RHD Conversion build thread

[s13180sx]

Hey, my name is Chris, and this is my build thread.
I know lots of people dont think doing the rhd conversion is worth it, but you know, different strokes.
So here it goes.
This is where it starts.
I found this stock 240sx hatch for sale with 235,000 miles on it for $900.
definitely picked that up.
heres some pictures of the day i drove it home.








alongside my daily car at the time, 2001 VW GTI VR6.





driver side door panel was destroyed, so i sourced out a donor door and got the panel from that, plus a door lock. (i had already switched out the panels before the picture, good one is in the car)



Then i washed the car and started to do bodywork.








The car came with mudflaps on it. i took them off, and guess what was underneath!
nothing..... a hole....





Remember my GTI? there was a for sale sign in it. sold it for $6000, and bought another daily driver for 1800. A 1992 VW Cabriolet.





So now, that leaves me with $4200 to put into the 240.
first thing i did was buy a RHD clip for $1100




So while that was shipping and stuff, i started to strip down the 240.









Look what came today!!!!



stripped it down!



And, did a test fit in the car. im getting excited!




So, while working on the 240, driving that vw cabriolet wasnt cutting it. so i found a 1994 miata for $2500 and picked that up.
So now i have 3 cars sitting in my driveway




So now, the shell and clip are completely stripped and ready to change the firewalls out. and my garage is filled with parts.





I took my shell and clip to Import Performance Shop in Southaven, MS to swap the firewalls for me. They do mad work.
Had to cut the a pillars off of the clip to fit it in the suv...





Now since i have two daily drivers, i need to get rid of the vw cabriolet.. so my friend bought it for $2200. thats a $400 profit for me haha.
So, then i bought a silvia front clip for $900



and got an uncracked rhd dash from Import Performance Shop, along with jdm mirrors, and other parts.



Dropped the shell and clip off right before a busy show season, so there wasnt much time to work on it for a couple weeks.
So i just focused on making the Miata a little more appealing for my daily driving.
Bought some coils, and a lip and made it pretty.



Ive also decided that instead of paint, im going to vinyl wrap the car. so i bought some samples and put them on my spare door.



My favorite was Gloss Anthracite.




So, a couple days ago, I decided to stop by the shop to see how progress was coming.
Only to find out some really bad news
but parking beside their skyline made it a little better.



Also at the shop that day was an FD Rx7 and a nissan Pulsar.





But anyways, the bad news. I walk in and say hey to Carlos (owner) and he says, "i was about to call you! we have a problem..."
went to the back and we went to take a look at the car, the front left frame rail completely rusted out. COMPLETELY. cost more to fix than to find another shell.
awesome......



But its not all bad. They sourced out a nice rust free shell that ill hopefully pick up in the next few days for $250. but until then, ive just been selling parts that i dont need. so, thats it for now!!

[shaggy sr]

damn he posted ONE and didnt update it so far.

[KendallH]

I begrudgingly made it past the part where you were making it RHD without swapping out the KA... you lost me at the part where you were making it a Sil80. Literally did not read past that.

[s13180sx]

Who said I wasn't swapping out the ka?
I've got a lovely rb20det that I plan on putting in it.
But anyways. I now have my shell and it is currently being swapped. So I will have it back at my house soon after Christmas. Then it will all start going back together. Not my problem if you don't like a rhd swapped rb20det sil80....

[KendallH]

Originally Posted by s13180sx

Who said I wasn't swapping out the ka?
I've got a lovely rb20det that I plan on putting in it.
But anyways. I now have my shell and it is currently being swapped. So I will have it back at my house soon after Christmas. Then it will all start going back together. Not my problem if you don't like a rhd swapped rb20det sil80....

That would be the epitome of

[s13180sx]

Anddd, that reply made no sense

[future]

Post for reading.

Damn rust. I love California (:

[mmmS13]

Originally Posted by future

Post for reading.

Damn rust. I love California (:

+1 I love Cali too, sometimes.

Im interested to see how this build turns out.

s13180sx- Why an RB20? Just wondering, unless you already have it. That would make sense

[s13rhdhatch]

Hey man dont let anyone get you down about going rhd. I've done it,I've enjoyed EVERY second of it. The looks/comments daily made me smile. Nothing like going down the high way seeing people taking pictures and giving you thumbs up. I did everything your doing,hatch,sil front and rhd. But yeah get another shell if you have any questions hit me up.

[s13180sx]

I'm going rb20 because I love the sound and the straight 6 power.

S13rhdhatch - thanks man. I really have enjoyed it so far too. Never understood why people hate on it. I already got my other shell and the firewall is being swapped currently. I'll be posting more pics and updating once I get it back to my house.

[s13rhdhatch]

Originally Posted by s13180sx

I'm going rb20 because I love the sound and the straight 6 power.

S13rhdhatch - thanks man. I really have enjoyed it so far too. Never understood why people hate on it. I already got my other shell and the firewall is being swapped currently. I'll be posting more pics and updating once I get it back to my house.

People will always hate. Haters = jealous people. And just fyi don't go rb20, those motors are so old man parts are expensive.

[s13180sx]

Doesn't matter to me how old they are. I love rb motors.

[No 240.. No id]

Good thing mine is a rhd factory, and it doesnt have rust, but I need to take the mudflaps out that,i put last month, because that pic above scares me.

[mmmS13]

RB motors do sound pretty nasty and from what I've read they can take one hell of a beating.
Its your car man, put whatever motor you want into it. Hell, all my friends wanted me to swap out my motor and I kept my KA and went turbo.
If your not looking to make a ton of power they really aren't that expensive.

[s13180sx]

It will sound nasty. I originally wanted to do the vh45de swap. But that is a super pain to do. But my rb will be powerful

[mmmS13]

How much power are you wanting out of it?

[s13180sx]

All of it!!!!!!

[mmmS13]

Originally Posted by s13180sx

All of it!!!!!!

I like the way you think. lol

[rednissan180]

if you go rb at least get a 25... 20's are junk

[mmmS13]

Originally Posted by rednissan180

if you go rb at least get a 25... 20's are junk

If he's looking for under 400hp. It will be fine.

[richardhouck]

I had a rhd rb20det coupe i did the conversion and swap rhds13hatch can vouch, pm if you need any tis

[s13180sx]

20'a aren't junk. And it's going to be a daily. Don't need a crazy amount of power

[No 240.. No id]

Rb20 is like a KA with more problems.
Gl with ur build.

[s13180sx]

The shop has been drilling out the spot welds and are over halfway done with the job. But the guy working on my car had to go to Japan until late January, so I have to wait til then to get it back.