If there's one thing to be said about drifting, it's that the sideways sport is a very subjective form of motorsport. There are no lap times, no sectors and no flagged finishes. It all just boils down to the driver, his opponent and the almighty judging table. Lurid slides and billowing clouds of vaporized tire can wow the judges into a win, but the psychological factor of tandem drifting cannot be denied. When it comes down to a heads-up drift battle, forcing your opponent into making a mistake is key.
For all those unfortunate enough to have to compete against this RB26DETT-powered S13 in Formula Drift and U.S. Drift competition, intimidation is a big problem. From the sinister black hue and clean bodywork to the impressive turbocharged power output, this 240SX is a fearsome sight in the paddock of every event it enters. Built by JE Import Performance of Baltimore, Maryland, and driven by JE owner James Evans, this Nissan has scored multiple podium finishes in local drifting events and qualified fourth at a recent Nevada Formula D Pro-Am event.
Forgotten and mistreated, this clean title 240SX started out as an abandoned husk. Sitting at the junkyard with a blown engine and a hastily installed Kaminari body kit, this S13 had obviously seen some hard years. Evans picked up the car and took it back to JE Import Performance, where it collected dust for a full year. During one fateful day at Mid-Ohio, Evans contacted a wall in his original 240SX drift car during a 90mph maneuver, totaling the vehicle.
With no other immediately available ride, and a good S13 chassis at the ready, Evans went ahead and began the build on this 240SX. The SR20DET engine was pulled from the wrecked S13 and then dropped into this machine. Tanabe coilovers with custom spring rates were added at all four corners, which work in conjunction with Tanabe sway bars. The sway bars used on this car are so large that JE Import Performance had to fabricate custom mounts for the bars to fit correctly. Tanabe adjustable suspension arms and TEIN tie-rod ends add more precise control and the ability to dial in finer alignment settings.
With the suspension firmed up and tuned accordingly, JE turned their efforts towards the chassis. The interior of the car was stripped out for competition use - losing the interior panels, door panels and sound deadener. A custom roll cage was then fabricated by JE Import Performance, which ties the rear shock towers and chassis together with side-impact door bars and multiple support bars. Bride Exas III racing buckets are used for both the driver and passenger, with the requisite green JDM Takata four-point safety harnesses to match.
After abusing the SR20 in drift competition for a year, Evans made the decision to step up to the heart of a GT-R, the RB26DETT engine. JE Import Performance kept the internals of the engine stock, right down to the head gasket and camshafts. HKS GT2540 turbochargers replace the stock units, bolting directly on to the stock exhaust manifold. Providing as much exhaust exit flow as possible for the turbo setup is a pair of JE Pro Fab twin downpipes, which feed into a custom 4-inch exhaust system.
The intake charge is funneled in through a pair of custom JE Pro Fab intakes, topped with matching HKS air filters. Post compression, a Precision Turbo & Engine front-mount intercooler is used for cooling duties; fit and fed by JE Pro Fab custom intercooler piping, with a matching port for the Turbosmart blow-off valve. Providing the supporting fuel for the monstrous amount of squashed air is a Walbro high-flow fuel pump feeding a Nismo fuel pressure regulator and a set of Precision Turbo 680cc/min fuel injectors. Set to 15 psi of boost using a GReddy PRofec B-Spec2 electronic boost controller and tuned by JE using an A'PEXi Power FC, this RB-powered 240SX lays down 480 whp and 400 lb-ft of torque. Plus, other than the cooling capability of a Koyo radiator and GReddy oil cooler kit, this Nissan runs using mostly OEM parts and equipment.
With just 2300 pounds to carry about and more than 500 hp at the crank, this Nissan needed braking upgrades in a flash, drift car or not. JE Import Performance added Nissan 300ZX brakes at all four corners, with the correct 300ZX master cylinder to match. Also added specifically for drifting use: a custom hand lever and hydraulic setup to enable locking of only the rear brake calipers.
Built with an absolutely dark and muscular appearance, this Nissan is rocking 19-inch Volk Racing wheels with Hankook tires, as well as a flurry of body mods. A Seibon carbon-fiber hood, hatch and doors shed excess pounds, while the widened bodywork gives barely a hint at the nasty turbo powerplant lurking underneath the hood. Showing supreme dedication to his craft, Evans completed all the body with Dan Bock of Dan's Midnight Auto Body in two days, both of which ended well past the midnight marker.
Turbo Magazine
GT-R Powered Nissan 240SX - Night Hawk
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