So my deal is, I'm looking into what my next car is gunna be, and I was thinking of getting out of the Honda game and moving into RWD and I've always loved the S13.

I'm looking to drift, not publicly obviously (im one of those rare honda drivers that only raced and drove like a a$$ in vacent lots and tracks), and I am not too sure where to start.

After the summer I'm gunna make enough to have about $8-12,000 I wanna spend on a car/slight build, and I'm not certain where I wanna start. So far all I know is I want a
-S13
-Engine swap --was thinking SR20DET is the obvious answer, but is a RB26DET too impractical and put me too far over my head
-Suspension/brakes/wheels/rims
-Slight interior build (set of sparcos, shift knob, nothing that intense)
-and maybe a JDM silvia front end conversion

can anybody give me some insight on this and/or point me in the right direction? What would be some good ideas for each of those categories? Thanks alot

-Tanner Danger-

Trust me, it will help in the long run.

Oh, and welcome to the Nissan world.

Team Mulsanne
Teddy's Blog

be wary of drift taxors.

just like there are people who, put hatch tax on the ek9's and eg6's.

And ya I plan on doing engine last. The way I figure it I want my car to feel the way I want it to then I give it the power I want now that its set up to handle it. Thats why I didnt do a swap into my civic yet.

I know swap wise that I dont want to stick with the KA. the fact that its a single cam and it puts out about 140 ( i think that was the number) reminds me too much of my civics D16Y8. From what I understand the SR20 is the most realistic swap for a s13 right?

Quote, originally posted by TannerDanger »

reminds me too much of my civics D16Y8. swap for a s13 right?

I think you are severely overestimating the D16...

PS Don't you mean Y7? You stated that its not swapped.
if i am not mistaken, the 99 civic (non Si, correct?) came with a d16y7.

as for swaps... an sr20 will be the easiest swap, thats why its so common. it depends on YOU though. if your big into track running and stuff and you have the cash time and know how then go rb26 if you want, but if its just a DD and common track star an sr will do fine, thats if you want to swap, since ka-t was mentioned earlier.

like i said, welcome! stick around and have fun

especially when you dont even have a 240 yet.

but hey, do what you want. read up on stuff. listen to what people say, but dont get an attitude when someone says something you dont want to hear.

with that being said, honda sucks, and ka(t) rules.

Quote, originally posted by 240lookis »

there is no trap. only free candy.

Quote, originally posted by TannerDanger »

So my deal is, I'm looking into what my next car is gunna be, and I was thinking of getting out of the Honda game and moving into RWD and I've always loved the S13.

GOOD FOR YOU!! Now you can enjoy the pleasures of a real sports car, as opposed to a grocery-getter wannabe!!

Quote, originally posted by TannerDanger »

I'm looking to drift, not publicly obviously (im one of those rare honda drivers that only raced and drove like a a$$ in vacent lots and tracks), and I am not too sure where to start.

In other words, you knew your car couldn't beat anything on the road with it's paltry 90FWHP (if that!) So instead you hung out in parking lots using zip ties and colored hose covers to make your wiring harness look pretty, while a couple of buddies with their own slow cars spent time changing ultra white Ebay light bulbs every 5,000 miles. HON DUUUUUH!!!

Quote, originally posted by TannerDanger »

After the summer I'm gunna make enough to have about $8-12,000 I wanna spend on a car/slight build,

Dude, for even only 8K, if you do most of the work yourself you can have a car making 400 flywheel horsepower and looking good. In fact, for about 5-6K you can have a car that's sr-swapped already.

Quote, originally posted by TannerDanger »

was thinking SR20DET is the obvious answer, but is a RB26DET too impractical and put me too far over my head

If you're worried about money, BUILD THE KA. For the money you'll spend on even a cheapter SR20 build, you could have a built block KA putting 350HP (and around 320 TQ!!) to the wheels, which is quite a bit in that 2600 lb car. That's C5 z06 territory. KA-T.org has a guy putting 500+ to the ground in an unbuilt block KA24DE-T. The SR20 is a great platform, but now that the aftermarket has warmed up to the KA's potential, it's really the way to go, especially for drifting! BTW, stay away from the RB26 swap -- you're too poor. Remember, you're talking about a great deal more than an element filter and glass-pack muffler on your VROOM VROOM Honda. You're now talking about REAL cars with REAL maintenance. an RB26 will cost you a ton of money even after the swap is done. Besides, once the swap is done, KAT and SR20 owners will be smoking you left and right. Dollar for dollar, the RB26 is not a good deal. Go that route once you've got 30+ in the bank and can afford to build it, otherwise you'll have an expensive and complicated effin project car that only makes about 420 to the wheels. RB25 and RB20 are pointless swaps now that the KA (almost same displacement as RB25) is well supported now. Trust me -- CAR=2500, motor/tranny build=3000, T3/T4 hybrid turbo and a 3 inch intercooler=600.

