Hey guys. I've been on this forum for a couple of days now, just figured I would sign up today. I'm pretty much set to buy a 240sx. Now, what I'm not too sure of is, which model? the s13,s14,s15, and then engine selections, jesus there seems to be a lot of choices. Say my price I could spend for the car is $5,000. I need some people to help me what to steer to, or away from. I do feel the need for customizing, and this car is(hopefully)gonna be a nice piece of work. Now, if this helps, this will be my first car.

BTW, I love this forum!, ah no spam, no annoying pop ups, not too many idiots, very nice. And just to let you know, I tired typing nice so I don't sound like an idiot;). Hope I get some good responses, thanks in advance guys.

not too many idiots, very nice.
Don't look too hard...there are some around. :D

No S15s are available in the US. Go with the S13. It is cheap and easy to modify.

ok for 5 grand its kinda tough to get a done deal car, but you can get close. id say hatchback, get the kouki 180sx tail lights, some sort of lowering suspension(probably not coilovers if you are on a limited budget), then either silvia front end conversion or the half pop up headlights. that might be possible for under 5 and in my opinion with good paint its a dope looking car. then you are ready to spend another 5-7 on performance

other option is keep it looking like crap but get some sort of power in there, SR20 all said and done nicely with clutch, LSD, gauges other random bullshit is probably 5 by itself if you do the swap yourself, but you could get a stock setup with the SR in there for relatively cheap if you can do it yourself. Or you can rebuild and turbo the KA, or just go all motor on a built KA, not too common, but think about it, its a 2.4 L four banger so it could be pretty fast with the right stuff (look at gude.com and jim wolf technology).

also beware of buying a shitty car because lots of costs will lie ahead of you (i.e. power windows, water pumps, radiators, rust damage, etc.)

i guess it really depends on what you want from the car. stock they arent fast, but i would not describe it as frustratingly slow, just average acceleration. i think the hatchbacks w/ the 180 tailights is the fastest/cheapest way to a nice looking car, but if you dont care about that, the S14 might be more your taste. for drifting all you basically need is LSD, supsension, and a little power.

the only things i have for my car are coilovers, exhaust, stiffened susp. bushings and spacers, front strut bar (and window tint). what i sorely need is LSD, 100 more Hp, paint, nice headlights, and a new stereo section of my dash, power windows that work, short shifter, floormats, and better speakers.

so hopefully this wil give you an idea of what youre getting into.

Thanks a lot guys. What I meant by 5,000 bucks is just the car and the bare minimum of accesories. I respect cars that cosmetically blow you away, but not big on performance, but I like power/performance. What Im really wondering is, would the KA be good to upgrade or should I pay quite a bit for the swap, but be better off in the long run(better performance for the buck). I dont plan on serious drifting but I will want cornering performance. So the best option im seeing now is the s13 with ka24e engine correct? thanks alot guys, big help.

KA24DE not KA24E, the E is the single cam, you want the DE which is dual cam. I think the KA is better in the long run since there will less stress at same power level and you can get any part in the US.

Well at this rate it doesn't seem this project would be too expensive because it comes with a motor i can upgrade nicely. for 2,00 bucks for performance(just engine), will i have a fast KA?

for $2k striclty on the KA, it wont be mind blowingly fast by any means, but if you put money in the right places, you outa be able to push 210hp. good luck with the car man, i gotta find me one soon too.

OMFg wish i had 5000 man i got my 240 for 3000 so 2000 would go like this...

Cold Air Intake: $210
HKS Hi-Power Exhaust: $510
AEM EMS ECU: $1610(down payment) :D

thats how my money would go...but yea i say get teh S13..but that KAULTIMATE movie makes the S14 sooooo Sexy....

Yea well relaxe guys, im saving this money up and my parents might pitch in a few bills because it will be my first car lol. I know my car wouldn't be crazy fast but, I can dream. This car will be a project for me through high school. Also, Im a huge car fan. I dont even have my license,but Im dieing to have a 240sx in the garage. I love working on stuff, especially cars.Hmm,first goal=be able to beat most civics. haha, fun fun.

