC and the car was in Louisiana. So my brother in LA gets the car and for just under $500 I get it shipped to my house in NC (6 months later)
https://scontent-b-ord.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-frc3/531606_596393010390580_2117344704_n.jpg
Her mechanic was partially correct. low compression on 2 cylinders. It would have been nice if it was a quick fix but I had no desire to rebuild a Ka. The car was bone stock. I thought I got lucky seeing 5 lugs in the first picture but I soon realized when I got the car that they were hub caps.
https://scontent-b-ord.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-frc1/734508_596393003723914_222771451_n.jpg
First things first, I knew that engine had to come out. Being the typical drunk idiot in the garage, I started unplugging and unbolting everything without labeling shit, or even knowing what most of it was for that matter...
https://scontent-b-ord.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/734165_596393083723906_527266130_n.jpg
Those little straps broke, had to run to lowes and buy a chain, but I finally got it out.
https://scontent-b-ord.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/72473_596393053723909_1156215362_n.jpg
https://scontent-a-ord.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/26271_596392987057249_812397285_n.jpg
I continued gutting the engine bay and prepping for paint.
But then I ran into a good deal on some 300z brakes. They were in terrible condition though so I ordered rebuild kits for them and painted them with some autozone engine bay paint. I also ordered some cheap drilled and slotted rotors.
https://scontent-a-ord.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/313455_596393070390574_222094288_n.jpg
https://scontent-a-ord.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/31909_596393093723905_6691345_n.jpg
https://scontent-b-ord.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/s720x720/44842_611953592167855_2002159973_n.jpg
While this was going on I decided to do the 5 lug swap and add the 300z uprights in the rear with e-brake assemble. Little did I know that the bottom of the strut was different and would not work.
https://scontent-a-ord.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/529660_611953618834519_1089734081_n.jpg
So I ordered coils with the lower z32 mount and thought I had this problem solved
https://scontent-a-ord.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/936463_637051656324715_1572264632_n.jpg
But when I got it all back together, I noticed this is the HIGHEST my back end will go. the z32 lowers are about 1 3/4" shorter than the 240 lowers. I'm not happy about it but I guess before this build is done I will end up cutting the fenders and putting some flares on there so I can straighten the camber at least to the point where it isn't eating through tires.
http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j64/mpact1981/2013-06-29195358.jpg
So, a little over a year ago my wife's sister called me and said she blew the engine in her 93' 240SX and wanted to know if I still wanted it. All I had to do was go pick it up from the mechanics shop. TITS!
Only problem was I lived in NC and the car was in Louisiana. So my brother in LA gets the car and for just under $500 I get it shipped to my house in NC (6 months later)
https://scontent-b-ord.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-frc3/531606_596393010390580_2117344704_n.jpg
Her mechanic was partially correct. low compression on 2 cylinders. It would have been nice if it was a quick fix but I had no desire to rebuild a Ka. The car was bone stock. I thought I got lucky seeing 5 lugs in the first picture but I soon realized when I got the car that they were hub caps.
https://scontent-b-ord.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-frc1/734508_596393003723914_222771451_n.jpg
First things first, I knew that engine had to come out. Being the typical drunk idiot in the garage, I started unplugging and unbolting everything without labeling shit, or even knowing what most of it was for that matter...
https://scontent-b-ord.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/734165_596393083723906_527266130_n.jpg
Those little straps broke, had to run to lowes and buy a chain, but I finally got it out.
https://scontent-b-ord.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/72473_596393053723909_1156215362_n.jpg
https://scontent-a-ord.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/26271_596392987057249_812397285_n.jpg
I continued gutting the engine bay and prepping for paint.
But then I ran into a good deal on some 300z brakes. They were in terrible condition though so I ordered rebuild kits for them and painted them with some autozone engine bay paint. I also ordered some cheap drilled and slotted rotors.
https://scontent-a-ord.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/313455_596393070390574_222094288_n.jpg
https://scontent-a-ord.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/31909_596393093723905_6691345_n.jpg
https://scontent-b-ord.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/s720x720/44842_611953592167855_2002159973_n.jpg
While this was going on I decided to do the 5 lug swap and add the 300z uprights in the rear with e-brake assemble. Little did I know that the bottom of the strut was different and would not work.
https://scontent-a-ord.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/529660_611953618834519_1089734081_n.jpg
So I ordered coils with the lower z32 mount and thought I had this problem solved
https://scontent-a-ord.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/936463_637051656324715_1572264632_n.jpg
But when I got it all back together, I noticed this is the HIGHEST my back end will go. the z32 lowers are about 1 3/4" shorter than the 240 lowers. I'm not happy about it but I guess before this build is done I will end up cutting the fenders and putting some flares on there so I can straighten the camber at least to the point where it isn't eating through tires.
http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j64/mpact1981/2013-06-29195358.jpg