240SX chassis

So before drifting became a big thing, the 240sx was never given much thought. I remember you could buy these cars for around$2,000 for very clean examples. Now, the 240 has become THE go-to car in the "drift scene". You will find completely smashed up examples that barely run going for 3-4k, and if its clean it will fetch MUCH more.

I've got a few buddies that have built drift missiles out of these cars, and I have to ask myself: Why haven't these cars been more popular in other forms of motorsport? There is an astounding list of possible engine swaps, many of them very easy in comparison to some other cars I've seen. The chassis itself is already fairly light. The aftermarket for suspension parts is insane. There are so many options out there, its mind boggling.

Motortrend did a video that kind of got me thinking on this whole tangent: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bL4kIk8mXSk

Anyways, if you dont want to deal with the size/hardtop safety side of a Miata, why NOT go for the 240? If you buy right, you can have a swapped car with a decent suspension setup for roughly the cost of an S2000 or a 350z, and by that point you will probably be as quick in the corners as the S, and as fast down the straights as the Z.

Am I crazy here?

They've been used. There's a fast one in Street Modified Autox class, they've one in other classes as well.

Becomes lemming mentality, though.

As for 240 vs. miata... The 240 is heavier, bigger, and has an inferior suspension design. All of which can be overcome for the most part.

I'd actually argue for your S2000 vs 350z scenario... that for the same money, the 240 should stomp either of those cars pretty hard.

Mostly they've been skipped by the road racers for the reasons mentioned by SFO and also mostly because most racing clubs don't allow engine swaps at least in most organized racing classes. Which at the time left you with an underpowered truck motor in an inferior chassis when for similar money you could buy a used Z that had a decent V6 and even a Turbo motor with a better chassis and more factory support.

They certainly weren't any better than already sorted 240Z's already in use in the SCCA GT-class racing and the SCCA didn't allow EFI into IT racing until after the 240SX had hit its stride so once they were ineligible for Showroom Stock there really wasn't many places for them to go other than GT.

So the Z cars became the chosen darlings of the road racers (with support from Nissan and Nismo). While the 240SX didn't really make much of a splash in comparison.

It was just an oddly placed car in the Nissan NA lineup.

That's not to say they weren't raced in professional racing:

http://www.speedhunters.com/2011/01/gallery_gt_gt_imsa_racing_s13s/

Those were just tubeframed silhouettes that don't really count though.

There are teams that race them in ChumpCar/LeMons and I suspect some are in NASA as well. With the SCCA's newer rules loosening some of the rules around engine swaps, they are starting to show up in Autocrosses again, but they are still a bit outclassed by the Miata, S2K and BMW's.

I enjoy my built SOHC (no it's not a truck motor, since it was put in the 240 first) in my s13, but that LS3 seems absolutely delicious in that chassis.

The availability of parts is what really pushed me into the 240sx. You'll have to weed through all the drift crap on the market, but there are plenty of trackable parts out there.

Luckily I bought mine from a guy who was unaware of the drift tax on these.

It's a good question--and, yes, I drove mine to work today.

What hurt the 240SX's competitiveness back in the day? The factory speed limiter. The SCCA Showroom Stock and even Improved Touring rules of the day didn't allow computer alterations. A few people tried to campaign the 240SX, but at places like Road Atlanta they'd quickly hit that limiter. Could you have removed the governor? Sure, but then everyone else would know that you're not legal.

I seem to remember you guys talking about how terribly they were advertised from the showroom floor, too. They weren't pushed on the enthusiasts at all.

They were reasonably popular with the track day crowd in the UK, but that was because there is/was no shortage of 200SXen with an SR20DET. IMHO the engine choice in the US hurt the car.

a very close buddy of mine has one with simple mods (coil-overs, sr20 swap - super easy BTW, big wheels). Like swank said it would SPANK a stock s2k or 350z. Less money in as well.

Really though, I think this has been said thousands of times, but its an 'under-engined' car in stock form in the us. Find the sr20 that was intended for it and its a whole different animal. But racing classes are generally hard on engine swaps, drifting is not.

As I understood it the cars inherent "polar moment of inertia" was one of the issues. What makes it a great chassis for drifting is what makes it a poor road race or autocross car. The weight is distributed towards the front and rear ends instead of towards the middle of the car, so it was slow to change directions but once in a drift it would maintain it well.

I remember that from an article about ten years ago. Not sure where though. Perhaps in a suspension or chassis design book? I used to read every one I could get my mitts on.

Yeah what others have said. Fun but slow in stock form. Like slower than a Miata. The 240sx is mostly a GREAT canvas to build something really fast. Nice example here.

Haha, Fanfoy, thats the same link I posted above. Definitely a cool build.

I autocrossed one in the early 2000's in Street Touring. It was fantastic and I had good results with it. My ex-wife rear ended somebody with it and I sold it. A 240SX won the ST National Championship either the very next year or the year after that. Proving something other than an '89 Si could win in ST.

Desmond wrote: Haha, Fanfoy, thats the same link I posted above. Definitely a cool build.

Oups...my bad.

Cool build none the less. And a good looking car it is too. And practical too. That hatch can swallow a surprizing amount of stuff.

This stuff kind of makes me regret not buying that 240sx back before there was the dorifto tax on them.

If I bought one, I would definitely look to swap a diesel engine or a LS1 engine into it.

Great cars. Not really competitive in any current autocross class unless it's heavily modded like the ones that run SM now. Plenty of room for nearly any engine you want in there, bullet proof diff, and fairly lightweight makes for a good all around car.

The shortfalls are the front suspension (Mac strut, very limited travel) and the stock engine isn't much to write home about.

I kind of miss mine, I can't do a standing burnout in my rx7 but my old s13 would light the tires! it was reliable as a rock and simple to maintain and upkeep. I even had a my JDM m@d tyteness with it because I had an of era RS*R catback, rare because it had a resonator AND a muffler :)

gave it parts bin upgrades from the junkyard (j30 front brakes, VLSD, SE-R Spec V seats, and much more) and it was great! It would take good abuse from sliding around and going into ditches in Michigan's back roads. the suspension was not light by any means but that made it sturdy.

Always tempted to do a rallyX car out of one or V8 vert.

There is a guy up here in Canada that rallies one.

• SR20DET
• Cage
• Body Reinforcements (for durability)
• Rally Suspension

They are a nice affordable platform for a track day car especially if you want to go relatively fast, are willing to modify a lot, and don't want to pay Z06 money. Not a huge following though.

nissanroadracing.com is the place to check out.