There was a time when many people were aboard the JDM hype train. So many great import cars have been roaming the streets and with their sleek style, unmatchable power, and modularity, they have captured the hearts of many car enthusiasts.
Among those cars is the Nissan 240SX, specifically the S14 model. Many people love this car because it’s among the best project cars that a gear head can get.
The Nissan 240SX S14 is the successor of the S13 model. After the last release of the 240SX S13 back in 1994, it paved the way for the 240SX S14. The latter model had some significant differences when compared to S13.
The most noticeable change is the popping headlight, for which the S13 was known.
Suffice to say, the Nissan 240SX was well-loved by those who want to work on a project car. Although in the current day and age, it is somehow difficult to modify one due to the prices of the aftermarket parts.
Difficult, but not impossible. The Nissan 240SX S14 is a lego car, and its potential for modification is absolutely promising.
The list below features the most important modifications that you can get for the Nissan 240SX S14. These are the best mods for 240SX, and they are vital in making the car realize its potential when it comes to performance, power, and driveability. Check them out!
#1 Exhaust Systems
Exhaust systems are the primary key to making a car sound aggressive and assertive. Although of course, you can opt for the mellow sounding ones, depending on your preferences. The stock exhaust system pushes the exhaust gas out of the engine like a normal one would.
An aftermarket exhaust system does the same thing too, just far better. In general, an aftermarket performance exhaust system offers better operations than that of a stock system.
So the question is, what does an aftermarket exhaust do for your 240SX S14? It revs up the car’s capacity to make more power and torque, and it scavenges better and makes the sound output of your car louder and more aggressive.
On top of that, aftermarket exhaust systems significantly weigh lesser than that of the stock, overall making the car lighter. This is important for those people who would like to put their Nissan 240SX S14 on the race track.
#2 Intake Systems
Intake systems go hand in hand with the exhaust systems in some way. Think of the car as a living being: if it exhales, then it needs to breathe first. The Nissan 240SX S14 utilizes a KD24DE, a naturally aspirated engine that is perfect for an aftermarket intake system.
This modification pushes ambient air into the engine, allowing the cylinders to burn the air-fuel mixture more efficiently.
Aftermarket air intake systems are far better than stock intake because of several reasons. First, an aftermarket unit increases the horsepower and torque of the car. Second, aftermarket units have innovative air filters that remove contaminants from the air.
And third, the new one is placed far away from the engine, making it siphon cold air instead of hot air around the engine.
#3 Suspension Upgrades
Nothing beats the joy of seeing a lowered car. You can clearly see the difference between a lowered Nissan 240SX S14 and the unmodified one. The reduction in ride height and increase in style, handling, and maneuverability is caused by another aftermarket automobile part called coilovers.
The term coilover is coined from the statement “coils over struts”, and to be fair, it does make a lot of sense.
Coilovers offer two main benefits. It can offer you ride height adjustability while giving you the freedom to adjust the compression and rebound settings independently.
While lowering springs (coilover’s distant cousin) can lower your Nissan 240SX S14, they can’t give you and your car an edge when it comes to cornering and maneuverability.
Performance coilovers for the 240SX S14 are great, especially if you’re in the drift scene. A stiffer suspension system makes sure that there is minimal body roll, especially if you’re cornering.
#4 Brakes Rotors and Pads
“Thou shall replace thy brakes if thee plans to increase thy car’s horsepower.” Admittedly, some car enthusiasts put too much emphasis on making their cars more powerful.
By doing so, they forget to check on the brakes to see if it’s still capable of a halt. Imagine driving your Nissan 240SX S14 with new exhausts, intakes, and a turbocharger.
After revving up to the max, you smell something, and you realize that your brakes are on fire. Yikes!
Replacing the stock brake rotors and pads of your Nissan 240SX S14 with a better aftermarket brake kit is a great idea especially if you’re planning to ride mostly on the race track.
It gives you more confidence in driving your car because you know that your brakes will not give up on you anytime soon. Brake rotors and pads are usually sold as a kit so you don’t have to worry about having a difficult time getting them.
#5 Turbocharger
And now, we’ve come to the real deal. When you say turbochargers, that only implies that you mean business. Turbochargers are among the surefire ways to release the untapped horses in your engine.
The KA24DE can seem lethargic at times with its 155 horsepower output, but once you’ve attached a turbocharger to it, you’ll see the beauty in the beast. Although turbocharged KA24DE engines exist (KA24DET), you can always get a new turbocharger for your current engine.
A turbocharger is a forced induction device that compresses the air that is flowing into the engine. By doing so, improves the engine’s ability to burn the fuel and significantly increase the horsepower out of the car.
Compressed air means oxygen molecules are jampacked together, and the engine loves that. The more excess air you can force into the engine’s cylinders, the better the combustion operation will be.
#6 Intercoolers
Yes, a high-performance vehicle like the Nissan 240SX S14 is great. Is the exhaust system, intake system, and turbocharger enough? No! The more aggressive the engine is working, the more heat it will create.
An exaggerated increase in temperature will cause overheating, and nobody wants that to happen! That’s why something must keep the temperature in check – hence the intercooler.
It is the intercooler’s job to make the air from the turbocharger/supercharger cooler before it enters the engine. The hot air from the turbo/supercharger either passes through tubes integrated with cooling fins (air-to-air) or through a unit where the heat is dissipated to cold water.
A reliable and durable intercooler works hand-in-hand with the turbocharger, and without the other, the whole car can be in great peril.
#7 Interior and Exterior Cosmetic Mods
And last but not the least, you can grab yourself some cosmetic mods to be installed in your car. These are the most satisfying mods that you can do for your Nissan 240SX S14, simply because you’ll immediately see the results right after you install it.
And also, you’ll see a significant improvement in terms of the car’s looks and style.
Making your Nissan 240SX S14 look awesome can be a tiring job, but you can divide the work into two: modify the interior and/or modify the exterior. Both modifications can add value to your car.
And to be honest, modifying the interior and exterior parts of the 240SX S14 is among the most fun experience that you can have.
The original interior features of the 240SX S14 looks a little bit grumpy and a little bit old-school. By replacing some parts with new ones, you can alter the vibe inside your car.
You can start by changing the stock steering wheels into racing steering wheels that offer more grip. Aside from that, you can also replace the seats with another set more applicable for racing.
As for the exterior, you can begin by replacing the headlights with new LED ones to make them illuminate the road better. And also, you can get an entire body kit for your Nissan 240SX S14 if you want it to look coherent and consistent.
The other exterior mods that you can get are rear bumper guards, some awesome looking spoilers, some tinted glasses, and many more.
Is It Worth It to Modify Your Nissan 240SX S14?
Yes. It is worth it to modify the Nissan 240SX. By modifying this car, you can make it look more aesthetically pleasing, further prolong its life, make it perform even better than usual, and make it capable of completing special tasks like drifting and dirt racing. You don’t even have to worry about voiding the car’s warranty!
Although be warned that modified cars typically have a lower resell value. But if you’re having fun with your Nissan 240SX S14 and you have the means to take care of it, who cares about it’s resell value, right?
There is a bustling community of aftermarket part manufacturers and merchants that sell products and services that can benefit you and your Nissan 240SX S14.
There won’t be any shortage for JDM aftermarket modifications, so you can alter your beloved car as much as you possibly can.