Crazy idea -- need help!!!

[ChicagoS14]

Hey guys,

Im a high school senior on a tight budget. Im really psyched about getting an S13 or S14 SR20DET into my 95 S14 SE 5spd. The problem is not finding a shop or an engine, rather gettin the money for it. I found a few places that offer a long block from an S13. I was considering getting that, but since its missing a turbo and a transmission, I figured I could mount an S15 oem turbo on it and use my stock tranny from my S14. Im not sure if this kind of matching is possible. I know the S15 turbo should be fine, however im not too sure how the tranny part would work out. Im not sure exactly what the engine would need but I figured that this kind of swap would run me about $1700 for the engine and turbo plus shipping and additional parts. I was wondering if you guys had any input or experience with this sort of thing. Any help is greatly appreciated. THANKS!!!! :ughug:

[96twofourty]

you need more than a transmission and a turbo to get a longblock running

[ChicagoS14]

ya i imagine, but i was wondering if its possible and for how much??? It probably is cheaper to get a front clip.

[sepulchral]

for 1700 u should do a ca... full swap for 1000 labor for 700... :D dont fuck around with pieces, get a full clip that has a waranty

[projectRDM]

Keep the KA and use the $1700 where it's needed, suspension and brakes.

Being a high school kid you're:

A) ignorant
B) impatient
C) underskilled

That's not the type of person who needs 230hp under their foot. Educate yourself on driving courses before you go out street racing and kill people.

[SR240DET]

Keep the KA and use the $1700 where it's needed, suspension and brakes.

Being a high school kid you're:

A) ignorant
B) impatient
C) underskilled

That's not the type of person who needs 230hp under their foot. Educate yourself on driving courses before you go out street racing and kill people.


yeah just wait.... because now im out of high school... and im...

A) awesome
B) kickass
C) skrilled!

but seriously.... i did what R240NA said above and i think that was the better choice...

[mellojoe]

OR: You could skip the whole SR20 thing and just slap a turbo on your KA.

It will get you power and redily availible parts, should something fail.

But, I definately like the idea of you just working on the suspension parts for now and learn how to handle a RWD vehicle. Its not all cake and ice cream.

[ChicagoS14]

:bs: You guys sure underestimate high school drivers. Ive been driving the S14 for the last 2 years including 2 bad winters. I know what to expect from rear wheel drive cars, especially since this has been my first stick car. Im not worried about crashing and killing people, what im concerned about is making power for the track since I have time to sit down and work on the engine considering I am graduating early and have time and money before college hits. As far as a turbo KA, no matter what people say it will still run as much as an sr20det. I know because a bunch of people in my area have them and I talked to a guy who does them and the estimated cost is pretty much an sr20 swap. :mephfawk:

[TheTimanator]

I'm 21...and I can say I would have totaled this car if I had had it during high school...

Anyway, don't do the long block thing. It will end up costing you more b/c you'll have to buy parts seperatly, shipping etc which will also take more time. I spent at least $4000 on my swap b/c not everything was sent with the motorset. Also, the SR bellhousing and the KA bellhousing are different.

I'd say keep saving and do other smaller things to the car in the mean time. Since there is nothing wrong with your KA it's not like you have to be in a hurry. If you want to track the car (unless your talking about drag racing) you'll find that the SR will overpower the tiny stock size tires and soft factory suspension. So start there.

[S14DB]

You guys sure underestimate high school drivers.
No, we don't. Been there done that. Bondurant taught me I had no clue what I was doing.

[mrmephistopheles]

No, we don't. Been there done that. Bondurant taught me I had no clue what I was doing.


Don't you know that he knows everything? He's a teenager in highschool, man!
He knows everything and is invincible!

[HyperTek]

looking back at what i knew in highschool, i didnt know chit on what i know now.

[mellojoe]

As far as a turbo KA, no matter what people say it will still run as much as an sr20det.

If you do a bare-bones sr20det swap and a basic KA-T, then yes, the cost will be similar. But, the power output will be slightly different, as the basic KA-T can go with a nice turbo of your choice and you won't be stuck with the stock T25.

And, the long haul costs of the KA will always be cheaper. If you have a water-pump go out, where are you going to find a replacement? Alternator? Timing belt? Radiator spring a leak? Heater core? Headgasket?

So, yes, I fully stand on the fact that a KA will always be cheaper than an SR.

