1995 Nissan 240SX - Diamond In The Rough

We should have been pulled over for driving this car on the street...it’s not exactly street legal. This ’95 Nissan 240SX is tuned to 400hp for drifting and is so loud you can’t even have anything close to a conversation next to it. And as far as looks go…from the Rocket Bunny and Supermade aero to the slammed stance and caged interior, it turns heads like no other. The S14 belongs on a road course but because we wanted some photos, the owner Mark Arcenal drove us around some quiet local neighborhoods and business parks. Luckily, it was a good day—saw the police but they rolled right past us...

Mark needs very little introduction here. He’s basically a regular in the magazine from his influences as the creative director for Illest, Fatlace and Hellaflush to starting up the US division of Rauh-Welt Begriff (RWB). And now we can add this badass S14 to the list of cool shit he’s done that deserves props.

The first thing we dug about Mark’s 240 is that it’s far from a beauty queen. It wasn’t meant to win shows but to be his purpose-built drift toy. “Back in the day, I had a S2000 and was trying to learn how to drift it with my friend Calvin Wan at Drift Day 6 in Irwindale,” he told us. “I had a terrible time and kept spinning out which is what brought me to buying the S14. It was bone stock when I got it but it just became the car I poured a lot of my time and money into. I kept practicing and even tried to drift at Formula D, which I sucked at…but it didn’t stop me from making the car better.”

As Mark’s driving skills continued to get better, so did the ride. The 240 went through plenty of phases since he bought it in ’01 including a KA-turbo setup, funky graphic schemes and different wheels. But the way it sits now, it’s hard to argue with its sexiness and according to Mark it’s completely balanced for sliding.

With the help of Performance Options and DGR Fabrication, the SR20DET was rebuilt to handle the boost spoolin’ from the big T2871 turbo. Once the motor was put back together and installed, BlackTrax finished the tuning and wired in a Formula 1-style STACK cluster.

Next came the chassis and nothing was spared. Highlights include the KW coilovers, upgraded axles, Endless brakes and super aggressive Work wheels. The exterior was nothing short of glory either. Notice the Rocket Bunny goodies such as the fenders, front end and rear spoiler while Supermade supplied the side skirts and rear bumper. The car was then repainted white from the Porsche color palette. Inside, the car has been stripped down to the bare necessities which features Bride seats, carbon door panels and a rollcage.

Lastly, don’t get too excited about the RWB logos. Rauh-Welt founder Akira Nakai didn’t design any parts for this car, but he did approve the RWB sticker bombing. “Each car carrying a Rough World sticker really has to fit the theme and live it. We’re stoked that we can help carry on that name,” Mark concluded.

As an all-out drifter, Mark’s S14 follows everything Nakai stood for. It’s rough around the edges, has plenty of character and is driven to its limits every weekend on the track.