What to do with $4000..

Well looks like I have a budget of about $4000 to repair the body and paint on my 1990 hatchback (5spd), I was considering getting full paint and kits on the car in an earlyer thread, however I think I just realized how much money that is, and I'm wondering if instead I should apply that to massive preformance upgrades. An engine swap would be nice.. I might have to save up a bit more to do that though.

Any way the damage to the car is only body&paint, it would need a replacement driver side rear quarter panel (huge dent from the wheel well and a major crease above the bumper that can't be fixed.) In addition to that there is a relitivly small dent/pinch on the driver side door.

If I don't spend that money on the body work, I might be able to fix the rear quarter pannel a little bit and touch it up, but the massive fold in the metal won't be fixable. What do you guys think I should do?

The car is a 1990 240sx hatchback 5spd, 105k miles, otherwise than the damage listed and some oxidation on the clear coat, the exterior and interior are great. The car has a brand new transmission and clutch, 17"rims with eagle F-1's on them. Also has a nifty sound system. If I could lean one way on the mods, it would be towards drag 1/4mile times, rather than say drifting.

Here's a shot of the car BEFORE the accident and before the new wheels
(mind you the dent in the door in this pic is actualy a reflection of a really wierd tree in the back ground, look close and you'll see it)

http://kenohki2112.homestead.com/files/240sx_side.jpg

If you are wondering about the accident, my car was parked, and some girl driving a V8 toyota tundra was trying to squease that monster into a compact spot. You can imagine what that would do to this little car.(good thing I got her insurance info)

Buy a newer car with lower mileage, sell the car as is then buy parts for the new car.

Buy a newer car with lower mileage, sell the car as is then buy parts for the new car.

I like the S13, and 105k for a 1990 is pretty low mileage. In addition it has a brand new clutch and tranny, the current KA24E engine runs great, only part on the car showing any wear is the suspention.

I'd rather keep this car and put some work into it.

Well i am just suggesting to get a 1991- 1993 which has dohc and hopefully lower miles. Unless you are really going to do a motor swap then just drop the idea.

Well i am just suggesting to get a 1991- 1993 which has dohc and hopefully lower miles. Unless you are really going to do a motor swap then just drop the idea.

Yeah, I am considering swaping the motor, I'm not really sure how much more I would have to save up though, and what my options are, and if it would be practical do do with the amount of money I have, or will soon have.

Theres not much difference between SOHC and DOHC once you have them built up and/or turbo'd. The KA24e is still a quite capable motor... if you really want to do an engine swap, make sure you do a lot of research and don't go with the swap based on trends.

http://www.sdsefi.com/features/feature2.html
http://www.sdsefi.com/features/240sx.htm
http://www.sdsefi.com/features/oct01240.htm

The DE has better cam profiles supposedly, but unless one of the guys with a Turbo/Built DE can come here and explain why the DOHC is much much better over an SOHC, then theres not really a significant difference.

I've got a 90' Hatchback, and I think I've made up my mind about engine performance... just turbo it! Have it rebuilt of course... and theres plenty of support out there for the SOHC, as much as the DOHC.

200 thai whores...

Logikal beat me to it damn you!

Theres not much difference between SOHC and DOHC once you have them built up and/or turbo'd. The KA24e is still a quite capable motor... if you really want to do an engine swap, make sure you do a lot of research and don't go with the swap based on trends.

http://www.sdsefi.com/features/feature2.html
http://www.sdsefi.com/features/240sx.htm
http://www.sdsefi.com/features/oct01240.htm

The DE has better cam profiles supposedly, but unless one of the guys with a Turbo/Built DE can come here and explain why the DOHC is much much better over an SOHC, then theres not really a significant difference.

I've got a 90' Hatchback, and I think I've made up my mind about engine performance... just turbo it! Have it rebuilt of course... and theres plenty of support out there for the SOHC, as much as the DOHC.


I looked through these, I'm not sure if this is actualy the best thing to do, one of those sites says $5000 and about 300 hours of labor, wouldn't be cheaper to go with a swap? Expecialy considering there is only so much of the work I can do my self, some of this would have to be done at a shop.

5000 because they were experimenting on their own with not much knowledge on a turbo KA. Now there's been enough people going KA-T with a reliable result... if you piece everything yourself, it gets much cheaper. Rebuild is always recommended, but as posted, not necessary with the low boost. TatII has a turbo S14 and I've heard he pulls some great #s There's plenty of choices for the S13 and you can't really go wrong with one of them... it's up to you, your needs, and of course your budget.

spend about $800 on a KA24DE then spend about a grand on intake exhaust and headers, , then spend about $1500 on a rebuild, then spend the rest on suspension and you'll prolly still have a bit left over to start saving for new wheels and tires, you'll be set to go in no time

spend about $800 on a KA24DE then spend about a grand on intake exhaust and headers, , then spend about $1500 on a rebuild, then spend the rest on suspension and you'll prolly still have a bit left over to start saving for new wheels and tires, you'll be set to go in no time

The KA24DE only puts out around 15 more HP than the KA24E that I have in there, wouldn't I get a better deal to save up for an SR or any of the other engines? Looking around here I see numbers every where from 200hp to 285hp. If I had to I wouldn't mind putting a real nice engine in there, and comming back this summer to do the exaust and suspention. Also, I already have the wheels/tires on the car, that picture up there doesn't have them though.