And, YES, no matter how much you know now, it will only be a drop in the bucket compared to what you will know in 10 years. That whole 17 to 21 stage in life is a HARD time to grow, but you learn way too many of life's lessons.

[Var]

i would go with a KA-t. it costs the same as an sr swap but

1-you know what your engine's been through
2-easier to get parts or another engine if it breaks
3-it will make more power
4-it's a shitload less work
5-probably more reliable

[Blues13]

Not trying to turn this into a KA vs. SR thread.. but with the popularity of SRs, the parts availability and cost is not really a problem. The SR has strong aftermarket support and almost any part that breaks you can usually upgrade or replace easily on the cheap. It shares most of its maintenance parts with other Nissan vehicles. In addition, you get a lower mileage motor and tranny for the similar cost of adding a turbo to a KA.

[Var]

Not trying to turn this into a KA vs. SR thread.. but with the popularity of SRs, the parts availability and cost is not really a problem. The SR has strong aftermarket support and almost any part that breaks you can usually upgrade or replace easily on the cheap. It shares most of its maintenance parts with other Nissan vehicles. In addition, you get a lower mileage motor and tranny for the similar cost of adding a turbo to a KA.


I disagree with you.

Try to compare some common sought after parts and prices

1-longblock or shortblock
2-igniter
3-regular wires vs coilpacks
4-wiring harness

plus the SR seems to be less reliable and just a PITA to own for a lot of people. I own one too..so dont get me wrong i love it. But KA-T makes more sense to me after the fact.

And these JDM mystery motors dont have as low mileage as you think.

[Blues13]

I disagree with you.

Try to compare some common sought after parts and prices

1-longblock or shortblock
2-igniter
3-regular wires vs coilpacks
4-wiring harness

plus the SR seems to be less reliable and just a PITA to own for a lot of people. I own one too..so dont get me wrong i love it. But KA-T makes more sense to me after the fact.

And these JDM mystery motors dont have as low mileage as you think.

I'm sure we can agree that whenever you go turbo from NA whether it be SR or KA-T, you're more likely to run into problems since a turbo engine gets a lot more complicated. I don't think the problems you hear about from the SR side are limited to SRs. I'm sure that KA-T owners have their own share of problems, but with SRs being more popular, you hear about the problems more often.

Any of those items can be found pretty easily through a quick search through ebay or google. Granted, you're not going to find it at your local dealership, but most likely you wouldn't want to pay their price either if it was there.

Everyone's experiences are different and I know there's some horror stories out there. I'm just speaking through my own experiences. Got my SR a bit over two years ago for 3k installed and out the door with a two day turnaround time. While not everyone's gonna get that deal, there's still a lot of good deals out there. That's a great value when my KA was crapping out on me. A newer engine, tranny, plus turbo and more horsepower? Hard to beat.

Most people run into problems when they try to "save money" by trying to piece everything together. In the end you end up wasting more time and money especially if you're inexperienced with the motor swap.

After putting on about 30k miles, not much has gone wrong. Most of the stuff is just maintenence with things like O2 sensors and spark plugs. Most of the time spent on it is upgrading parts.. but if you leave stock @ stock boost, I doubt you would have to worry about it much.

I'm not trying to knock on KA-T's as any performance options is okay in my book.. but I don't feel SRs are more expensive especially if you take in the fact that you're getting a (generally) lower mileage engine and tranny.

[Var]

hooray for us for not bitching at eachother.!! :angel:

[projectRDM]

looking back at what i knew in highschool, i didnt know chit on what i know now.

Exactly my point. We were all idiots back then, but we all 'thought' we knew it all. Those same kids today are driving their parents Z06s and Cobras around. Real smart.

[ChicagoS14]

:gives: man, why is it that every discussion on this forum turns into a heated SR vs KA debate :zzz: . LOL and as far as high school kids not knowing jack ill agree to it, since im going on to college soon hehehe. But anyways, the fact of the matter is that based on the general idea im pretty much going to invest my money now and get TEIN HE coilovers and then work till summer to save for whatever the hell ill decide to go with whether sr or ka. For now ill get my coilovers and go run some tracks in the spring and then ill see what ill need to do next. - Thanks for the fun arguments :loco:

[s13dan]

If i had my 4500$ back i would NOT do an SR swap but would have bought Suspension,brakes and lil fun stuff like nice seats and got a book or two on steering and suspension geometry and maybe a driver skill book then the rest of the money would be spent on fixing my car after SCCA meets and new tires....