Quote, originally posted by TannerDanger »

-and maybe a JDM silvia front end conversion

Why? so it can look like and old Honda wannabe? Maybe you should use some red electrical tape and make a wicked cool racing stripe or two also. How about a Supra-style spoiler on your hatch? Seriously though, why would you want to make an old car look even older? Why not spend that few hundred bucks on a PAINT JOB, or some dyno time?

Modified by chemao at 8:45 AM 5/5/2008

You make an excellent point. Wait, you didn't make any points, since you said NOTHING to substantiate this. So I guess if your goal was just to see your post on the forum - GOAL ACHIEVED! SCORE ONE FOR YOU!

Apples to oranges, man... You're talking about a car that's grossly underpowered vs a car that's just underpowered. The old KA24E rattletrap made 135HP and 160 TQ. HP-wise, it's similar numbers to a D16 with intake, headers, and exhaust. the TQ numbers, however, destroy the weak econobox D16 -- it's about 50 ft/lbs more. Wanna boost the iron block? GO AHEAD.. wanna boost that D16 block? Take it out, clean it, sleeve it, and then boost it. Then laugh maniacly when you hear "WHEEEEEE, BLUB BLUB BLUB BLUB CHIRP CHIRP CHIRP chirppp WHEEEEE!!" every time you upshift... just as that bolt-on 240 with less horsepower lets off the gas after walking you....

Let's see, aside from the lack of a good 15:1 LB:HP ratio, considered by many to be a nice ratio for an entry-level sports car, these cars are well-balanced, rear-wheel drive, with good steering feel, supportive seats, low center of gravity, decent suspension design and in many cases a pre-existing LSD. What exactly else does a "real sports car" need? And you must be blind, because a stock Honda civic looks anything BUT sporty...

It's doable bro...

From my G35 coupe:
19x8 + 19x9 staggered rims/tires new from Wheelguys=$2000 shipped.
Tokico shocks/struts with Eibach springs = $740 together
(forgot brand) drilled/slotted rotors, surfaced $200
Ceramic heat-dissipating pads = $175

I installed everything myself and didn't have to pay labor except my time... although as you can see above, it's definitely doable!

Quote, originally posted by chemao »

Let's see, aside from the lack of a good 15:1 LB:HP ratio, considered by many to be a nice ratio for an entry-level sports car, these cars are well-balanced, rear-wheel drive, with good steering feel, supportive seats, low center of gravity, decent suspension design and in many cases a pre-existing LSD. What exactly else does a "real sports car" need? And you must be blind, because a stock Honda civic looks anything BUT sporty...

theres no way i'd call a civic a sporty car, but a 240sx isnt a sports car either, and its rare to find one with vlsd

Project Milk Money

http://www.myspace.com/loganakazeus
Build Thread: http://forums.nicoclub.com/zerothread?id=327738
DIY Hatch Repair: http://forums.nicoclub.com/zer...id=44

A KA motor built with rods, rings, pistons, connecting rods, valves, retainers, springs, cams, and a valve job will run you about 3 grand, which is only a little bit more than a red top swap. This build would pretty much ensure you don't grenade your motor, and should be safe for 500+HP on a good tune.

Quote, originally posted by White Comet »

theres no way i'd call a civic a sporty car, but a 240sx isnt a sports car either, and its rare to find one with vlsd

So what is your definition of a sports car then? You say it's not a sports car, but neglect to state why you feel that way. Seems pretty subjective, to me!

GOOD POINT!! Awesome sports cars, at that. They totally eat up BMW and Porsches on the track. I should change my verbiage to describe Civics, not Hondas, in general, because the S2000 and NSX are other great examples of Honda's tuning prowess.

Quote, originally posted by Dittoz7 »

LMAO! Someone Here Needs To Go Find A Hooker To Have Angry Sex With....

*nod* I agree. Maybe I am just in such a good mood because I got mine this morning before work.

Quote, originally posted by chemao »

So what is your definition of a sports car then? You say it's not a sports car, but neglect to state why you feel that way. Seems pretty subjective, to me!

most 240s have no lsd, mediocre stock brakes and suspension and, although torquey, a relatively anemic power plant. there are plenty of cars that are pure sorts cars with only performance in mind; corvette, skyline, rx7, supra, etc. a 240, although is not a sports car no matter how you look at it

Been in the game since 1993...