Damn, I'm dreaming of a really cheap 240 that may or may not run, and he's dreaming of a really fast one.

yea well i dream of someone on this forum trading me their nice 240 for my nice Eclipse :rolleyes:

Haha, I'm personally torn between Nissan and DSM. I have a 95 GS, and an S13 in my driveway right now. Hmm...Thinking about selling them both, buying a 97 240 and eventually turboing it. And if I were you Travis...I would at least save up and buy an S14. Trust me.

What is so much better about the s14 and the s13? dont they have the same tranny and engine? im just asking you, not trying to argue.

s13 has different cams, what some people call 'hot cams' which are apparently popular to swap into s14s.. but the main differences are looks.. more or less the same engine.. same tranny.. i think a done up s13 (fast and modestly good looking) is sexier than the same type of s14. but thats probably a very biased opinion cause i own an s13 and love it.. its all about looks and how many clicks you want on the car.. but on the same token you could have a very good looking s13 putting over 200whp down versus having a stock s14 with no more than 20+whp than stock..

Yea Im leaning toward a s13 with the ka24de. easy to upgrade I heard, true?

very.. spend $2500 and you've got yourself a turbo ka24de running 5psi.. and servicing a ka24de is much easier if you live in north america cause they'll have parts for it, whereas shops don't know enough about the sr and you have to order parts in from japan

The thing is, if you have a 200whp S13 and I have a 140whp S14 for the same price, I will eventually have more horsepower, but you will never have an S14. Think about it, D-Bo. ;-)

Im not seeing where your coming from? whats so much different between the s13 and 14 beside the looks? and are s14s easier to upgrade? thanks..

the thing is, i don't WANT an s14.. and as far as i know they're both just as easy to mod

S14s are just a little smoother around the edges, better seats, more luxurious, quieter, that kind of thing, but over all they're the same.

Man logik you were confusing me. Now all I hafto do is, find an s13 after '91 correct because of the ka24de engine?

91 or after. my friend has a 91 240sx 5spd. its a pretty fast car, not to mention very solid and durable. i would love to own one.

Like ^ said, 91-98 have the KA24DE engine, but 94 are all convertible automatic, the rest you can get a 5speed. I think the S13 is a little more hardcore, can be nice, but are usually in shitty condition since they are like 10-15 years old and made with shitty metal, S14 are better IMO, but it's up to you.

I think the S13 is a little more hardcore, can be nice, but are usually in shitty condition since they are like 10-15 years old and made with shitty metal, S14 are better IMO, but it's up to you.
...kind of over generalized there dude. There are plenty of nice S13s out there. (and the metal is the same metal used in the S14)

i like my s13 metal just fine. No rust on all 3 of the ones at my house. Okay travis, there both "easy" to upgrade. I dont get what would be hard about it?? It depends on what your "upgrading" if its going to be a difficult task or not. Any car can be easily upgraded. As far as getting s13 or s14....thats totally up to you. What body style do you like better?? As far as power wise they both have the same potential. The only reason i would buy an s13 is because there cheaper, which means more money for "upgrades" after you have the car. But its totally up to you man.

Thanks to you all. All very helpful. I guess I will just hafto see what condition/price i can afford into my budget. S13s and S14s appeal to me cosmetically about the same. I think of the S13s as more of the drag or drift cars though.

btw, what are the test pipes?

OK this is my first post on the forums... But I am a big SR fan. I would personally buy a decent non running 240 with a straight body if you can find one. This is your first car so you are making it ok the way you are right now transportation wise. If you know much about mechanics and autos, or have someone that can help you out a bit, installing the SR shouldn't be too much work for you guys. My friend just bought a 92 with blown motor for 250. With 5k buy 180sx front clip for 2600+ shipping and get that in your car and running. You'll have 2k left for exhaust, blow-off valve, downpipe, clutch, and a few guages and you'll be sitting 200+ hp and ready to rock. That would be the ideal track if you could pull off a 240 with good body and no engine. If not, get the best deal you can for one with a good body for 3k and you could use the rest for 1700+ shipping and buy what you need part by part to get the motor in your car. Maybe you could do it all at once if your parents will help you out.

Yea but one thing that can be good and bad that is WILL be my first car, and havent quite built up the balls to put in a engine by myself(well my dad could help but hes more old school cars). I think if I found a strong running 5 speed manual 1991-1993 coupe or fastback, i would be in luck.

