Project Sentra SE-R
Sabrina is a 1992 Nissan Sentra SE-R. If you don't already know the Sentra SE-Rs were the performance version of the Sentra. 140hp, 4 wheel disc brakes and a tight suspension had this little sleeper whooping up on many a bigger car back in its day. With just bolt-on parts these cars are easily pulling high 14 second quarter mile times (much to the dissapointment of similar year stock/lightly modded Mustang 5.0s you come across ;-) Heck, even 10+ years later they are still holding their own against the majority of cars on the road.
I bought this car back in late '94 @ 82k miles. She was, and is, a great learning experience on car mechanicals. She's been a daily driver all this time and has never had a major failure! I redline her every day she's driven and still add parts to boost power output with no problems. Nissan's SR20 powered cars are highly recommended for simplicity, durabilty, and fun :-)
Lately I've been working on giving the old girl a facelift and a little more pep in her step. No car is indestructible and the elements and wear and tear have their effects on parts both cosmetically and mechanically. Its working though and for a '92 model she's getting back to her former glory plus some.
Here's some things I have done to help bring her back. I think as these cars get older and more"collectable" people are going to want to know how to fix them back up. One thing I'd like to mention if you are considering buying one of the '91 -'94 Sentra SE-Rs (aka "classic se-r") is to first check the dealer and junkyards for parts. Unfortunately you are dealing with an older car now and some parts prices have gone up. If you are patient and check The SE-R mailing list classifieds ( http://www.se-r.net/ ) or SR20DEforum.com you can still get used, good condition parts for relatively cheap.
Headliner
Restoration
Dashboard
Install
Underdrive Pullies
next
mod
Modifications: JWT POP intake, Hotshot header gen2, HKS cat back exhaust, ES torque mounts, Axxis MM front brake pads, cut shifter, UR underdrive crank & water pump pullies, KYB GR-2 struts, Sprint springs, ActiveTuning rear strut bar, Blazer projector fog lights, Westco battery, Pan Motorsports front strut bar, 15" Koenig GT-R wheels 40mm ET, Nitto NT-450 195-50/r15 tires, Redline MT-90 tranny fluid, & Water Wetter.
Repairs: rod/lower main bearings (my fault, low oil!), alternator, starter, cv boots, endlink bushings/ball joint, leaky distributor, PS hose, engine mounts, and saggy door hinges. Note, with the exception of the worn bearings all the other stuff is pretty much wear and tear, 1-2 hour repairs, on an 11 year old 170k mile car :-)
