My 1989 240sx Fastback Daily Driver and AutoX Build

[EveryQuarterMile]

So I bought my 1989 240sx Fastback in November of 2014. It is a KA24E with about 132,000 miles, an automatic transmission, and in daily driving conditions. The previous owner drove it through high school and some of college, and has kept the beauty stock. She didn't know much about cars, which had its ups and downs when I bought the S13. It was good since she had her mechanic service it whenever he said she needed to, but bad because not everything had been properly kept up with.

Anyway, the plan for this car is for it to be a daily driver and a fun weekend autocross toy. It is already a great deal of fun, so I expect to enjoy it even more as more things are added and changed!

To clarify a bit, I'm a full-time college student (majoring in criminal justice) and will be focusing basically all of my money and free time to this car. I don't have much experience working on cars at all, but the main point of this build was for me to learn!

I'm rather OCD, so I will be tracking all expenses with the car~


PURCHASE PRICE: $1800

REPAIR/MAINTENANCE COST: $3374

MODS COST: $5787


Here were some of the problems when I first bought the car:
- Key stuck in the ignition [ fixed! ]
- Very worn suspension - thinking it could use new bushing as well as a wheel bearing.
- Rear tires needed replacing [ fixed! ]
- One of the belt pulleys is causing a belt to wear down, creating a loud squeal. [ fixed! it was the power steering pullet causing it, fixed for free when Lamb's busted my pump ;) ]
- A/C and heat have odd problems.
- Falling apart interior.
- Minor oil leak [ fixed! ]
- Muffler hangar loose [ fixed! ]
- Driver's window has problems rolling up/down [ fixed. Regulator & motor ]
- Clearcoat on the paint is peeling, but overall good.
- Pop-up headlights are stuck up [ motors work, don't know the issue ]

Here's what repairs and maintenance I've done so far:
- Freed the key from the ignition. Very strange problem, but it was free for me to fix!
- Bought two new rear tires (Goodyear GT Eagle All-Season). Fronts are still good.
- Fixed fuel leak.
- Tune-up (of course).
- Cleaned the throttle body.
- Cleaned the Idle Air Control Unit.
- Changed the fuel pump, fuel pump relay, and fuel filter.
- Changed the O2 sensor.
- Cleaned the MAF & added a new air filter.
- New TPS, throttle body, and U-bolt to attach catalytic converter (in progress).
- Timing chain replaced.
- Replaced exhaust manifold, since it was cracked.
- Alignment.
- Driver's window fixed. New regulator and motor.
- Fixed passenger window.
- Fixed the brake fluid leak.

What I'm working on now:
- Putting repairs aside since there is nothing to worry about (amazing for a 240!). I'm just working on mods now. Decided to put off the SR swap until after I graduate college in a year, and instead am adding some things along the way. Also, this car has been retired from being a daily driver and now is my project/auto-x car.

Here are the extras/mods I have added:
- A new stereo w/ bluetooth. It needed it :)
- A dashcam.
- S14 Front Seats.
- 17x9 4x114.3 +12 Rota Grids in blue.
- 235/45r17 Hankook Ventus V12s.
- Black Gorilla tuner locking lug nuts.
- Cusco front strut bar.
- DC Sports rear strut bar. ( tba )
- Whiteline adjustable front sway bar ( tba )
- Whiteline end links ( tba )
- Circuit Sports camber arms
- BC Racing BR Type coilovers
- Window tint.
- BMR 2.5" dual tip exhaust with 14" resonator


THE GAME PLAN: mods galore~

- Wheels/Tires: - COMPLETE
----- Rota Grids 17x9 +12 4x114.3.
----- Locking lug nuts
----- Hankook Ventua V12s 235/45r17

- Suspension: - COMPLETE
----- BC Coilovers.
----- Strut Bars [Cusco in front, DC Sports in the rear]
----- Rear camber arms (Circuit Sports)

- Brakes: - COMPLETE
----- New Q45 Calipers (Front)
----- StopTech Slotted Rotors (Front)
----- StopTech Slotted Rotors (Rear)
----- Ceramic Pads
----- New rear hubs.

- Performance: - IN PROGRESS
----- Motor swap (SR20DET).
----- Manual transmission swap.
----- BMR 2.5" Dual Tip Exhaust with 14" Resonator [ DONE ]
----- Endless other things.

- Interior: - IN PROGRESS
----- Front seats [ DONE ]
----- Console [ DONE ]
----- Glovebox
----- Viper alarm system
----- Sparco Blue & Black 330mm steering wheel [ PURCHASED ]
----- NRG short hub [ PURCHASED ]
----- NRG Gen 2 bllue & neochrome quick release [ PURCHASED ]
----- Eventually might reupholster and make it nice again.

- Exterior:
----- Sileighty conversion!
----- Gloss black main color. Might stick with the blue (like the wheels) for the secondary color. Also debating black & white.
----- 180sx body kit/silvia front bumper. Looking at 2F Performance rn.
----- 180sx taillights & wing.

