S13 Coupe or Hatch??

[S13Dreamer]

sup guys...ever since the disappearance of my Honda...i've been looking into another car...at first...i wanted to stay loyal to Honda...but then agian...i thought..and thought i'd try something different...i was on the phone with SRswap.com...do they have a good rep??..anyhow...i finally can to a conclusion to an S13...but as the title says...which one?? is just preference?? or are there weight differences...all i know is that i should stick with a 91-93..so when i do an SR20...it will enable me to buy fewer parts that are a pain to get...so which one?? Hatch or Coupe?? Thanks ppl

[AKADriver]

Do what makes you happy.

The coupe shell is about 25-50 pounds lighter and a bit stiffer.

The hatch also has rust and water leakage issues, around the taillights and under the spoiler (for those that came with spoilers). And that big ass back window cooks the interior like an oven on a sunny day.

If I had to do it again, I'd have looked harder for a coupe. But, in my case it came down to a hatch being the best option available to me at the time.

[BEISSEN]

Its more preferance then anything imo.If you are goig todo the swap it does not matter what year car you get.You cn get a s14 nd still be able o do the sapthe only thing that is going to ht with extra parts is doing the ac setup on a sr.Get a s13 sr and you can do it just be creful of hicas that is where you hve to get a painful to find part.A hicas powere stearing pump from a hicas sr.

[AKADriver]

You're still buying extra stuff for an '89-'90. It's a lot easier to find a high-mileage '89-'90 donor shell for less money, though. Power steering lines and a tach aren't that expensive or hard to find.

[Natty]

Originally posted by AKADriver
Do what makes you happy.

And that big ass back window cooks the interior like an oven on a sunny day.

I carried a fridge in my fastback once

He is right about the back window. I got 3 sets of window shades. One up front, one in back, and one on the sides. The sunroof still cooks me though I need to find a cover.
Jeff

[Kareem]

The Coupe weighs that little bit less and is harder to find but the fastback has a better front/rear weight balance.

[S13Dreamer]

thanks a lot guys...i think i'm going to take some time to look for a coupe...the cooking a human in the car doesn't sound too good to me... ....as far as weight goes....i'm leaning a lil more towards the coupe although the hatch has better balance...

[misnomer]

Aesthetics, that's what it comes down to. You might find the coupe being a bit stiffer with it's solid ass.

Don't take the heat issue as a major one, any car will heat up in the sun, I've never seen a difference from my 240 to my sister's WRX to my old NVOA to anything.

I like the fastback, here's why:

- I love the look (personal opinion, but c'mon, it's beautiful!)
- Greater storage capacity, for moving **** around. . . you can sleep in the back. . . you can sleep with another person in the back. . . Trust me, that rear seat isn't great.
- I love the look
- Generally more utility
- Arguably better acoustics. I really know nothing about acoustics, but I'm still sayin'. . .
- I love the look
- Your mom

[gschroeder78]

I've always liked the coupe but thats just personal preference which is all it should come down to. If you don't really care, just look for the best deal. Other than that it sounds like the HB's have hatch noise and leakage issues. Good luck.

Lighten up James you may be right about the weight but thats the second time you've said people here don't know what they're talking about. No hard feelings it just puts out a negative feeling here. I will say the best point is about the driver's weight. Alot of guys are ditching backseats and stuff like that, meanwhile they're 50lbs overweight themselves.

[S13Koop]

Koop, but good luck finding one, took me nearly 6 months to find one, Fastbacks are everywhere
-will

[S13Dreamer]

hatches are everywhere?? i'm from NJ and there are no hatches...all i find are convertibles...i dont' want those cause to me...their chassis lookes like it's much weaker...and it just doesn't look as nice as the coupes or hatches...just a personal opinion...other than convertibles...all i find are coupes...no hatches...then agian..i look online for these cars...maybe that's my problem...gotta start lookin at the local papers......

[Nerfdude]

it's your call in the end, but i prefer the hatch by far... at first i wanted the coupe b/c i was planning an all-out s13 silvia conversion, but then i realized i only wanted to do a silvia conversion b/c jdm is the in-thing. i wound up buying a '92 hatch, and i'm glad i did... i was going to put a silvia front end on it, but then i came to the stunning realization that the silvia front end is nothing special, and definately not worth the 1000+ dollars to do it... the hatch is better looking, has far more trunk space, and if you get subs (i've got two 12" Diamond CM3's, it has far better accoustics. plus it kinda reminds me of my dad's old 240z when i fold down the back seat...

[gman240]

My Opinion on the matter is the Fastback... Naturally I am biased because I have one but there are a few reasons I have for that:
1) The look of the body. I just like the curves of the body better, the shape of the tail end, The long trailing windows going back. To me the back of the hatch back gives something more to the car, and when you do asthetic work for example like putting the s15 front end on it looks better with that rear end.
2)Practicality: Granted with sports cars this is low to begin with but the hatch back does add to it. When you drop down the backseat you have enough room to move some pretty good sized items because of the fact that it creates a cavernous area underneath the glass. Belive me I have used it to its advantage a couple of times.
3) Definately for stereos a Hatch is much better. Got a bigger open air box and to me I like that fact. All the better sounding systems I have heard have been in cars with open backs be it sports cars or SUVS....

Well that is my opinion/reasons. In the end it is always the call of the individual. Good luck in finding the match that is right for you..

