1995 Nissan 240sx (S14) **Intro WorkLog**

Dopefish · 02-22-2006, 02:22 PM

I have a 1995 Nissan 240sx (S14) that I intend to modify greatly... the interior is my first stop on the modding train. Has anyone else done up a 95-98 240sx? I'm looking for ideas but as of now I'm going to go with a slim CD drive and try to work WITHOUT a headunit. I will gain some space by removing the OE headunit and A/C controls and using that space for computer functions or other needs... if a HU is still needed I'll stick a newer OE unit from an Altima in the A/C location.

Primary Carputer Components
~PM200 PSU
~Dell GX150 or AGS 'Shuttle' PC
~Lullitput 7" Touchscreen

Extended Components
~MegaSquirtII fuel/ignition management
~Wideband 02 trim monitor
~Serial A/C control + tempurature monitoring/Auto A/C
~USB GPS module
~Interface with audio amps
~Interface with OE headunit (If needed)

Audio Components
~Undecided 2ch amp to drive speakers
~Infiniti Referance Components (front)
~Infiniti Referance 2-way (rear)
~MTX 250w sub amp (old amp, simple but I love it)
~Infiniti Referance 10" sub
~Altima OE CD/FM headunit (if needed)

Interior Objectives
~Strip interior (Panels, dash, headliner, seats, carpet, trunk covering, etc)
~Paint jambs, inner doors, trunk, and cabin black
~Dynomat entire cabin, doors, trunk areas, and firewall
~Add ground points behind dash and in trunk (ground bus)
~Add 12v points behind dash and in trunk (12v bus)
~Wire audio and power to dash and trunk bus
~Wire USB hub points at each passenger station, in dash and in trunk
~Remove factory audio wiring and equipement
~Mold Lulliput into dash
~Install new black carpet
~Reinstall interior

I have a long list of goals, the interior is the primary for my car, then suspension work is up next. The paint is in horrible shape, plus I hate red so I plan to paint the entire car black but I want to do it righ so all the 'unseen' areas will be painted as well. I am giving up my RX-7 for this car so I want to be comfortable.

Here are a couple of pics of the car and various stages of its life since I've aquired it.

The night I picked it up:

A couple weeks later... I thought driving a 5psd car with a broken ankle was hard... it was even harder cleaning it...

Newely installed rear leather seats, very rare:

I had replaced my 'base' grey seats with upgraded cloth seats from an 'SE' 240sx, however when I found the rear leather I had to jump on it. I'm now seeking out some leather fronts to match, the original 300zx seats I found are too big to fit properly.

Upcoming work:

Dell GX150

The start of this wont be immediate as I need to get funds together for the more 'major' parts of the upgrade but small bits have already been set in motion.

~Kris

Dopefish · 02-23-2006, 11:07 AM

Something else to be added to the list is the integration of keyless entry. A feature the car had in the higher models but never came with mine. I have an SE parts car I'm going to try and take the entire interior harness from it and utilize some of its electronics.

Also, the factory sound system the front channel will fade out and go staticly on occasion, I think this is the factory amps fault, or the HU, in either case both will be removed. I'll post images tonight of the factory amp rack which may be the perfect housing for my component amp and PC.

One question I have is, are there *ANY* negative effects of having the PC in close proximaty to the subwoofer? I know the HDD's are shielded against external magnets but being so strong I wonder if the sub's magnet will have an adverse effect...

~Kris

hannibal · 02-23-2006, 05:31 PM

Hey, Ive got a 96 S14 and I'm working on setting a carPC. Its just stock, at least for now. Here are a few pics from when I bought about a year ago.

Sounds like you have a nice plan laid out. I also want to install the LCD in the double DIN space and run it without a HU. I was hoping to install the slim drive either where the hazard and defost buttons are or under the screen in the ashtray area. It would be easier to load a disc if it was above the screen.

About your front speakers cutting out, I think base models have the amp inside the headunit. Only SE's have the Bose system with external amps. I think we're planning to mount the PC and amp in the same place, the trunk pass thru area.

I'm hoping to buy a Consult to serial interface. Consult is a Nissan specific diagnostic port, very similar to OBD. This will allow you to monitor pretty much everything your ECU sees. I would like to find a way to integrate that with a wideband O2.

The setup in my sig is from an eMachines PC my cousin gave me. Hopefully, it will be able to handle most things. Sorry for the long post. I plan to keep up on your progress. Also, check out www.NICOclub.com if you havent yet. I spend a lot of time on there.

Jordan

Dopefish · 02-23-2006, 07:28 PM

Very nice S14, I like the color.

My 240 seems to have been optioned a fair bit for being a base model, it came with the 6 speaker Bose system. The previous owner replaced the speakers though and added gain adapters to compensate. I plan to remove the factory wiring, the gain adapters and add a 2ch amp to power the 4 speakers. I'll probably get a cheap POS at Wal-Mart for now and upgrade later.

Here you can see the rear amp:

The amp pictured there is for my subwoofer, it is an MTX Thunder 2160 which came with the car. It does a very good job considering it's age.