Now, I know you've all been waiting for some pictures! My old 1993 Dodge Shadow (now sold) is shown in some of the photos.

http://i.imgur.com/KCoOxEe.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/SSBE8Gr.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/4CRHHfB.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/JNe7PHW.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/GPnPGSw.jpg


Also, his (my car's) name is Dante. Yes, he has a name.


Any advice you have is welcome, unless it's in regards to my plans and direction itself. Thanks for everything is advance!

LAST UPDATED: August 28, 2016
PAGE: 2

[EveryQuarterMile]

Sorry it took me so long to update this! There have been some developments with my S13.

REPAIRS: The timing chain needed to be replaced, so that's been done. It was stretched and a guide was missing. Still, the problem with my idle persists and the car is still guzzling gas. The next step is to replace the exhaust manifold, since it's cracked.

MODS: I bought S14 front seats! Yes, I did this before suspension. The seats were dangerous. And uncomfortable. The S14 seats are wonderful! Here are some pics:

http://i.imgur.com/AefZGxO.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/VTuiMLD.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/wy6rjxo.jpg

UP NEXT: Okay, so I've gotten sick of waiting. My car is an SOHC and I plan to do an engine swap anyway, so i figured, what the hell, I'll proceed with the mods. The plan was to go ahead and purchase wheels, tires, and suspension parts all at once since I've been saving for so long. However, the wheels I wanted ( SQUARE G6 Model ) were back ordered nationwide for 3-4 months. I decided not to wait that long, and am now leaning toward Varrstoen ES2.2 wheels.

Yes, they're replicas. Still, they have shining reviews from many places and are considered to be better quality than Rota and the like. I think I'll be getting them in matte black. At the same time I buy them I'll be purchasing the tires, coilovers, front sway bar, and strut bars. I'm going off to college so please no criticizing replica wheels. They'll get stolen if I buy something better, and I don't have the funds anyway. They'd just be for DD and a few autocross sessions!

Also, thoughts on camber kits? Are they needed? I've read so many varying opinions. I don't plan to lower the car a ton or anything!

That's it for now. I'm hoping to maybe order everything tomorrow... but I have an orientation with my university, so we'll see!

[R_Rod_s13]

Our cars are twins Haha stock pignose :2f2f: good luck with the build ! Seats look good btw .

[Reece]

My one suggestion, don't do a silvia front.

But the rest of your plans, tails and wing and wheels and such, sound like they could turn out alright.

[EveryQuarterMile]

Thanks for the replies guys! Though Reece, what would be wrong with the Silvia front? Curious as to why you wouldn't suggest it.

An update will be coming later today!

[hobbs]

Thanks for the replies guys! Though Reece, what would be wrong with the Silvia front? Curious as to why you wouldn't suggest it.

An update will be coming later today!

I wouldn't worry about Reece, he has no room to talk about style. Looks like you have a good platform to build your Sil80, good luck!

[EveryQuarterMile]

Thanks hobbs! Hopefully I can get it moving forward very soon. I'm very excited to work with this car!

REPAIRS: So I received the exhaust manifold at last. And guess what? A stud is bent. It also looked like it's been sitting a really long time and will need to be attacked with a grinder. I had every intent of putting this on myself, but because of the shape it's in I just don't trust myself to get it right. I've never done any exhaust work and definitely don't feel comfortable fixing the stud. I'm upset about that, but I brought it somewhere I trust and should have it back on Monday. I really wish I would have been able to do this myself, and I really was screwed over by this purchase. Don't buy from PartMyRide.com. I would go through the hassle of returning it, but after waiting so long to even get it I honestly just want to get my car running right. So cross your fingers, say your prayer, or whatever -- I just want this to work!

Also, after the timing chain was replaced the idle really didn't change much. It feels a bit stronger. Still, it's rough. However, my gas mileage did improve. I had been getting 7 mpg (NOT A TYPO) and now it's at about 14. Still not where it should be, but better.

Picture of the bent stud:
http://i.imgur.com/vOzH6Xtl.jpg

MODS: I received my Cusco front strut bar yesterday from forum member Levan. B. It arrived quickly and was very well packaged. It has also been freshly repainted and a new Cusco Racing sticker is on it! Only flaw is a small paint chip on one side. I don't really care about that, so I'm still pretty pleased. I'll be putting on the part pretty soon. Well, once I get my car back from the exhaust manifold replacement... It seems pretty perfect and will be the first "mod" the car sees. Aside from a stereo, dash cam, and S14 seats, that is.

I also ordered tons of parts! I'll mention those in the "up next" part of this. However, a set of black Gorilla locking lug nuts have also arrived. Yet no wheels yet. A bummer for me.

Pics of the strut bar:

http://i.imgur.com/RH5p9IPl.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/eL7007sl.jpg

UP NEXT: I ordered all of my parts! Well, for the suspension, wheels, and tires that is! The wheels I ended up getting were 17x9 4x114.3 +12mm Rota Grid wheels in blue. Not the VarrsToen wheels I was hoping for, since apparently every wheel I want never works out. I have literally been through 3 wheel choices before settling on the Rotas. The SQUARE G6 wheels were back ordered 3-4 months, the VarrsToen wheels apparently aren't produced anymore at all, and the Rota Grids I wanted first were in Gun Metal. Since I'm getting the ones in blue they are throwing in a free set of locking lug nuts, hub rings, and valve stems. They'll be fine for my needs.

