Grilled's Project S14

[GrilledCheese33]

Welcome to my build thread guys! Its been a long time since i've been in these parts of nico so i'll introduce myself. My name is Darren and I live in Palm Coast, FL. Some of you "old school" 240 guys remember me by this:


I joined here 5 years ago with my first car, the 96 S14 above. I moved on from 240 land, had a couple hondas, then a wrx that I just totaled. A 240 caught my eye and all worked out, so this is my thread to keep you guys updated on my progress with it. I introduce to you, Project S14:

-Its a 1995 Automatic SE
-90k Original Miles
-Tein Coilovers, Tension Rods, Rucas
-300ZX TT Front Brakes
-350Z Track Wheels

What came along with the car:
-All 5 Speed Swap Parts, 99% Complete just need minor things
-J30 6 Bolt LSD with Axles
-JDM Skirts and Valances
-All stock parts+more

Pics:








I don't think they come any cleaner...








The goal of this build is to make a clean, reliable, and fun to drive DD. The car will not be swapped, or boosted for now, just going to rock the KA for a while or maybe even indefinitely. Keep checking back for updates, I have a lot of parts ordered for this thing to get the build going!

[S13_RB25]

Nice Ill be staying tuned in for this. LOL it was just like my thread, no one showed love...

[breadbox]

I thought I commented on this one already.

I love that color on the zenki.

[MR.chris]

Your first upgrade should be to wet sand and buff those headlights. lol

[laxands13]

wow, that looks pretty good other than the roof hah. sucks about your wrx, those are nice cars...

[Hoffman5982]

Nice wheels

[Chris28]

Ah, GrilledCheese. For some reason I vividly remember your signature of the green DC3 Integra on sawblades. Welcome back, good luck with the 5sp swap and everything else!

[GrilledCheese33]

Thanks guys

Your first upgrade should be to wet sand and buff those headlights. lol

I used some Plastx by hand on them saturday and they came out decent. I need to get some more plastx and get my buffer out and use that. They should come clean that way. If not, wetsanding it is.

wow, that looks pretty good other than the roof hah. sucks about your wrx, those are nice cars...

Thanks, the wrx was my favorite car ive owned so far, but its gone now. Just gotta hope for the best and enjoy this project now.

Nice wheels

Ah, GrilledCheese. For some reason I vividly remember your signature of the green DC3 Integra on sawblades. Welcome back, good luck with the 5sp swap and everything else!

You got it!

[GrilledCheese33]

Well folks, heres update number 1! Nothing major, but its a start lol.

The car came with a Kenwood Headunit that I couldn't stand:

Time to break out the Trusty Alpine thats been in all of my car besides 1:



1 more install in a different car and this harness will be way too short lol:


All Wired Up:


And Done... The Alpine lives for another adventure:


Sweet weight reduction while I work on my power windows:


Clean Headlights:


Scored a Mint Sunroof and Un-cracked Radio Trim from a shop about an hour from me:



I ended up discovering some f'd up wheel studs. One of them was stripped inside the hub and spinning freely. My dad and I broke out the torch and cut the stud off between the wheel and rotor. It was pretty scary doing that to my nice wheels but I didn't have another choice really. All is well, the stud is off and nothing was damaged. I have a full set of studs on order. I'm not gonna deal with these breaking as they are 15 years old and have messed up threads.

Stay tuned for more!

[motoman399]

looking good. love s14's!

welcome back

[GrilledCheese33]

Small update. Worked all day replacing wheel studs. So happy to get this finished. I was either 3 or 4-lugging on all the wheels. The studs were stripped, mis matched lugnuts, the works lol. Even the newer studs that appeared to have been replaced recently were messed up! I solved that by putting all new wheel studs in and finished the job off with some gorilla lug nuts. On to pics:

Front:



Rear:



Cleaned the wheels in and out:


The old lug studs that I hate so much lol:


And a shot of the whole car for kicks and giggles:

[Razi]

Awesome! I like a clean build.
Are you going to change it up to a Kouki front, how about paint?

[MagikDragon]

Welcome back to the dark side Darren. Car looks sweet!

[GrilledCheese33]

Awesome! I like a clean build.
Are you going to change it up to a Kouki front, how about paint?

Staying with the Zenki front but with a 96 grille, nothing too wild. The car will be re-sprayed the original color. I really like the color, and thats a good thing because i'm not a fan of color changes really.

[GrilledCheese33]

Welcome back to the dark side Darren. Car looks sweet!

Hey I remember you!!! And thanks, it feels good to be back. I'm loving this car more and more every day.

Double post ftw

[kc240guy]

When I got my car, whatever shop that put the wheels on for the previous owner had hulk hogan tighten the lug nuts. I had to break each stud to get the ricer 17x7 +42 wheels off. What a pain in the a** to change every stud.

[GrilledCheese33]

When I got my car, whatever shop that put the wheels on for the previous owner had hulk hogan tighten the lug nuts. I had to break each stud to get the ricer 17x7 +42 wheels off. What a pain in the a** to change every stud.

Dude I feel your pain. The only air tool I own is a craftsman air ratchet powered by a tiny air compressor. I was able to get them started with that, but then had to put the brakes back on and finish pulling them through by hand. It was an all day job and I still am sore from it lol. But it was so worth it.

