Option — Shōwa Car Tuning & Buyers Guide (2000 Edition)
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About this issue
180 available scans from Option — Shōwa Car Tuning & Buyers Guide (2000 Edition), in right-to-left reading order. Japanese OCR and English translation drafts are available throughout. Drafts have not received exhaustive image proofreading; unreadable source remains recorded in the archival data.
Page 47 — English draft translation
Over time, the rear member bushings can tear and allow the member to move. Power-steering fluid leaks are another Nissan-car weakness: hard driving can force fluid out, and in some cases it may catch fire. A cap or cover can help limit spray, but do not ignore fluid condition or deteriorated hoses—maintain them properly. The steering rack can also fail; once it breaks, replacement is the safe remedy. Reinforcing the spot welds can strengthen the area. Nismo offers upgraded bushings, and rigid aluminum collars are also available, but sharper response increases stress on the body, so choose carefully.
Install a tower bar before fitting a stiff suspension. The S13 body is considered flexible. A stiff suspension can pull the upper strut mounts inward; afterward, there may not be room to install a tower bar. Fit the bar first. The hatchback 180SX is especially weak at the rear, and adding only a rear tower bar can put excessive load on the body and make the trunk floor ripple or lift. Use a roll cage of about five points rather than relying on a tower bar alone.
Drift cars need generous openings in the aero. Even if they are not extremely high-powered, drift cars can face serious heat problems: they spend a lot of time at high rpm and often travel sideways, so little air reaches the radiator. S13 cars with large drift angles need particular care. A larger radiator helps, and the bumper opening should also be made generous…
Captions and page details
S13/PS13 Silvia and 180SX
S13/PS13 Silvia and 180SX
Even when not worn out, the rear-member mounts can feel too soft. With hard use, they may tear.
Many drivers put a work glove over the cap to stop oil from spraying around.
The clutch-pedal bracket can break. S13 cars often use heavy clutches and drivers frequently kick the clutch while drifting, which makes the pedal bracket prone to failure. The manufacturer probably never expected this kind of use. As the clutch pedal gradually…
…raising/reinforcing it makes it less likely to break.
…that is recommended.
After raising boost, the oil dipstick may pop out. Both CA18DET and SR20DET engines develop high crankcase pressure. With more boost, the pressure can push the dipstick out. If that happens while driving, oil may spray onto the hot exhaust manifold or turbo. Secure it with wire or a spring.
Many drift-focused shops design front bumpers to direct airflow while the car is sideways. You can also enlarge the opening in an existing bumper. Simple body reinforcement can help too. The S13 is often criticized for low rigidity…
…on S13 models. A roll cage’s effect depends on how it is attached to the body…
A cage can be merely safety equipment or a body-stiffening part, depending on its mounting. Welding it in and attaching it to the pillars increases rigidity. Adding spot welds around door openings is relatively simple and effective at low cost. But once body rigidity is increased, even a small impact at one end…
Door and hatch openings are difficult areas to stiffen, so additional spot welds can be effective.
…may cause damage throughout the body, so be prepared for that possibility.
Option
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