Not a Renault.... Vumnoo's SSS

[vumnoo]

Hey all,

 

I met alot of the Vic crew recently at the Grand Final Day Cruise and said I'd post up a thread, so here tis!

 

My name is Timbo and I have a 1998 N15 Nissan Pulsar SSS. I've spent quite a bit of time and effort modifying it to get it to a level, which seems quite similar to a stock RCS. Geesh! Bought it about four years ago and have loved it since.

As you can see above, this is how she sits at the moment. The car is on Pedders Sports Ryder Shock and Spring combo and has what I believe to be a 2" drop at the rear and slightly more at the front (2.5" I think).

 

I think I always wanted to go down N/A path, don't ask me why, it just appealed to me! So after doing some careful research and putting consideration I went about collecting bits and pieces for my build. My goals were to keep the car daily drivable, get more power from it (der....) and do it cheaply getting the best value for money without skimping on importing stuff(or doing a half assed job).

 

So I collected pieces and ended up with the following:

 

* Supertech Dual Valve Springs and Titanium retainers, rated to a maximum of 16mm of lift

* JWT C2 Cams 275 degrees duration, .5" lift

* GKTech Rocker Arm Stoppers (please don't lecture me about this. I reckon they work)

* PLMS Daughterboard (similar to a Calum Basic board)

 

Here's some photos I took whilst swapping the heads over and installing the cams:

 

I got the car tuned, here's my dyno sheet. FYI 108.3kw atw = 145.2hp atw.

 

Some more general pics from across time with different bits and pieces:

 

And more of how it looks today:

[Wolf]

Hello Vumnoo,

Curious...What else have you done to it that makes you think it is similar to an RCS?

I had a an NX-R that i tuned and tweaked, and IMO, it came no where near the RCS (any of the 3 that i've had).

Other than the pedders shocks, is there anything else?

Also, are you aiming to upgrade to a RS of some sort in the future?

Not that you have to, just wondering what you're aim is.

Cheers,

WOLF

[vumnoo]

Wolf,

 

Well it may not have the excellent chassis that a RSC may have from the factory, but more in the power game. Currently I'm not really all that far off what a stock clio has, however I'm a little lacking in torque down low (according to the butt dyno P: ). In the near future I have plans for a full bottom up rebuild with Neo VVL block (Variable Valve) and a VZ-R factory VLSD box (also has shorter gear ratios), and have goals of 130-140kw atw N/A which is not unreasonable. I think in a straight line race, this would put me infront of a clio. (however in the twisties, may be a different story).

 

The current mod list is definately more comprehensive that just pedders shocks, suspension/handling wise:

Pedders shock and spring combo

Whiteline rear sway bar

New Front sway bar bushes

Full polyeurathane engine mounts

EBC greenstuff pads

DBA 4000 series slotted rotors.

In the future there may be a set of BC BR coilovers in store for the car, but I needs money. (:

 

Unfortunately, I don't have plans to "upgrade" to a clio in the future, as my friend Ben (eraser on these forums) has one, and I'll get to drive it around from time to time if I play my cards right.

[Jeffie]

Dont waste your money mate. Nothing wrong with your car but that much cash on top of the sale of your car will get you into a Megane, or GTI, or WRX, or 200sx... whatever your ideal next car is. Just save up and get the cars youre chasing instead of spending so much just trying to keep up.

[rmadrid-182]

vumnoo,

welcome to the forum. good to hear that there is still some Pulsar tuning being done out there. Long time I had a Pulsar SSS which got bored with lighter pistons and rods + with modded suspension. A mate went a different route with the low turbo boost mod, amazing amount of power increase the NA pulsar engine could take.

Any car enthusiast with an open mind is welcome here... hope you make it to a drive day or test drive a Renaultsport yourself, its quite amazing for the price. In the meantime, good on you for trying to improve the SSS, I thought it was quite fantastic BYFB (and NA) in its day. Love how you kept the sleeper look and is there still a throttle body mod for it?

