# Rebadge or no?



## Neva2wicked (Sep 13, 2003)

I've been running back and forth with an idea for a while. I know how much the 'GTR' badge is shunned on if its not a throughbred GTR so I'll refrain from that.

The vision:

Many of us dream of one day owning a skyline. With the sentra, the vision I had for it was to make the car look as close to one as possible. When I first saw Turbo200s car (sorry to put ya out man), the distant shot of his car closely resembled the coupe, which further emphasized that *that* look was exactly what I was looking for.

For a while, I had thought of purchasing the R33 series headlights and tails but fabrication would be a pita not to mention the funds to partake in such an endeavor is pretty much nonexistant at the moment. Well since I have the necessary parts to contribute to such a look: GTR rear, sides, fender flares,spoiler, and the Vis Omega R33 bumper, I figured there could be last piece added (the kit isn't installed yet). At first, I debadged the sentra for a much cleaner look, but now I am not so certain that is what I want.

Below is a PS (though not the greatest) of what I had in mind. Granted it could have been done much better to actually blend with the image but alas...

Original









PS Emblem









Bascially, what I would do is obtain the emblems from a mini cooper and 2 from the R32 Golf. If I were using the "GTR badge", without a doubt the car would be far from one- considering all the mechanic aspects (such as the Atessa System). However, with just a badge, in its own way, the car does look like a scaled down version of a 4DR. 

So I'm asking for opinions. Flame away if you like, but if anything, I'd like to ask 'why' you say what you say. A simple "its rice" isn't really going to justify a serious consideration. I know that its my car and I can do whatever I want with it- but in the persuit of 'good taste' and a 'clean look' I'd like your input. 

Thanx


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## LIUSPEED (May 29, 2002)

dont do it.


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## ASsman (Mar 23, 2005)

LIUSPEED said:


> dont do it.


Hahahaha, what he said. 

Make that baby purr, make it a sleeper.


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## Neva2wicked (Sep 13, 2003)

ASsman said:


> Hahahaha, what he said.
> 
> Make that baby purr, make it a sleeper.


If I could decide which route to go. I would love to do some performance upgrades right now, but I have to get prepared for the unborn and moving. Plus, I can't decide, truly, which way I want to go. Turbo the GA or go SR turbo or SR all motor. I love the sound of turbos, but after lurking on the SR board and listening to clips of the VE motor- its truly a difficult decision.

Plus I believe the sleeper look will disappear once the kit is on anyway. More than likely it'll draw unwanted attention from those with faster cars.


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## Nismo240 (Jul 24, 2004)

i think you shouldn't do it. why? because it's not a skyline. even if i was to put an RB motor in my 240 and get a skyline conversion, i wouldn't do it. its just the fact that it will never be a skyline, even iy you did all the crazy work to make it look like one.


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## Chuck (Nov 19, 2003)

LIUSPEED said:


> dont do it.



aa mmmmeeennnn


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## asleepz (Feb 24, 2004)

Neva2wicked said:


> If I could decide which route to go. I would love to do some performance upgrades right now, but I have to get prepared for the unborn and moving. Plus, I can't decide, truly, which way I want to go. Turbo the GA or go SR turbo or SR all motor. I love the sound of turbos, but after lurking on the SR board and listening to clips of the VE motor- its truly a difficult decision.
> 
> Plus I believe the sleeper look will disappear once the kit is on anyway. More than likely it'll draw unwanted attention from those with faster cars.


Don't be a retard and go by sound. Go by performance. Which would be a turboed SR.


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## himbo (Sep 20, 2003)

keep it spankity clean, its the way we should do it in jersey, but unfortunately people dont


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## Z_Spool (Sep 27, 2003)

is this the emblem? It's the only one I found...








Is this what you meant?








I have no Idea how you'd do it because I haven't found the "MINI" logo, they're all the mini badge. Either way, I think it's :thumbdwn:


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## Neva2wicked (Sep 13, 2003)

*Hmmm*



Z_Spool said:


> is this the emblem? It's the only one I found...
> 
> 
> 
> ...


OMG. Thanks for the better PS. Everyone is right- that is ugly as sin. I guess the way it was grafted in my head made it visually impressive. Oee more steered away from RICE. So Badgeless she shall be. 

