1991 240sx Coupe : NICOclub Ride of the Month | rico05

1991 240sx Coupe – Owned by Rick Novak (rico05)

Car: 1991 MS13 SE Coupe

History:
My first foray into import ownership and tuning came by way of a 1991 RX-7. After about 8 months of happy ownership, a mishap obliterated 2 apex seals on the #2 rotor. Thus, the quest for replacement FR power began. The S13 you see was a lucky find. I knew that I wanted a coupe, but to find a 5-speed coupe in my price range that wasn’t a complete wreck proved a challenge.

An internet search revealed a clean 1991 SE coupe in Plano (about 3 hours north). It was soon mine. The original plan was a daily-driven, SR powered drift car, but I quickly found that the MS13 handled almost as well as my previous FC3S, and suspension mods came first. After about a year of ownership, the timing chain rattle of death let me know that the KA needed to be built up, or tossed completely. Enter JHot Exports.

The CA18DET that now powers my MS13 was a lucky find as I was actually looking for an SR20DET. The relative rarity (at the time; spring 2004) and low cost had me hooked, and after a winning bid of $1288 shipped, my CA love began. It has been almost 3 years since the CA entered the scene, and I am more pleased everyday with my decision.

Gummy tires, responsive engine, and capable chassis modifications make for an entertaining daily driven car. This car gets me to work at 14psi in all temperatures, and other than a headgasket replacement, the CA has proven to be a reliable platform for excellent power production. Future plans include a full bottom end build centered around 85mm CP pistons (effectively making it a CA19DET), bottom mount GT2560R .64A/R, Megasquirt-II, and more suspension tuning. I hope to never sell my coupe, and the S13 in all its forms will always have a place in my heart!