Finding S-Chassis Perfection After a Decade With Nissan's 240SX
First car, first build—taking the long road with a Silvia-converted 1993 240SX coupe.
There really wasn't much of a chance for Eduardo "Lalo" Moreno to find his way to any car other than an S-chassis, given that while growing up, his brother and his group of friends owned and modified 240SX of their own. Their passion for Nissan's sporty, affordable rear wheel drive '90s icon rubbed off and before he knew it, Lalo was a regular on the forums well before he was old enough to drive.
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Digital Inspiration
It was there that he came across what can only be described as a masterpiece in a 240sx coupe owned by Toby Broadfield, a highly respected name in the Nissan community. "That instant, I knew fate had chosen my first car," he fondly recalls. "I can't deny that I was inspired to emulate his build, which is why my car is white with a Silvia front end." While drooling over the images he could find online, Lalo came to the realization that all the small details Broadfield had applied were what really set his car apart from everyone else's.
In 2012, this 1993 240sx, with just 83,000 miles became Lalo's first car and served as his reliable daily driver, but would soon act as a hands-on teacher as he dove headfirst into car building from scratch. "Most of the work was done by myself in my backyard, with some help from my brother and friends," he notes. "I've personally spent countless hours working on it, from restoring small trim pieces, building the turbo kit, and assembling the suspension, to doing body work on the whole car. A lot of blood, sweat, and beers!"
The body work Lalo performed prepped the car for its GM White paint that was later applied. Beyond the clean finish, brick-style Silvia headlights and an optional GTR grill replaced the original pop-up look. A Stage 21 hood offers a vented center section for heat to escape but maintains a low profile, while a Behrman front bumper and custom splitter further square the front end's look. D-Max front fenders provide more wheel and tire space and add a trio of scallops just before the doors.
Less Is More
OEM Silvia side skirts bring down the coupe's sides, that newly acquired lower body line matched by a Bomex rear valence. East Bear side mirrors streamline the profile further and in keeping with a clean and classy theme, there's no huge wing hanging over the rear but instead a subtle 326Power DLUX aero wing atop the trunk lid, with custom LED taillights just below.
Parts Shop Max coil overs loaded with Swift Springs improve the car's handling and allowed Lalo to pick his ride height. He's also backed them up with the Japanese tuner's suspension arms and various components to adjust the suspension's caster, camber, toe, and traction. Up top, Cusco shock tower bars and an AutoPower roll bar help add rigidity to the 30-year-old chassis.
Behind the gunmetal 17x9.5-inch SSR Type C RS wheels are Cadillac CTS-V front calipers over 2-piece rotors with Z32 dual calipers added to the rear. The appearance and visible performance updates are just enough to maintain the timeless look that isn't motivated by trends, yet it stands out from the crowd, and we took notice at the 90s Forever/Evo Studios meet where it pulled us in even with dozens of other S-chassis on site.
Building Blocks
The Japanese theme and Silvia front end are enough to convince most that an SR20DET rests under hood, but Lalo chose to keep the KA24DE. With help from his friend Jeremy, the 2.4L was torn down and built back up with Wiseco pistons, Eagle rods, and ARP fasteners. Some mild port work on the top end was accompanied by BC 264 cams and their complete valvetrain upgrade.
With the long block fortified, a custom turbo manifold was built and supports a Garrett GRX3076R with TiAL waste gate. A much larger plenum-equipped Xcessive intake manifold and Hypertune throttle body were bolted on and custom charge piping created to attach to a Vibrant intercooler. Flex fuel is now on the menu with a Walbro 450lph pump and ID2000 injectors installed, and spark is improved with a K20 coil-on-plug conversion using a billet adapter plate.
All of this is neatly organized within the center of the engine bay with tubbed fenders taking up all the outside space. The homemade KA recipe is a successful one with 600hp realized under the management of an AEM ECU.
With the interior fighting off three decades of sunlight and everyday wear and tear, quite a bit of effort was put forth by Lalo to recondition the 240's interior panels, carpet, trim, and more. Aftermarket touches involved a set of capable seats in Bride's Zeta II fixed-back for the driver and a more refined adjustable bucket for the co-pilot, alongside AEM gauges, a Nardi classic steering wheel, and JSP shift knob.
The Long Road Never Ends
It's been a long ride for Lalo and his 240SX and one that he's not only learned from, but thoroughly enjoyed along the way. "After dedicating nearly a decade to building this machine, it's time to just enjoy it," he tells us. "Once I've broken in some of the new components, I'll be joining my friends at the track to fully appreciate what I've built. And, as we all know, a car build is never really done. I'm sure I'll find something else to tinker with soon."
1993 Nissan 240SX
OwnerEduardo Moreno
Instagram @laloooo_
EngineKA24DE; Wiseco pistons; Eagle rods; ARP hardware; BC 264 cams, valves, guides, dual valve springs, titanium retainers; Cometic head gasket; mild port/polish; Garrett GTX3076R; custom turbo manifold, stainless down pipe, 3-inch exhaust; TiAL wastegate; A'PEXi NOIR tubo muffler; Xcessive intake manifold; Hypertune billet throttle body; Vibrant intercooler; Turbosmart blow-off valve; Walbro 450lph fuel pump; Radium fuel rail, regulator; ID2000 injectors; PTFE and stainless steel fuel lines; flex fuel; Koyo radiator; Underdrive pulley kit; DC Power 180 amp alternator; Vintage Air custom AC system; Grex oil filter relocator; Earl's oil coolers, power steering cooler; AEM ECU; Wiring Specialties Pro Harness; K20 coil-on-plug w/custom billet bracket
Power597hp/538tq
DrivetrainVG30 transmission; OS Giken twin disc clutch, flywheel; Kaaz Super Q 1.5 way LSD; 1-piece drive shaft; Z33 axles; Mazworx short shifter
SuspensionParts Shop Max coil overs, suspension arms -caster, camber, toe, traction; Swift springs; GK-Tech sway bar; Energy Suspension bushings; Cusco shock tower bars; Autopower roll bar
BrakingCTS-V calipers; Z1 2-piece rotors; StopTech pads; dual Z32 rear calipers
Wheels & TiresSSR Type C RS 17x9.5; Kumho Ecsta 255/40
ExteriorGM White paint; Behrman front bumper; custom splitter; D-Max front fenders; Bomex rear valence; Stage 21 hood; 326 Power DLUX rear wing; HIC roof wing; East Bear side mirrors; custom LED taillights; OEM Silvia GT-R grill, brick headlights, side skirt
InteriorBride Zeta II driver seat, Ergo 1.5 passenger seat; Nardi Classic steering wheel; NRG hub, quick release; JSP shift knob; fully reconditioned interior, carpet, trim, hardware, etc.
Thank YouMain shoutout is to my family and friends. Without their support, I wouldn't have been able to complete this build.
Engine built by - Jeremy Boggs
Engine tuned by - Danny @unrivaledtuning
Welding/Fab work - Richard @bsidefabrication & Parker @scumpunch
Misc Support - Pablo @p3t3y18/ Hector @infam0us14 / Jason @rivalautoworks