[HaLo]

Originally posted by Natty
I carried a fridge in my fastback once

He is right about the back window. I got 3 sets of window shades. One up front, one in back, and one on the sides. The sunroof still cooks me though I need to find a cover.
Jeff

I have an original Nissan Moonroof cover with the case... I could sell it for 30$ + shipping...

[gman240]

that is a nice looking white fastback in the pic....
My baby needs some work on the paint job to look really good,.

[misnomer]

hey Halo, I might want that. . . That's the doohicky that screws up under the moonroof and the bag that it slips in for storage right? What color?

[HaLo]

Originally posted by misnomer
hey Halo, I might want that. . . That's the doohicky that screws up under the moonroof and the bag that it slips in for storage right? What color?

Exactly...

it's grey i believe... I'd have to check it out! I only used it once or twice since I have the car.

[misnomer]

Hehe, I gave mine to my sister when I sold her my '89. . . PM me any more information, oh and if Natty wants it, sell it to him first, it seems I don't need it as bad as he does.

[HaLo]

I just checked it out. It is grey and the casing is black fake leather.

So Natty, pm me if you want it. It's as good as new.

[Stee Flo]

the fastback is better looking imo. The coupe looks ugly with the 180sx front, doesnt match the lines of the car. If you do a silvia front end conversion on the coupe, then it looks sweet! I say the fastback has a sportier look to it.

[EricP]

I have a hatch....it hasn't let me down. I was actually looking for a coupe to do the silvia conversion but if you want conversion a sil-eighty conversion is really nice to. Look into Sil-Eighty you mite like that better.

[mbmbmb23]

I have a fastback........and I think the coupe is more beautiful...but only with a S13 silvia front end conversion. I've especially fallen in love with the convertible coupe with silvia front.
Check out the 2 convertible pics on my eframes photo album.

http://www.eframes.com/default.asp?g...bum=34408.7492




-m

[S13Dreamer]

hey mbmbmb23...i like your fender flares...where'd you get those?? and what is a good site to buy conversions from?? I found a hatch by my area...he's asking for $3200...but negotiable...it's a `91...about 115k miles on it...but the only thing is...it's an auto...since it's an auto...is it worth buying?? for the price and the fact that it's an auto??

[drift freaq]

if you can get a clean 91 hatch with around 115k on it for around $3k thats a decent deal and worth getting. Here in socal people are selling cars with that mileage for anywhere from $3500-4k !
I would say go with the Hatch I prefer them myself. The only time a hatch leaks in the rear is when A: Its lip spoiler seals are worn out or B: The rubber around the hatch lid is worn out. Both are very fixable situations if you are not lazy about it.
The tailights will not leak unless someone has replaced them and not put on more sealer when doing so.
I have owned 3 hatchs and only one leaked . The car had 170k on it. It was time to replace the hatch lid rubber.
My current car has 120k on it and it does not leak .
I have seen cars with less mileage that do . Why ?because the previous owners parked them in the sun constantly and the rubber dried out.
Or the car was repainted and flex agent was not put in the paint for the lip spoiler. In which case it would warp up off its mounting bolts which causes leaks into the deck lid.
thats it in a nutshell.
Carfax that 91 if its clean and has what you want buy it!!

[S13Dreamer]

the car's an auto too...how much of a pain is it to convert everything from an auto to manual?? what i mean by a pain is...as far as obtaining parts go...the only thing holding me back...is the fact that the car is an auto...and the car is in mint condition...like...exterior only has one little dent...and the interior is mint also....so...it's an auto...what should i do!?!??! thanks for your help guys...

[mbmbmb23]

S13Dreamer -Those pics aren't of my car....but I believe they are probably JUN fender flares. I almost got a set but I think they require rivetting and bondo...so....Im not gonna mess with that.


-m

[S13Dreamer]

so how hard is it to convert the car from an auto to a manual?? I'm planning to do an SR20 swap..and am wondering if gettin that auto hatch is worth it or not...he's asking for 2800 now....it's in mint inside out...but the only thing is that it's an auto....

[drift freaq]

actually , If you cannot find a 5 speed and the auto is clean and its what you want buy it. If you look in the archives I originally outlined the whole swap because I have done it before. It was part of the faq section before the forum was switched to Vbulletin. It wound up in the archives after that.
Some of the guys that outline the swap on the web go to far in their parts lists I know people who have followed those outlines and wound up buying more parts than were needed. Look in the archives its there.
basically you will probably spend around $250 for the swap parts without the tranny and the tranny price all depends on what kind of deal you can find .
average range is $150-$400 depending on the mileage on the trans.
Dave

[mixedwell]

i like both s13 coupe and hatch the same. my lil bro has the 180sx and i have the silvia. i think the two look great and have their differneces so i could see why people would choose which one is better.

the 180sx is classic and looks really great for being so old. the lines flow nice and the pop up lights work wonders on it. not to mention that any silvia front end conversion looks good on it too. also that there are the 180sx type X copnversions. oh and the space is a deffiently a plus. i pick up body kits using my bros car.

the s13 coupe is also nice too. a serious cult classic. the hard lines are great and has that skyline look. the coupe is yet stiffer on the back becasue it has an upper sub frame thingy and not a big glass like the hatch. i also dont think weight makes much difference. holla

mixedwell

[Nismo240SX]

i say buy it. its what i did... i was looking for a manual 240 couldn't find one. soon as i drove the auto one, i had to have it. i plan to do the sr swap mid-spring or mid summer. i'll be converting the auto-manual tranny to. if the place you live is like mine, 5spd 240s are rare. i honesty say buy it. do it! you'll kick yourself in the ass later on if you don't.