Tires I ordered, and that are already waiting for the arrival of the wheels, are Hankook Ventus V12s. Size is 235/45r17 all the way around. Yes, 235/40 would have been better. Whatever. I'm going with it anyway!

Suspension parts ordered are as follows:
- BC Racing BR Type Coilovers [ not yet shipped ]
- DC Sports rear strut bar [ back ordered until Tuesday ]
- Whiteline adjustable front sway bar [ not yet shipped ]
- Circuit Sports end links [ not yet shipped ]
- Circuit Sports camber arms [ en route ]

I also ordered a Jegs jack and jackstands. I'll be receiving VarrsToen lug nuts for free too. Lots of updates coming soon!

[zooopreme]

I would highly recommend not going with the BC coilover route for autocross unless you had them custom valved. After going with Bilstein and Koni on two of my cars, I can honestly say they are the best bang for your buck. If you don't mind a higher ride height, that is.

Also, CS end links suck. I don't know this from personal experience on my cars BUT I installed these on my buddy's car (under load, fwiw) and they still failed on him. I would highly recommend SPL if you really want to go spherical for your end links.

[EveryQuarterMile]

@zooopreme - You're honestly the first person I've ever seen criticize BC coilovers. They are praised by everyone I talk to, on the web and in person. I have never seen one negative comments about them, even when they're being used for drifting or autocross. I've already ordered them and don't regret it one bit. They are mainly going to just be for daily driving, with a touch of autocross from time to time. I'm sure they're be perfectly fine for my needs.

As for the CS end links, I'll look them up some more. However, unless they're worse than the stock end links I'm sure they'll be okay. Haven't really seen anything negative about them. I don't think I'll be willing to spend $200 on the SPL ones unless the CS end links turn out to be horrible. Thanks for the advice though!

Moving to the update~

REPAIRS: So I got my car back, the new exhaust manifold on and everything. I was trying to stay positive, though I have to admit I'm not surprised that the rough idle is still there. It has improved. It always does, just a little bit. But still, it's idling rough and bogging some. HOWEVER - guess what? The gas mileage has gone up to about 19mpg! I must be doing something right, I suppose. I just figured the two problems were related is all.

Anyway. I'm trying to determine what to move to next. Any ideas are welcome, but please read what I've already done in my first post!


MODS: Since the Cusco front strut bar I have received my set of Gorilla lug nuts, my Circuit Sports camber arms, my Rota center caps, and my Jegs jackstands (but no jack!). I have not installed the strut bar yet, but I might try to today. I've just been busy.

Pics of the camber arms:

http://i.imgur.com/8SAKhcel.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/F0fbZnUl.jpg


UP NEXT: Still waiting for everything to arrive, but I'll be putting on the front strut bar soon!

QUESTION: Don't criticize, but I'd like a bit of advice. I'll be receiving my wheels before I receive my coilovers. If I put my 17x9 wheels on my car at stock height, will that be okay until I receive the coilovers? Or will this cause problems? Thanks~

[zooopreme]

I've driven many different coilover set ups including BC and I can definitely vouch for Koni and Bilstein on the affordable damper list. Heck, even off the shelf Koni Yellows outperform 99% of the coilovers that people love to run and off the shelf BC isn't as auto cross friendly and definitely not daily driver friendly when comparing the two.

If off the shelf coilovers are your thing, FEAL, Fortune Auto, and KW are the only routes to get the most of your money.

I'm not knocking on BC. I know they can take a beating but I know that for the price, you could've done things right the first time and better stuff like Koni, Bilstein, Feal, or Fortune Auto. KW's are obviously expensive but they're good enough to save for.

But hey, you've already purchased them.

As for your wheel question, it ultimately depends on your wheel's offset + tire. I would suggest holding off on mounting them on the car because 1.) at best, they may rub the shock; worst case scenario, they don't mount on with stock style struts 2.) your alignment is going to be off and if you do get it aligned at that height, you're not going to have to get another alignment after you get the coilovers on

[Reece]

I wouldn't worry about Reece, he has no room to talk about style. Looks like you have a good platform to build your Sil80, good luck!

LMAO Oh ok sorry.

OP, I think this car would be much cleaner with a popup front. It's hard to pull off a silvia front on a hatch. Everything looks good so far.

[bataangpinoy]

I've driven many different coilover set ups including BC and I can definitely vouch for Koni and Bilstein on the affordable damper list. Heck, even off the shelf Koni Yellows outperform 99% of the coilovers that people love to run and off the shelf BC isn't as auto cross friendly and definitely not daily driver friendly when comparing the two.

If off the shelf coilovers are your thing, FEAL, Fortune Auto, and KW are the only routes to get the most of your money.

I'm not knocking on BC. I know they can take a beating but I know that for the price, you could've done things right the first time and better stuff like Koni, Bilstein, Feal, or Fortune Auto. KW's are obviously expensive but they're good enough to save for.