I'm taking tomorrow off from working on the car, headed to the springs for the day. Sunday I will try to put in the new sunroof and radio trim I bought, and hopefully get around to doing a speaker install.

This week i'm planning to finish with the power windows, get the windshield molding replaced, then its time to get geared up for the 5 speed swap! Heres a pic of some new goodies for now:

[motoman399]

nice goodies

whats wrong with your windows and sun roof?

[GrilledCheese33]

Sunroof glass weatherstripping separated from the glass so i got another one in nice condition. The passenger side window has problems but the car came with a ton of window parts to fix it. My buddy who owns a window motor business is coming by tuesday and we're just gonna rebuild the motors and possibly regulators on both sides, I like to fix things so there are no problems down the road.

[Chris28]

Good thinking with the preemptive window work, glad to see you're doing everything right the first time around. Looks like a nice parts pile you have going on in that picture haha.

[pj]

im taking notes...no please, go on. haha

[PapaSmurf2k3]

Darren has always built cars the way they should be built. Glad to see you back in a Nissan buddy... but the WRX incident was quite tragic. I too like that color on Zenkis. You always seem to find the best deals.

You should look into picking up an electric impact gun from Harbor Freight or something. I have one and have used it more than I thought I would. Being as cheap as they are, something's gotta give. Luckily it doesn't appear to be quality (mine has performed great), but it IS big, bulky, and heavy.

[GrilledCheese33]

Good thinking with the preemptive window work, glad to see you're doing everything right the first time around. Looks like a nice parts pile you have going on in that picture haha.

I have parts everywhere! You can barely walk in my room, garage, and spot where my 5 speed stuff is lol.

Darren has always built cars the way they should be built. Glad to see you back in a Nissan buddy... but the WRX incident was quite tragic. I too like that color on Zenkis. You always seem to find the best deals.

You should look into picking up an electric impact gun from Harbor Freight or something. I have one and have used it more than I thought I would. Being as cheap as they are, something's gotta give. Luckily it doesn't appear to be quality (mine has performed great), but it IS big, bulky, and heavy.

Appreciate it sir! I am really happy to have a 240 again. I am really enjoying working on and driving this thing, its gonna be really sweet when its all said and done . I have thought about the electric impact and after my day from hell with wheel studs I may just buy one.

_______________________________________

Today was a productive day:

Installed the un cracked radio trim:


New kickers all the way around, definitely beats blown stock 15 year old speakers!


Replaced my sunroof glass as well:



Does anyone have recommendations for tweeters that will install in the factory spot/use the factory grills? Mine are not working any longer and I would like to buy some new ones, i have never replaced tweeters before.

[GrilledCheese33]

Well folks, today was window day. Went to my friends house and had my window motor rebuilt. The plastic gear inside the motor was stripped badly. We opted not to do the drivers since we found it to be perfect once we inspected it. Don't fix what aint broken lol. So now I have full working power glass and it feels great. Next, onto the cruise control and then everything will be fixed! I have a glass guy coming in the morning to replace my windshield moulding. Its all coming together!

[motoman399]

for the cruise control, check the brake pedal switch. thats what was broken on mine causing the cruise to not work. build is looking clean. congrats.

[GrilledCheese33]

Thanks man, I will check that out on the cruise control. It will set and all, but the gas pedal doesn't grab. If you let it stay on long enough, it will get to the point where it needs to down shift. The transmission will down shift then at that point then the cruise control cuts off because it finally realises the gas isn't being pressed. Seems kinda like a vacuum problem to me...

Heres a couple pics:

Got some Tomei goodness in today


Manual ECU


Glass company came today and ended up needing an additional part that had to be special ordered, so that will be taken care of in a week or so. Its all coming together and we are nearing 5 speed swap time! The car is scheduled to go in for paint Sept 7th.

[motoman399]

well doesnt sound like the same problem i had. im sure its not that switch. sounds like the vacuum pump might be on its way out.. i have a spare lol.

i dig the b&m shifter. i have wanted one since i was into these cars. i settled for a megan V2 one, which gets good reviews. i havent ran it yet though.

[GrilledCheese33]

well doesnt sound like the same problem i had. im sure its not that switch. sounds like the vacuum pump might be on its way out.. i have a spare lol.

i dig the b&m shifter. i have wanted one since i was into these cars. i settled for a megan V2 one, which gets good reviews. i havent ran it yet though.

Yea thats what it sounds like to me as well... But we will see once i diagnose it. If it turns out to be my pump would you sell yours to me if its in good condition?

I have heard nothing but good about the b&M, shifter options are kinda scarce for 240's and I just decided to splurge and drop $200 on one.

Todays update is super small:

But, I did get a neat item in the mail from Japan


Test fitting real quick

[motoman399]

hell ya ill sell you mine. lol i think i have two of them, and they should both work. if for some reason one doesnt work then ill send you the other and eat the shipping, and if that one doesnt work then ill refund your money.

nice navan grill. SAME COLOR TOO!!!

[GrilledCheese33]

Ok Sounds like a plan. I will check it out this weekend and let you know if I need one from ya.

The grille was an excellent find off ebay. Its super mint and being the same color is def. a plus haha.