As for keeping the KA24E and going turbo on it, As far as I can tell no one makes a kit for this, and I have a habbit of making expensive mistakes when it comes to buying parts. You should see what I've been through with my computer over here ^_^

200 thai whores...


hahaha I could not stop laughing.

The KA24DE only puts out around 15 more HP than the KA24E that I have in there, wouldn't I get a better deal to save up for an SR or any of the other engines? Looking around here I see numbers every where from 200hp to 285hp. If I had to I wouldn't mind putting a real nice engine in there, and comming back this summer to do the exaust and suspention. Also, I already have the wheels/tires on the car, that picture up there doesn't have them though.

As for keeping the KA24E and going turbo on it, As far as I can tell no one makes a kit for this, and I have a habbit of making expensive mistakes when it comes to buying parts. You should see what I've been through with my computer over here ^_^

well yes its only about 15-20hp difference, but its an $800 dollar engine, where as the SR is about 60-65hp more but the engine cost like 3-4 times what the KA24DE does, plus with the other 3 grand you could do all you suspension, intake/headers/exhaust, and a rebuild, and I bet you'll be even with the SR or have more hp plus have money left over... and since the engine is rebuilt it will be more reliable, and who wants to wait till summer for suspension and i/h/e when it could all be done now? to me its an easy answer but its really up to you

Yeah I see what you mean, I might be looking at that then, and idea how much of a boost one can get on the KA24DE with intake/headers/exaust? I really have no idea, I would guess the three mods might add another 10-15 tops, bringing it to around 165-170hp. That sound accurate at all?

If I went with this, I have another question for you, if I got the mods but not the ka24de, would the headers and intake fit? or are they different than the ka24e? What I mean is if I get headers/intake now, and then swap the engine to the ka24de, would they still fit? For that matter, does the said engine drop into the 1990 240 very easly?

What are my options regarding the suspention? I don't want to have any clearance problems, so I don't want to drop the car more than 2" inches for sure, maybe 1.5" if I can get that, but I want a really tight setup, comfort is not really an issue.

With these what kind of times do you think I might be able to get at the 1/4mile? I've never got a time for the car, I have taken it out against my brothers 2001 prelude, I blew him away up untill the last 200feet or so where I got burned (still did way better than I thought it would). I know his car is good for a 15.3.

Thanks again for the help

the engine will bolt in just fine and you shouldn't have any trouble with putting it in yourself as long as you have a little knowledge and s good memory of how everything goes(and maybe a handbook that shows you how it all goes back in :iceslolan )

stock you'd prolly run 15.9-16.1 if its manual(thats the DE) I'd say maybe like 16.5 for the E but don't know exactly

no the headers would be different for the 2 engines I'm pretty sure, but the KA24E isn't near as good an engine as the DE in my opinion, and theres a lot more potential in the DE

but lets stick with the DE for now... if you throw on intake/headers/exhaust, expect around 8-10hp from each so your looking at around 24-30hp, so your at about 175-180hp now, but with a rebuild its hard to know what you'll gain... I think if you do that and rebuild with forged pistons and all that good stuff you'll end up with atleast 200hp and I'd expect even more... then for suspension you could get full coilovers which are more expensive and not really needed unless your gonna do some auto-x or something... or you could get eibach sportsline sprnigs(about 1.5 inch drop lke you wanted) with some KYB AGX adjustable gas shocks, that seems to be the best setup, if you ask around everyone would agree thats a great setup...

I'd say you could prolly get into the 14's with some good driving

personally the best thing about that setup vs. the SR is that the KA is non-turbo so you don't have to worry about taking care of a turbo, plus the KA is rebuilt so it should be more reliable as long as you don't like go crazy and race port it or anything

Nice, thanks for the help, I think I know what I'm gonna do now.

I did end up finding a great deal on replacing that rear quarter panel and repainting the car, I'm gonna go ahead and do that now, and fix up the suspention. When summer comes around and I have a few more bucks, I think I'll go with that KA24DE with headers/exaust/intake. How much would the said suspention upgrade cost?

here is the cheapest place for just about anything www.planetperformance.com I haven't found a site with better prices and I look ALOT
http://www.planetperformance.com/vehicle.search/?productID=326764 thats springs
http://www.planetperformance.com/vehicle.search/?searchtype=56789d&sortorder=ADAAAAAA&urlsubcategory=Suspension+%26+Chassis&productcategory=Shocks%2FStruts+%26+Accessories&sf1=NISSAN&sf2=1990&sf3=240SX&sf4=Vehicle+Specific+Shocksand thats the shocks, the KYB AGX are probably the best, although the most expensive, but I personally would go with the tokico non-adjustable shocks because they are cheaper and I don't need adjustables(for a daily driver street car its not worth it for the extra money is you ask me)