And im a senoir in highschool... i just learned the hard way why i REALLY have my car. to have fun, and suspension, brakes ect. is the way to do it... not going kinda fast in a strait line....

[KA24DESOneThree]

im pretty much going to invest my money now and get TEIN HE coilovers

You were gonna do power before suspension? Probably before brakes, too.

Suspension and brakes ALWAYS should come before power.

[w1ngzer0]

Don't you know that he knows everything? He's a teenager in highschool, man!
He knows everything and is invincible!

lol, thats exactly what i was going to say :fawk:

[Vash]

:gives: man, why is it that every discussion on this forum turns into a heated SR vs KA debate :zzz: . LOL and as far as high school kids not knowing jack ill agree to it, since im going on to college soon hehehe. But anyways, the fact of the matter is that based on the general idea im pretty much going to invest my money now and get TEIN HE coilovers and then work till summer to save for whatever the hell ill decide to go with whether sr or ka. For now ill get my coilovers and go run some tracks in the spring and then ill see what ill need to do next. - Thanks for the fun arguments :loco:

What high school kids need to know is cars isn't everything. More important things in life like an extended education. My advice is save ur money, go to school finish in 4 years (hard to do) and get a good job and buy a NSX then laugh at all the 240 people. Me. I'd go on a nice vacation instead of a SR. :w00t:

[IGSDann]

I'm a senior this year too, and yeah, I'll admit, I'm not the best driver, but I'm not an unskilled ricer... I AutoX, no street racing, I carried out a 5 speed swap, and suspension work and yada with little help. 90% of high school drivers succcccckkkk baddddd but there are a few of us who know what we are doing, I am half way their. And when I graduate I'm going to UTI to really learn about cars. Yay.

[ChicagoS14]

GOOD job, and to reply to the others, as far as nice vacation, i am going on one :jerkit:, and as far as gettin an education, that will take place from september, when i go to IIT. So for now i was focusing on car improvements, as this is a car forum???? :coold:

[Phlip]

Damn, those kids are COOL, I wish my mommy and daddy gave me enough money to have afforded a 240SX when I was in high school... Instead, I worked at a fucking grocery store and paid for my own 81 Buick Regal, and 85 Oldsmobile Cutlass.
... I hate high schoolers, since there are none related to me now

[cheez80]

hi guys

i'm first year in college

i got my 240sx late junior year, and i wanted to do footwork and brakes, wheels, tires, etc., before power, but the ka blew.

too bad.

if you have a choice, i would suggest going footwork first.

[ace240sx]

Screw tinkering around with your car and buy a really nice Tag Heuer watch, like this one...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=31387&item=4960324423&rd=1

[Phlip]

Screw tinkering around with your car and buy a really nice Tag Heuer watch, like this one...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=31387&item=4960324423&rd=1
He would look really cool wearing that on his album cover

[ChicagoS14]

BTW, I pay for the car all from my own money, I put down all the cash for it after working at O'Hare airport doing luggage and wheel chairs

[Richter]

I've always wanted to see someone 'do' a wheelchair.

My first car was a 1988 Chevy Sprint 4-door 3 cyl. That's what everyone should drive until they're done highschool.

[Ichi-Go]

I am 16 and in Highschool. I bought my 92 hatchback for 300 dollars and swapped in a 95 KA with the help of some friends (highschool). I have spent 1100 on my car including a front becuase my car was pretty much a bare chassis and its all my money. I got my license in April and have been doing autox since May trying to get some driving skill.

I dont think I know everything but I know enough to not be called ignorant. Not all highschool students are ignorant and think they are invisible.

[DigitalDrift]

Hey guys,

Im a high school senior on a tight budget. Im really psyched about getting an S13 or S14 SR20DET into my 95 S14 SE 5spd. The problem is not finding a shop or an engine, rather gettin the money for it. I found a few places that offer a long block from an S13. I was considering getting that, but since its missing a turbo and a transmission, I figured I could mount an S15 oem turbo on it and use my stock tranny from my S14. Im not sure if this kind of matching is possible. I know the S15 turbo should be fine, however im not too sure how the tranny part would work out. Im not sure exactly what the engine would need but I figured that this kind of swap would run me about $1700 for the engine and turbo plus shipping and additional parts. I was wondering if you guys had any input or experience with this sort of thing. Any help is greatly appreciated. THANKS!!!! :ughug:


Your KA tranny will not bolt up to the SR...