[Moosey]

Dont want your money mate. Nothing wrong with your car but that much cash on top of the sale of your car will get you into a Megane, or GTI, or WRX, or 200sx... whatever your ideal next car is. Just save up and get the cars youre chasing instead of spending so much just trying to keep up.

You could say the same about some of the RS owners on here. Let him mod, I say. I reckon 130KW at the wheels is a big ask though, seeing the stock 2.0 litre SSS motor is 108kW (I think) at the fly.

[Jeffie]

True, but that mod list + labour and engineering etc is over 10k. Then theres that R26 for 19k...

[hamstrung]

Dont want your money mate. Nothing wrong with your car but that much cash on top of the sale of your car will get you into a Megane, or GTI, or WRX, or 200sx... whatever your ideal next car is. Just save up and get the cars youre chasing instead of spending so much just trying to keep up.

 

If you want respect, you should give some respect too.

 

It's fair enough if he wants to mod his vehicle. As has been pointed out, many have spent much $$ on their RS cars - which could also arguably go toward a higher end vehicle in the first place. What you're saying is also fair enough, a better vehicle in the first place makes for a better and possibly more reliable starting point. But each to their own.

[vumnoo]

Cheers guys... Sure you think it may cost 10k, but it's more like 3k. And no need to engineer this engine conversion, still a sr20 (same displacement, same series block).

If I wanted a different car, I would have bought one. But I don't want police attention, so that crosses off wrx, 200sx and a GTi is not in a price bracket that's even close. I also desire 4 doors, good fuel consumption (I get ~10l/100km and hammer it everywhere), easy parking and a car that is fun and engaging to drive.

All mods have been done with a budget in mind and bang for buck.

 

130+kw atw is indeed a big ask N/A, but it is also quite achievable. Maybe enter it in some dyno competitions and win etc. (:

For those interested, my build is being based on this one, where a peak power figure of 141kw atw was achieved. Same dude will be doing pretty much the same build for me. (:

http://forum.pulsar.org.au/showthread.p ... 3-VE-build.

 

Oh and most definately, next club cruise I'll be along in my own car.

[Apex]

A local guy built an VZR using the head of his 1.6 Bluetop SR16V and a SR20DE block, did a few other mods but made over 130kw ATW and cost bugger all to do, it’s a very fast car at track days and clubsport events.

[eraser215]

Hi hi,

 

I'm Tim's bestest mate, but intend no bias in my reply.

 

People will bag the sh*t out of us for owning a girl's car, or a FWD, or a hatchback, or euro-crap, or whatever. I think it's good to have a difference of opinion, but also to realise we're all biased towards our own babies

 

When car hunting for myself I looked at 200SXs, Astra Turbos, Honda Preludes, and all kinds of cars. I settled on the Clio based on the glowing reviews, but have had just as much enjoyment from it being part of the community here as i have had driving the bejesus out of it myself.

 

It's cool to have a group of people here who are perhaps a little older, a little more mature, and generally appreciative of other people's metal. Having an awesome retina-searing yellow Honda S2000 at the Melbourne drive day was a case in point!

 

Oh crap, my laptop battery is about to die. You all get the drift though.

 

Timbo,

 

You'd better come along to the next drive day. It will be at least as awesome as the last one

 

Ben

 

*Note: The author's sobriety could not be verified at the time of writing.

[Wolf]

SR20 stock put out 105kw at the fly on it's best days.

I was following another tangent on this one... thought there may have been a step up to a RSport.

No worries, good luck with it all.

Cheers,

WOLF

ps: FYI, i did a lot of that and more, and still no RSport did it feel like (let alone better). But then, i was looking for bend and overall drive.

[ClioF1]

loved the SSS back in the day, but yes it's no match for an RS.. the turbo SR20s are great bfyb though. If i was to build a road going track car on a budget it would definitely be a sylvia. Welcome.

