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View Full Version : My Silvia History (long story, happy ending)


RedStage
12-20-2007, 11:24 AM
Wow...I can't believe I haven't posted my car in here yet :naughty:

A little about me (I'm moving into Zilvia...seems to be about the warmest S-Chasis board out there...) I've been on the board since October 2002, fell off in Nov 2003 due to moving to the US (from Japan) and leaving behind the world of Nissan and settling into an Astro van, which didn't last long. Ended up getting into the Subaru world and had a nicely worked 2002 Wagon that was putting down STi numbers.

I've owned several nice Nissan's. Hell I did a CA18DE-CA18DET swap before most of this boards members even knew what that meant. Back in early 97.

My old Nissan's
http://www.geocities.com/tuellma/carlife/carlife.html

The first Silvia was a 1990 Q's CA18DE Automatic. Wrecked in the rain with brand new tires the day after getting it back from having the power steering pump replaced. Too many donuts...not good for the pump....

http://www.geocities.com/tuellma/carlife/silvia/blues131.jpg

The Second I picked up the day I wrecked the first :)
It was a CA18DE Q's 5 speed with suspension and exhaust. Pretty good find at $2500.
She went through a transformation around the time everyone on base started buying RX-7's and Skylines. NA days were over. I found a wrecked K's automatic for $250 (then sold the AT for $200) then swapped in the CA18DET.

http://www.geocities.com/tuellma/carlife/silvia/greens135.jpg

The birth of my daughter necessitated the sale of my beloved Silvia. Of course I had my morals. I found my next car (1988 Cefiro) in the same yard where I got the donor engine for the K's swap.

A one owner car with 100,000 kilometers on the odometer. RB20DET with an automatic transmission, for a low $800. I sold the Silvia for $2500, then proptly invested the money into suspension, full exhaust, HKS actuator, ECU tuning. The Cefiro loved it and was pushing an estimated 250ps at the rear wheels. Not bad...not bad at all :)

http://www.geocities.com/tuellma/carlife/cefiro/a317.jpg

Two years go by and I get the green light to get a 2 door again. Same junkyard, same story. This time it's a 1994 180SX Type R.

$1700 brought her home. A new water pump was all she needed aside from some body work. Said and done with a new clutch thrown in with the body work, front bumper and registration I got away with a $4500 car. JIC suspension, roll cage, nice compliment of guages and an LSD made for a highly envied find :)

http://www.geocities.com/tuellma/carlife/180sx/180sx6.jpg

Well here's where the story gets sad....Navy kicked me out of Japan after 10 years and sent me to California. I decided not to bring the 180SX, I feared it getting stolen too much to risk it. So I sold her for $3800.

Went to the states with an Astro van that I bought in Japan. Thing was pretty evil looking. Burgandy with a body kit. I liked it. Could get it to drift into the big corners...needed "Some" suspension work...lol.

http://www.geocities.com/tuellma/astro/04030021.JPG

Check engine light started showing it's head at 19,000 miles...needed $8000 in engine work. Seems the previous owner never had it service and it had a few problems....fack that. Took it from the Chevy dealer to a Mitsubishi dealer where I traded it in for a 2002 WRX.....

http://velocity.isfaster.com/v4/monterey/garage/Site/images/marc0008.jpg

More here:
http://velocity.isfaster.com/v4/monterey/garage/Site/index.html

She was sweet. Got orders back to Japan. Decided against bringing a car I was still paying on and opted for getting out of debt.

So here it is, 2007 (almost 2008) and I am back into an S chasis almost 10 years later.

