Progress continues rather quickly on Project LS13. I’ve been spending many long days, including weekends, piecing the car together. This month I tackle the rolling gear and interior of the car as it patiently sits on jackstands, awaiting its maiden voyage, which can’t come soon enough.
Wilwood Big Brake Upgrade
The stock brakes on the 240SX are pathetic. The small single-piston calipers paired with inadequate 10-inch rotors make for a dismal stopping experience. What’s worse is when you pair them with a large set of aftermarket wheels; not only do they look aesthetically bad but they fail to provide any sufficient braking. A common brake upgrade is to use the 300ZX front brake calipers and rotors because they’re a bolt-on affair. This setup can work fairly well, but tends to fade out on a track day if pushed too hard. Your best bet is to run an aftermarket big brake upgrade.
I know what most of you are thinking: the cost of big brakes these days are astronomical. But I’m here to tell you that Wilwood offers a great upgrade at a very reasonable price. For around $1,100 you get a forged superlite 4-piston aluminum caliper, two-piece 12.9-inch slotted and drilled rotors with aluminum hats and Smartpad BP-10 brake pads, along with all the stainless steel lines and fittings needed to bolt this setup onto your 240SX.
On looks alone, this kit is worth the money, but with large-surface-area calipers and massive rotors, it will provide ample amounts of braking both on and off the track. I want to ensure I’ve got adequate stopping ability with the amount of power that will be on tap in this car. It’s no good if you can’t slow it down, and Wilwood’s big brake upgrade is the perfect solution for just the right price.
KW Suspension Clubsport
There are a lot of suspensions on the market that allow the S13 to be hammered to the ground — a trend that’s still extremely popular and doesn’t seem to be going away anytime soon. The problem with slamming your car is the loss of suspension travel that results in a bone-jarring ride, something I’m trying to avoid at all costs. Admittedly, I want to lower the car as much as I can without seriously compromising the suspension geometry, and I’m willing to give up some comfort for the look, but you’re not going to see a stanced-out, super-stretched tire setup on this car. I’m the type of person who wants a practical setup over anything else, and because I plan to use this car as my main mode of transportation, it needs to ride well and clear my driveway at home.
That’s why I once again chose a set of KW Suspension coilovers. I’ve preached how well they work on my Acura Integra, and I hope they’ll provide the same results on the S13. The Clubsport version that I’m going with offers both rebound and compression adjustment, so not only can you dial this suspension in for the street but the Clubsports have been developed on the Nordschleife Nüburgring, making them a very capable track coilovers as well. The quality of these German-designed coilovers is top notch and the stainless steel bodies ensure a rust-free environment, a must-have for those living in four-season climates.
Wilwood’s big brake upgrade comes complete with everything needed for a bolt-on install, i
An optional but very worthy feature for the Clubsports are the racing top mounts that provide ample camber adjustment. A necessity for any 240SX.
Much like with the other products, full street test reviews will have to wait until the S13 is road worthy, but once the engine is in and secure I’ll be able to quickly align and set the ride height on the coilovers before I go for a proper alignment.
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There’s some assembly required with the kit. The two-piece rotors need to be bolted togeth
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The almost 13-inch two-piece rotors will provide ample surface area for the 4-piston calip
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The KW Clubsport coilovers are a track-ready street coilover setup, with linear springs an
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Enkei NT03+M 18x9.5-inch +27 wheels have a nice aggressive look to them and the Bridgeston
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The S-04 offers a good amount of grip with its sticky rubber compound, but it also has goo