1987 Mitsubishi Starion (Chrysler Conquest)
1986,1989 300ZX's
1989 RX7-turbo2
1990 (1989?) MK3 Supra turbo
2005 350Z
2003 G35
2001 S600
1995 240SX

All were modified except the S600 and one of the 300ZX's. My 240 made 380/362 @ 18PSI. I could make more but I'm using an old Starion intercooler and it doesn't seem to be working as well as I had hoped, because the graph isn't very smooth from about 4500 up. Will boost more once I get a better intercooler. I'm also going to try relocating the element filter to the wheel well and wrap my exhaust pipes to eliminate some heat.

The first time I felt real power in a 240 was 2000 when my buddy duncan351 took me out in his newly-turbo'ed 240... and we smoked a Trans-Am, a few days before it blew up. This is the same infamous 240 he has now that makes 500+ HP. Too bad he was too busy with his biz to build my 240, otherwise I'd have a 450HP beast of a KA-T already.

Man I thought that kind of flaming only happened on Honda forums...

the reason I'm pretty game for the SR is cause I dont want to eff with the motor too much. I just wanna drop in a better engine and leave it, and maybe just do a few upgrades, its gunna also be my DD so I dont want to completely rebuild it.

But ya I wasn't planning on doing the build right away. Im kinda just tryin to do some research.

But I'm not too worried about price...I plan on making about 30-40k or more from my summer job.... 8-12k is just how much I'm budgeting myself because I don't wanna over do it. Ill probably add alot more after next summer.

Quote, originally posted by dickie »

$3,500 covered your suspension, wheels, tires AND brakes? either civic shxt is cheap and you're headed for a rude awakening when buying parts for your $240 or that was bargain bin stuff.

I got the shocks/springs from a MOD off my forum. He gave me his Koni Yellows+H&R sports for $400...wheels and tires weren't too much and brakes where just rear disk conversion, and upgraded disks/pads.

Quote, originally posted by asher4857 »

I see youre in Rochester NY. Monroe to be specific. I go to RIT. Good luck finding a decent S-chassis up here at a decent price. I actually don't think I've seen any listed for quite a while...

I dont live here I live in Idaho/Washington. I'm just working here for the summer and when I go home I plan on buying my car.

Quote, originally posted by FeintMind »

PS Don't you mean Y7? You stated that its not swapped. if i am not mistaken, the 99 civic (non Si, correct?) came with a d16y7.

No. The 99 Civic EX came with the Y8, which is the best of the D series engines, especially to boost,

but I've been itching to swap ever since I got my civic and that carries over to the 240 im gunna get.

A Corolla motor can handle 400ish HP. For all of a few minutes. A stock block red top is usually only good for around 300HP TOPS, after you've done some BPUs. Don't ask me; ask anyone that actually does this stuff regularly. And.. I take it you're talking about a $2000 motor/tranny? MAYBE you can find a decent S13 red top for that, but usually they're closer to $2500. Swapping it in will cost you another grand or so - unless you do it yourself. This guy isn't even willing to bolt on a 500 dollar civic turbo kit, let alone swap an entire motor/tranny himself.

Quote, originally posted by White Commet »

most 240s have no lsd, mediocre stock brakes and suspension and, although torquey, a relatively anemic power plant. there are plenty of cars that are pure sorts cars with only performance in mind; corvette, skyline, rx7, supra, etc. a 240, although is not a sports car no matter how you look at it

You're absolutely right -- Although for cars that cost $2000 and are 20 years old... the 240sx is about all the sports car you're going to get. Besides, what are you exactly comparing them to? Look it doesn't matter very much. I say "sports car", you say "sporty car." Who cares? It's kind of like saying a 250cc sport bike isn't a sport bike just because it doesn't make you lay on your face and accelerate to 60 in 3 seconds. Put a turbo on it - is it a sport bike now?

LOL what's a dush?

Good thought -- here's something to consider: When it breaks (and it WILL BREAK), will you be able to track down parts easily? If you got a shop that can fix it for you easily enough go for it!

Quote, originally posted by TannerDanger »

But ya I wasn't planning on doing the build right away. Im kinda just tryin to do some research.

Good idea - get your car first and get to know some people with mods on their cars. That's a great way to figure out what you want to do

Quote, originally posted by TannerDanger »

But I'm not too worried about price...I plan on making about 30-40k or more from my summer job.... 8-12k is just how much I'm budgeting myself because I don't wanna over do it. Ill probably add alot more after next summer.

Snap dude, what kind of job earns you 40K in 3 months? Hook me up man! My girl eats mine up I gotta make some back

PEACE!