TheRealSy90

It blows my mind that you are in Japan and keep ordering everything for this car from outside Japan. Or simply choose to.

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dizzariot

Dude. Yeah.

It's a conscious decision. Most suspension companies are outsourced to China anyway and the good ones (DG5/HKS) aren't worth the price to me if it's a gamble. I know Feal is a great coilover at a super good price. The valving is everything.

GKTech Japan would be great...if their website allowed me to use my PayPal (apparently based out of the US, didn't know it was different) for purchases in Japan.

It's a trip, man.

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TheRealSy90

What about GpSports G-Master etc. would be a gamble? IMO they're one of the best you can get. Like, are all s-chassis owners in Japan having to import parts from abroad? I just find it weird that aftermarket stuff isn't more available there than it is here. Like for example Powervehicles is able to repair and upgrade cars at their facility very quickly etc. Or maybe they just really have that much stuff on hand already, idk.

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dizzariot

I mean it's entirely possible they have connections. A friend of mine that works on base has such a nice, modest S14 that he was approached by GP Sports with an offer to do work on his car. The Japanese are all about networking, it seems like. PowerVehicles would be a good entity to work with.

I guess it's just preference. I don't want to take the gamble on parts anymore. The KTS aren't great by any stretch of the imagination. Kind of resigned to sticking to what I know. The issue isn't really availability, it's price and quality that don't work for me.

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dizzariot

I suck at taking progress pictures, but I got some stuff done...



I love this color. The inside of the car makes me love it even more. It's like a 50's Mint Green. The cleanliness of this car blows my fucking mind, man. Buying automatic cars is a blessing in disguise. '89 and cleaner than my '96 180SX.





...and this is before adjustments. it looks cool because it's too low lol. I need to roll the rears and get an alignment at KTS. More to follow...

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Jo_Galezo

Damn im loving this already, if i was to build a silvia it’d be the same color combo. Can’t wait to see what else you’re gonna do.


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dizzariot

Dude, give it a rest. You're a narcissist.

Write to more prominent names in this community about it. Get them to write an uplifting IG story about it...or maybe put up your own IG post misrepresenting things.

Nothing that comes out of Instagram is going to make me give a shit. I only know about these instances because a few people have sent me screenshots with your IG stuff in it. I still don't follow you, so if you're the 'genuine human being' you say you are please let me fuck off to my part of Zilvia.

Or don't. That's your choice...but now I've asked.

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dizzariot

I forgot today was 02FEB...so Happy Nissan Day!

I went on a cruise with a buddy from Yokosuka. There's a nice windy road that leads out to the coast. He came over to my house (the same day I got the Silvia lowered) and replaced his suspension with new coilovers AND threw on a nice blast pipe. Needless to say, he enjoyed the curves more than I did in my NA, automatic car.

The Silvia drives great, though. I really should get another set of Feal 441+ for the 180SX. I'm sure I'll get there. The Silvia needs an alignment, some suspension tweaks, and rolled rear fenders. I think it looks halfway decent for now.

Completely different tastes in style.



Saw more S15s in one day than I normally do in a month. This kid in a blue Autech S15 happened to be out and about today. We got to this stop light right as it turned red...and I hopped out to catch all generations of Silvia together.



After the necessary stuff is done on the Silvia, I'll turn my focus back to the 180SX. Little things need attention and I just need to nut the fuck up and get it done.

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RVAE34

Wow!! That looks phenominal with the Watanabe R's on it! Love the color combo too. Stunning.

Jo_Galezo

Im sorry man, i’ll be sure to stay away from you. But if you ever change your mind. Im definitely down to talk.


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ka-titties

Hah, this is awesome! Thanks for the updates.

silviamang

I mean its cool and all, but why bother u know what i mean?

No R Chassis master race, no care. cum @ me.

dizzariot

I'm just a fucking loser, man. Can't pull any triggers. Can't throw any hats in. Time to just give the fuck up.

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Aesthetics45

I ordered a bunch of parts for my CA when i was in Misawa. Blew some of the locals minds. Love your build btw!

xpinoyxmk

Lived in Japan for 3 years and 90% of the parts on my car are from there. The other 10% are either better quality parts or cheaper. Pbm cobra dp, gktech bits, enthaply tune, etc.

Auctions have quality parts, don’t slack there. Gather as much as you can according to your end goal unless you plan on staying there for the rest of your life. I wish I had more time to collect and have fun there. Also don’t miss the big events. Huge discounts on parts there but you’ll need to have the yen on you.

Since you’re not tracking the car, how come you didn’t get bags? I bought the g-master pros before I left. Soild coil but for normal driving I would not recommend it.

Your 180 looks good though. I’d recommend you try a drift day, maybe at Fuji. It’s just a big skid pad which is perfect for learning. Don’t try the touge as it’s not newbie friendly, have had many friends destroy their cars there.

Either way, look forward to the progress!

dizzariot

I wanted to use Battle Version stuff but the arms need to have paperwork to pass Japanese inspection. I didn't want to just swap all the shit out for OEM shit every other year.

