Finally tackling my S12!

Been lurking on the site for a few months now as I acquired 2 CA18ET mk1 200sx turbos (1 black/navy blue & 1 red/black) from my uncle last summer and now I've finally decided to tackle one of them. Unfortunately they've both been sitting for about 14 years in the rain and mud so they're not exactly mint. I got one of them running after replacing the starter, alternator, fuel pump and clutch slave cylinder but it still had a massively rough idle that caused it to stall out constantly. I'm thinking it's those idle control screws that are dirty or something along those lines. So now I'm just contemplating if it's even worth keeping the silly thing or swapping in a CA18DET or maybe a KA.

Also bought some oldschool gold mesh Enkei Apaches so I'm working on an S13 suspension swap to put it on S13 coilovers, if anyone has any parts for this swap, hit me up! The 240forums ain't biting  :glarestraight:

Older pics of the white S12 listed in my garage but I'll get new up-to-date ones once I fit the new wheels.  :yay!:

What do you guys think? Any feedback/suggestions are appreciated!  :nerdystraight:

Sick s12, love the 2-tone.

I want to see those enkei's. 

Welcome!  How did your uncle have 2 turbo s-12's?

He bought the first one white/navy blue one brand new back in '86, drove it until 1999 when it started bogging out and he parked it on his lot for 12 something years. The red/black one is a little worse for wear I'm afraid, he worked at a junkyard at the time and he was going to use it as a parts car, his boss let him have it for free. The engine is toast though, the turbo is blown and there's a 3 inch hole in the block. It too has also been sitting on the lot for about 12 years.

Yeah he told me about the red one being toast a few years ago when i pulled in to try and buy them. Was sad that he didnt sell them at the time but it is good to hear that they are getting some love. Send me a message some time if you need help, Im literally a few doors away with 2 s12s myself. Funny to that we have a few friends in common.

Go cadet youll love it I have one and its fucking awesome its currently getting a rebuild as we speak cant wait to get it finished so i can drive my beast again....
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Pm sent Prolow, stopped by your house btw, not to be creepy but I had a hunch that I knew where it was. Your charcoal MK1 was sitting in the back. Gave my car a couple of revs to get your attention but I didn't get any immediate replies haha.

hahaha yeah. i live out at the front part. Unite 21. My black car is in the garage

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got any pics?

I didn't take any but he might have some

I vote against CA18DET unless you don't mind the extra wiring. Wiring for an SR or KA swap is way simpler.

I have a mk1 so an s13 engine swap of any sort would require me to modify the trans tunnel and the shifter position (from what I've read anyways) which I'm not really into doing, I'd rather stay CA, I'm not looking for  a huge power gain with an SR, that's what my 2JZ is for  :laugh:

sticking with the stock ca? and also if you do a bellhousing swap on the trans you wouldn't have to change the shifter hole

Old pictures, they were taken about 7 months ago when I first got the car.

http://imgur.com/a/Sn7Gx

looks good I never really like the pnada 2 tone though

stock CA is on it's last legs, want a little more zing so I'm going with CA18DET swap. Again, I'm not looking for HUGE power gain, just a little bit, but I want to keep the car's originality at the same time so I'm sticking to a CA.
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hey the ca18det is awesome! I have one and in stock form its pretty quick def faster than the 18et. and there's more aftermarket for the det as well....

Yeah DETs are fun. I just found out that two were just sold here... one went for $350 running without the trans (Absolute fucking steal). I might know of some others.

Prolowtone on 08:03:20 PM / 21-Feb-13Yeah DETs are fun. I just found out that two were just sold here... one went for $350 running without the trans (Absolute fucking steal). I might know of some others.

"does not include wiring harness"

Hell to the naw. Hate having to find those.

up to him but they way i see it it needs the crank checked at a machine shop, new bearings and it also says that there is no wiring harness, exhaust mani and no mention of a turbo so i am guessing thats not there either :(
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What makes you think a CA18DET won't require a trans tunnel cutout? The only way it won't is if you got a non-intercooled CA18DET from an S12 RS-X which are super rare. Most of the CA18DET's are from S13's and those transmissions have the same dimensions as the KA and SR. Meaning you're gonna have to cut. Really, the only way to avoid that is to go with a Mark II S12 manual trans. Good luck finding that, too. Sadly. Getting harder and harder. I have one but I'm hanging onto it.

Lol i have three

Because you and I are parts hoarders lolz

um... Pretty sure that you can do a bell housing swap to avoid that cutting mess

Thats what i thought! But you still need to beable to find a mk2 trans....

Yeah you can use a B-trans, too, with a bellhousing swap. B-trans sux. And C-trans isn't easy to find. Not to mention unless you have long gorilla arms, the S13/S14 trans has a more reachable shifter position.

I have a normal S12 center console with my S13/S14 trans... you just relocate the center console. It works fine. I forget that it's been relocated. Doesnt look like it has. And cutting the trans tunnel is like the EASIEST part of the swap.

I have long gorilla arms hahaha :D

So, will a bellhousing removed from a B-trans bolt up to a SR/KA C-trans case?

Jeremy A on 02:46:33 PM / 26-Feb-13So, will a bellhousing removed from a B-trans bolt up to a SR/KA C-trans case?

Jeremy A on 06:45:44 PM / 12-Feb-13I want to see those enkei's. 

Welcome!  How did your uncle have 2 turbo s-12's?

Those Enkei's look almost exactly like the ones on mine.

Whats the offset

sideways_s12 on 05:34:27 PM / 08-Mar-13Whats the offset

Yeah they look kinda shallow not enough lip for me lol. But they still look good....

sideways_s12 on 11:27:47 PM / 08-Mar-13Yeah they look kinda shallow not enough lip for me lol. But they still look good....

I see I like a lot of lip lol personal preferance....