TP: So Karen, how did you come to own your S13 240SX? What were you driving before?

KC: Before we picked up this S13, i was daily driving my S14 240SX Zenki. I still love my Nissans and think that our family will continue to buy Nissans. The S14 is relatively stock at this time with just a few bolt ons. We do have plans to go with a v8 swap and a full wide body kit down the line as well. What can i say, I'm a sucker for RWD.

TP: What's the story behind your purchase of this car? Were there other cars that you were considering when you bought this one?

KC: Funny thing, my husband worked at a shop and this used to be a customer car. We were tossing the idea of building a dedicated drift car to get into Formula D and to get me to start drifting. After looking around we spoke with the customer and he no longer wanted it and willing to sell it to us at a great price. It already had a few choice parts like the Z32 brakes and 5 lug conversion as well as the super amazing Endless Zeal Coilovers. It was an offer we couldn't refuse. There was no other chassis in mind when we started the project, it was just a tossup between coupe / hatch / vert (convertible). Maybe next time we'll do a vert so my husband can fit in the car easily.

TP: How long have you been working on this particular project, what would you say your build philosophy has been?

KC: Originally we thought maybe 6-10 months max. It actually ended up taking about a year and a half. The original plan was to build it with a V8 from a Ford Mustang. That sort of didn't work out quite as planned - we started off good but then one day I came home with a full BN Sports Aero Kit which led to wider wheels which snowballed into us needing more HP to turn them. I guess the project mantra is to either GO BIG OR GO HOME. I think that suits us well since there is no part left stock on this car.

TP: Is this your daily driver? What else do you have in your garage?

KC: This is the dedicated track car. My main mode of transportation is my S14, however we do have some other goodies in our garage. We have a twin turbo 350z, a CBR600 , and a Subaru Forester to do the heavy lifting. I guess for the most part we like our speed.

TP: What was the first modification that you made? Tell us about your build process and some of the major milestones.

KC: The car was a full build from the moment we received the car. Plans were made and we tried to stick to them as much as possible. The first phase was the chassis, knowing how powerful the V8 was, we definitely needed to reinforce the chassis and add a full cage for safety. With that out of the way we began mock-up of the engine and transmission. The parts were all custom made, even the 1 3/4" primary headers. Next came the wide-body. The process was long and dusty, spending about 2 whole weeks fitting the car with the kit and trying to make it as easy to take off as possible. The hardest part was probably deciding what to paint the car, but in the end I think the color selection was perfect. Once it was painted, it was just a matter of time before the entire car went back together. It may look complete now but I think there is always more work to be done.

TP: Have you ever dyno'd your car? What kind of power to the wheels are you putting down with your current setup? Do you plan on improving the performance and adding more power down the road?

KC: We're putting down 325+ whp right now. For drifting at the bigger tracks, we definitely need a bit more power. We are in the process of squaring away a motor build that should net us 600-700 whp in the future.

TP: Do you do any sort of racing with this car? Drag, road course, or street?

KC: We drift this at events in Nor-Cal. I am still learning to get sideways with this, where as my husband is using it to compete in Pro-Am Events in order to get his Formula D license.

TP: Who would you say does most of the work on your car? Is there a specific person or performance shop(s) that you take it to?

KC: JD Motorworks is where I take my car to for the most part. They worked on the car from start to finish, with me helping as much as I can. It also helps that I am married to one of the owners (my husband Josh) and the other is a close friend (Dana).

TP: What modification(s) would you say is(are) the most rare or unique to your car? What do you think makes your 240SX stand out compared to all the others out there?

KC: Well I think that the wide body and the paint are one of the things that truly stand out from the crowd. Especially in the sunlight, you can really see the holographic flake. The LS1 sitting under the hood definitely makes it even more special, since everyone usually goes SR or RB, you just can't beat the sound and the mid range torque of a V8.

TP: So what do you have planned next? Is this car going to see any more major cosmetic or performance changes?

KC: We're definitely going to add more power, you can never get enough. Also with the ever impending doom of my aero kit, keeping options open for new body kits is always in the back of my mind.

TP: How long do you plan on keeping it? What car would you most like to get next if you were to sell this one? Why?

