Trade s13 for s12....ka-t

[newbs13]

Ok so A few friend's of mine are half way done with swapping a ka-t in to a s12 and the buddy who own's it has run out of fund's. The ka is re gasketed, 120k, sr injectors, new clutch, poly motor mounts safc 2, ca t25. A very good motor, but the tubular manifold is inbetween the brake lines on the master cylinder. SO I have to buy a log style manifold, I would be buying it off ebay and that look good and only $100. Soo My question is is it worth the trouble to trade my 240. It has rust through the floor but has kyb struts with tien springs, real jdm wooden steering wheel, stripped interior with re carpeted rear, cat back 3" exahaust, injen intake, Welded diff, xxr 002's with 0 offset. TO make it easy its simple n/a and driftable. Now the s12 its a hatch 5 lug. Came with I tihnk the vq it's the 3.0l v6. Now is it a vlsd rear diff, how hard are they to drift. It has an s13 front sub subframe and everythings all bolted up. The shifter lines up perfect in the shifter location. I have both s13 and s12 drive shaft's. Fmic, radiator, fans, everything to finish it just not the manifold. Im excited to trade but at the same time just want to make sure i have everything to finish it because I only have $150 to spend to finish it.

[scotty-2-forty]

[newbs13]

My car



Now here is the ka-t itself the s12 has no rust except for the replacement fender. And it has full interior.



I cant get a picture of the s12 but its silver with stock 5 luggers and comes with everything I mean everything except manifold needs to be swapped out.

[Dattebayo]

No, there's no VLSD on the S12. There was never one available, either. EVER. It's not compatible with S13 differentials, either. And it might have come originally with a VG, not a VQ...

I seriously doubt it has an "S13 subframe" in the front... probably just the S13 aftermarket suspension swap, that's pretty common cause the stock rotors are a btich to change. As for drift, it's harder then an S13, for sure.

SInce you are asking all of these questions, I would just keep what you have. It's not worth your hassle, since you really don't seem to understand what you are getting into.

[s0m3th1ngAZ]

Pretty sure you will run into more problems than you can foresee...so that $150 won't get you as far as you might think.

[Dattebayo]

Also, if it came with the V6 originally, you would need a different speedo cluster just for everything to work correctly so you could see your speed and RPMs.

[scotty-2-forty]

I almost bought an S12 back around '91/92. I liked it, but I'm preferable to the S13 body style. It's up to you (duh!), but if all you got is $150 to commit to the S12, stick with yours as you know all that's been done.

[scotty-2-forty]

Pretty sure you will run into more problems than you can foresee...so that $150 won't get you as far as you might think.

^ this too.

[newbs13]

No It does have an s13 subframe I helped bolt it all up, And I was asking if it had a lsd or not. So its a open diff and need a different cluster. Ok Im just curious because the cars very clean and the motors clean to but I dont know what it needs. Everything was stock until we started the swap. The motors bolted in along with the transmission, only thing's needed to be bolted in are exhaust radiator fmic and piping. Than comes wiring I should have let you know I've been helping here and there with the swap. But I just dont want to get in to it more than i need to. I just need to change the manifold and it would start right up.

[newbs13]

I know what Im doing jsut curious on what is need for a ka swap in to a s12. I've helped do a sr20 in to a cressida and an rb20 in to a cressida. It's not my knowledge or the know who it's what is needed to do the swap.

[s0m3th1ngAZ]

Yeah, and we're saying that you WILL run into unforeseen problems and we are answering your question that, based on a meager $150 budget, should you trade. The answer is no.
If you had more than 150 bucks...I'd do it, because a rusted out, beat to s*** 240 is never a good thing to drive around.

[Dattebayo]

An S13 subframe does not "bolt-up" to an S12 unibody, so I don't know what kind of magic you were using, but I suspect you are simply using the wrong terms for what you mean.

You already said it has serious rust issues, and there will be other things very soon such as wheel bearings and little electrical problems. Have you ever swapped an engine before?

[newbs13]

Well I'm not worried about the money more along the lines of I have $150 and cant really spend more right now. Everthing seems to line up fine but Im on the fence about the trade. The cars not beat to s*** and the rust IS fixable and I have a spare ka I plan on building if i keep my s13. But What Im worried is I dont know if I want to deal with an s12. I tried to search for parts for it and its damn near impossible. My car is driftable right now and I plan to drift it, The s12 has stock suspension and stock rims and in th elon run i think will cost much more. Given it does have a clean body and the motors pretty sweet. I think its nothing i want to drift. I'd have to see that the drive shaft lines up and if it does I'd trade in a heart beat as for a speedo and tach are the least of my worries.

[newbs13]

An S13 subframe does not "bolt-up" to an S12 unibody, so I don't know what kind of magic you were using, but I suspect you are simply using the wrong terms for what you mean.

You already said it has serious rust issues, and there will be other things very soon such as wheel bearings and little electrical problems. Have you ever swapped an engine before?

Yes I have done motor swaps if you read above you would see I've helped with a sr20 swap in to a cressida and done a rb20 swap in to a cressida along with 2 sr swaps in to 2 s13's and a ka swap in to a sohc hatch.

[newbs13]

My s13 has some rust the s12 is virtually rust free and yes the subframe cross member whatever you want to call it does bolt up. I dont think you understand what i am saying. To put it in to easier term's the "crossmember" that the motor bolts up to is in the s12 and came out of a s13.


Rough start of the rb now it runs and starts fine just need down pipe and drive shaft

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Yig3o7HJYA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZ7_qTSJIGk

fully built sr swapped.

[s0m3th1ngAZ]

Yeah...that's not the subframe, IT'S THE CROSSMEMBER.

[newbs13]

Soooo I'm trading. I just bolted the drive shaft up and everything else is all bolted in. So I now own a ka-t s12. Im pretty stoked I just thought I should let you guy's know. I plan on coilovers this summer and some nice 16x9 sportmaxx bannana sport's I think there called. They look like 002's but with bigger spokes. Will have pictures up soon.

[xKnownShadowX]

does it run?

[newbs13]

When it was pulled out of the coupe it was in it ran. So that would be a yes, Picture's of it in the car soon I have to get on face book and get the pictures.

[newbs13]

We were having issues with the manifold getting wedged in between the header so we bent the line's a tad and now I just need to make a heat shield and maybe header wrap and I'll be happy. Drive shaft is an s13 front shaft with the what i call u joint connectors (has the 4 hole's in it and bolts up to tail shaft) from the vg drive shaft bolted on. With the tail shaft from the s12. Everything lines up and I can use the ka transmission mount too . Speed sensor needed to be retrofitted for the ka but it work's . Also comes with alot of legit part's nismo clutch from an sr , real SSQV, Apexi SAFC 2 ,Boost gauge , Radiator, fmic and piping, 3" s13 exhaust. But I will give you better pictures and updates later. Right now Im going to go start putting more stuff in and find a place to put the s13 fuse box.

[fiznowler]

I would have traded. I like the s12s I am driving to arkansas tomorrow to pick up an s12 hatch for my friend.

[newbs13]

Updatez: Car's almost running and everything is bolted in. Just a few more tweeks and It will be running. Wiring is the biggest thing right now.