Thanks, man.

I use YAJ a lot via my friends. It helps a ton. I've gone to R's Meeting, TAS, and another Nissan show out in Chiba. Prices aren't astronimically better at these events anymore. Kind of takes the piss out of it.

I don't want to commit to bags yet. I actually threw the Feals on the Silvia even though my plan was to swap out the KTS on the 180SX. I drove the Silvia all weekend and I have to say: KTS just sucks. I'm used to coils being 'jarring' but the Feals feel like OEM suspension to me at this point lol.

I've been to Fuji. I don't think sliding the car is in the future. It's too clean and original to chance it even a little. Besides, I'm always on the cusp of selling it so I have to maintain it lol.

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xpinoyxmk

I had to swap all of my suspension for JCI once, its not that bad but Yokota has a nice hobby shop so it was easy.

TAS has a little discount usually but one I went to was the Drift Tengoku 50th anniversary, i think, event in Odaiba. Everything was 10-50% off parts and aero.

Theres plenty of cars just as clean as yours out at events, plus most people will let you ride along too which is awesome for learning. Could also build connections with locals too if your nihongo is good enough.

NoSk1LLeD

Lovely Color and nice Rims.



Greetings from Germany.

Early '97
factory LP2
factory Aero (including the front lip and rear valances)
with Hicas

dizzariot

Nice man! If you didn't see, mine is a late '96, LP2, non-HICAS model. Cool to see someone else has a Midnight Purple car. Any issues with yours? My hatch is giving me problems but other than that the car seems solid.

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potatomonkey99

The best thing I ever did for my hatch was buy new struts for it. Now its hard to close sometimes haha

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Matte paint will never be cool

dizzariot

Man I got the P2M struts and they fucking started to rust. I need to get OEM ones. My main issue was rust on one of the mounting holes for the wing. I decided to get it fixed. Shaved the 3rd brake light and the wiper, too...but paint sucks in Japan and the hatch is already starting to look like shit.

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ka-titties

That's very surprising... Does it have anything to do with eco regulation and paint quality, or is it the skill of the people applying?

dizzariot

The jury is out on this one. My experience is this:

Get referred to a shop where prices are comparable to a body shop (amazing work) I used to use in CA. Leave the car there all week. When I pick it up everything looks great...aaaaand a couple months later it looks like shit.

Some of the more famous shops out here will do bodywork as well but the price is super high compared to the US. I haven't tried them yet, but I'm wondering if their prices are high because they actually do a good job.

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ka-titties

I'd at least mention something to the shop you went to about the longevity of their job. They may have unknowingly made a mistake.

Overall though, with how different the two markets and cultures are, its hard to compare labor in japan to labor in US.

dizzariot

It's hard to explain. At this point I'm just going to hold off until I can get the car back to the US or make enough to disposable income to overpay for a quality job.

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dizzariot

I've been driving the Silvia as a daily. I still haven't adjusted the suspension but I'm planning to get into it this week. The front is binding pretty obnoxiously. I got the rear fenders rolled as well, so I'll be able to get a little lower.





We were supposed to get some snow last week so I drove both of my cars to base to put them in the parking garage. Someone snapped some pictures of my cars for their IG. My IG is private and I'm not a big fan of having my shit posted by someone else, but the dude was genuinely nice and offered to take the pictures down. I didn't want to be a dick (there are no signs on my car that say 'no photos' afterall) so I didn't ask him to delete them.





I'm starting to think I'm not really a '180SX guy'. I get so much more satisfaction out of the Silvia. After getting some pictures during hanami (cherry blossom bloom) I think I'm going to convert the 180SX back to stock. I'll sell the hubs, put the 4lug OEM Type X wheels on, take my Nardi and all the interior shit out and just store it as-is. I didn't buy it to profit from it, but I really believe that if I leave it in OEM configuration and park it the value will go up.

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gzus9

I agree too, the coupe is the favored chassis, unfortunately my coupe wasnt in good condition so now i am working on my hatch, your silvia looks great though!

dizzariot

I finally took my ass to KTS for an alignment. Coils are still binding in the front so when Spring fully hits here I have to sort that out. Wheels still hit in the front. I was hitting an on-ramp near KTS (wheels turned) and LUCKILY the rubber hit the fender (metal) and simply scuffed it without fucking it up. I don't want to drop down to 8J+0 but if this car is meant to be a reasonably low, driveable daily that might be in the near future.

Other than that, I'd really like to source a 5speed, and (at the suggestion of a knowledgeable friend) throw some cams/headers on the CA to give it a little pep in its step. I already have some old HKS headers I had purchased for my previous blue/grey car. Glad I kept them.



As for the 180, I still want to drop a tire size up front and get the rear pods re-aligned. My goal is to get some good pictures for the sakura bloom and then either revert the 180 to stock or just leave it alone. Guess we'll see.

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merlz

Killin it as always my guy! Love both cars.

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Juusan

Excellent taste in S-chassis automobiles dude. Love your MP Kouki on the LM's...sooo good!