But hey, you've already purchased them.

As for your wheel question, it ultimately depends on your wheel's offset + tire. I would suggest holding off on mounting them on the car because 1.) at best, they may rub the shock; worst case scenario, they don't mount on with stock style struts 2.) your alignment is going to be off and if you do get it aligned at that height, you're not going to have to get another alignment after you get the coilovers on


I agree in part. I have had Bilstien sports and H&R sport springs on my e30's, that shit is way too mushy for anything serious. Also drove around on Koni S/A based coilers (Ground control) for a short period of time. Not enough down travel from the Koni's, too much time spent riding on the bump stops (dampening rate too soft) on the Bilstiens.

BC's are okay for mixed use; they are a bit soft in standard (8/6) configuration, but very well-mannered around town. I also don't have my car dumped on its nuts, and have the dampening set to the soft side.

I have had issues with the FA 500, but all my experience with them has been from their Gen-3 units. My main issue was that the seals on the front struts blew out in a year, and on mine and my friend's coils, the aluminum front receivers were seized to the strut cartridge.

No personal experience with the FEAL stuff, but another friend of mine has then on his STI. Loves em, car works well around town. He has yet to try em on-track. Not exactly off-the shelf, Odi can build them to however you want.


No comments on the K&W stuff.

Basically anything "off the shelf" will need to get re-valved for motorsport use.


Also, Swift Spring all the things.

TL;DR

If you drive the car on the street, track once in a blue moon, and don't dump the car on its rails, you'll be fine.

[EveryQuarterMile]

Thanks for all the input guys. I plan to update with some pictures of the front strut bar (yes, it's finally on) as well as with any new parts that have arrived tomorrow!


LMAO Oh ok sorry.

OP, I think this car would be much cleaner with a popup front. It's hard to pull off a silvia front on a hatch. Everything looks good so far.

It's possible I could end up keeping the pop ups instead of going for the Silvia front, but I actually love the look of the Silvia front on a hatch. Thanks for the thoughts, though :)

I've driven many different coilover set ups including BC and I can definitely vouch for Koni and Bilstein on the affordable damper list. Heck, even off the shelf Koni Yellows outperform 99% of the coilovers that people love to run and off the shelf BC isn't as auto cross friendly and definitely not daily driver friendly when comparing the two.

If off the shelf coilovers are your thing, FEAL, Fortune Auto, and KW are the only routes to get the most of your money.

I'm not knocking on BC. I know they can take a beating but I know that for the price, you could've done things right the first time and better stuff like Koni, Bilstein, Feal, or Fortune Auto. KW's are obviously expensive but they're good enough to save for.

But hey, you've already purchased them.

As for your wheel question, it ultimately depends on your wheel's offset + tire. I would suggest holding off on mounting them on the car because 1.) at best, they may rub the shock; worst case scenario, they don't mount on with stock style struts 2.) your alignment is going to be off and if you do get it aligned at that height, you're not going to have to get another alignment after you get the coilovers on

Definitely not knocking on any of the other brands out there. I was going to go with Fortune Auto 500 coilovers in the past but changed my direction toward BC after seeing better reviews for the BC coilovers, event though they're a bit cheaper. They'll meet my needs just fine, so I figure it doesn't matter a whole lot right now. Maybe I'll change that in the future!

As for the wheels/tires, the wheels are 17x9 with a +12 offset. Tires are 235/45. I might need to roll the fenders, but I know that the new wheels ought to clear everything okay. I'll be receiving them tomorrow and will decide then if I want to go ahead and mount them or wait for my coilovers, which haven't arrived yet. But you're right, the alignment will be a pain to pay for twice in a way! Thanks for the help.

[EveryQuarterMile]

Lots of expected and unexpected updates today. Nothing bad, though. Thankfully. A close call/scare was involved though...


REPAIRS: I haven't taken the time to research my next step for the idle issue yet (if you haven't figured it out yet, I call it that even though it's more than an idle problem. Whatever). I might do that now that I'm online. I hate guess and check for repairs, but that's where I'm at!

Anyway, I was heading out last night and suddenly my car started to overheat. It was very sudden, and white plumes of steam came springing up from under the hood. I have to admit that I was stunned. The only thing I had done to the car was add the front strut bar, and that clearly shouldn't effect anything! I pulled over immediately and shut the car off. I have dealt with way too many overheating cars in my life, so I know the awful process. I popped the hood and waited for it to cool down. Strangely, after 5 minutes it seemed perfectly cool. I took out a thick piece of fabric and attempted to open the radiator cap, knowing that it would make it cool even faster. To my surprise, all I had to do was lift the radiator cap. It was already off!

Turns out the problem was a defective radiator cap. Or I'm 99% sure it was. I haven't driven the car just yet, but the old one couldn't even go back on. Very strange, but whatever. So in the way of repairs, that is said and done.


MODS: Mods are a lot more exciting. As I said in my previous post, I put the Cusco front strut bar on! It really fits on great and looks wonderful too. And before my car overheated last night I was loving it. I really didn't think one metal bar could make a big difference, but it felt a lot stiffer!

