Note from the author: These articles and this project started in the spring of 2002. As such some of this content may be somewhat dated but hopefully it’s still enjoyable to read. Despite their age, these articles serve as a brief guide for installing a turbo kit. When possible we've updated sponsor links and we've edited the articles to freshen the content. New articles are planned for this project in the future. Enjoy!
Our idea of a project car is one that can go fast, have even better handling characteristics, can bring things to a stop without any drama and be competitive on the racetrack. Back in the early/mid 90's finding a car like this was simple; a Japanese turbo car, Camaro Z28, or Mustang. No problem, we'll just get clearance to write a check from the company petty cash account. After that daydream ended we realized there were some realistic possibilities with these cars used, but we wanted to have something different and avoid a car that's been beaten to death. A car with sleeper looks, but attractive enough in a subtle way. A vehicle that had the potential of being modified, but also one that might be able to sneak past the insurance company without having to pay sky high insurance premiums. The Sentra SE-R was a perfect match.
This particular car was found in the local Auto Trader. A 93 Sentra SE-R, which was a project car for a distributor who wanted to sell packaged parts for SE-R's. This was one of many projects for him and the car had to go.
- JWT Pop Charger
- Nismo / Borla Exhaust
- Eibach Prokit Springs
- GAB Adjustable shocks
- Suspension Technique Sway bars
- 15″ X 6.5″ wheels with 195/50 Dunlop D40M2
- B13 Brake upgrade with NX2000 master cylinder
The car was a real cream puff and only had 5K miles on it. When the owner took us for a ride he gingerly shifted through the gears at low RPM. Under the hood the engine looked manufacturer new, and the oil on the dipstick was nice and clear. It was an excellent used car purchase!
As with most enthusiasts we soon became hungry for more power in the SR20. We performed the following modifications in this order.
- JWT ECU
- Stillen Throttle body and MAF
- Hotshot 1st generation header