My first car was a Mustang GT, with a 351W engine swap..over 400hp. I never wrecked that thing, nothing bad happen to it when I drove it... I even learned how to drive a 5spd on that car. Me and my best friend, he had a 12 second camaro, used to race every weekend at the dragstrip. Dont say that all high school kids cant drive, I know most of them cant...but there are a few exceptions.

If your low on cash, just turbo the KA....

[Phil St John]

Wow, how do threads wander around so much? OK so most of these I thought I knew it all in highscholl and didn't themes r quite Ironic. wasent highschool a few short years ago for alot of U? Baring that in mind think of all the stuff u still dont know, I think Plato said "The wise man it the one who knows he knows nothing" But on to the subject thoes other guys r leading u down a good path, concentrate on stabilaty and stopping before power, and as for the SR its all about what you want. The Ka has an Iron blok witch makes it a lillte beefier than the SR, also its about where you want your powerband to be. The KA will produce alot more low end torque than an SR but the SR has mor reving potentioal. Both engines have parts avialable in the after market, in fact the SR has a ton More, but most have to be imported, remember the SR powered S-13 through 15 r like the mustang of japan (only not as primative and jinky) any way godd drivers r good drivers, bad ones r bad and age rarely make a differane in dumb.

[Replicant_S14]

As far as a turbo KA, no matter what people say it will still run as much as an sr20det. I know because a bunch of people in my area have them and I talked to a guy who does them and the estimated cost is pretty much an sr20 swap. :mephfawk:

You'll get more trim with a sr swap. Don't worry about the money. You can take a bunch of unsecured credit lines to cover it.

[nlzmo400r]

well im a senior in highschool, and damn intelligent if i may say so myself. Wise...........NO.......intelligent......yes, big difference. Ive invested about 4k into my s13 hatch, not including the price of the vehicle itself, and i dont have ANY power adders, excpet for a short ram intake, and an apex' n1 exhaust. I opted to spend 1k on coilovers, 7oo on brakes, 5oo on exhaust, 14oo on wheels/tires, 3oo on azenis for the autoX's, 300 on body stuff (sideskirts,lip etc). It seemed like the right thing to do (all the 'other stuff' and leave the power alone), and now, my car handles like a dream, stops well, looks great (imo anyway), yet has NO power to back up the suspension/rubber. However, after spending 4k, and preparing to move out on my own, i dont have any damn money for KA-T/SR/RB/(insert pretty much any combustion engine here). I dont regret this however, just remember, spending 3k on a turbo/sr will be great for power, but if you can't harnes it (brakes/suspension/rubber) then ultimately you got nowhere. Go with the suspension stuff.

[infinitexsound]

eh.. i think most of us would do things differently in high with what we know now.... ka sr its all personal preference...........does it really matter.. which motor is better.. imo with all the power under the hood.. if theres no suspension work, how can u fully use the power your engine is making...

< my first car daymn i miss it 1986 toyota celica gt-s.. best car for driving in dirt roads..

[Phlip]

Wow, how do threads wander around so much? OK so most of these I thought I knew it all in highscholl and didn't themes r quite Ironic. wasent highschool a few short years ago for alot of U? Baring that in mind think of all the stuff u still dont know, I think Plato said "The wise man it the one who knows he knows nothing" But on to the subject thoes other guys r leading u down a good path, concentrate on stabilaty and stopping before power, and as for the SR its all about what you want. The Ka has an Iron blok witch makes it a lillte beefier than the SR, also its about where you want your powerband to be. The KA will produce alot more low end torque than an SR but the SR has mor reving potentioal. Both engines have parts avialable in the after market, in fact the SR has a ton More, but most have to be imported, remember the SR powered S-13 through 15 r like the mustang of japan (only not as primative and jinky) any way godd drivers r good drivers, bad ones r bad and age rarely make a differane in dumb.
Now...
I feel as if I am an intelligent human being, I have written a novel and read dozens. I have written dozens of short stories and read hundreds...
I have re-skinned an aircraft wing in order for the plane attached to it to pass an FAA inspection.
I have written and damn near by myself produced an album

... but DAMN I feel STUPIDER after reading this post

[theicecreamdan]

. Not all highschool students are ignorant and think they are invisible.

