NISM0's 240 Thread: Still Around

[NISM0_SKYLINE]

Ugh, everyone has the single colored cars though. I don't know, I just want it to look a little different. Winter camo looks so cool to me and my car is already a good base blue to start with. I'm still liking Joey's Sukhoi camo idea meself.

 

[slims]

Some inspiration

 

[Perfect Balance]

Ugh, everyone has the single colored cars though.

There's a reason for that.

Some inspiration

Every one of those cars looks like the owner tried to make his car "cool" with some spray paint. I also noticed every one of those cars could be replicated from a bone stock car with less than $500.

If that's what you're going for, go for it.

 

[Azuremen]

I came in this thread to see what is up and I see its a lesson on how to make a car look like a beat on project in one simple step.

 

[SpartanG]

I came in this thread to see what is up and I see its a lesson on how to make a car look like a beat on project in one simple step.

👍

People ruin 240s in many ways, but this is a new level. Spraypaint on a car is just... yikes. Whenever I'm on craigslist and I see a car/bike priced suspiciously low, it's either a junker or its been sprayed.

I saw a beautifully repainted s13 the other day, it was just plain automotive white. Never before had such a plain color looked so great on a car. If you do camo, get someone with the talent and facilities to make it look good.

 

[NISM0_SKYLINE]

I have a guy with a spray booth, I'm not going to run with spray cans. Plus, it's paint. It's not too hard spray over it, that's what project cars are for. It's like my wheels, I'm not going to have to 92s forever, it's going to change. I'll run the camo for awhile, then find another color and move on, it's just something to do.

 

[slims]

What's wrong with camo paint? It would go perfect with the shark mouth and give it sort of a P-40 Warhawk look. OK so the pics I posted weren't the best examples of the paint job but I was looking for Silvias. Besides he'll be doing it in a booth so it will come out much better than a rattle can job.

I don't see what the big deal is. Some guys have 240s lowered on coilovers, full bucket seats, upgraded brakes and all sorts of other mods but the car is a daily driver that spends more time appearing in pictures of it parked than at the track.

 

[NISM0_SKYLINE]

After seeing this car, I'm now thinking Matte white. Just sayin'.

 

[Perfect Balance]

After seeing this car, I'm now thinking primer colored. Just sayin'.

Fixed.

I think if you do a matte color, it needs to be some kind of color other than gray/black/white, since that will just end up looking like a primered car IMO.

 

[NISM0_SKYLINE]

So I'm looking at tires again since I want to have the wheels on. I've been wanting so low tread tires.

Both of these are 205/50/15

Dunlop Direzza DZ 101 Tires

Falken Azenis RT-615K

 

[Joey D]

I'd go with the Star Specs over the DZ101's. I had the DZ's on the Cooper and never really liked them all that much and wish I would have gone with the Star Specs at the time.

 

[Perfect Balance]

What you're looking at are two different classes of tires. Dunlop's answer to the Azenis is the Star Spec, so if you're trying to decide between dz101s and azenis it's a matter of grip or tread life. The Dz101s will last longer, the Azenis will grip more.

Joey, why did you not like the DZ101s? Just wondering, since I've never heard anything but great things about them.

 

[Joey D]

The grip wasn't what I expected them to be and I never really felt confident with them. They were also atrocious in the rain, the whole reason I went with the DZ's over the Star Specs was because I wanted something I could drive long distances in the wet without issue.

Once I got the Conti DW's though, the MINI became a go-kart. I know they are different class of tire but it was like going from all-seasons to velcro. I was really impressed with those tires, plus they were light too. And they worked really well in the rain surprisingly enough.

If I had to go back and do it again I just would have gotten the Star Specs from the get go and just lived with the meh rain ability. I mean at least I would expect pro wet performance.

 

[TheBook]

Falkens FTW. They're a bit on the expensive side, but I've loved mine. 👍

 

[Keef]

If I had to go back and do it again I just would have gotten the Star Specs from the get go and just lived with the meh rain ability. I mean at least I would expect pro wet performance.

You would dump in your pants when you realized what Star Specs or my NT01s are capable of in the rain. Deep standing water is another story, but wet warm asphalt and they grip pretty gnarly.

Also, I don't know about the new K compound, but the original RT615 was a terrible tire. Every one of its competitors was better than it in every measurable category.

 

[Eric.]

That's funny because Star Specs are amazing in the wet. And why are you surprised that a tire named Dry Wet is good in the rain?


Get Hankook RS3s if you're wanting the most performance. They're even one of the best deals, if not the best.

 

[Azuremen]

I'll echo the bit on Star Specs in the rain - they are much better than any other tire in that class that I've had. And I did drive them to LA and back this summer, through Oregon, which gets rain, and in the just recently. Much better than the Falkens and Kumhos I've had in the past in those conditions.

