Questionable Dedication Makes for Interesting Cars

"Deltyn drives a meh car" (retro-mod) 04/27/2019 at 08:44 • Filed to: Nissan, Infiniti, nissan primera, infiniti g20, touring cars, SR20DET, jdm

14

14

The Infiniti G20 might not be a particularly exciting vehicle in stock form. It suffered from marketing issues here in the U.S. and it’s often wrongly labeled as a fancy Sentra, but in the rest of the world its Nissan Primera counterpart had proven itself through motorsport to be quite competitive. This international pedigree is undoubtedly what sucked me in.

This isn’t my first G20, and I didn’t fall into it by accident. I actually picked this one up after months of searching for a car that met my criteria of good condition, right color, and manual transmission. Over the last 7 years my 94' Infiniti G20 has evolved into what you see here.

When it comes to the car’s engine, I’ve replaced the original SR20DE with a factory turbocharged variant from a Japanese donor known as the Nissan Avenir. Fuel demands for this piglet are met by a Walbro 255 LPH pump and an SARD pressure regulator while air is guzzled in through an Apexi filter and then pressurized by the OEM turbocharger before being forced into a CX Racing front mount intercooler. Boost pressures are kept in check by a Halman manual boost controller and a Greddy type RS blow off valve. Finally, exhaust is plumbed out through a 3” mild steel pipe into a Magnaflow muffler. Engine management was kept simple with a Jim Wolf Technologies tuned ECU. The result is a moderate increase in power over stock.

After rebuilding the transmission, replacing it, and rebuilding again, it was clear that the factory equipped unit couldn’t handle the near double amount of power that the turbocharged engine produced, so a stronger 2002 Infiniti G20 gearbox was called upon to receive that increased power via an A.C.T 6 puck sprung clutch. The front brakes have also benefited from the 2 nd generation G20 yielding an additional 23mm of rotor diameter. When it comes to handling, spring and dampening duties are handled by the vetted Fortune Auto 500 series coilovers, and all suspension and chassis bushings have been upgraded to either polyurethane or aluminum.

On the outside, the car was repainted with OEM platinum silver and eventually was vinyl wrapped with 3M gloss blue metallic film. A plethora of rare parts adorn the G20’s exterior. European market Nissan Primera bumpers, side skirts, and tail lights replace the neutered American market plastic. The Primera makeover continues with badging, an Eastbear grille, and Japanese market power folding mirrors. The factory Infiniti G20t spoiler rounds things out in the rear.

Inside, the dashboard has been swapped for one sans airbags and a 35mm Grant GT wheel connects the driver to the road while a Nismo shift knob connects the driver’s right hand to the powertrain. To keep the driver aware of what the engine is doing, an AEM wideband gauge and a cheap boost gauge have been added. The tattered front seats have been replaced with grabbier B15 Sentra Spec-V seats, but the 40/60 split bench seat in the rear still sports the luxurious black leather exclusive to the “touring package” of the G20. The audio system consists of a period correct Fujitsu Ten head unit, Infinity (Infinity, not Infiniti) speakers and a pair of 10” Infinity woofers, all of this is powered by 2 inexpensive amplifiers.

all in all, I’ve spent a lot of time and effort on my car. I know the G20 isn’t everyone’s idea of a project car platform, but at the end of the day, I’d like to think that I’ve built something interesting.

Discerning > Deltyn drives a meh car 04/27/2019 at 08:55

0

Thats pretty cool. I didn’t know the transmissions were weak. I know a guy with an SR20det in a Sentra and he hasn’t complained about tranny issues but he might just keep it to himself.

His car was only a touch slower than my C5Z when it was stock. 

MM54 > Deltyn drives a meh car 04/27/2019 at 09:01

0

This is very cool, I really appreciate write-ups/ builds like this where it’s a car I am very unfamiliar with and is so nicely put together (both the car and article ). Well done!

Deltyn drives a meh car > Discerning 04/27/2019 at 09:24

0

They are decidedly the weakest link of a fwd sr20 set up

Deltyn drives a meh car > MM54 04/27/2019 at 09:25

1

Thank you sir. Your comment is very much appreciated

pip bip - choose Corrour > Deltyn drives a meh car 04/27/2019 at 09:32

0

nice job

more mods planned?

MultiplaOrgasms > Deltyn drives a meh car 04/27/2019 at 09:41

0

How’s the suspension travel on that bad boy?

Deltyn drives a meh car > pip bip - choose Corrour 04/27/2019 at 09:47

0

I want to upgrade the rear brakes next, id like to upgrade to a greddy evc, and eventually, id like to get into a better engine management set up like a nistune or aem ecu. Basically, there are tons more I'd like to do, but it's a matter of money. Also, I'd really like to repaint the car again now that it's unwrapped. $$$$

Jay, the practical enthusiast > Deltyn drives a meh car 04/27/2019 at 09:48

1

She's a beauty and I really do appreciate all the work you've put in. Thanks for the write up. We need more of this on oppo.

Deltyn drives a meh car > MultiplaOrgasms 04/27/2019 at 09:50

0

Well, because you can lower the strut in the lower mount instead of lowering the spring on the strut, it has all the travel of a conventional strut if not more. They are also 30 way dampening adjustable. The spring rates are a little stiff, but softer spring  are available if I want them. 

MultiplaOrgasms > Deltyn drives a meh car 04/27/2019 at 09:59

0

Good to know. One of my cars had a rather basic lowering kit   installed by its previous owner . The bottom out was real.

cbell04 > Deltyn drives a meh car 04/27/2019 at 10:24

0

Very nice!

KnowsAboutCars > Deltyn drives a meh car 04/28/2019 at 10:22

1

Nice build, it would definitely make car hobby more boring if everyone only built S13s and 60's Camaros.

The last car my granpa owned was actually one of these. A d ark green P10 Primera.

3point8isgreat > Deltyn drives a meh car 05/02/2019 at 14:33

0

These things are so rare now days!  It’s cool to see what they can actually be turned into.

A buddy in HS had one, and we didn’t realize how neat they could be at the time.  His died from a slipping clutch, and was killed by a neighbor thinking they could somehow force a slipping clutch to not slip by revving the engine a lot.  Had a few other quirks like blocks of wood inside the doors holding up windows too.

Deltyn drives a meh car > 3point8isgreat 05/02/2019 at 15:16

0

They fall into the uncommon category for sure.