KC: We're keeping this car forever, or until the car no longer drives straight. The sale of this car is out of the question, too much blood, sweat, and more blood has been put into it that well exceeds any monetary value.

TP: Are there any other unique things to your car that you would like to tell us about?

KC: It's the small things that no one really sees. Such as the tucked wiring harness, the redesigned chassis harness, the custom fuse panel hidden behind the glove box. It really takes someone a long time to truly look at the car to see all its mods.

TP: Well Karen, we'd like to thank you for sitting down with us. Are there any shout-outs you'd like to make?

KC: Dana & Josh from JD Motorworks for doing 99.99999% of the work on the car, Enkei Wheels, Orlando and Steve @ Auto Innovations for aligning our car and mounting our wheels on almost a weekly basis, Andrew @ Lab 17 for creating the vinyl scheme, and last but not least, our crew: High Octane Tuners who support us in every venture.

Car Year: 1989
Car Make: Nissan
Car Model: 240SX Hatchback (S13)
Car Color: Silver with Holographic Flake

Sponsors:
JD Motoworks
Enkei Wheels
Auto Innovations
LAB 17
Capital Glass Works

Modifications:

Engine & Drivetrain:
GTO LS1 engine with T56 Manual Transmission
Custom Fabricated Engine and Transmission Mounts
Custom Fabricated Front Crossmember
Custom Fabricated Long Tube 3 inch Headers
DEI Heat Wrapped Headers and Lines
3-inch Turndown Exhaust
4-inch Polished Intake
-6 AN Feed and Return Fuel Hard Lines
Russell -6 AN Fuel Filter
Aeromotive Fuel Pressure Regulator
BBK Fuel Pressure Gauge
Griffin Radiator
Polished Upper and Lower Radiator Hoses
CSR Radiator Fill
CSR Coolant Catch Can
Flex-A-Lite Dual Push/Pull Radiator Fans
Custom Painted Fuel Rail Covers
Lokar SS Throttle Cable
Custom Tucked Engine Bay Harness
Custom One-Piece Driveshaft
Nissan Z32 Rear Differential
Nismo Differential Cover
Tomei 2-way LSD

Suspension & Brakes:
Zeal function XS Coilovers
Tein TC Rods
Tein Inner and Outer Tie Rods
Powered By Max Rear Upper Control Arm
Powered By Max Rear Traction Rod
Powered By Max Rear Toe Control Rod
Powered By Max Rear Subframe Spacers
SPL Parts Differential Bushings
Boxed In Front and Rear Lower Control Arms
Polished Strut Tower Bar
Energy Suspension Sway Bar Bushings
Z32 Front & Rear 5-Lug Brake Conversion
Z32 Brake Master Cylinder
Custom Tucked Brake Lines
Endless SSS Pads
Brembo Slotted Rotors

Wheels & Tires:
Enkei Racing Wheels:
RP03 17x10 + 18
PF01 18x10.5 +15

Tire Sizes in:
235/40/18
265/35/18

Exterior & Interior:
Exterior:
Widebody BN Sports Blister Aero Kit with Quick Release Fasteners
Custom Cowl Hood
"Paint With Pearl" Holographic Silver Paint
Polished Hood Struts
Powered By Max Hood Spacers
Shaved Body Moldings
Third Brake Light Shaved
Clear Tail Lights
400w Strobes Front and Rear
Battery Kill Switch on Fender
Kouki Turn Signals

Interior:
Battery Relocation Kit
Custom Tucked Wire Harness
Fully Gutted Interior
Body Color Matched Maint
Battery Charging Port In-Dash
Shag Wrapped Dash
Hydraulic Staging Rear Brake
E-brake Relocation
Custom Gauge Cluster
Autometer Tachometer
Defi Oil Pressure Gauge
Defi Water Temp Gauge
Custom Seat Brackets
RJS Hot Pink Seat Harnesses
Sparco Evo 2 Driver Seat
Memory Fab Kevlar Passenger Seat
Custom Center Console Switch Panel
Custom Roll Cage Mounted Switch Panel
Hidden Relay/Fuse Relocation
Nardi 300mm Steering Wheel
Momo Hub with Quick Release

Photo credits belong to Official TunerPlayground Featured Car Photographers: Jeff Cabacungan and Chad Freeman from Photoshootmycar.com

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