Pics of the strut bar in place:

http://i.imgur.com/EmP0Kval.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/fxa5XUkl.jpg

BUT, that is not the most exciting part! In fact, I couldn't care less about the strut bar right now. Today I walked out in the morning to see that three massive packages had been delivers. Three.

http://i.imgur.com/PlNAHUIl.jpg

I was expecting my wheels today, which shipped in sets of two. Two of the boxes were marked with "Rota" labels. Whoohoo. One was dented so badly I was worried about the condition of the wheel. It made me decide that Fedex is clearly better to ship with than UPS, who sent me these packages.

Anyway, I wasn't expecting a third box. Especially not one so big. I looked at it for several moments out of curiosity. You all know the feeling when you get parts. It's like it's Christmas. Anyway, I noticed this label on the box:

http://i.imgur.com/XdpN4rMl.jpg

I wasn't even notified that my coilovers shipped, but they're here!

http://i.imgur.com/lkLOvUOl.jpg

So I took the wheels to Lambs (I bought the tires through them) and had them put on the tires and balance them. I decided to wait on mounting them until I was ready for the coilovers. Now that I have them, it shouldn't be a long wait! Here's one with the Hankooks on:

http://i.imgur.com/8cgik5al.jpg

Anyway, I prefer not to put the coilovers on alone. No one likes to do that, so I have three different people who might be willing to spend awhile to help. Hopefully over the weekend or next week. We'll see. They ought to be pretty easy. I'll be putting on the camber arms at the same time, of course.

So prepare for the car to transform! I have to say, I'm excited. My entire closet is currently full of car parts. I'm sure the apartment manager will love me for that.

UP NEXT: Putting on the parts, of course. However, Fedex tried to deliver my Whiteline sway bar today. Whoops. I guess I'll be getting that tomorrow. The DC rear strut bar also finally shipped today. AND, zooopreme, you get your wish. The Circuit Sports end links ended up back ordered for 2 to 2.5 weeks, so I just canceled the order. I'm not sure that I'll go with SPL, but I'll be getting a different brand. Thus the sway bar will probably be the last thing they do.

Anyway, thanks for following this guys! It won't be long after the suspension mods that I move to brakes, though I think I'll take a small break and buy some miscellaneous parts, like a glovebox, center console, sunroof latch, and etc. I have to enjoy the suspension mods for awhile, after all ;)

[EveryQuarterMile]

As a rather unofficial update, I spent most of the day today working on the mods for my car. Still, a car that is 25 years old is bound to throw curve balls! It's also the first time I've ever attempted work like this, so that would explain why it took me so long too.

Anyway, the front coilovers and wheels are on and the rear is well... still sad, I suppose. I'll be finishing it on Thursday by end of day. Then I'll give an official update. I also have an autocross event on Sunday, so I will get to put the new parts to use!

That's all for right now. Thanks to anyone who's following this!

[EveryQuarterMile]

Sorry for the delay on the update. My summer college classes have become a huge distraction as of lately. Still, things have been moving forward and I'm proud to say that my car is officially no longer stock!

REPAIRS: None to report on this right now, though there are several things I need to do. I'll mention that later, though!

MODS: I have finished putting on the coilovers, camber arms, and the new wheels and tires. I went into the project of doing the coilovers with two other people, both of which really didn't have any clue how to do it or about cars in general (promising food works wonders). Still, after an abundance of research I had found that "oh, coilovers are easy! they should only take a few hours!"

I call bullsh*t on that. The first day we worked from 1pm until 8pm and just completed the front coilovers. Two days later we finished the job (a little quicker this time) and did the rears and the camber arms. Keep in mind we did the job with a jack (not a lift), hand tools, and no experience at all. I'm pretty sure most of the bolts hadn't been touched in two decades either. Would have been easy if the bolts had cooperated!

Either way, the BC coilovers are on and set to mid dampening, which (from what I read) is supposed to be ideal for breaking them in. So far I've put about 500 miles on them and have gone to one autocross with the new setup. I'm pretty happy so far.

Of course, what I've noticed the biggest difference in is with the new wheels and tires. First of all, the paint quality on the Rota Grids suck. Already have some chipping away just from using a tire iron. I'll have to repaint them eventually, but so far they're alright. I'm not really surprised, I suppose. BUT, the tires are a big step up from my all-seasons I was running previously. The tires are Hankook Ventus V12 in size 235/45r17. Very grippy and a lot of fun. Can't wait to do another event with them!

Just got the alignment done too. After the initial install the car was still driving great, but the negative camber was visible on the rears. I'll have to do another alignment in a few months once the car fully settled, but I had to do one before the tires got too torn up!

http://i.imgur.com/9DQ24gZl.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/BLlauXMl.jpg

BC Racing BR Type Coilover Review: So far I really like them. I haven't changed the dampening yet, so they're just set at 16 all the way around. They have a very sturdy feel, are easy to work with, and have definitely helped with handling. For daily driving they are excellent (just don't hit potholes) and give a much better feel around turns. During autocross the car felt a bit more like a go-kart, and made turns with much more ease than before and hugged the ground in a better way. I'll update again on how I'm liking them once I get 1000 or 1500 miles on them!

