The SR20DET engine swap has made Nissan's 240SX one of the more popular cars to modify, but it wasn't always that way. San Diego resident and molecular biologist-that means he's a lot smarter than you or me-Scott Zoll bought this SX new in 1995, but back then he says people gave him a lot of shit for purchasing what they perceived as a "chick car." Indeed, Zoll professed that Nissan ads and promotions of that era specifically targeted the female market sector, a tactic that left more cars on the lots than Nissan would have liked, and one that would force the manufacturer to cut killer deals to those willing to take the plunge on a new 240SX purchase.
Because of the dealer markdowns, Zoll bought his car at a time when it was such great deal he simply couldn't pass it up. It wasn't a hardcore performance piece by any stretch and, to make matters worse, Zoll had purchased the LE model, which lacked the mantle of sporty amenities afforded on the top-of-the-line SE, like five-lug hubs and a limited-slip differential. Despite its shortcomings, Zoll liked the car's style and, as it began to pick up support in the performance aftermarket, he began to turn it into something a bit more respectable.
While a car certainly doesn't have to look good to be fast, most of us would agree it's just no fun driving a wack-assed-looking car. Zoll's car was brand new, so it wouldn't be fair to say it looked bad, but the car had been stigmatized and its owner was eager to shed its effeminate image in favor of something more commanding. He played around with a couple body kit odds and ends, even going so far as to subject himself to the rather extreme Veilside treatment, before he settled on a truly cohesive look. An Edge S14 kit, including front bumper, wing and side skirts, now hangs from the car's panels. The rear bumper has been enhanced with a Nismo rear lip, and the factory hood has been replaced by a full carbon-fiber piece.
Other exterior treatments include the sleek Bomex mirrors, which retain their power adjustment capabilities, JUN Japan headlight eyelids, a JDM S14 grille and authentic Silva badges. To set the new look off completely, Zoll commissioned Sal's Customs in Spring Valley, Calif., to apply a shroud of custom paint. Looking through Sal's catalog of colors, Zoll sold himself on a three-stage translucent paint called Candy Brandywine. Sal then duplicated the shade of red using PPG colors he ordered himself, customized slightly with the addition of some special pearls and a dash of metal flake. Then he applied a bright pink base coat to the car's panels, over which he laid the candy paint and layers of clearcoat. The overall effect is a red that exudes a surreal inner glow and changes shades ever so slightly according to the amount of light that hits it. In a fit of genius, Sal also applied a thin coat of Candy to the carbon hood; since the paint is translucent and not opaque, it still allows the fiber patterns to show through while imparting a reddish tint to the weave.
By the time the exterior was finished, Zoll had completed laying plans for the next phase of his project: the car's cabin. The deep red color scheme was carried over here, too, in burgundy suede upholstery that's been applied to the back seats and door panel inserts. The front seats were replaced with a pair of Corbeau buckets, which also received a comprehensive burgundy suede reskinning. As far as hard equipment, a Nismo short-shifter improves on the factory shifter assembly, with a Nismo knob to top it off. Aluminum pedals have been screwed into place down low, and the factory tiller was replaced with a MOMO wheel. An authentic Nismo horn button advises interlopers to get the hell out of the way.
All the requisite electronics have been ingested into the car's cabin, including an array of GReddy system meters to measure boost, oil pressure, EGT and water temperature. A GReddy turbo timer and A'PEXi S-AFC also reside within the cockpit, providing their proven services to Zoll's turbocharged powerplant. Zoll and his father designed and installed the in-car entertainment system themselves. A Panasonic 7-in. screen and CD/DVD player resides in the dash and sends signals to dual Alpine V12 amps and a Sony external crossover. Playback is effected by Boston component speakers up front, Boston coaxials in the back seat area and a pair of 10-in. Kicker Comp VRs, providing low-end frequencies from their position in the trunk. To deal with the increased wattage demands on the car's electrical system, Zoll replaced his factory-spec battery with an Ultima Gel Cell jobber.
Of course, the boost and EGT gauges present in the cockpit could only indicate one thing: a JDM SR20DET powerplant dropped in place of the stock KA24DE. It was assembled and tuned by McKinney Motorsports in Santee, Calif. Not only is it sourced from Japan, but the new motor has been hung all over with the full gamut of performance paraphernalia. An Injen intake feeds induction charges through custom-bent intercooler piping, also provided by Injen-one of Zoll's major sponsors. The polished pipes lead to and from an A'PEXi front-mount intercooler, then to a GReddy intake manifold designed specifically for the SR20DET. On the engine's hot side, an HPI stainless-steel tubular exhaust manifold supports the turbo and feeds spent gases to a GReddy downpipe and A'PEXi N1 exhaust. A Walbro fuel pump, SARD regulator and Aeromotive filter provide fuel enrichment to the turbocharged engine. Various other aftermarket odds and ends have been placed in the engine bay as well, some performance oriented, others not: Earl's lines, a Koyo two-core radiator, GReddy Type S blow-off valve, GReddy oil filter relocator kit, Injen radiator overflow tank, and various Nismo reservoir caps.
The suspension is one area Zoll said could stand to be upgraded, but as it sits today there are still a few modifications worth noting. GREX sport springs and Tokico shocks collaborate on ride height and quality. The hubs have been converted to a five-lug pattern using equipment pilfered from a 300ZX. The brake discs were upgraded at all four corners using cross-drilled and slotted Brembo rotors. Brake lines were upgraded using Earl's stainless-steel braided lines, and the front calipers were replaced with four-piston units also taken from a 300ZX donor. Front and rear strut tower braces, sourced from Nismo, bridge the gaps between the shock towers and lend the chassis further rigidity. For wheels, Zoll was careful to do his homework and source the proper offsets to work with his upgraded hubs; in the end he decided on a set of 18-in. Volk GT-Cs, which were strung with Kumho Ecsta Supra rubber sized 225/40R-18 front and 255/35R-18 in the rear.
Most recently, Zoll's converted Silvia has been seen taking names at Import Showoff, HIN and Import Revolution events in and around Los Angeles and San Diego. Through the period of 2001 to 2002 he acquired three first-place finishes, one second, on third, and one best of show. For the coming show season, Zoll said the car will probably be wearing a new set of coilovers, among other things. Once the suspension is finally dialed in, he said he'll take it to the track where he can start to get a feel for its quarter-mile capabilities. If history is any indicator, we believe the car will take to the track like Editor Mulroney takes to 7-Up and beer. That is to say, it should like the track very, very much.
HOTBOX
Import Culture
www.importculture.com
Injen Technology
(909) 839-0706
www.injen.com
Meguiar's
(800) 347-5700
www.meguiars.com
McKinney Motorsports
(619) 449-4748
www.mckinneymotorsports.com
PixlPPL.com
www.pixlppl.com
Sal's Customs
(619) 469-5740
www.salmanzanocustoms.com
Trap One Graphics
(858) 336-5412
www.t1g.com
VIS Racing Sports
(626) 573-8383
www.visracing.com