Found her at another junkyard....so I go dumpster diving...what of it? ;)

This time a good friend hooked me up with a 1996 Silvia K's Aero.
http://www.geocities.com/tuellma/s14/images/s140021.jpg

More here:
http://www.geocities.com/tuellma/s14/

She's got 134,400 kilometers on her and still pulls great. Mods are short, but here's what she's got to date:

Cusco Zero-1 Coilovers
Cusco Front Tower Strut Bar
LSD (Not sure of make)
ADVAN TC-II wheels (245 front, 265 rear)
Straight Pipe exhaust with N1 style tip (unknown shop set up)
Grounding Wires
HKS DD intake
Sard R2-D2 BOV
NGK-R Iridium Plugs
Carbon Fiber Hood ($100s and shows it....) Going back to the stocker soon

Alpine deck and some speakers

Plans....hmmm....
Lots...depends on money.
Looking at a complete rebuild (engine, tranny, and diff) price is looking close to $10g's....that route is including a GT-RS turbo and ORC Clutch. Still mulling over if I am going to go this route or tone down and go with a mild rebuild.

Will be adding supporting mods in the mean time. FMIC, Injectors, Apexi Power FC and a few others.

Thanks for reading L:)

azndoc
12-20-2007, 11:28 AM
Nice story.

You've got quite a long history.

Glad you finally made it back to J-land.

Enjoy your stay there.

wonkuuzenki
12-20-2007, 11:31 AM
Cool story.
That first s13 was clean as heaven.

edit:
What kind of BOV was that on the CAdet s13? do you recall??

RedStage
12-20-2007, 11:32 AM
oh...just ordered the Power FC :)
Thanks Shawn

Get yours here.
http://www.zilvia.net/f/showthread.php?t=160351

(Better price than here in Japan :) )

RedStage
12-20-2007, 11:34 AM
Thanks.

Cool story.
That first s13 was clean as heaven.

It was the cleanest in the area at the time.
Silvia Q's were like disposable lighters...everyone had one, but no one took care of them on the base.

Sad, but now the S14 Q's are the same way.

jackjack
12-20-2007, 11:36 AM
nice cars (even the van.... pimpn).

RedStage
12-20-2007, 11:36 AM
edit:
What kind of BOV was that on the CAdet s13? do you recall??

Old school HKS (pretty much the grand daddy of the SSQV)

tougeracer
12-20-2007, 11:54 AM
great story man, thanks for taking the time to post it. And welcome back to the S chassis :)

status:one
12-20-2007, 01:17 PM
welcome back! :bigok:

rains14
12-20-2007, 01:24 PM
Nice story I think allot of us that are in the navy have story's like this .

Gavster
12-20-2007, 01:27 PM
Thanks for sharing that with us all! Lots of fun cars you've had and Im sure youll enjoy many more! Keep us all updated!

Peter_North
12-20-2007, 01:33 PM
you mushh be car crazy, and I can tell!

http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc209/TSalz/barrymeguiar.jpg

prang11
12-20-2007, 01:50 PM
^WTF


Great story, thanks for sharing. Nice collection you have had over the years. Even had time to get that black sheep (the van).

opponheimer
12-20-2007, 01:59 PM
you mushh be car crazy, and I can tell!

http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc209/TSalz/barrymeguiar.jpg

Hahah... funny

Ninjabread
12-20-2007, 02:05 PM
Speak of OLD school.

:)

S13SilviaGirl
12-20-2007, 03:11 PM
Welcome back to Zilvia. What base...I am assuming Yokosuka? I am on Atsugi. Nice cars, great story....overall 9.0! :keke: JK . Welcome back!

RedStage
12-20-2007, 06:29 PM
Welcome back to Zilvia. What base...I am assuming Yokosuka? I am on Atsugi. Nice cars, great story....overall 9.0! :keke: JK . Welcome back!

Bingo! When I left in 2003 I was with VF-154 (where VFA-102 is calling home now)

Subzeroqc
12-20-2007, 06:35 PM
Am I the only one who laughed when I read "happy ending"?

Anyway, great read dude. Glad to see you got a chance to go back to the big J and get reacquainted with your S chassis love.

LoanShark
12-20-2007, 09:17 PM
i'd hate to name drop so, i'll just say this: i think it was my friend that bought that red 180 from you.

