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1989 240SX - ITA Racecar

I purchased this old racecar in early-2010 from a local Porsche race shop. They had it for a beater racecar / trainer car for customers, and it hadn't been used in some time.

It came with a full spares package - Extra motor (with a few cool, custom bits), extra transmission, spare wheels / race tires, spare rotors...and a ton of other miscellaneous stuff. The car was fully prepped for SCCA 'Improved Touring' class, with the full array of required safety gear - Rollcage, braced seat, window net, cutoff switch, transponder, side-impact head net, fuel cell, etc...

I plan on using it strictly for a track car...it should improve my driving, as there's no power to lean on for fast lap times...hehe.

This car was built and raced originally by 'bbracing' and was advertised as: "a proven fast car in arguably the most competitive ITA region in the county". That *was* with a built motor and probably 15 more rear wheel horsepower than as it sits right now, so I don't expect to set any records with the car...but it should be fun nonetheless!!!

Engine Modifications:

Stock SOHC motor

Injen Intake pipe

Custom 4-to-1 header / Full 2.5" exhaust / cheap-o muffler (that I added - I HATE loud cars)

Setrab (7.5x13) 25-row oil cooler / Canton billet adapter / Canton 6" tall inline filter / -10 AN lines

Griffin Aluminum Radiator w/ Derale electric fan (manually switched)

Suspension Modifications:

Koni Yellow Shocks / Ground Control coilover sleeves - 450lb/in (F) / 325lb/in (R)

Suspension Techniques Anti-Roll Bars

Custom spherical rod-end T/C rods

Dragging it back to the house, with a blown headgasket and a truck full of 'spares'...

Wheels / Tires:

Team Dynamics 15x7 (2 sets) / Stock alloy wheels from a base-model S14 (15x6.5)

225/45-15 Hoosier R6 (used) on all four corners

"With age, comes a cage"

Brakes:

Front: Stock calipers and rotors, Hawk BLACK Pads

Rear: Stock calipers and rotors, Hawk BLACK pads

Goodridge stainless lines

E-brake: Removed

Drivetrain:

Stock Clutch

Stock Flywheel

Stock Shifter

Nissan Motorsports 4.6:1 ring and pinion...Nissan Motorsports diff (clutch type)

Setrab Oil Cooler

Other Stuff:

Momo drivers seat

Aluminum passenger seat

5-point harnesses, window net, arm net

Steering wheel quick relese

Gauges: 2 5/8" Autometer - Oil Temp, Oil Pressure, Water Temp

Battery kill switch

MAY 2010: After some work...I added a muffler and turndown, raised the front ride height an inch, replaced the headgasket,
added an electric fan, repaired some wiring, replaced all the fuel hardlines, and made a TON of other small improvements....
I thought it was ready to take to the track...

First track day went "OK"...it was within a half second of my goal for this particular track.
Lost a wheel bearing, but no big deal...it didn't blow a motor or catch on fire...so that's SUCCESS!

Note: Girls tend to drive girly cars...like a girl.

JUNE 2010: After the first track day, I got a couple new front wheels bearings and repacked them with Redline CV-2, but also
found a number of other things wrong with the car. Cam timing was off a tooth, fuel injectors sticking open, collapsed lifter, etc...

...and then it spun a rod bearing at track day #2 (first session out, of course).

That actually turned out to be an OK thing to have happened...as it allowed me to address a number of other small things while
the motor was out. The same 'ole junkyard KA24E got a new crank, new rod bearings, and new main bearings...and I relocated the
oil temp sender. Cleaned up some other areas...and she's ready to try again. Track (testing) day scheduled for early August...

New main bearings installed, ready for a new crank and rod bearings...

AUGUST 2010: Track day number 3 was a total success...the car ran great! The Hoosiers are starting to heat-cycle out, and grip is
falling off - But the repaired motor performed well, oil pressure was excellent, and it ran lap after lap with zero issues.

My only complaint - the rain.

Beautiful morning, headed south to Gainesville Raceway...

Waiting to go another round, after the rain...