As for the engine performance Asleepz, they are all good engines. I've seen the performance spects for all three (Roughly 250 for the GA, over 250 for the SR20DET on a FF using the Avenier, GTIR, and over 200 with the S16VE or SR20VE). I haven't done enough research on the VEs but just from their stock specs- they have potential as well. Its just very difficult because the turbo engines are just badass (plus you can't beat the look of others when they find out you're turbo as my friend with his turbo 4th gen. mirage has done) but the VEs sound mean as hell too- though I have yet to read about a fully built one.

Going turbo SR is going to really cost an arm and a leg, considering all the necessary parts for the swap plus labor- and that's going with aftermarket parts- which is where alot of the 5k priceranges come from.

I imagine the same would result from the all motor VE though you'd have to have very deep pockets to keep pace with the DET.

And while the GA has potential, at its current stage, while I bounce between ideas, I constantly find myself asking, "Will I want more power?" And while we have pioneers on said engine, it seems like the ease of such a transformation is quickly losing ground as finding ways to break the limits means custom fabrications or bigger turbos which necessarily aren't bad. 

Perhaps the biggest problem is that I can't really decide on a set goal. Do I wanna stay under 300HP or do I want to go beyond? The more I think about it, the more indecisive I become. The funny thing is I never really saw myself going that far when I first began working on my car. It is another reason why I haven't bought any performance parts- because I can't decide which engine to use. And even if I went with the Turbo GA, the auto tranny doesn't like to hold up to the gradual increase of power unless I go to Level 10 and get the tranny redone. So to that extent, pricewise, to have a properly running auto turbo GA, it would cost about the same as having a turbo equipped Sentra with a SR motor.

Finally, there's the 'why don't you just sell your car and get a SR equipped one'. For some, that may be fine and dandy, but when you put work into the car in such a short amount of time, justifying a change simply for a motor really doesn't convince me. Perhaps I'm just unwilling to compromise the previous work and leave a project unfinished. Who knows. 

Anyways, I'm losing myself with my rants so I'll end it there. 


BTW Himbo- I might be heading out to AC for SEMA. I got a message in my account it from you, but the post was deleted so I couldn't respond. Depending on how my boy wants to do this, I might ride down with the rest of the NJ crew then split towards his girls place (they live in Mayslanding which isn't far from SEMA) and then hook up with ya'll when I get there. Only thing is, his girl works at an office not far from it and last year we got free enclosed parking in their lot. I talked to them about possibly getting some other cars in there, but they don't think its possible since the lot is so small. But I'll def. let you know what the deal is. Would be nice to meet some of the Jersey nutz finally.  Jersey REP'N :thumbup: 

Liu:
I need to talk to you also man. There's something I need


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## LIUSPEED (May 29, 2002)

neva i sent you a pm.

regarding the level 10 tranny .. i did some reasearch and level 10 has actually lowered their prices down and made it more affordable.

even now they also offer all the peices to do your own level 10 high torque converter and all that stuff with new gaskets and such for approx 1 g


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## pete? (Jul 6, 2004)

i say if you have a kid on the way, and still plan on doing mods to your car and not saving (which i think is the wrong way to go) get the auto tranny rebuild. you are going to have a hand full and shifting is one less thing to worry about. as for performance......i have a silver 99 GXE with a CAI. i just got a 91 se-r with hotshot intake/header<1st gen) and a greddy sp exhaust. i can spin the wheels all the way through 1st gear and chirp into 2nd (this is not dumping the clutch at 4krpm, maybe a 2.5rpm dump) and i also plan on going turbo, but let me say this is pleeeeeeeenty fun after owning an auto GA. if you simply do the SR swap you will be more than entertained for a good year or much more. once you have the cash saved up and the spair time (i doubt you will have any untill the baby is 1.5+ years old) then you should turbo. just my $.02


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## LIUSPEED (May 29, 2002)

1.6pete said:


> i say if you have a kid on the way, and still plan on doing mods to your car and not saving (which i think is the wrong way to go) get the auto tranny rebuild. you are going to have a hand full and shifting is one less thing to worry about. as for performance......i have a silver 99 GXE with a CAI. i just got a 91 se-r with hotshot intake/header<1st gen) and a greddy sp exhaust. i can spin the wheels all the way through 1st gear and chirp into 2nd (this is not dumping the clutch at 4krpm, maybe a 2.5rpm dump) and i also plan on going turbo, but let me say this is pleeeeeeeenty fun after owning an auto GA. if you simply do the SR swap you will be more than entertained for a good year or much more. once you have the cash saved up and the spair time (i doubt you will have any untill the baby is 1.5+ years old) then you should turbo. just my $.02


neva2wicked....... we talked about this over aim before.. take my advice... take it one step at a time sure your mods may take longer than ever to do but remember priorities first... how the hell do you think it taking me 3 years to finally start the process of rebuliding my cars exterior 

remember family priorities come first mods you can do slowly it not gonna kill ya trust me.


