PROJECT VERT: Villain Performance Racing

[RFcool]

So this is the car im starting my business with, It should be done within 6 months, given everything goes right. So heres the story.......

2 days ago, Sat August 11 2007.

I was going through, the Springfield, Il shopper. What did i see a 94 240sx for sale for 1000. So i get ahold of the lady and it took me 2.5hrs to find her house in the middle of the countryside. When i get there its dark and you cant see ****! There is a 1994 White limited edition convertible 240sx. 1 of 1500 from what i read in the forums. So she tells me, she and her family are the only ones who have owned it since day 1. Thats a major plus. Never hotroded or drifted or even ran hard. Gives it to her daughter on her 16 birthday (cheerleader) and she starts driving it. Doesnt pay attention to any guages and the engine "seizes up" or so she says. It has sat for the last 7 months not driven. So i shoot an offer for 700 and she comes back with 800. Keep in mind 90,000 miles, unmolested, top is mint (except for dirty back window) no dents to quarter size spots of rust. Suspension s tight, and the underbody is cherry. So i paid the 800 and got the title at 10:30 at night. Went and picked it up today. Monday Aug 13,2007. Get it back and try to start it. Dead. So go to jump the battery to see how seized the engine is. It cranks, but doesnt start. So we hooked up 2 jump boxes and it starts and runs beautifully without dying. It still has the origianl nissan battery in it. lol. So over the next couple of months, this is going to become a beast of a car and be ready for the spring shows and drift comps.

Here are some pics of it (taken with camera phone)



so over the next couple of months with the build, i will post pics of everything.I will try to be detailed during the build and post as i go.

[Florida240sx]

That beats my buy today...or does it..... 240sx hatch clean 5spd shell with all interior for $200 with a set of rims with new tires

[RFcool]

damn, well we will see who finsihes the build first!muwahahahahahahaha. nah seriously though awesome buy would love to see pics.

[Florida240sx]

So what are your plans for this vert? My vert is going to receive a vh45de. Unlees I swap engines in my cars and turn it into my ka-t and make my hatch my v8...

[RFcool]

I have been pricing sr, ka-t, Rb, ls1. All in all, for about the same money to build all of those engines, the ls1 has it naturally aspirated. Than after that its bolt on time to the ls1. The only problem i have run into is that springfield, il does not have a nissan tuning shop. I am going to have to travel some distance to properlly tune a nissan engine. Where-as, if i went ls1, we have a shop here in town with national recognition in building them. Enough so that they are actually beginnning to pull some business from langenfelder (the corvette man). Anyhow they can test and tune here. That is what i was thinking about doing for the most part. But there is something about doing a silvia conversion and popping the hood and seeing corvette. It just wouldnt seem right. There is a ton of potential in all of the engines, it just depends on how deep my pockets are. So yeah im with you on wanting to do a v8 in a 240 and im trying to get my buddies shell from him, hell he didnt even like the damn things until i took him out in my old one. Now he has 2 non running s13 hatches just sitting. oh well. Oh yeah the shop is FC customs if you feel like looking it up here on the web. Chad (co-owner) his brother just did a RB26dett in his 300zx, and it is one pissed off car. Makes me miss my TT. his site is Booztd3.com

[RFcool]

i also have really considered the KA-T, but i have to do a tune up, tomorrow and replace water pump, thermostat and check other things to make sure the engine is working well. I just find it weird that the mechanic of the lady said that the engine was seized and it wasnt. It was probably hydrolocked or something. i dont know.

[RFcool]

cancel the ls1 as of this moment. It will cost me almost 7-10k to do the ls1 and my pockets arent that deep. After reading for 2-3hrs that is not feesable for me at this time. KA-T here i come.

[S13Teddy]

wow 800 is a good deal. Congrats dude. Can't wait to see the build thread!

[Glyph]

What a steal. Bravo. Should leave you a bit of change for upgrading. Nice.

[nsrZ32]

Amazing deal! Good purchase

[DeXteR]

fantastic deal!

i'm not going to lie, i'm not a fan of crossing breads (gm engine in nissan chassis) but i'm not one to stand in the way. do whatever the heck you want and drive that car! they're meant to be driven and enjoyed. so you enjoy the heck out of that car.

wow, it's even got a factory battery tie-down. i've never seen one of those in person.

[HashiriyaS14]

That's an awesome deal.

Because I live in the past, I still feel it necessary to note that I once got a running 5spd coupe w/HUD for 1/16th of what you paid for that convertible, but that's because I'm special.

Enjoy the vert.

[DirftKing102]

nice! $800 is a really good deal! Love to see the progress on the vert!

[srpowered240sx]

smokin deal, lets see some progress.

[ishkabibble]

Ridiculous deal, great story.

[RFcool]

thanks for the compliments guys....Whats weird is that i kept seeing verts, around the previous day.....You know the red ones with the black tops.....And i saw 2 for sale at 2 dealerships. But the dealers told me you have to have a wholesalers license to even try to get them...And the funny thing was the guy at friendly Chevrolet told me that it was junk and i wouldnt want it.lol. If he only knew about NICO

[Florida240sx]

RFcool let me know what you want for your ka-t. I have my old kit for sale but I think my buddy is pickign it up. But i can help you piece one together. Forget safc wideband etc. Just get an Enthalpy tune from scott Avoy. If your goign to wait a coupel more weeks to start you'll see my KAt top mount mani revised to something else..... sneaky....