RedStage
12-20-2007, 09:49 PM
i'd hate to name drop so, i'll just say this: i think it was my friend that bought that red 180 from you.

really...? Cuz I'd really like to talk to him about what he has done to my car.....:faint:
aat opne point it had RallyArt stickers on it. Now it looks like complete garbage. I'd buy it back only to give it a proper burial.

The cars current state. From what I've been told it runs like poo....
http://velocity.isfaster.com/v4/yokohama/redstage/d180sx006.jpg

projekt_s13
12-20-2007, 09:50 PM
Aww i was expecting a REAL happy ending. :naughty:

Old school HKS (pretty much the grand daddy of the SSQV)

haha i got that same BOV on my sr.
IMO it sounds better then the new SSQV's, its not as high pitched.

projekt_s13
12-20-2007, 09:51 PM
oops double post....

RedStage
12-20-2007, 10:07 PM
Aww i was expecting a REAL happy ending. :naughty:


Sorry...you'll have to "handle" that one yourself...lol

LoanShark
12-20-2007, 10:08 PM
really...? Cuz I'd really like to talk to him about what he has done to my car.....:faint:
aat opne point it had RallyArt stickers on it. Now it looks like complete garbage. I'd buy it back only to give it a proper burial.

The cars current state. From what I've been told it runs like poo....
http://velocity.isfaster.com/v4/yokohama/redstage/d180sx006.jpg

I THINK...

he had a blue pulsar before the 180. former vrt car also. same guy?

he got the 180 just before i had left and only saw it briefly. This was around spring-summer '02. I DOUBT he put the ralliart on there. he was all nismo this, nismo that etc. hahaha he's back in japan now. lives off-base. non-military. yokohama area.

RedStage
12-20-2007, 10:22 PM
sold mine in late 2003. Don't remember anyone else on base having a red 180 round that time...
The first owner after me put the RallyArt stickers on and basically gave away the Watanabe's for those wheels on there now.... :(

qwikspool
12-20-2007, 11:23 PM
that atsro van is pimp. one of our guys here in camp pendleton have one. he got it shipped here after getting stationed in oki. cool that you are back in japan and have your car.:bigok:

Tops*
12-21-2007, 03:40 AM
From this...

http://www.geocities.com/tuellma/carlife/180sx/180sx6.jpg

...to this...

http://velocity.isfaster.com/v4/yokohama/redstage/d180sx006.jpg

What a shame. Looks like the car ended up in the wrong hands. The kit looks better, but there's no paint...

Nice history though. My current history consists of...get ready...two cars. :coolugh: The S14 is nice. Good luck with it.

RedStage
12-21-2007, 04:01 AM
/\ I was told "you don't want to see your 180..."

I happened upon it where it was in that pic while I was looking for a parking spot. Broke my damn heart seeing it like that.

Farzam
12-21-2007, 04:17 AM
Pretty fun read

Nice cars

Can't wait to see how your S14 ends up

EJ253
12-21-2007, 04:19 AM
good story.

i'd love to live in Japan for at least a little while
good luck with the s14, it looks great

LoanShark
12-21-2007, 08:33 AM
sold mine in late 2003. Don't remember anyone else on base having a red 180 round that time...
The first owner after me put the RallyArt stickers on and basically gave away the Watanabe's for those wheels on there now.... :(

oh okay. might be different bases. my boy was at 'suka as a DT so, around the hosp. area a lot. I remember 1 other red 180 at the time on base owned by a JN, had fake sponsorship stickers, bone stock, always seen around thew gym. sorry for the mix-up/thread jack.

too bad what happened to yours though. looks like it would fit-in fine with Anytown, USA. :keke: :-/

liv2drift045
12-21-2007, 09:29 AM
s14's suck marc...you need to get another cefiro... doooo iiiiiit :)

SILVIA_KIDs14.5
12-21-2007, 09:59 AM
nice story this time keep the silvia lol

s13poop
12-21-2007, 11:02 AM
man that two tone q's is beautiful

you've gone through many nissans much respect

welcome back and enjoy your stay! :bigok:

RedStage
12-21-2007, 04:51 PM
oh okay. might be different bases. my boy was at 'suka as a DT so, around the hosp. area a lot. I remember 1 other red 180 at the time on base owned by a JN, had fake sponsorship stickers, bone stock, always seen around thew gym. sorry for the mix-up/thread jack.

too bad what happened to yours though. looks like it would fit-in fine with Anytown, USA. :keke: :-/

no problem :)

RedStage
12-22-2007, 06:23 AM
got my R32 GT-R seats in. Was raining afterwards...so no pics.
$200 for the pair in great condition, just need a little cleaning and they'll be schweet :)

Hooorahh!
12-22-2007, 06:33 AM
lucky!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
and btw welcome back ....

Sil80Dreams
12-22-2007, 07:40 AM
I want to be you hahaha no homo/no stalker/no weird fuc*ing guy lol. Awesome story man.

RedStage
12-22-2007, 09:07 AM
I want to be you hahaha no homo/no stalker/no weird fuc*ing guy lol. Awesome story man.

trust me....not all that exciting.

cgtdream
12-22-2007, 08:33 PM
Nice story, and equally nice cars.....where were you in japan land...Looked like oki in a few pics...anywho, lovin your current s-chassis....

liv2drift045
12-22-2007, 09:37 PM
Nice story, and equally nice cars.....where were you in japan land...Looked like oki in a few pics...anywho, lovin your current s-chassis....

yokosuka/atsugi

same area he's at now

RedStage
12-23-2007, 05:52 AM
yokosuka/atsugi

same area he's at now

Yep returned to the scene of the crime :)
Thanks for dinner LA, wife's a great cook.

liv2drift045
12-23-2007, 11:30 AM
she's aiite haha... thanks for coming

silviaz
12-23-2007, 01:21 PM
You found these cars at the junk yard ? I mean..... they are fucking clean!!! What did they had at first ?

TheBigDirty
12-23-2007, 02:22 PM
I'm in love with the colorway of the second q's. Sorry to hear about the rallyart stickers on the 180sx, it's a shame. Take care!

RedStage
12-23-2007, 04:52 PM
You found these cars at the junk yard ? I mean..... they are fucking clean!!! What did they had at first ?

The Cefiro was clean, just needed suspension and an exhaust. Old shocks were blown out and the exhaust looked like swiss cheese.

The 180SX, had a cracked fiberglass bumper, small dent by the left rear taillight and a bad water pump.

The S14, needed new suspension and tires/wheels.

RedStage
10-12-2008, 07:14 AM
Haven't updated this is awhile so here goes:

HKS EVC - Black Limited
Apex'i Power FC
Front Mount I/C
HKS DB Boost Gauge

Brakes: Endless pads
Tires: BF Goodrich g-force (235's in front/265's in rear)

Got a Greddy Oil Filter relocation kit on the way.

Since the addition of the boost up with the PFC and BC, my clutch is starting to go...so that and a diff are probably my next two BIG purchases.

All in all the navy is keeping me "Haze grey and Underway" so I rarely get to drive her. Been out screwing around the Pacific since March...in for a week here...out for 6 months there...in for a week...out for 2 more months...

Will be home for the next 6 months so, I imagine I will be breaking more things in the near future.

RedStage
12-06-2008, 05:16 AM
newest addition....got the Red (white and black) 180SX back....

Now to decide what the hell to do with it.
Considering the S14 is having problems...it might end up a bartering chip. Besides it is hideous looking.

D14
12-06-2008, 06:56 PM
Buy an S15, seems to be the only S-Chassis you haven't owned to date! :rofl:

RedStage
12-06-2008, 07:03 PM
lol....could also go S12 and earlier....

D14
12-06-2008, 07:13 PM
I hear R32 GT-Rs are getting cheaper and cheaper. ;)