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## Neva2wicked (Sep 13, 2003)

If my posts seemed to dictate that I was in a rush to get the car faster, I apologize. That wasn't my intend. I more than welcome the task of building it slowly particular when it comes to going turbo. The goal for going turbo (at least when I believe I want to go turbo) has always been to piece it together slowly, instead of forking out a lump sum for the HS.

It is the concept itself of upgraded performance that seems to be nagging at me. I'll be honest- the idea of which way to go bounces through this crazy head of mine daily. One day its go turbo GA, the same day or the next its go DET, then a day or so later its VE. It is precisely like it was when I had my old car and was looking into the FWD TT swap before the engine blew.

I am by no means trying to get this done before the child is born. Actually far from it. What I have thus far is all I need for now to remain on a happy scale with the ride. Sure she won't be faster than stock, but with all the exterior stuff in the garage and only a matter of time before I paint and install them, she'll be 'right'. By all means, my priorities are sorted out- considering this transition from 'just myself' to 'my child and fiancee before personal wants/desires'. Like was said, "Family comes first".

Perhaps its the way I convene my thoughts.... I don't know. When I'm usually asked about 'performance upgrades' by others, I always tell them of my long-term ideas. That is how I always 'speak' of how I want the car to turn out. Next time I'll have to word it better. Once again- my apologies.


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## himbo (Sep 20, 2003)

good stuff man, i'm piecing my upgrades right now as well, because i'm going with a turbo GA. i am waaaaaay to impatient to save for one lump to get the HS turbo kit, so i decided to piece it together. right now i'm setting up the suspension, then a tranny rebuild (maybe shotpeened internals???), then i'm doing the head (i'm getting a spare and will polish, port, valve job it with JWT turbo cams), then AD22VF's, then, turbo. along will also come interior and exterior mods

i, like you, am also taking my sweet time (well, atleast i'm trying to), because its expensive, and i wanna do it right, plus i'm super anal, so i want things done meticulously. i think it will be worth it in the end if we take our time, because the prize will taste that much sweeter :thumbup: 

btw, hit me up when ever you want regarding SEMA, another NF guy is also here in north jersey :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:


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## wildmanee (Nov 21, 2004)

Turbo GA16DE for me, eventually..

Swapping in an SR20DE is too much money, and having a turbo'd GA is a cool thing to have. 

Himbo, are you going to wait to get those JWT turbo cams? Or are you putting on the turbo and the cams all at the same time?


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## Neva2wicked (Sep 13, 2003)

wildmane said:


> Turbo GA16DE for me, eventually..
> 
> Swapping in an SR20DE is too much money, and having a turbo'd GA is a cool thing to have.
> 
> Himbo, are you going to wait to get those JWT turbo cams? Or are you putting on the turbo and the cams all at the same time?



I know what you mean. At first that's how I was thinking but then I sat down and thought about it. If the performance upgrades are going to happen gradually, I could gather the necessary options for the turbo GA much quicker than for the SR swap.

By that same train of thought- I could hit up certain resources ("Pick and Pulls") and come up with some parts for the SR swap save for the tranny and engine.

That's the most discouraging thing about the whole process- indecisiveness  Last week I went to my friend's girl's crib to help him move his car and we took a quick visit to the local pick and pull (they have 4 not even 30 mins away). We went there without any tools, cause I just wanted to inspect the place and OMG- you won't believe some of the stuff you find. Plenty of GA stuff and a couple of SRs with the engines torn out, Luxury cars (HID conversion anyone ), but as a whole I was like 'damn I wish I had tools'. Unfortunately its gonna be hard as heck to find a G20 though- or so I was told. (I want those seats so bad) 

But anyways I'm rambling again.


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## himbo (Sep 20, 2003)

wildmane said:


> Turbo GA16DE for me, eventually..
> 
> Swapping in an SR20DE is too much money, and having a turbo'd GA is a cool thing to have.
> 
> Himbo, are you going to wait to get those JWT turbo cams? Or are you putting on the turbo and the cams all at the same time?


I am going to build my head this summer, one of the NF members is selling me his complete head for really cheap. i will then polish and port, and try to get a multi angle valve job this summer. when i reassemble the head, i'll put the JWT turbo cams on it. i may or may not install the head this summer, i'm not sure yet.


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