I’m a member of many different forums, but I’m not much of a poster. JDM Style Tuning was one of the first forums that I really got involved in, posting regularly and attending meets. While I don’t post there much these days, I still like to read the forum almost daily and make the odd post every now and then. There are a number of great builds on the forum, so I thought I’d do a little spotlight on some of my favourites in no particular order. Please note, this is not a “best of”, it’s just the ones that tickle my fancy. There’s a few builds to get through, so I’ll split them up over a few different posts over the next couple of months in between regular build features.
Tag: nissan
Datnats 2013
Just a few photos from the 2013 Nissan Datsun Nationals held at Phillip Island this past weekend. Sadly I couldn’t make the show and shine on Sunday, so I made my way down to the track-day on Saturday and snapped a few photos. Click on the images for a slightly larger version. Please link back to the site if you feel like sharing these elsewhere.
VQ35HR R32 Skyline
I just did a quick search and noticed I’ve only ever featured 3 Skyline’s since this site’s inception, and the last one was over 2 years ago! I think this one is more than deserving enough to get the marquee back on the front page. It’s an R32 GTR which becomes devoid of it’s RB26DETT straight-6 and AWD drivetrain, instead being fitted with a VQ35HR and 6-speed from a 370Z with a turbo strapped to each bank. I have to admit, the real reason I wanted to feature this car is because I’d find myself continually visiting the thread just to look at the picture of the engine, it’s combination of wrinkle red paint, black plastic, cast and polished metals, silver and gold reflective heat material, AN fittings and exhaust heat wrap is automotive art to my eyes.
Datsun 240z: Projekt Hugo
From the dark depths of build thread history comes Projekt Hugo. Does anyone remember this video series about a guy from Sweden who imported a supposedly “rust free” 240z from the US, only to find it littered with rotted metal? He then proceeded to rebuild the car whilst documenting the whole thing on well-edited videos. This was before the days of Youtube or Vimeo and before every car guy was a photographer/videographer, so a series of clips like this was a big deal back then.
Thanks to Dave for reminding me about it.
A tale of two Silvias
I always bang on about the elements that make a good build thread, and having nice photos is usually top of the list. But another key element to a great thread is using it as a platform to tell a story, as a reader you want to get lost in the journey and feel like you’re along for the ride. That’s how I felt when I read both of Laurence’s threads a few years ago, first about his S14 and the other about his S13. I remember briefly reading about some of his exploits on another forum – including being busted, interrogated and fined by Japanese cops for street drifting – so I was excited to see he took the time to write his stories in full on JDMST.
1JZ Nissan Cefiro
When I first stumbled across Liam’s Cefiro build it was still in it’s infancy, and I remember thinking to myself “I hope he goes through with this”. As we all know, time and time again build threads are started but sadly not finished, however this was not to be the case. In a matter of months the thread detailed the transformation of a very stock looking Cefiro into a 1JZ powered, kitted and slammed drift/street machine. The updates came in thick and fast, with great photography and a very cool shared workspace, the build is now close enough to completion to be enjoyed by the masses…
Aqua S13 restomod
It feels slightly strange using the word “restomod” to describe the build of a car that originally rolled off the production line in the 90’s, but that’s exactly what this is. Levan carefully chose a clean ’92 240sx as his project base, then set about to restore what Nissan got right while updating and modifying the areas deemed in need of improvement. The restoration portion includes such factory fresh parts as a brand new OEM sunroof and fuel tank, along with countless trims, clips and rubbers. The modifications? Just check out that gorgeous paint and the flawless 18″ Work Meisters, not to mention the fully built and turbo assisted KA24. From top to bottom (literally), this is one very clean and well thought-out car.
More S13 builds can be found here.
LS3 S13
What happens when you work for a major car magazine and share a fully equipped communal garage with your sister titles? You build a badass car, that’s what. Fresh black paint, OEM aero, all the good bits underneath, and an LS3 V8 swap to supply the power makes for one very tasteful and effortlessly powerful S13. And what better way to test the limits of your freshly built and swapped car than with a 2400 mile road trip?
Nissan Patrol Duramax V8TT
And now for something completely different, a twin-turbo Duramax powered Nissan Patrol 4wD built for street/strip duties, aiming for 1200rwhp and an 8.XX second ET…wanna read that again? This chassis has been through a few different incarnations during it’s lifetime before being torn down for its current rebuild, so it’s fair to say the owner has definitely made full use of this rig. If this isn’t enough Duramax action for you, check out this previous feature of a Chevelle using a similar powerplant.
Thanks to Kriss for submitting.
SR20DET 240Z
A highly desirable car built to only the highest of standards, this 240Z has had no expense spared during its reincarnation. Chesse submitted this build while the car was still in it’s assembly stage, but now it’s completely finished so we can enjoy the full journey of the cars restoration.
What, pictures and text not enough for you? Well if your pockets are deep enough, the car can be yours for the sum of $125,000. Yeah, I think I’ll have to stick to the pictures too!