Hey everyone i have a few questions for you all. my little brother wants to buy a 240sx shell but he doesnt know anything about cars im hoping this will be able to get him into car scene.He has never worked on any cars.
The problem is i sold all my tools before i moved out and dont really have time to help him because i work alot and im away at school.
Do you guys think an engine swap is a bad way of learning? would it be to much for him to tackle right now, and do you think he will probably just end up not finishing it?
Hes not familiar with engines at all btw.

 

i say he wouldnt do anything, you've gotta be interested and gotta have alot of patience and have that wanna learn attitude, i first started i bought a shell and spent 6months building it, it was a great learning experience, but most of that time wasnt building it, it was reading about it and learning from my mistakes.
if the shell is really really cheap go for it, then if he dont finish or gives up resale it,
he needs to get a good manual and just sit and read about it and how to do stuff.
anyone can turn a wrench and take a bolt out and put it back in,
also he needs to be aware that he will get greasy and will smash,slam,pinch his hands, and bust his knuckles, it happens to all of us, they key to remember is let the tools do the work, there are always easier ways of doing things.

 

Yeah i understand what your saying man that and the fact that he has totally zero tools. I think im going to advise him to look for a car with a motor already installed.
That way he will get a better feel for the car and engine instead of seeing different parts scattered everywhere.

 

he can goto walmart and buy a set of stanley tools they are really great tools i use them, they come with a lifetime warranty on all tools, just call the 1800 number and give them the serial number off each broken tool and they will send a new replacement for free no questions asked.

now is he wanting a 240 or is that just what he found?
i suggest if he is wanting something easy to learn and build get a 88-95 civic and fix it up, they have plenty of room to work on stuff, if he needs any help or advise we have alot to offer, also parts for them are everywhere.

 

Depends on a lot of things. How well does he want to try, why is he looking at a 240, and what kind of budget is he going to have? There is no point in working a shell if you don't have the funds. It will just sit there, and he will lose interest.

If he has 1500 or 2000, he should rb20 OR rb25 < rb20 - 4cyl skyline motor, rb25 v6 skyline motor =0) >

 

Starting with a ground up build isn't the best way to go for a newb with no tools...

He should just buy a pos civic and learn to fix all the stupid crap thats wrong with it. You've got to learn the little things about how and why cars work before you build a m4d tYte drifto mobile.

 

truth^

get him a EG it seemed (slightly) easier to work on that my rex
not like the rex is hard but still...

 

Honestly im not to sure why he wants a 240 besides the fact that a few of his friends want them, and they dont even know there way around the engine lol. (There only 16 so i can undertsand but still)

By the way the engine swap was going to be a replacement ka because he told me his car wasnt coming with one i dont think he wants any serious power yet.

I was thinking that he should atleast learn how to change out the oil put on the intake, headers, exhaust, suspension, clutch etc. before he tries to swap in an engine in a car that may need alot of rewiring.
I agree with you guys fully and i guess i was trying to think of a way to rationalize this to him. I think it will probably become an unfinished project and if it is the wiring or something will be messed up.

Ill take your advice and tell him to look for a Hatch or coupe civic with the motor still in it.

 

I wouldn't go for a civic, but I wouldn't go for a stripped down 240 either. Ask yourself this - do you want your brother dead or injured? Cause a n00b building a car can definitely inflict some damage upon himself. A running condition 240 isn't a bad start, or may be even a used older BMW 3 series... or if it has to be a civic - definitly an EG or an EF.

 

Like others have said, building a car from the ground-up is not a good way to start learning about an engine. Nissan engine swaps aren't hard, but he'd be best buying an older car, learning how to maintain it, and modifying it little by little until he feels comfortable turning wrenches.

And please don't let any of them get a 240. Or at least an S13, anyway. I've seen too many of those cars wrecked because kids were driving them and, like every other teen in the world, severely overestimated their control over the vehicle.