I have done a few things since the last time I had a major post. I decided to sell my red 240 that I built back in college. It was a tough decision but I had my son on the way and decided the room it was taking up in the house and the money I could get from it would all be put to better use.

I was going to install the red 240′s engine into Minty Fresh, but with Red’s selling it put an end to that. I have done what I can to run down issue in Minty Fresh that would cause it’s odd running behavior. It was told to me that the coolant temperature sensor that feeds the ECU can go bad and cause running behavior like my car was experiencing. I did so and it ran better, but still messed up.

At this point I was like f-it, I bought every sort of engine cleaner I could and ran it through the engine. Most said don’t use on turbo engines but a couple made no listing of it. Gunk and Lucas both had “safe” products. My brother worked at a quick lube in college and he said they would run BG cleaners through turbo Jetta’s all the time for 15 min with no ill affects. My engine is much cleaner under the valve cover and most of the thicker sludge is now loose and moving towards the oil pan. Got to love old ass Jap engines. Engine ran better but still messed up.

Over the passed few months I was working at Speedway Motors for extra cash to pay stuff off before Grant got here. Well once I got everything paid off, I decided I could get a few things with my Speedway discount. So I purchase AN fittings, line, and an oil cooler. I got Black Simpson harnesses for both front occupants. I purchased a flat-black RCI Helmet which made the May 8th event, and promptly got dropped by my Step-dad. I heard it wanted to get broke in…lol.

We then said maybe the wastegate is jacked up, so we pulled that and replaced it with an HKS unit. The wastegate was also needed for Mine’s Up-boost ECU we traded some work for. I found the HKS unit to work fine but install was a pain. The end that hooks to the wastegate was tweaked and needed flattened or else it would bind.

I have never been a huge fan of the stock intake and due to my BOV placement I used a corrugated radiator hose to make it fit back to the intake. So I made a hard intake and everything fit tighter and better. Turned out pretty good if I may say so.

It is a dark picture but you can see the corrugated BOV hose, back of the MAF sensor, “T” Hose, and the legit crinkle black finish.

I purchased a new steering wheel and hub about this time. I felt like I needed to do something I couldn’t mess up and would be an easy upgrade. hahahahahahhahaha, Why must I always be so naive. I will have more on that next time as it may save some of you a headache.

My most recent thought is maybe the TPS is jacked. I find that I can drive it at about 10 percent throttle basically before boost starts, essentially it works ok as a naturally aspirated engine. The second boost starts it bogs horribly. I can fully depress the throttle and it will do no better than 45mph at 4 grand in 4th gear. If anyone has any thoughts please submit a comment.

Just broke it out and realized it was still running like poo. Then hid it back in my garage.

This will be the point most people will give up on me and my build, but I would like to assure you to hang in there and all will be right someday.

My brother and I have been tossing around plans on what we should do to get my car to drift status by the first KCDA event. First, we considered rebuilding the SR. Assuming all it needed were rings that would be a fast fix, but it would have been half-assed. We don’t do things half way here at the Brickhouse camp so that was out. Then came the back up plan. I am so, so sorry everyone…

The suggestion was made to use the SOHC that came out of my other car. GRRRR. I was very reluctant to say the least…at first. Then, I started thinking, “Yes, I am moving backwards in the engine department, but if I can drive Minty Fresh, I can get the drifting experience I lack entirely.” So which way is backward and which is forward? I would say it is a wash. I am just excited to drive my car hard and push myself on the track.

The SR build will continue behind the scenes for a while as I collect parts and get machine work done. I just hope my SOHC can make it that long…good thing I have two!!!

Engine Modification:
Rebuilt t25 (rebuilt by me, we’ll see how long it lasts)
DOHC powersteering
Remote oil filter locater with AN lines
Apexi air filter
CX Racing Radiator (works awesome)
CX Racing Intercooler 24x3x12
CX Racing Downpipe
Cx Racing testpipe
Apexi N1 Cat-back Exhaust (not the prettiest thing on the car)
Blitz DD BOV (recirculated)
Circuit Sports Exhaust hanger (super solid, no play)
Walbro 255 lph Fuel Pump 
USDM to JDM wiring by Myself

Engine Management:
Nistune (Coming Soon)

Drivetrain:
Stock Clutch
Hockey puck motor and trans mounts
S14 VLSD
Nissan OEM S14 front five lug
Z32 rear five lug

