In the 240SX game, stance is usually everything. It can practically make or break the car. First impressions between owners are judged by overall stance and wheel fitment. If you go widebody, that's even more evident. Wheel wells today are stuffed with as much rim as possible and not just with cotton like years past. Jared knew that he had to come correct so he contacted Fortune Auto for a set of their 40-way adjustable coilovers. The Fortune Auto units give Jared the flexibility to go as low as he wants and to close the distance between the fenders and the staggered 17x9.5/18x10.5 Enkei RPF-1s.
Even with the flashy exterior, widened stance, and rare JDM OEM goodies, where this S13 hatch really shines is under the hood. We say that not to mislead you, because there definitely isn't an RB or SR-swap. Though those are the popular and more potent swaps, Hageman decided to stay true to his restoration. He opted for the more period-correct CA18DET swap.
"I went with the CA-swap because that's the engine that was available in Japan for the 89-90 model 180SXs. I have a 1989 chassis so it went with my JDM OEM-restoration theme. The only hurdle was that the engine was 20 years old and it showed. There were small leaks everywhere, electrical sensors were failing, and little things here and there were beginning to fall apart. So I took everything out of the car except for the block itself and replaced every piece I could. All the hoses were replaced; every failed sensor was switched out for new ones, and I even had the alternator and starter rebuilt. Once I had my E-Mance remapped ECU, the engine ran like a million bucks. It starts and idles perfectly!"
Most would overlook the essentials of getting a car to run correctly and go straight for the mods, so it definitely shows how determined Jared Hageman is to building a complete car. With the engine running in top form, he decided to reward his S13's new heart. Jared went with all the rare SARD goods he could locate as well as many assorted NISMO trinkets. He even bumped up the power with an OEM T25 turbo upgrade.
The domestic car guys call it a "restorod". For the import guys, it is probably best left undefined. We're often subjected to enough labels as is. If there were a "restorod" among us however, this car would be pretty damn close. To a guy like Jared Hageman, this is automotive bliss. "With the amount of money I've spent restoring this car; people have told me numerous times that I could be making some serious power already. I've heard it all. Yes I already know that it could have been a crazy drift car, but to each their own. I don't care for crazy horsepower and I'm not trying to drift. Many of these cars are being junked by drifters and wannabe drift-kings. I'm merely trying to preserve a classic for future generations."
Fast Facts
1989 Nissan 240SX
Owner: Jared Hageman
Hometown: Bowling Green, Virginia
Daily Grind: Manager At Do It Best Homecenter
Under the Hood: 1989 1.8L CA18DET; KA24E throttle-body; Z32 mass air-flow sensor; Drift Factory aluminum pulleys; SARD Sports EX air intake; DSM 450cc fuel injectors; NISMO fuel pressure regulator; Walbro 255lph fuel pump; Z32 TT fuel filter; SARD Torque Control Valve; A'PEX'i N1 titanium gold muffler; Jet-coated OEM exhaust manifold; OEM T25 turbocharger @12lbs; SARD R2D2 blow-off valve; Godspeed intercooler and piping; OEM Koyo radiator; Yashio Factory cooling panel; NISMO radiator cap; Samco Sport hoses; Circuit Sports catch can; SARD Magic Box; Power Enterprise V-belt; Powder-coated valve cover
Drivetrain: Competition stage 2 clutch; Infiniti J30 VLSD; Cusco brass bushings; NISMO shifter, slave cylinder and stainless steel clutch line; Redline gear oil
Brains: E-Mance reprogrammed ECU; HKS turbo timer and EIDS