 

[NISM0_SKYLINE]

Alright cool, thanks. I'm glad everybody has some input on various tires. My wheels are 8 inches wide, so would 205's fit right, or would they look smaller. I'm not a fan of the poke look myself, I'd rather have the tires, you know, fit right. Now I'm starting to look at the Star Specs since they seem to have the best reviews here so far. After that, the RS3's look pretty good too.

Paint wise, I'm off the camo thing, I'm still thinking about what color, even though I can change it anytime.

 

[Azuremen]

You'll want to go with 235 on 8 inch wide wheels, as that is what I am running and it looks nice and meaty without bulging out. At least with the Star Specs. I've got the wheels and tires in my kitchen, if you really need a picture that is a close up.

Otherwise, here is a random picture that should give an idea

 

[NISM0_SKYLINE]

Ok, I'm not sure why I had 205 on my mind, after we looked up the sizing specs, 205's would look horrid on there. Now I just need to find something with a 235 and in 15 inches.

Edit:

Everyone may not like the face, but I did a little better then this guy . Although the lines are about the same.

 

[Eric.]

Star Specs vs RS3

Star Specs have been around a little longer, thats why you're seeing more support of them. I burned through one set on the Civic and have pretty fresh ones on the MR2. That being said, I would/will get RS3s next time unless something better is out by then. My friend had a RT615Ks on the front of his S2000 and Invos on the rear. Invos wore out and he put two RS3s on there. Ran his best two autocross events ever. He's putting them on the front next season. I haven't met anyone who doesn't love them. They might be a little worse in wet than Star Specs, and some have said that they need a little bit of heat in them to get to full grip. But they would be my choice.

Edit: RS3's sidewalls are supposedly less stiff than Star Specs. The 225mm might fit well for that reason.

 

[NISM0_SKYLINE]

So if I go with the RS3's, the only size close to Azuremen's recommendation of 235, is 225. It's hard to get wider tires for a 15 inch wheel.

 

[Perfect Balance]

Go 215 or 225. 235 is the absolute biggest tire that should ever be on an 8 inch wheel. Honestly I would probably go 215s myself. With the power a stock 240sx makes a 215 should provide enough grip to be quick but not so much that the car feels underpowered. I mean if you're going for outright grip then yeah, 235, but those will bulge on a 8 inch wheel. For a fun size with a good price and a square on the rim tire, go with a 215.

Even a 205 will look just barely stretched on a 8 inch wheel. Consider a 205 is square on a 15x7, on a 15x8 you're pushing the tire sidewall out a half inch on each side. Not really that much. I'm not a fan of crazy stretches and I've got a 205 on my 17x9 and people are surprised at how not stretched it is.

 

[Eric.]

225 Star Specs are square on a 7" wheel.


225/45R17 on top, 195/55R15 on bottom, both on 7" wide wheels.

And 205/50R15s are almost square for RT615 (not K)

 

[Biggamehit]

well said Mr Balance

I ran 255s star specs up front on my R33 after talking with some d1 guys and they were marvelous ( without knuckle mods ). Drifting at high speeds you are only using about 235ish of the 255 lol. However I had to go down because I could not run my normal affordable 225 or 235s out back and not have a disruption in suspension geometry. All in all they were cool down to the last drop. I run AD08's up front now.

same picture as my avatar

Full Lock with no scraping!!

 

[Eric.]

Looks like you have other issues.

 

[Perfect Balance]

225 Star Specs are square on a 7" wheel.


225/45R17 on top, 195/55R15 on bottom, both on 7" wide wheels.

Looks to me like a 205 would probably be square. I can't see any of the sidewall on the 225, so I'd say it's got a slight bulge.

Then again Dunlops run a bit small, but Tirerack says a 205 Star Spec has a 7.7 inch tread width, with the section width being even wider. They don't have a listing for a 225/50, but a Advan ad08 in a 225 has a 8.5 inch tread width with a 9.2 inch section width. Speed Junkie's 205 Toyo R888s on his 15x7s have a slight bulge to them.

225s are square on a 8.5 inch wheel. 235-255 should be on a 9 inch wheel.

Take it from someone who has mounted literally thousands of tires in the past.

EDIT: The rear of my car is a 215/45/17 Federal tire on a 17x9, which is effectively a 225, since Federals run wide. As you can tell, almost zero stretch. In fact, if it wasn't for the curb protectors built into the sidewalls they would look even less stretched than that.

235s would be square on a 9. 15x8s should get a 215 or a 225.

 

[Biggamehit]

^^Very darn clean!!

Looks like you have other issues.

HAAHAH yea that 255 got greedy and pulled the bumper right under hahah.

 

[NISM0_SKYLINE]

Alright, so Tire Rack has RS3's that are 225/45/15. I'm pretty sure I'm going to go with that soon based off what everybody has been saying here.

 

[Perfect Balance]

Alright, so Tire Rack has RS3's that are 225/45/15. I'm pretty sure I'm going to go with that soon based off what everybody has been saying here.

Sounds about right. Now hurry up and get them on and pics.