As S13s become more and more popular, it’s becoming harder to differentiate yourself from the rest of the crowd. It has also made our lives harder to find more unique ones to feature. This one caught our eye though, not just from its unique paint code but its exterior styling and picking of parts to complete the project. In the end, this is truly one of the cleanest 180SX Type-X conversions we’ve seen yet.
The entire exterior of the car had been reworked to mirror the form and function of the 180SX in Japan. The front bumper and side skirts all come from an 180SX Type-X as well as the city bumper lights. The rear bumper was swapped for a Bomex piece making a fitting match to the rest of the bodylines. Hardcore fans will recognize the genuine JDM power folding mirrors as well as the 180SX ¼ windows. After the entire body was repainted a lime yellow from the 2005 Saab 9-3, the stock taillights were tossed to the dumpster and a set of genuine 180SX taillights filled the gap.
No conversion towards the Japanese 180SX is complete without an SR20DET swap. This S13 has received its boosted counterpart from Japan with a mixture of goods to safely produce ample power. A custom front mount intercooler along with the HKS SSQV blow off valve makes it obvious that this car is under forced induction. A Nismo 3-inch downpipe leading out to an APEXi 3-inch cat-back exhaust gives the rumbling tone everyone should fear.
Matching the entire exterior, a set of 17x9 and 17x10 Work Meister-S1 wheels decorate each corner. Equipped with a 5-lug conversion and R32 calipers, this car also stops on a dime. Suspension duties have been taken over with a set of HKS Hyper Max-D coilovers. The rear end of this S13 has also been replaced with an 180SX rear subframe and VLSD.
The interior of the car is plentiful with JDM 180SX goods as well, including front seats and floor mats. Plenty of electronics keep the driver entertained while an APEXi S-AFC and RSM helps tune the car. A duo set of GReddy gauges relay back all the valuable info such as exhaust gas temperatures and boost levels. There’s more than what meets the eye however, as this S13 on the stateside has received the best of all worlds from its Japanese counterpart.