UP NEXT: I have several things I'll be doing soon. First of all, I need to put on my front sway bar and rear strut bar. I need to find time to do that, which will hopefully come soon. I also need to do a few repairs. Neither of my windows work right now, and the idle is still a bit rough. The A/C is going out and I believe it is R12, so I need to get those windows fixed soon. Expect some updates soon!

[Ben10]

Switch your headlight switch. Also try replacing the headlight relay. Both will cause your headlights to stay up.

[EveryQuarterMile]

Switch your headlight switch. Also try replacing the headlight relay. Both will cause your headlights to stay up.

Thanks for the advice. I just purchased a headlight switch since it came up for a good price and will try to pick up a relay soon. I'll hate the previous owners if either fixes the issue haha

[Ben10]

Ya I'm in the process of fixing all the shit the previous owner of my car did/didn't do. Learned a lot. Glad I could potentially help.

The headlights have a safety lock that keep the headlights up when something malfunctions so you can still use them. In my case I had to replace both. If that doesn't fix it, check your headlight up/down button and the grounds for the motors.

[EveryQuarterMile]

I've been on vacation, so sorry that this took so long! Still, not much has happened just yet. I am going to be buying the parts for the brakes soon though ;)

REPAIRS: I'm currently toying around with getting the windows to work and am trying to do something about the headlights. I replaced the headlight switch and, sadly, nothing changed. Next is the relay. Thanks to Ben10 for helping to point me that direction!

I've also been researching my options for fixing my windows, which refuse to work for me. I'll either me just fixing them, or I might replace the doors with ones that have manual windows. I honestly prefer manual windows a lot more.

MODS: I'll be honest with your guys... I lost the wheel lock key for some of my lug nuts. I'm in the process of getting a new one, but until then I won't be doing the front sway bay :( I also would like to lower the car a bit more, but that will also need to wait... The rear currently has different lug nuts, and I have the key for those! Not that that really helps me with the front.

So the sway bar will go on in a little while. The rear strut bar still isn't on because it's 100 degrees here in Texas and I really don't feel like doing it. I will soon though! Then I'll have at least done something with it :)

UP NEXT: I'll be buying the parts for the brakes soon! I've decided to go with Q45 calipers up front with Hawk pads and drilled and slotted rotors, and stock calipers with Hawk pads and drilled and slotted rotors in the rear. Should be plenty of braking power for me, and is fairly easy and cheap. I's also be purchasing some new hubs since mine have seen quite a bit of abuse...

Also, autocross is this weekend! I lost the video for the last one, so I never got it up. Not that I wanted to. My car was way too underpowered for that course! But hopefully this next event will go well :)

[zooopreme]

Where are you sourcing your Hawk pads for the Q45 fronts?

[EveryQuarterMile]

Where are you sourcing your Hawk pads for the Q45 fronts?

Haven't figured that out yet. I've just decided that Hawk is a good brand so they'll probably be what I go with. I'll be doing more research and probably purchasing this next week.

[UG-T]

keep us posted on those hawk q45 pads

[EveryQuarterMile]

Are Hawk pads supposed to be hard to find for the Q45 calipers or something? It just took one Google search for me to find a few. Looks like they only have HPS available for the Q45.

'95-'96 (http://www.carid.com/1995-infiniti-q45-brakes/hawk-high-performance-street-brake-pads-47394827.html?gclid=CjwKEAjwitKtBRCt3uOYsY2v7FASJA CJU5XsXrQN4SGeo3Dkep7r6z1XDBsg8xJ7CyQuYBxhu__wUhoC n8fw_wcB)

'94 (http://www.carid.com/1994-infiniti-q45-brakes/hawk-high-performance-street-brake-pads-47394786.html?gclid=CjwKEAjwitKtBRCt3uOYsY2v7FASJA CJU5XsRLwRasBhdYwOvd0fVbS8di906Ryd12pgwWGpEWVv1hoC GYbw_wcB)

Both are sold through CarID, which seems odd... If there's something sketchy about purchasing Hawk pads for the Q45 calipers then you guys should let me know. Any other brand recommendations are welcome.

[EveryQuarterMile]

Nothing new, just updating the plans.

Alright, so I get now why the Hawk pads aren't doable. Finished all my research for the brakes and I'm pretty sure the above links have to be scams. Clearly I received some bad advice at some point for which pads to buy.

I move in to my dorm soon so I can't really purchase the brake parts yet, since I won't be living in the same place when they arrive. But I have decided on the specifics of what I'm getting.

For the Front:
- Q45 Calipers
- StopTech Slotted Rotors
- Ceramic Pads

For the Rear:
- Powerslot Slotted Rotors
- Ceramic Pads
- New Hub Assembly on Each Side

The total cost of the setup with be a little under $700. I buy everything new too, so it should be pretty nice. I've seen a user on here who's been selling splatter paint items, so I think I'll work off that idea and paint the calipers black and splatter them with blue. Should look nice when I'm done.