I wish I could have been invisible when I was in highschool.

[Phlip]

I wish I could have been invisible when I was in highschool.
I was invisible, no one paid attention to Jazz band nerds

[sykikchimp]

you just went to the wrong school. 1/5 of my high school was in Band.

In High School I thought I was a great driver.. I could do donuts, and burnouts, and I could shift REALLY fast. :-P Several hpde's later, and I realize I am simply a young padewon.

My advise is to not do ANYTHING that could jepordize your ability to complete college. You WILL be broke when you get to college.. no matter how much money you go with. Things happen that will try to keep you from your goal. Look ahead (something you must always remind yourself to do.) Build emergency back-up plans. Be prepared for you car to burn down into a firey pile of scrap metal, and still have a way to get through college. I speak from experience.

Turbo's are great, but only being able to do it once is sad.

[projectRDM]

well im a senior in highschool, and damn intelligent if i may say so myself. Wise...........NO.......intelligent......yes, big difference. Ive invested about 4k into my s13 hatch, not including the price of the vehicle itself....

So you've invested $4k into a car worth half that, and you say you're intelligent? :hs:

Sorry, couldn't resist, but seriously your route has been the best noted one to date. I'm not saying that anyone under the age of 21 is absolutely stupid as hell, but the experience gained from another 10+ years of driving makes a huge difference. My first autocross I went to I was 26, and in those 5 years afterwards I've learned twice what I knew beforehand about car control, brake application, turn setup, etc., and that knowledge gained was 10x what I knew when I was 21. Having a fast car at 16 doesn't mean anything, nor does doing a lot of wrenching on your own car. Experience is the only real teacher and my statement was meant to reflect that at that age, you have little to no experience.
That backed up by the understanding that *most* younger kids do think they're invincible is good enough reason to recommend track driving first, then suspension, brakes. Make the car safer for you and everyone else before you drop 300hp into it.

[nlzmo400r]

So you've invested $4k into a car worth half that, and you say you're intelligent? :hs:

Sorry, couldn't resist, but seriously your route has been the best noted one to date. I'm not saying that anyone under the age of 21 is absolutely stupid as hell, but the experience gained from another 10+ years of driving makes a huge difference. My first autocross I went to I was 26, and in those 5 years afterwards I've learned twice what I knew beforehand about car control, brake application, turn setup, etc., and that knowledge gained was 10x what I knew when I was 21. Having a fast car at 16 doesn't mean anything, nor does doing a lot of wrenching on your own car. Experience is the only real teacher and my statement was meant to reflect that at that age, you have little to no experience.
That backed up by the understanding that *most* younger kids do think they're invincible is good enough reason to recommend track driving first, then suspension, brakes. Make the car safer for you and everyone else before you drop 300hp into it.

ok, financially smart? maybe not....but its what i want to spend my money on........same thing for the chicks who spend 5oo bucks everytime they go to the mall, whatever you wanna spend your money on is up to you, not for someone else to judge. And if i had an 8ok viper, you bet your ass id invest 16ok in it if i could.

[s14 blacktop]

ok, financially smart? maybe not....but its what i want to spend my money on........same thing for the chicks who spend 5oo bucks everytime they go to the mall, whatever you wanna spend your money on is up to you, not for someone else to judge. And if i had an 8ok viper, you bet your ass id invest 16ok in it if i could.

ok if its not for someone else to judge then why bother posting?

[Phil St John]

Sorry mr I feel dumber, somtime i write while completely Blitzed. Thats ood thoe, I have an album out with a previous band(when i was 18), 2 I wrote and produced myself and a new one from my current band, but for some reason I just cant seem to grasp onto that smug seince of superiority uve got goin there pally. Good luck with felling dumber.

[projectRDM]

ok, financially smart? maybe not....but its what i want to spend my money on........same thing for the chicks who spend 5oo bucks everytime they go to the mall, whatever you wanna spend your money on is up to you, not for someone else to judge. And if i had an 8ok viper, you bet your ass id invest 16ok in it if i could.

I know, just wanted to humor the post a little, hence my smile at the end. I'm not one to talk, I dumped over 30k into my last S14, then parted it out. Like I've said before I could have spent that on whores, crack, and guns but I'd be worse off, so it was wise decision.