If that's the case I would play things safe, find someone that knows imports at the minimum and start researching. I have had the car for over a year and have been very carefully trying to pick out what I want. It will be a never ending battle between SR and KA but the SR was made for boost so I feel it's more prepared for it. It's up in the air on this one.

Yea good advice Silva stud. You should get some pics of your car, seems like everyone else here has them:) haha. good luck with your car man. you ever think about turboing your KA?

Have thought of it but.... The SR is beautiful and I don't know that I trust the 140K+ i have on my motor right now as I would the 35-40k on a SR. But at the point I am at right now I could turbo my KA I have just the basics I need to turbo the car minus the IC. But I should have a SR here by mid Feb. I'll get pics up asap. :o)

Oh, forgot one more thing. Check out Enjukuracing.com and look at the members cars. Ken is running 562rwhp on the stock block of his sr. He's a good guy if you have questions email him as well.

Awesome, check on website tomorrow. Getting late(eastern time) and i was up late late last night and have a day of testing tomorrow. Im out, see you guys tomorrow.

alright, anything else you guys would like to add?

Also, kind of off topic but, how much would a paint job be for a 240sx? nothing flashy, just a regular one tone color(blue,green, red, etc.)

Depends on many factors, how many coats, how many coats of clear, do you want to apint it same color or different color, do you want a shit job, fair job, good job, or show job.

you can go half ass and pay $1500 or all out (including the engine bay) for $8000 (both in CDN)
atleast thats what i was quoted. so it all depends on how nice you want it to look..

well yea the sr was made for boost compared to ka....but really all the ka needs is pistons to be turbo safe at a nice comfortable psi. Honestly dude, i would just buy a running s13. Then drive the car stock for a bit and learn how the car handles/drives and feels. While doing this, save up more money on top of what you have left over from the purchase. If you got 5 grand now, take out about 2,500 for a s13. (you can find cheaper, mine was 1600) But on average id say 2500 +/- a few. Then depending on how long u save, start modding what you feel needs to be improved on. Say you think your car isn't stiff enough for you. Then buy coilovers or something. You get what im saying. Dont just jump right into modding and going fast if this is your first car. And also you'll need money for the unexpected maintenance situations like brake pads, fuel injectors, oil changes, new tires, spark plugs. You know just the random shit.

The KA need good compression to make 300whp reliably. Thats it.

My KA has 135K miles and still reads 185-180psi across all four. I've had four people ride in it and say it could smoke a new GT. Maybe thats not all that fast, but it seems a little faster if you build the car yourself.

BTW, I'm eighteen, was seventeen when I bought all the parts for the turbo, and this is my first car.

www.ka-t.org
www.nicoclub.com
www.240sxforums.com
www.freshalloy.com

All good sites with useful info on the 240sx. Obviously www.ka-t.org is KA preferenced. All the rest have info on all aspects of the 240sx. Good luck man, and start doing some reading. Hit me or Tat up with any Qs about the KA-T.

You cant turbo the KA because the SR is JDM Tyte...Silva its Silvia but h well...you can make more Horsepower with 5000-6000 on a KA then you can a SR?

you guys are great lol, thanks for the help. The reason I asked about paint is because my friend found a running '91 240sx for 700(i know, running and 700 dont go hand and hand).its half ass primered, and the other color is the stock red. But if its manaul, shes mine.

Good luck my friend. I hope you figure out what you want. Its been 6 months and im still confused. Im thinking about just dropping the 2500 and buying an SR and leaving it stock. Heh.

Yea, Im not gonna be doing any hard core racing anyway(i cant because my budget).But, i still would like to upgrade and make it a semi fast car. Hey guys, in one or two years do you think the s14s will be semi cheap?

they'll be sure as hell cheaper than they are now.. but you can never tell how much.. that was a common sense question though.. you could have figured that out yoursef

-Get a S14 (if u have enough $) Turbo the KA

-Get a S13 (less $ 2300MAX) Swap in SR the if the KA is a SOHC or if its just old. (beware RUST!) (BAD seats! u can install S14 seats)

-S13 coups are stiffer (no glase bubl like the hatch)
-S14 straubary or mad eyes are nice, some have 5lug nuts, most 4.

as with all , few came with VLSD (90-98)

cool, good luck bro and welcom :)

Ill see what i can do, but im almost positive that I want to stick with the KA, and maybe turbo it, not sure.