Suspension:
Megan Street Coilovers
Energy Suspension Bushing master kit
Tanabe Sway bars (30.4mm-front, 27.5mm-rear)
Tein Inner and outer tie rods + tien tie rod spacer
New Tie Rod Boots
Cusco Front and Rear Strut tower bars
Peak Performance Tension Rods(not currently on car but can be included)
Moog S14 front ball joints in S13 FLCA
Moog B13 Sentra ball joints in S13 RLCA
Fresh Alignment (factory specs on all but rear camber which is -2, stock rear camber is -1.1)

Wheels:
16×8 +0 Enkei Mesh
Yokohama rears 225/50R16
Fronts 195/50R16 

Exterior:
Chuki front bumper
Fresh J40 Nissan Paint Engine bay, Jambs and Exterior
Brand new Windshield
Freshly Undercoated
All sus arms and sub-frames repainted
Zero Rust!!!
No Sunroof
Vis Carbon Hood

Interior:
Knock off Bride Vios III Low Max seat
Fabricated seat rails (Driver Bride seat only)
Prosport Oil, Boost, and Water gauges (in middle vent area)
Just Another Wideband or J.A.W. (range is from 0-32, wider than any other out there)
Battery relocated to rear in battery box (battery brand new)
Manual windows and mirrors

Modifications to look for in the Future(divided into money and time):

Time:
Knuckle Mod by me
Brickhouse Tension Rod Brace
Sus-alignment correction mods(as seen in Modified a few months back)

Money:
Clutch Differential
Better Gauge holder
Shift knob
Steering wheel
1 pc driveshaft
Clutch
Boost Controller
Turbo Timer(I forget to let it cool down, too used to the Daily Driver)
FRsport S15 turbo upgrade kit

Both:
Engine Rebuild(extensiveness will depend on condition upon disassembly)

Here is the Engine and Sus update that I alluded to last Minty post.  As most of you have probably figured out by the ignitor chip, I went Sr20det.  It has been the motor I have wanted since I bought my first 240. I didn’t get crazy on the build up of the engine, just necessities for now (water pump, oil strainer, thermostat, valve cover gaskets, etc), which you will find out was a good thing. Without further a due…

Sus-arms freshly painted sans poly bushing

75 percent done with poly work, my shatty vice got a good work out!

Sub frame love and my ranger saying, “hi”

S14 VLSD in S13 housing (not just the cover)

Rear Tanabe Sway in, also poly shims in sub-frame you can’t see (I will later be putting my sub-frame collars on top of the poly units for more stiffness)

Steering Rack bushings and Front Sub-frame clean-up

The day after my beast of burden showed up. Trans in the back ground as I was checking for leaks and damage.

I fullsized this image so that you can see the excessive cam wear.  It was due to the cam oiler tubes being clogged.  We later cleaned the tubes but it was too late.

Walbro set up and waiting to never see sunlight again.

Houston the Eagle has landed!

Intercooler fit up, Brake and Clutch MC’s back in, Powersteering and air cleaner on, Radiator in, Wiring Finished

So I apologize for the varying sizes of pictures, but some needed to be seen in more detail as there is a lot going on, and some didn’t have much going on so to save space on the site I reduced their size.  Thats really it for modifications at this time.  Minty has all the parts on (fenders, bumpers, interior, etc) and runs.  The interior is stock minus a knock-off Bride seat ( just looking for something that held better than stock), Pro-sport gauges in my center vent area, JAW wideband (love this thing), and Drift knob. As you guy/gals probably figured out from some of my comments, Minty’s engine has some issues.  After lots of testing and trail-and-error, I have narrowed it down to bad/stuck rings (most likely the rings are toast after seeing the head was having oiling issues and the pan had tons of carbon and gunk in it).  Compression readings are good but a Leak-down test showed: cylinder 1 @ 20 percent leak, cylinder 2 & 3 @ 45 percent leak, and cylinder 4 @ 75 percent leak.  It sounds as though it is coming from the dipstick tube.  Thus as written in “The Book of Rage”, it is the rings.

I will find or takes some pics of this soon-ish.  I am going to create another post in the About section with a Minty Mod list that I will keep current. Also, I will do a quick write-up on the Red Baron as promised and the White Comet (if the guy doesn’t mind).

I was able to get 3/4 of the paint work done before the cold hit last winter(08) and then finished this spring(09). I don’t want you guys to get the idea that body work is easy, it isn’t.  It consumes way too much time, and if given the option, I would pay someone to do it(but I am not made of money…or eyes).

All work was done once again in my garage, paint too. If proper steps are taken, you can get a decent paint job out of your garage.  I crack my garage door, and place a box fan w/furnace filter at the other end.  This create some pull to clear fumes(into your neighbors yards).  Also painting on still(not windy), or rainy days is best.

On with pictures:

So my initial prime job was just the bondo’ed areas, this was to conserve primer and keep cost down.