I also have an appointment to get my windows tinted (this is Texas and my A/C sucks, so I'm putting a bit of money in!) next Wednesday (the 12th). I'm going to the darkest allowed in Texas and am getting them tinted to 25%.

I'll also be purchasing a new window regulator and motor for my my driver's side door when I buy the brake parts... I need that window working!

Any opinions on the Q45 setup? Always looking to hear of other's experiences.

[rv_zenki]

I have a full j30 front brake swap if you want it

[TwelveAM]

You could do q45 front/z31 bracket with altima rotors for rear if you're not trying to mod the rear that is.

[mastadon]

Add some more pics in here. Maybe a shot along the side from the front or back to show the wheel/tire fitment. Nice progress you've made so far. Keep it up.

[EveryQuarterMile]

I have a full j30 front brake swap if you want it

Thanks for the offer man, but I'm going with new parts for everything (calipers, rotors, etc). Otherwise I'd be very interested! Glws.

You could do q45 front/z31 bracket with altima rotors for rear if you're not trying to mod the rear that is.

I'm not really worried about the rear. I did my research and found that a lot of people just upgrade the front since most of the braking happens there. I'm mainly just doing the rotors and pads in the rear for my own satisfaction more than anything.

Add some more pics in here. Maybe a shot along the side from the front or back to show the wheel/tire fitment. Nice progress you've made so far. Keep it up.

Thanks man. I'll be posting some new pics up today. I have a few of the wheel/tire fitment that I'll try to get up soon too, though the car isn't as low as I want it yet.

[EveryQuarterMile]

Just moved in to my university, so I'm still hoping to keep moving fairly quickly with this car... hopefully! All my money goes into this, so it seems like things should be moving ;)

REPAIRS: Nothing really to report here. I'm about to purchase a new window regulator and motor for the driver's side window. More money to spend...

MODS: I got my windows tinted! 30% in the front and 15% in the rear. It looks good and is keeping the car a lot cooler. It needed to be done, really.

Pics:

http://i.imgur.com/O5uwwMal.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/20cvtJsl.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/yBdUfMJl.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/uzxqvGGl.jpg


It's been about 105 degrees here for awhile, so I've decided to wait on the sway bar and strut bar until it cools down a bit since I don't have a garage and don't have to worry about an event for awhile. Still, I wish I could get them on sooner. I'll try to!

I'll be ordering the brake parts in the next few days. I'm just waiting until I have a solid address for them to ship to.

UP NEXT: Same as before... get the brakes done, get the windows working. Get the car where I want it!

[Slippin'eight-nine]

Looks good so far! Next time youre gonna purchase tires might consider a 235/40 instead. Its a full inch shorter than the 45 series. It will give waaay more room for activities!
Anyways keep up the planning and good work!

[EveryQuarterMile]

Looks good so far! Next time youre gonna purchase tires might consider a 235/40 instead. Its a full inch shorter than the 45 series. It will give waaay more room for activities!
Anyways keep up the planning and good work!

I'm aware that I made a bad call with the 235/45 tires, but just a little too late! They won't last terribly long anyway, so I'll go to 235/40 once they're done :)

Thanks for the support man!

[EveryQuarterMile]

Sorry for the delay in updating this. The build is still moving forward!

REPAIRS: Just put in a new window regulator and motor on the driver's side, an so my driver's side window works again! Of course, the passenger window stopped working right after... Now I feel like I should have done the manual door swap, like I was planning. Too late no. Oh well. And yes, the passenger window is stuck down (wish it was up!)

MODS: Finally got around to purchasing all of my brake parts. Came to a total of $631, all new/re-manufactured parts.

Went with Q45 calipers up front, ceramic brake pads, slotted StopTech rotors all around, and new hubs for the rear.

Almost everything has arrived. I'm just waiting on the hubs and one set of rotors!

UP NEXT: Saving for my SR swap! I plan to have the money together for the swap within about 10 months, so probably by July 2016. If things go well, I could have the money by April 2016. I'll probably be doing small things in the meantime, but most of my money is going to be stashed away for the SR. Things might be a bit slow until then, but I should still be updating.

Besides that, I apparently need to fix my passenger window. Wonderful.

Have a great day~

[91coupesr20det]

You should try the hankook rs3 if you want some real grip at autocross man.

[relaxamigo]

Nice work! Reminds me of my build not too long ago

[EveryQuarterMile]

You should try the hankook rs3 if you want some real grip at autocross man.

I did a lot of research before deciding on what tires to get, and decided to go with the Ventus V12 over the RS3 since the car is mainly a daily driver. They also do a bit better in the rain, and have decent grip as well.

They're definitely plenty for my car, though I'll probably step up to the RS3 after my SR swap! Still, I'm happy with my choice.

Nice work! Reminds me of my build not too long ago

Thanks man!

[EveryQuarterMile]

Okay guys! Brakes are finally on! I've had a productive Spring Break. Beyond just working on my car ("just" :tardrim:) I also signed for an apartment in the fall.

