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Driveway-sitter 240 (Poo-40)

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I bought this car a little over a month ago. Waited a while on making a build profile just because I wasn’t too sure about the direction of the build. I bought it to be a drift car, and I’m not too satisfied with the 150 stock ponies that this KADE (it’s swapped to the DE) can put out. I’ve been researching 4g63 swaps in s-chassis. From what I can tell, the engine actually bolts up really nicely in the engine bay. If I remember correctly, with Mitsubishi starion motor mounts, the engine bolts up in the bay. Then it’s just sourcing a RWD trans that can bolt to the engine, thinking B2600 W56 (or whatever the code is). Then at that point, the big ticket items will be getting a custom driveshaft, and modifying the trans mount for however that Mazda trans wants to sit. I’m also not going to swap a 2.4L KA out and put in a 2.0 4g63. I’m kinda worried that for a drift car the 2.0 isn’t really “peppy” enough. I’m going to figure out and do the 4g64 shortblock (7bolt split-thrust because it’ll see a lot of clutch kicks) and 4g63 head hybrid for this build. Let me know if I’m messing up any details and needs to get anything ironed out. This is just planning stages, I’m still trying to source a 4g64 7bolt split-thrust engine.
In the meantime, it’s time to talk about the car. It’s a 240sx, which means it’s rusted out. Just for this project, I decided to buy a welder and fix all of the rusted metal myself. I had no idea what I was getting myself into. They don’t sell replacement rockers because they are kinda moulded into the quarter panel. This means I have to cut out all of the shitty metal, and weld in new stuff. I’d like to clarify though. The outside of the car is RUSTY and definitely ugly, but the frame is absolutely mint!
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So the project begins. I’m currently working on cutting out and welding in the new rocker metal.
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it’s not the MOST PERFECT THING EVER OK. I’m welding in slightly thicker, galvanized metal with zinc spray to hopefully stop rusting in the future. The metal isn’t cut perfectly, and isn’t welded in with the prettiest dimes but it’s strong. I can stand/jump on it, ream on it, hammer it, it’s all good, just kinda looks like shit. Sideskirts will hide all of that stuff.... You know what that means.... body kit!!! I bought an origin race line body kit for the s13. I bought it for a crazy deal used because it’s got a bunch of fibreglass repair that needs addressing but other than that it’s pretty nice! It comes with sideskirts too but I haven’t mocked them up yet.
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I’m trying my best to install the front and rear bumpers with custom brackets for quick releases. Mainly because Nissan did not design these bumpers to come off all the time, and I like being able to take off my bumpers all the time.
I also installed GKTech 4 to 5 lug adapters so I can run some pretty sweet wheels. Pics of those guys mounted will soon come. Definitely unique.
This is on the side but I’m also working on some pretty cool 3D printed exterior parts. Most notably, a roof wing!
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this one is just a test-fit so it’s not pretty by any means.
I also stripped out the entire stock interior. Since it’s going to be a drift car, not really too concerned about bodily luxuries.
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right now I’m just waiting for the company to get back to me about repairing my welder (the wire feed broke) and hopefully I can finish the work on the rockers and rear quarters. I’m just trying to horde parts for the build right now. Don’t think it’ll get swapped super soon, but if the right parts come up..... LOL
 
I guess the good thing about the schassis community is that everyone has parts. Working with DSMs you end up really close to the community but there are so many people with s-chassis! Some guy wanted to make the weirdest trade deal in history so he traded me a VIS CF vented hood for my OEM stock metal one. To be fair the hood has a bit of damage and all he wanted was something straight and non-rusted. I’m fine with a little beat hood because it’s just going to be a drift car. Regardless, still going to fix the carbon fibre imperfections then just paint over it. I already cut out and figured out the hood latches, looks clean when it’s all together but it’s apart now just to fix the hood.
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Also locally picked up a set of DMax smoked taillights. I’m a big fan of tinted taillights and I had my eye on these ones because it’s tinted from factory. Honestly haven’t tested it yet but the lenses still seem more than clear enough to see the lights well. Just have to get the car wrapped a darker color so the lights blend better with the body.
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I’m just in the middle of repairing the body kit by laying fibreglass. Shit takes forever and is a bi*** to sand so I’m progressing slowly. Doing a bit of bondo work just to close off antenna holes on the car. More updates to come after the boring repair stuff is finished.
 
Nice project man. For transmissions try and find a Bill's autofab bellhousing. That's what I got to mate my stroked out 4g63 to a r154 supra trans. It's going in my 74 Datsun 620.
Honestly I might just try and source the Mazda. The r154s are getting so hard to find and cost a pretty penny, plus then I need to buy the adapter plate, atleast with the Mazda trans I just have to buy the driveshaft.
 