[RFcool]

Alright so i started tinkering on the car. Things done so far, just the basics to get it running well. Since the lady said it was "seized" and it wasnt i decided to do a tune up. Plugs, wires, belts, thermostat, waterpump, battery, radiator flush and fill (still running hot though) valve cover gasket (something was rattiling in side, broken metal piece above the timing chain) couple of new hoses (due to dry rot). and that is about it at this point. took awhile in this 100 degree temps. Oh yeah and i washed her. The detail job is tomorrow. She runs at 600 rpm idling and you cant even here it. sounds like a new car other than the rattling exhaust. Suspension is still smooth as hell. I already love this car. Its GOT ALOT of potential. I think im going with the KAT build and should have something coming in the next couple of days. So thats today August 15, 07

[RFcool]

Aug 17, 07

The car has a blown head gasket....lol. I knew it was to good to be true. Anyhow have another engine coming this weekend.

Things being done:

New ka24de engineManual transmission, full manual swapandGarret T3/TO4E, 50 trim, .63 A/R, Stage III wheelGreddy VSPL Front Mount Intercooler (Piping by Sound Performance)IAP Equal Length Exhaust ManifoldTial 38mm External Wastegate (Atmospherically Dumped)Custom 3‚ Downpipe (Mandrel Bent …“ Sound Performance)Touge Factory Straight PipeGP Sports Spec-D 3.125 Cat-BackHKS SSQV BOV370cc injectorswalbro 255lph

should be installed next weekend.

I cant wait.

The old engine that is in it now will be for sale here on the forums if anyone is interested. Ill have it posted tonight.

[Florida240sx]

MY opinion is keep that engine. Use it for spare parts or build it up. I got engine I jsut go back and forth to to get sensors or when someone needs cams I got take them off or the whole head etc.

[RFcool]

ive thought about that and that's what i did with the vg thats stripped. But i could use the money at the moment. Things are tight trying to build a car with no income coming in. so every little bit helps. Im just hooked on cars.

[Florida240sx]

As it is though it's just a block to someoen so maybe strip the sensors. AMS will probably take it as a block to build. Maybe you can get store credit.... Just my 2cents maybe towards dyno tie and parts/ help with piping downpipe,etc.?

[GrilledCheese33]

That's an awesome deal.

Because I live in the past, I still feel it necessary to note that I once got a running 5spd coupe w/HUD for 1/16th of what you paid for that convertible, but that's because I'm special.

Enjoy the vert.

haha, I remember when you bought that one. 50 bucks ftw!

[Mr1der]

That's an awesome deal.

Because I live in the past, I still feel it necessary to note that I once got a running 5spd coupe w/HUD for 1/16th of what you paid for that convertible, but that's because I'm special.

Enjoy the vert.

did you give them a keystone suitcase or something?

[HashiriyaS14]

did you give them a keystone suitcase or something?

Neither I nor Google apparently knows what a "Keystone Suitcase" is, but no, I didn't give them anything more than $50, in a personal check no less, lol.

Dave can refresh my memory, but I think I ended up getting like $750 for it because it had some rust issues. Still pretty ridiculous from a % gain standpoint...

[RFcool]

AUG 18,07 Bought all the engine and parts today, pics coming soon and are sitting in the garage to be cleaned. Starting the build this week and should be done this weekend. will take plenty of pics. Right off the bat it should be a 300hp+ KA-T. cant wait.

[RFcool]

aug 22 07,

Started the engine removal yesterday. I didnt really provide many pics for the removal process, I was in the "zone". any how have some pics of the new parts for the car as well as some of the pics of the engine removal. i will post pics of the engine install though. doing a automatic to manual swap so i will have pics of it as i do it, as well as pics of the turboing process.

here are some pics of some of the parts we picked up.everything that you see in the next couple of pics i did yesterday and today.

1. i removed the fenders and the hood and the front bumper2. alot of the engine components have been disonnected.3. pic of the new engine and manual transmission. bought a new 6 puc clutch rated up to 600 hp and 700rwhp. so it should be more than enough4. engine on the hoist being ready to remove5. Jack stand under the transmission after removing the cross member, and the drive shaft and propeller shaft. These have to be replaced with manual ones.6. engine is being hoisted7. nice clean engine bay, cleaned it with pressure washer to remove all the ****. I use eagle one wheel and tire cleaner (this stuff takes off everything and doesnt harm the paint, way way way better than simple green)8. The destruction at the end of the night.Tomorrw agenda. piecing together the transmission and engine with new clutch. test fitting everything, swapping manifolds, installing clutch assembly mechanism (pedals, master/slave cylinder). Putting a oil return hole in the oil pan, making egr block off plates. and last but not least reinstalling the engine and transmission. Not having everything hooked up though. But if i can try to do a whole engine swap and manual conversion and turboing all within 3 days. i dont know why, but i feel like running myself ragged. lol

[Idahos13]

Has this project gone anywhere?

[Logan76]

It's been almost 2 years....

[Idahos13]

Ya I know I was just seeing if he has gone anywhere with the build. And I found the other part of the thread so it solves my questions!!
Modified by idahos13 at 9:31 PM 3/28/2009