[RBS14]

The bottom line is that 240 people are some of the cheapest bastards ever. Especially S13 people. hahaha

[Phil St John]

Hey Im not Cheap I'm Thrifty, Oh shit it dosent cost anything to say that does it? :eek:

[nlzmo400r]

s13 guys are cheap, thats for sure, however a lot of times, what seems 'cheap', is just VERY functional things we've figured out that are 'cheaper' than a lot of companies that produce the items for 2x as much; brake upgrades are a perfect example, id say 80percent of the people with brake upgrades don't have willwood 4pot aluminum calipers that they paid 2k for, we have 5oo dollar z32 brakes. Maybe not 'as good', however good for the money.

[MakotoS13]

cheap? i've spent 4 grand on my car so far and have zero noticible mods other than the SE's that'll go on when i go 5 lug.

cheap my arse.

[Phlip]

you just went to the wrong school. 1/5 of my high school was in Band.


Thus would be the difference between Mecklenburg and Guilford counties, assuming that you grew up in Charlotte... At my high school, I hated marching band and DETESTED that I had to participate to make it to the other side of football season in order to get to what I WANTED to do, jazz band... I got smart 10th grade, I stayed in band, but played football to avoid marching band...



Sorry mr I feel dumber, somtime i write while completely Blitzed. Thats ood thoe, I have an album out with a previous band(when i was 18), 2 I wrote and produced myself and a new one from my current band, but for some reason I just cant seem to grasp onto that smug seince of superiority uve got goin there pally. Good luck with felling dumber.
Actually it had nothing to do with my "holier than thou" attitude, or a sense of superiority, but the fact of the matter is that the previous post (as is the one to which I am now responding to) are difficult to want to attempt to ready with the shitty spelling, horrible grammar and abandonment of punctuation... The fact that you have an album you recorded in your mother's garage doesn't redeem anything...

[Phil St John]

sorry im usually to busy having a life to realyy worry about the correctness of the spelling, and living off music is hardly my mommas basment. I sure am glad i can brighten up your sad world of hating evrything you cant understand, I would try to explain but, well i dont think you will ever be able to grasp larger concepts, so keep on writing books and pointing out other folks shot comings


Ur mama would be proud boy :mrmeph:

[luckie2hav3her]

what everyone said about a SR isnt for a teenager in high school, theyre right. I was a senior in high school and I had a SR... yes i was the shit yes i was everyones envy and everyone awed... But Ill admit i didnt know shit about what I had at the time... whoever said go suspension and brakes as a first upgrade is totally correct, learn ur car before you dump 200+hp into it... trust me Ive learned from expierence, went through 2 shells.... i know a lot more now than wat i knew then..... and be patient... youll get a lot of better shit if u do

[Phlip]

sorry im usually to busy having a life to realyy worry about the correctness of the spelling, and living off music is hardly my mommas basment. I sure am glad i can brighten up your sad world of hating evrything you cant understand, I would try to explain but, well i dont think you will ever be able to grasp larger concepts, so keep on writing books and pointing out other folks shot comings


Ur mama would be proud boy :mrmeph:
... then he calls me an asshole, as if I didn't know that an enjoy it... I guess I got owned by the kid who is proud to present himself as content to look like an idiot.

[BSeay]

you just went to the wrong school. 1/5 of my high school was in Band.

In High School I thought I was a great driver.. I could do donuts, and burnouts, and I could shift REALLY fast. :-P Several hpde's later, and I realize I am simply a young padewon.

My advise is to not do ANYTHING that could jepordize your ability to complete college. You WILL be broke when you get to college.. no matter how much money you go with. Things happen that will try to keep you from your goal. Look ahead (something you must always remind yourself to do.) Build emergency back-up plans. Be prepared for you car to burn down into a firey pile of scrap metal, and still have a way to get through college. I speak from experience.

Turbo's are great, but only being able to do it once is sad.


Listen to this man, you're gonna be broker then fuck in college, (i know im there now).... save that cash make the car run, and then graduate and buy a 350Z

[jdm538]

yes save your money and pay for college too many loans will screw you over.

[hurleyboi514]

its been mentioned a few times, but why not just do some light mod's to the KA? intake, header, test pipe, exaust, removed some stuff that isnt important (i.e. AC, clutch fan, so on). then, put a nice spring/shock combo on the car, sway bars maybe, then all the bushings, and go from there. you'd be suprised at how much fun a car like that is!! mine was set up like that for 2 years before i went crazy and did all that ive got now...