Meet Chris Hooker, also known as C.J the Husky, and the owner of this 240sx here. Although young and somewhat new to the scene, his attitude is something that a lot of people can learn from. While he strives to get better, he doesn't let that stop him from enjoying every minute he is behind the wheel of his car, whether he's driving it to a convention, or sliding it at a local drift event. This car gets driven a lot and driven hard being that it is his drift machine/road-trip vehicle, and it's great to see Chris having such an awesome attitude towards everything.
Chris's story begins in the summer of 2008 when he picked up this 1991 240sx for the fair sum of $1,250. The car, however, barely ran, suffering from rod-knock. Chris said the car died after he got the car off of the trailer and into his driveway. Not one to be discouraged, he jumped right in, getting his paws dirty, and the following week the motor was out of the car and ready to be torn down for the rebuild. Ready for the challenge, and armed with only his willingness to learn, Chris set about reading all he could on building up his KA motor for boost. During this time, he worked as much as he could at his job at the local grocers, and his free time was spent gathering all the information he needed to do the job himself. After securing a small bank loan to fund the build, Chris started ordering the parts needed to build the motor. During the winter months, the motor was sent to the machine shop for the necessary machining for over-sized pistons and having everything checked and cleaned. Once back in his possession, Chris busted out his trusty service manual, and set about re-assembling his new KA motor. The block has been fitted with CP pistons mounted on a set of Eagle rods with Clevite 77 bearings. The head consists of a set of '91 DE cams and a Cometic head-gasket. He finished the rebuild by spring of '09 and broke the motor in in NA form.
By the summer of '09, everything was broken in and running smooth. It was at this time that Chris purchased a set of coilovers to get the car sitting right, along with a set of 16x8 +0 Sportmax wheels wrapped in 205/50/16 tires to get the stance on point. This was how the car sat for most of 2009, and as it came to a close with Chris putting the car in the garage for the winter, he started to plan his latest makeover which would start in early 2010. The winter months were spent reading and researching about boosting the KA motor, and collecting parts. In March, Chris stripped the chassis down to take care of some body work and give the chassis a new coat of paint. He decided on bright pink because...well, why the hell not! Remember that thing called "fun"? Well, this doggy was certainly having a blast building up his car. With the body work and paint completed, it was time to bolt on all those turbo goodies Chris had been collecting. Centered around a Turbonetics t3 50-trim turbo and a JGS top-mount, turbo manifold, everything was a straight-forward affair. A Godspeed intercooler and Koyo radiator with dual Altima fans keep things cool while an Apex-i 3" down-pipe and 3" exhaust expel the fumes. A Z32 MAF feeds the turbo with a JGS 400 waste-gate coupled with an AEM Tru-boost keep boost under control. An EFI Specialists ECU, combined with an Apex-i NEO, AEM wide-band, Turbo XS Knock-Lite, and ISIS FPR keep fuel and timing in check, and everything running smoothly. Lastly, an ACT 6-puck clutch and familiar welded diff get the power to both wheels and keep them spinning. By May of 2010, the car was all done and Chris was ready to have some fun.
With the summer filled with drift events and conventions, this husky certainly enjoyed his car, built with his own two paws, to its fullest. The two have become a regular site at the local drift events on the east coast as well as the surrounding area fur conventions. Chris certainly had a great time building his drift machine, and even a better time using it. Now isn't that what this hobby is all about? Sounds a lot more appealing than dealing with drama, internet critics, and inflating egos. Just build it, beat on it, and have a damn good time doing it. With the car put away for the winter, Chris has a few things up his sleeve for 2011 which I can't wait to see. What is for certain though, is that Chris is going to have fun doing it. So, from one husky to another, keep on it and have a blast! You and your car are what this culture is all about.
Photos provided by: Brenden Romus
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