[Jeffie]

Wow the SR20VEs have gone down a lot then... my friend was looking into doing a similar conversion and the front cut was 4k (many years ago)!

 

Good luck with it. Havent seen many NA builds of these

[vumnoo]

Picked up the front cut for 2k. Comes with a number of bits I can sell, plus the close ratio vlsd box. Winner!

[Robs200]

The whole "police attention" argument is null and void IMO.

I drove a bright yellow S15, with Front mount, Red Brides, and Exhaust, amongst many other mods for more than 5 years and never once was pulled over.

I did plenty of spirited driving on cruises and was out and about a lot.

It's how you drive and where drive that matters.

Being a SR20 fan boy I can’t talk highly enough about these engines and there are pages and pages of arguments involving the whole NA or Turbo topic.

Heaps of guys tuned and built their NA engines to only then go turbo after many years wishing they would of done it much earlier and not spend the masses of $$$.

I am not saying not to go down the route you are going but be open to all possibilities.

[Wolf]

It's like you were reading from my journal.

Not once bothered by the cops (except when i was TOO spirited or in capalaba area - QLD)

Personally, i should of gone with 3 letters ... D E T.

Preferably from the GTiR.

Strained my NA so much... i blew it up!

Oh well.

How about a supercharger?

 

WOLF smiles.

[vumnoo]

Lol, well, the attention from the po po is high on the priority list, given that at the moment my license is suspended... I don't drive like an idiot or anything, but I do like to go fast, and just got nabbed a few too many times going over the limit. ): Oh well, I have it back in a month!

 

As for turbo, I also have a project car (well actually 3 lol), which is a Z31 300zx manual turbo. So that's my turbo car. However as it's a project car it's not on the road yet. It needs a new block as I'm pretty sure the piston rings are fried as it runs like it's on 3 and a half cylinders, and the plugs get a coating of oil quite quickly. However, blocks are cheap @ around $200 bucks, and the car only cost me $1000.

 

In case you didn't notice already, love the cheap old classics. Here's some quick pics of ma zed (don't mind the camber/toe issues on the front!):

Things I love about this car:

Turbo

Manual

6cly

Targa Tops

Digital Dash

Buckety Seats

Designed as a sports car

80s pimp charm

[Robs200]

Wow @ that dash!! Coolest dash ever.

[nisch]

I agree, that dash looks amazing. Does it still work 100%?

[eraser215]

Ahhhh the famous star wars dash

[rmadrid-182]

I don't drive like an idiot or anything, but I do like to go fast, and just got nabbed a few too many times going over the limit. ): Oh well, I have it back in a month!

hehe.. you're only young once... I too learnt that lesson.. I now drive "spiritedly" instead of "fast" in my old days. Best of luck with the car projects.. whilst it may involve chucking $$$ down a seemingly bottomless pit, you do gain knowledge and appreciation of car tuning .. then you come across a Clio renaultsport factory stock, you realise this is the car you would have ended up with if you modded the base model..

[Aitch]

And then once you get old you can keep fixing them up until they're absolute weapons.

[Dish]

And then once you get old you can keep fixing them up until they're absolute weapons.

 

But weapons are only weapons if you use them Aitch Otherwise they're just peacekeepers

[Aitch]

Peace man!

[benst]

Nice ride Vumnoo.

 

I've had 3 Pulsars.

1st was a 1998 SLX auto - slow POS that was, but brand new was very nice.

2nd was a 1991 N13 GL - I replaced the engine with the 1.8 from a Q, plus extractors, upgraded exhaust system, sway bar, upgraded brakes. The car cost $3k, and I spent $3.5k on the upgrades. Got $4k for it when I sold it. I may not have got back what I spent on it, but it was a great experience, and I loved driving that little thing.

3rd was a 2000 SSS - awesome which sounded very nice at 8k RPMs.