Then after sanding the spot primer job, came two full coats.

The bitch, of all bitches was next.  Scuffed the bay, prep’ed it, and…

shot it all in one night thanks to the wife’s assistance. (insert exploding heads here) It looks that good.

Next up was edging or jambing.  I don’t know how you can see these remaining pic as I am sure your eyes melted out of your skull after the engine bay shot’s pure hotness.

Mid paint job. Painted a-pillar/roof line black, roof is body color. It was cold and was starting to get too cold for paint.

Clear-coated, and looking heavenly.

A taste of things to come….MORTAL KOM..bat…

Just wanted to show off the Cold Stone punch card…just 8 more punches…

It looks as though I never took any pictures of the front end pieces that I painted this spring. I did them at work, so that would explain that. Also, I think I slowed up on the picture taking…lol.

So not everyone will agree with my color choice, but here are my thoughts on it.  I wanted something good looking but not a cop magnet.  It also had to have a certain level of maturity to it.  So these criteria ruled out any reds, yellows, and oranges.  I don’t like purple all that much(besided it belongs to the Grip Gamblers).  Black, white, and silver are the colors that everyone falls back on if they can’t pick an actual color. I will do a blue car but not yet. So this left green, I didn’t want a dark green.  It also seemed like silver flaked colors were looking good about that time.  It was also nice to stick Nissan just cause I like that.

I leave you with this teaser pic for next time.  Engine and Suspension:

So, lets start at the beginning.   I picked this 89 Nissan 240sx up about a year and a half ago from a local kid and this thing was rough.  However, I saw potential that no one else did: rust free, no motor, fairly clean interior, and the cost $200.  How can you say “No” to a $200 car?

Original plan was to make it road worthy for the wife, but with a little spunk.  Energy Suspension bushing full car kit, paint the sus arms, wheels, clean up the body somewhat, paint, put the SOHC from the Red Baron in, and A/C.  This way I figured I would have some fun when I got to drive it.

You have to love the “Snowball” effect!!!

Here is how the car looked when Steve and I towed it home at 10p.m.-ish the night I got it.

Someone didn’t know how to do bodywork.

Basically I had parts throughout the car.  The kid was a Honda head, so he didn’t know how Nissan’s came apart.

This car was in need of some serious sorting.  The radiator support, front wheel wells, Driver’s Side (DS) frame were tweeked, the whole DS door and quarter panel were toast. I some how got lucky,  right as I was getting ready to just slap bondo on the car and get the front frame straightened, a guy on our local forum posted up a rust free 240sx from Texas he was parting. He only need the passenger side quarter, so the rest was up for grabs.  I got a little greedy and took the front aprons foward, the sun roofless roof (for a spare), the manual doors (so the whole car is now manual), and the DS quarter panel.  All of this for 400 bones.  So the Reworking of Minty Fresh was on.  I also ordered poly urethane bushings for the whole car.  Poly bushing suck to install but are worth every penny.  More pics:

Radiator support off

New Front

Old Quarter removed

New Quarter on

Replaced the rusty battery tray area in the new front support

It was my birthday about this time and my wife decided for it, she would clean my mess up in the Garage. I <3 her.

Fresh undercoat for the whole car.  Big thanks to Steve for washing the whole underside.

New Doors on, the beginning of Bondo (glaze coat).

I think, what I just posted was over a period of about 3 months.  The Snowball had been set in motion, albeit at the top of the hill and only baseball sized.  I was still planning on using the SOHC from”The Red Baron (my first 240sx which I will do a quicky write up one of these days).  Steven and I also painted all the control arms, subframe, differential and anything else that looked better with a fresh coat of black.  The color scheme was nailed down to black and J40 paint code from Maxima’s and Altima’s.  I installed a VLSD from a 95 S14 wrecker I bought several years ago.  Also, picked up a set of Tanabe sway bar 30mm front, and 27.5mm rear (s14 rear).  I fought like crazy to use Energy Sus Poly bushing on both the front and rear sway bar brakets but could only get S14 front energy bushings to fit the rear Tanabe bar.  A cool fact about the sway bars is they came of the XAT Trans-am 240sx…or maybe not so cool (that car was fugly).  Then found a friend with a set of Q45 front brakes (I was going to use my z32′s but they don’t clear Enkei mesh without spacers). Also bought a set of Enkei mesh from a fellow member on Zilvia.net on the cheap with tires.  No lame ass sizes here (at least not for Enkei Mesh)  16x8J -0 offset.

New plan: Drifter in Stock clothing!

So that is it for this post, next up is priming, paint and more parts!