Working tirelessly on this car. Got some beat-up front fenders that I’m trying to make work. Got some beat-up rear quarter panels that I actually repaired quite nicely. Just waiting for the new welder to get here to finalize all the metal work.
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Not only that, but factory tinted tailights AND a rocketbunny spoiler. Car is really coming together! The car is on adjustable coilovers so I’ve been playing with the ride heights a bit to get the wheels to fit. I haven’t thrown them on all 4s yet because I don’t want to get the wheels all dirty but here’s a sneak peek.
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The flux core welder I bought totally toasted on me. The welder itself is fine but the wire feed motor broke. I actually tested the motor itself and it’s fine but something on the board must have fried. With this little bit of welding experience I bought a slightly better and more adjustable welder. Hopefully I can dial in some good settings for the super thin metal. Once the welder gets here, I have to weld up the seams under the rear quarter panels. I already cut all the rust out of them and clearances for the widebody. I need to finish replacing all the rocker metal and then the car can head off to paint! Or wrap! Whatever!

I’m also starting to plan the engine build over the winter... guess we’ll see if I can source a nice 4g64 in the coming months, figure lots of people will be giving up on their engine builds come winter.

Might have noticed in the previous pics, but I’m working on a 3D printed roof wing! I have a few less-crazy designs but I figure I would prototype with the craziest one.
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It's been a minute since I've done an update. A lot has changed. I've been putting a lot of effort into this thing to make it into a sick track car. A while back I mocked up the entire kit. I have a piece for practically every panel of the car, but they were all sourced completely separately. It's complicated to try and match everything up, but I'm moving my way slowly through the bodywork.
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I wasn't too happy with my solution for fixing the rocker rust. I didn't really cut out all of the rust, and it wasn't as appealing as I had hoped. I cut out the rockers once again, to start fresh. I'm going to cut all the rust out that needs to be removed, before I start welding. That means I had to lob a big chunk out of the passenger-side wheel well frame. I've already got some plates tacked in, and I've already made some tubes to weld into the area. I figure if I use tubes, I might be able to squeeze some more steering clearance with the frame. Plus I'm thinking about tieing in some tubes with my rocker repairs to stiffen up the chassis.
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Speaking of steering, I also swapped electric power steering into the 240! This was a pretty involved project, but honestly not too bad. I took the steering column and rack from a 2010 Nissan Cube, and just made it work. You'd be surprised how much stuff lines up between the 1990 and 2010 Nissans. The tilt-column mount is literally exactly the same. I just had to make a second mount for the column, extend the steering shaft a little bit, and weld-in new steering rack mounts on the subframe. I got a welder buddy to help me out with all of the structural welding, but I'm actually getting a good hang of this welder. I bought a slightly nicer welder, but I have to attribute most of the improvement to my welder buddy. I took in the opportunity to watch him work, and it took my own welding to the next level. I also had to get slightly longer outer tie rods in order for the leaf's rack to reach my spindles. I'm slightly concerned about bump steer with the new steering rack, but I'm very familiar with how to avoid it. The mounts on the subframe are supported by a 3D printed TPU bushing, which can be altered to have different heights. These different heights would allow me to tune the height of the ITR pivot point to reduce bump steer. I'm pretty eager to test and see what works best for the car. All I have left to do it wire up the electric steering. I'm just waiting on finishing the frame and chassis repairs before I delve into dash stuff.
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With the frame cutting and steering swap, I HAD to take my dash apart. I'm not looking forward to the point where I have to organize all of this and put it back together. Ignore the ugly rockers, I haven't started the driver-side yet. Oh ya, and I also got a bolt-in half cage for a crazy deal. I never asked if it was for a sunroof hatch, and it turned out that it was! Perfect clearance to still utilize the sunroof with the cage. For those who don't know, the latch for the sunroof is at the back, the top of the main hoop sits right under it. The latch has to click-outwards so the main hoop has to be designed a little shorter. Thankfully everything worked out. I've been on the hunt for a while for a bolt-in half-cage, just because I hate the bolt-in full cages that have the tube that wraps around the dash. Just looks like shit imo. When the time comes, I figure this cage can be expanded upon to a full-cage with bars that go through the dash.
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This past week was taking out ALL of the suspension. I have ball joints and bushings for EVERYTHING. It's taking some serious time to take everything apart. The last thing to take out is that subframe, and press out the bushings on all the arms. When I do that, I'm going to take some time to clean up all the arms, and the body of the chassis. Since I'm kind of going all-out now, I might as well make the chassis last. Ignore those welds on the quarter! Those are going to be fixed too :D
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Since my project has been taking so long, I've been constantly thinking about the swap for this car. I'm really hoping for the 4g63/64 swap, but my mind is always changing. I like the idea of 4g swapping because it's basically telling s-chassis community that the SR is trash. However... LS swap turns drifting into easy-mode. Decisions...
 
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