Tuning-wise I'm looking at MegaSquirt II once I go turbo to control fuel and ignition. I may go ahead and wire for MegaSquirt while N/A just to simplify things and play with tuning a bit more before dropping into dangerous territory. Fuel tables arent a concern but ignition and the wheres and whens of pulling or adding timing are scary still. Otherwise I may user the CONSULT system since mine seems to be a late 95' with the ODBII system.

I need to figure out how much dynamat to purchase, I dunno if 50sq/ft will be enough or not.

~Kris

CJ8501 · 02-24-2006, 01:24 PM

those 240s are begging for a sr20det swap! Very nice car.... I love 240's and am planning to get one ASAP, Hopefully a S14, since Im not a big fan of the pop up lights in the s13s....... Good luck with the project!

Dopefish · 02-24-2006, 03:16 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by CJ8501

those 240s are begging for a sr20det swap! Very nice car.... I love 240's and am planning to get one ASAP, Hopefully a S14, since Im not a big fan of the pop up lights in the s13s....... Good luck with the project!

HAH! KA-Turbo FTW! SR20's are child's play.

I'm planning a T3/4 turbo, SR20 injectors and Walbro 255lph pump.

Should be fun.

Good luck on the 240 hunt, they are good cars, just many need love and attention from being mistreated by their previous guardians. I like the S13 coupes myself with the Silvia front conversion so that they no longer have pop ups. Very elegant IMO.
http://somebody_101.tripod.com/siteb...silvia-s13.jpg

~Kris

DaPCWiz · 02-24-2006, 04:44 PM

yo - where are you located. I have a carpc in a 95 Ruby Pearl S14 as well

DaPCWiz · 02-24-2006, 04:48 PM

Some pics of my baby -

My screen install -

and me autoXing

http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...31851355342546

Dopefish · 02-24-2006, 11:18 PM

Very nice setup! The LCD is in the same position I want to allocate, but I want to remove the A/C controls and operate them via the carputer as well. Then add a slim slot load CD/DVD to the dash somewhere, maybe that and some guages will fill the HVAC port.

I want to convert the front end to Kouki but it is proven very expensive.. I may just keep my Zenki front, get the eyelids you have and paint the whole car black. Kouki headlamps are insanely costly. The money I'd spend there could be better spent on a turbo setup and tuning equipement. Your car, being in much better esthetic shape, makes the Zenki front-end look a lot better. lol

~Kris

DaPCWiz · 02-25-2006, 12:35 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by Dopefish

Very nice setup! The LCD is in the same position I want to allocate, but I want to remove the A/C controls and operate them via the carputer as well. Then add a slim slot load CD/DVD to the dash somewhere, maybe that and some guages will fill the HVAC port.

I want to convert the front end to Kouki but it is proven very expensive.. I may just keep my Zenki front, get the eyelids you have and paint the whole car black. Kouki headlamps are insanely costly. The money I'd spend there could be better spent on a turbo setup and tuning equipement. Your car, being in much better esthetic shape, makes the Zenki front-end look a lot better. lol

~Kris

my car isn't in that good shape... that was after like 3 days of detailing the paint for a specific event + use aluminum polish on the headlights. I <3 the zenki front. Personally I don't think the kouki lines flow as well. Granted, it's a beautiful front end... the chasis was meant to have a curved body not an angular one... that's just me tho.

you'd be surprised how little bits of work that u can do urself for cheap will make ur car look so much better.

you aren't located anywhere near jersey, are you? (by the tints I'd guess not...)

Dopefish · 02-25-2006, 08:37 AM

LOL, nope, I live in Clermont Florida, the land where its no holds bar on car mods.

The tint on the 240 isnt too dark, its onlt 35% and is kinda faded in a couple spots, its pretty old so I'm gonna remove it. Once the car is painted I'm gonna get 5% all around. That is what my RX-7 has and I love it:

~Kris

Dopefish · 02-25-2006, 08:46 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by DaPCWiz

my car isn't in that good shape... that was after like 3 days of detailing the paint for a specific event + use aluminum polish on the headlights. I <3 the zenki front. Personally I don't think the kouki lines flow as well. Granted, it's a beautiful front end... the chasis was meant to have a curved body not an angular one... that's just me tho.

you'd be surprised how little bits of work that u can do urself for cheap will make ur car look so much better.

you aren't located anywhere near jersey, are you? (by the tints I'd guess not...)

Yea, the lines are more for a round look, I just think the Zenki lights look so aged (even when clean)... I may try to crack them open and polish the insides too... The R33 headlamps are perfect for the lines of the S14 but they are as expensive as the Kouki lamps, plus fabbing to make it look right.

My car is in horrible shape from the loving Florida sun... she'll be looking better soon though.

~Kris

DaPCWiz · 02-25-2006, 10:05 AM

nice FD bro... those things are so hot...

CJ8501 · 02-25-2006, 02:49 PM

rx 7 and 240.... now thats a combo........

hannibal · 02-27-2006, 02:08 PM

Nice collection Kris. The FD is a great car. And I'm a fan of the zenki front end. Like you said, that money could be spent on something more important, like perfomance.

PCWiz, I just checked out your website. You have a really nice page. Got anymore pics/info on your carPC?

KA-T baby!

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