REPAIRS: Nothing new in the way of repairs, other than the fact that I ripped out the splash guard on the front passenger side. I'm not sure if I mentioned it, but the splash guard all the way around have been gone for some time aside from that one. After some floods last year, that one got bent in a way that caused my tired to rub it when I made tight turns. Nothing exciting.

MODS: I got the brakes on. The two install write-ups I had printed said it would take about 2.5 hours for a beginner, or between 2-4 hours. Yeah right. It took me, with two other people, 23 hours total over two days to do the front and rear brakes. That was with none of us ever having done brakes before. It was also without air tools or a lift, so just hand tools and our strength.

Anyway, the rear brake install was a pair. A bolt broke (I mean, it is 26 years old) and we fixed that with zipties (it is a 240!). I also had a lugnut get stuck on the key, which only made the day 10x harder. Anyway, we did get the rear brakes on. So new rotors and pads. It was harder than it should have been...

http://i.imgur.com/THsdPqr.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/aKc3oa0.jpg

That same day I also finally put in the rear strut bar. The tin snips I bought for the front brake install came in handy for cutting away some of the carpet!

http://i.imgur.com/2lIbUUF.jpg (I know it's sideways. Sorry guys)

Also, the coilovers and camber arms now have about 3500-4000 miles on them. Still doing great! But they definitely look dirtier.

http://i.imgur.com/jgKIeX4.jpg

The first day took a total of 8-ish hours, with no breaks (no pun intended).

The second day was significantly longer, but went pretty smoothly.

We put on the front brakes, and I really didn't take pictures. The work took a total of 13 hours, no breaks at all. We started at 10am and worked until 11pm. It went well, but it just took some time. Here are some terrible pictures of the new setup. I'll try to take some better shots soon.

http://i.imgur.com/cRC5Wnr.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/UlG6xwb.jpg

UP NEXT: Still saving for the SR swap! I should be able to do it as early as June, or as late as August. The plan is that I'll be buying a new car around April or May so that my 240 will no longer be a daily driver (too much money is in that car for it to get t-boned on my way to class). I'll be sticking with JDM, of course. Probably a Civic or an old school Toyota or Nissan pickup. Or a Mighty Max. I'd love to lower one of those!

After the swap the plan is to do the steering wheel with a quick release hub, and then the Silvia front end swap. Can't wait to have a Sileighty!

[EveryQuarterMile]

So a bit of an update,

I got the second vehicle I was looking for. A 2000 Nissan Xterra XE 2WD. It'll be my daily driver/camper while my 240 will become my project/weekend ride.

http://i.imgur.com/SyVvFCg.jpg

Also, the sh*t calipers from O'Reilly's resulted in a brake fluid leak after I installed them. No, it wasn't the installation that resulted in the leak. It was the fact that the washers included with the calipers were basically useless. I didn't have the time to go back in and fix it myself, so there's $223 down the drain.

I'm also thinking I'm going to delay the SR swap, since I don't think I can get the money together anytime soon without eating only Ramen and sacrificing my entire social life. Thus, I'll probably be moving on to other things in the meantime.

Including the Silvia front end swap, adding an after market exhaust, and possibly an aftermarket steering wheel.

I'll keep this thread updated with anything I do.

[EveryQuarterMile]

Just purchased the exhaust. Went with a BMR exhaust. Stainless steel, dual tip, 14" resonator. It should be here soon, and I'll be sure to take some pictures (and maybe a video) once it's installed.

[EveryQuarterMile]

I received my new exhaust awhile back, and it didn't take long before it was on the car. It sounds absolutely amazing and looks great! Wouldn't think that it was a 2.5" just by looking at it. No video yet, but I'll try to add one soon.

http://i.imgur.com/MSPAQvS.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/dhtNlam.jpg

Classes are starting for me on Monday. It's my last year of college, and then I'll finally be having some better money coming my way. After I graduate I'll be doing the big things (Silvia front, body kit, paint job, motor/transmission swap, etc). Until then, I'm focusing on the little things. I need to put on some new rear hatch struts and finally get a damn glovebox that's not broken. I may also add an aftermarket steering wheel or do a few interior mods. The build probably won't slow down, but will mainly just be smaller things for now.

[EveryQuarterMile]

Just purchased and received the parts I need for an aftermarket steering wheel. The opportunity presented itself, so I decided to go for it. I got the wheel for $134 shipped from zilvia member mashi2choco, and I'm pretty happy with it. It's a blue & black Sparco 330mm wheel with a bit of wear, but nothing serious.

http://i.imgur.com/x4ZQbZq.jpg

Here's the photobucket with detailed photos: http://s1360.photobucket.com/user/mashi2choco/library/Sparco%20Black%20Blue%20330MM?sort=3&page=1

I also purchased an NRG short hub (in black) and a NRG blue & neochrome Gen 2 quick release. Here's essentially how it looks:

http://i.imgur.com/WVCj2Ch.jpg

I'll get picture of my actually parts, now that I have them, up soon! I'm hoping to have the wheel on later in the week :)

[CarZoom]

Any updates on the progress of your build? Have you managed to upgrade your coilover?Wonder what you've chosen between Koni, Bilstein (http://4wheelonline.com/BilsteinShocks.4997), and KW.