Ill see what i can do, but im almost positive that I want to stick with the KA, and maybe turbo it, not sure.

s14 strawberry eyes??? i thought s15 was called that, because ichi-go in japanese means 15 or also means strawberry. So its been dubbed the strawberry face conversion??? please correct me if im wrong.

Strawberry face S14 is an S14 with an S15 front end.
Angry eyes is an S14 Kouki

yeah tnx thegladhater for the heads up, yeah 15 ichi go (straubry eyes, ichi, go=1,5 = straubry in Japanaes)

Woot. cant wait to get one guys.

I think for a first car you would want something reliable, therefore a car with low miles. S14 fits into that description a lil better. I would recomend keeping the KA, parts are available at any store, if blown a new motor costs ~200-400 dollars. So you don't have to be afraid too much about blowing an engine. I still like the SR a lil better, a 240 with this engine has almost 50/50 weight distribution (good handling) and the engine is more rev friendly. Parts for the RWD SR are not available in the US, only the FWD reached the states. Don't be confused that you can just go to Autozone and get say a waterpump for the RWD SR20, you can't the engine are Different.
For me it is not a problem though, I live relativly close to the company that imports JDM motor (2 hr drive) so that might be a reason for me not being affraid of getting SR20.
Well for now I should not be thinking of swaps, first I need to get a real driver license (lol since im an immigrant my parents think that my permit is a license) then get a 240. I used to own one that was wrecked and had a blown engine, don't know how you can wreck a car when it can't even run. Lol somebody has skills.

Good luck finding a nice 240, good choice in cars too.

Yea. I have an S14 (love it). I am also trying to figure out whether I want to go with the SR20 or keep my engine and just build it. Im not trying to turn this into another KA vs. SR forum, but if you think about it, if I had exactly 4 Grand to spend. I could probably make more power by doing the swap and having a little left for a few upgrades and be faster than putting 4 grand into the KA right? Oh yea, and if you want a cheap 240, I have a nice blue 89 with the engine and tranny already taken out, ready for the SR. It is also missing the seats (junkyard item). Let me know. I live in Michigan.

Thanks guys, good info. And ^you, no thanks on the car lol. So thanks alot guys for your oppinions. This site is kick ass.

I could probably make more power by doing the swap and having a little left for a few upgrades and be faster than putting 4 grand into the KA right?

Not being biased, but no.

thats not biased at all.. you can get the same amount of power from a ka-t as a stock sr for less money..

especially with 4 grand just for the engine.

i'm pretty sure you could spend the same by turboing your ka and adding suspension as you would buying and installing an sr without adding suspension

awesome info
thanks guys.

s13 is your best bet. it has a good price and can easily be modified into a s14 with the change of a bumper. engine should be a ka24de has alot of potential

im gonna go for the s14 unless i find a lower milage s13.
more miles=more problems=more money.

s13 is your best bet. it has a good price and can easily be modified into a s14 with the change of a bumper. engine should be a ka24de has alot of potential


I'm sorry.....WHAT??? WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU SAYING???? S13 to S14 with the simple change of a bumper?

s13 is your best bet. it has a good price and can easily be modified into a s14 with the change of a bumper. engine should be a ka24de has alot of potential

Are you talking about....nevermind, please show a step by stem instructions in going from this
http://img180.exs.cx/img180/9968/rps13tsuu1hf.jpg
to this
http://img180.exs.cx/img180/7320/silvia45b15d4rm.jpg
using this
http://img180.exs.cx/img180/398/nis200sxbumper450355s9gn.jpg
I am pretty sure a lot of people would be interested in seeing how this magic works (sorry using magic wound is not one of the choices).

Yea they do got you there man. Different headlights, seats, few other things. I know the differences guys, thanks. oh i cant wait until I can buy one of these man.

im gonna go for the s14 unless i find a lower milage s13.
more miles=more problems=more money.

Poor matinence=more problems=more money. Fixed.

Yea but the odds buying a s13 that is less of a money hole then a s14 would be hard to find.