Adam LZ, a professional BMX rider and YouTube star, has been riding for more than a decade. While BMX—short for bicycle motorcross—is his first love, it’s a grueling sport and downtime is part of the game. “I needed something else to do when I get hurt riding,” said LZ (an abbreviation for Lizotte-Zeisler, his last name). “So I decided to get into drifting.”
The Nissan 240SX is the first choice for many fledgling drifters like LZ.
“I owned two rear-wheel-drive BMWs before buying the 240SX,” LZ explained. “I wanted to go to the track, learn how to drift properly, and do it safely.” He walks the walk and always wears a helmet in his BMX videos so safety is a key issue for LZ. “I really focus on setting a good example for my fans. I truly believe that’s what got me where I am,” he said. “It’s the little things.”
LZ grew up in Woodbury, Conn. and is currently a senior at the University of Central Florida in Orlando, where he majors in business management with a focus on entrepreneurial studies. He’s been on YouTube for more than seven years, and as of this writing, his LZBMX channel has amassed more than 770,000 subscribers.
The 240SX is hugely popular in the drifting world, so clean examples can be tough to find. LZ gave up on finding a rust-free car in New England and eventually turned up a gorgeous 1990 240SX while in Florida last spring. He snapped the car up and drove it back home to Connecticut. “The car was one of the cleanest 240s I’ve ever seen,” LZ said. “It was originally built as a show car. I’ve been slowly morphing it into a drift car.”
BC Racing DR coilovers
A freshly rebuilt SR20DET 2.0-liter Blacktop engine from a late S13 is nestled under the hood. The four-banger is fitted with an ISR V3 manifold, 700cc fuel injectors, Z32 MAF, Garrett GTX2863R turbo, metal head gasket, oversized oil pan, and an HKS blow-off valve. Spent gasses exit through a Buddy Club exhaust. The engine produced 310 horsepower on a recent dyno test, tuned to run on 93 octane pump gas. That’s roughly 50 percent higher than stock.
Custom spec BC Racing DR digressive piston coil-overs deliver a tight ride, with extended lower control arms, steering rack spacers, and PBM knuckles for more angle. The brakes have taken a big step up over stock, with Cadillac CTS-V four-piston Brembo calipers in the front and dual caliper Z32s in the rear. With the dual calipers, one caliper is linked to the pedal, while the other is linked to the handbrake. This provides more precise control when entering turns with the car in drift. Cosmis MR7 wheels are wrapped with Federal Tires.
An underglow LED kit was recently added
The cabin sports a slew of upgrades. Red Sparco EVO II racing seats are fitted with Sparco safety harnesses. The steering wheel is a black suede unit from Grip Royal, custom designed by LZ. An ISR Short Throw Shifter makes quick work of gear changes. Dash mounted gauges include an Innovate wideband/boost gauge and an AEM water temperature gauge. The unique custom-built hydro E-brake was built by Alberto Rosa at Kaizen Performance to try and keep the interior as stock looking as possible. It uses a rear-mounted master, with a rod running along the transmission tunnel to the rear.
An Origins Stylish body kit gives Adam’s 240 a clean and distinctive look. The beige paint was sprayed by the previous owner to resemble Starbucks caramel Frappuccino.
It’s not easy for a veteran drift car to avoid bumps and scrapes. So how does LZ feel about his ride facing the perils of the track? “I was worried that the previous owner would be upset that I was drifting it,” said LZ. “But as it turns out, he’s happy to see the car being driven, enjoyed, and appreciated by so many people.”
See Corner Lights for 1989 Nissan 240SX for sale on eBay.
