An S13 that proves that life is all about redemption and perseverance.
The entire idea that you can build a car “right” the first time you do it is terribly unrealistic. You don’t just wake up one day, throw parts on a car, and be happy with it the rest of your life. Creating a custom vehicle is all about the learning process. The final product is important, but it is the journey to that pinnacle that makes the build worthwhile.
Seibon Carbon hood and trunk. Photo credit: Import Tuner magazine.com.
Jeffrey Lu, the owner of this Crystal White 240SX coupe, knows the struggle all too well. He at one time was a starving college student moonlighting as a car enthusiast. The only reason his S13 came to fruition was to make up for all the follies he made the first time around with another S13 chassis. “I got into cars right after I graduated high school,” Jeffrey says. “I started reading about grip driving and drifting because I found it interesting. My friends were all talking about it and I eventually bought a 240SX chassis to mess around with. The car was pretty junky but it was my toy during my college years.”
“After driving the car for a few years, it started to develop some serious wear and tear,” Jeffrey says. “It wasn’t even about trying to modify the car. Most of my time was spent fixing whatever was breaking constantly. Eventually I had to decide on whether or not to keep pouring money into it or look for another car. I couldn’t see myself parting with the car, so I continued to do the necessary repairs on it. There wasn’t a whole lot I could do with a minimum wage job and financial aid.”
Photo credit: Import Tuner magazine.com.
His relationship with his 240SX deteriorated as he found himself having to ultimately sell the car because of financial troubles. “I was so full of regret selling that car because I put everything I had into it,” Jeffrey says. “I saved up later and thought about building a different car but I missed driving my 240SX. I had to build another one, but this time I’d build it the correct way.”
The search for a new S13 led him to Bakersfield, CA. He hopped on a Greyhound bus and drove the car home, excited as ever to dive back into another S-chassis. Once he got the car home, the teardown began. The first order of business was to replace all the dated suspension components.
Seibon Carbon hood and trunk. Photo credit: Import Tuner magazine.com.
Visually, the outside of his S13 contains a mishmash of products from all over. The coupe wears the face of its Japanese Silvia counterpart, but the factory bumpers and sides have been succeeded by a more stylish Chargespeed aero kit. The hood is a lightweight carbon-fiber equivalent from Seibon, and the rear spoiler is a rare carbon piece from the Japanese tuner once known as Wise Square, now known simply as Behrman. Both the front fenders and rear quarters have been massaged to make room for the aggressive wheels before the entire shell was repainted in a new coat of white.
Photo credit: Import Tuner magazine.com.
Dependable power usually equates to quality engine parts, and in this S13, all you’ll find is the best of the best. Jeffrey had never experienced SR power with his previous 240SX so he made sure to do right by his build when he finally obtained an SR20DET motor. “Tomei Power” was the theme with this engine build. The entire SR valvetrain was upgraded with Tomei pieces, including their signature Poncam camshafts, and the turbocharger used their ARMS M8270. Greddy products also come into play with their intake manifold applied and a massive front-mount intercooler resting behind the opening of Jeffrey’s Chargespeed fascia. Fuel comes via 850cc SARD injectors delivered by a Walbro pump and regulated by a Tomei FPR. It all comes together to make a healthy 380 whp—a far cry from the days when he was struggling to keep his tired stock engine running in his other S13.
Photo credit: Import Tuner magazine.com.
“I started out with nothing and made a lot of mistakes with my first S13. With patience and some great advice from friends, I was able to turn it all around and I’m very content with my current build. You can’t really build a nice car with cheap parts and shortcuts so it is important to take the time to do it right.”
Seibon Carbon hood and trunk. Photo credit: Import Tuner magazine.com.
Behind The Build
Name: Jeffrey Lu
Hometown: San Francisco, CA
Occupation: Technician
Build Time: Forever
Motivation: To build a reliable and fast vehicle
1992 Nissan 240SX
Output 380 hp/371 lb-ft of torque
Engine ’93 2.0L “Red Top” SR20DET; Tomei Poncams, valvesprings, valve retainers, valveguides, rocker arm stoppers, ARMS M8270 turbocharger, fuel pressure regulator, oil cap, radiator cap; Greddy cam sprocket, intake manifold, intercooler, aluminum pulley kit, oil pan, turbo elbow; ARP head studs; A’pexi 1.1mm head gasket; Cusco motor mounts; Blitz LM air intake; Walbro 255-lph fuel pump; Circuit Sports fuel rail; SARD 850cc fuel injectors, oil catch can; Buddy Club Spec-II exhaust; Splitfire coil pack; HKS tubular exhaust manifold, turbo up-pipe, SSQV blow-off valve; Moonface Racing EX Chamber downpipe; Koyo radiator; Samco Sport cooling hoses; Mishimoto radiator fans; Nismo thermostat.
Drivetrain NISMO GT Pro differential; Peak Performance transmission mounts; Drive Shaft Shop aluminum driveshaft; Exedy Hyper single carbon disc clutch; HKS shifter spring; Circuit Sports short shifter.
Suspension Tein Super Drift coilovers (8k front/6k rear), inner/outer tie rods; Whiteline front sway bar, rear sway bar; Cusco Tri-Bar rear strut brace; Kazama rear upper control arms, traction rod, tension rod, rear toe rods, tension support; Nismo Power Brace; Cusco Safety21 five-point rollbar; RSR suspension bushings; Moonface racing roof bar; Circuit Sport subframe brace, reinforcement brace.
Wheels/Tires front: 18×9.5 +10 Weds Sport TC105N and 215/45-18 Nitto Neogen; rear: 18×10.5 +12 Weds Sport TC105N and 235/45-18 Nitto Neogen; Project Kics neochrome lug nuts; NISMO extended wheel studs.
Exterior Chargespeed aero kit; Behrman GT R32 carbon-fiber rear spoiler, carbon-fiber front grille; D-Max roof spoiler, taillights; Seibon carbon-fiber OEM-style hood, trunk; Crystal White paint; Automation LED lighting; Vision carbon-fiber side mirrors; JDM S13 Silvia front end conversion.
Import Tuner’s full article here: http://www.importtuner.com/features/1404_1992_nissan_240sx/#ixzz2wuJYwKg3
Find Seibon Carbon 240sx parts here.