Simple yet clean S13

Hey guys just wanted to share my first s-chassis I bought and built. Sorry in advance if this sucks because I've never done this before!

It started off as a completly unmolested slicktop coupe. 133k miles, mint MINT interior and 110% stock. The thing rode like a Cadillac all the way home.

Drove it out to multiple USAIR events as a stock machine. Swore up and down to every person I met that I was going to leave it stock and NEVER drift it (lol). I ended up driving the car at the last event that year ALL STOCK with a welded diff and some lowering springs from the 90s. It sucked soooo bad but I was completely hooked, and my journey of making poor financial decisions had begun.

Winter came along and the tax return hit. I purchased some STANCE coils from my friends at TFWorks along with some adjustable arms. Scored some g33 reps before spring as well. After installing all of those parts in a below freezing garage, I was set for the first event of next year.

But of course I had to make it look presentable. EastBear lip combined with OE Chuki skirts, and DorkiDori OE style rear spats ended up coming out alright together. This is the look the car retained for almost 6 years until I sold it in early 2023. At this point it was still stock DOHC KA, which really taught me a lot about the car and how it handled. I will swear on my momma that this is the best way to learn, too many people overbuild their first car before getting any time behind the wheel. Really having to work the car for those years really showed me alot, and it served me well. I dragged my feet the entire time to pull the trigger on an SR20 despite all the nagging from my friends. Eventually I decided to bite the bullet, and right before the price hike I decided it was time.

December of 2019 I drove 9.5 hours on a whim to JDMHookup in St.Louis to pickup what I consider the last good deal on an SR lol. The engine came out of an auto HICAS car and had perfect compression and was super healthy. They were awesome people to deal with and super helpful with any questions I had.

The day I picked it up from the importer^

After winter clean-up and ready to be installed. I opted for s14 oil pickup, a must have for s13 SR!!!

Cleaned the motor up over winter and in springtime took the engine and the car over to Fernando Customs to swap it. I drove the car into the shop at 7pm and worked till midnight, and by 11am the next day the motor was in and running. I cannot thank my friends enough that helped me swap it, it was so surreal to drive it home the next day.

For the record, SR>KA ALL DAY BABY! The car felt amazing! Later on I put a Greddy manual boost controller on it and worked that little T25 at 15lbs for the next 3 years. For gauges I ended up going with a Defi ZD ClubSport multigauge, and a large Defi BF boost gauge. I seriously recommend this setup for anyone who doesn't want a cluttered dash, as the unit can show literally everything BUT boost. You can even use it as a tach and speedo as well! I'm thinking of scooping another for my current car eventually.

My first event with the SR was FinalBout SSC 2020 and boy let me tell you it felt like a rocket ship compared to NA KA. Picked up some 17x9 +15 Grenade GX-01, wrapped them with some sticky Falken Azenis R615K+ and some Kenda KR20A out back. Minus a boostleak the cars first shakedown was a complete success! Even got stupid enough to do a 3rd gear entry on Advanced course.

Below I will post some pics of the cars life for the next few years before disaster struck. Over time I did modded knuckles and some other updates that really brought the car to life.

Posted up with my teammate Pat, with his fresh total rebuild of my old AE86.

Gotta have that ICE know what im sayin? I also had a 3,000 watt RMS stereo crammed into this thing as well. Moved the windshield about an inch back and forth.

Drifted the next few SSC and Gallery events in the following years, and even made it to FinalBout 4. That is the event that really took the wind out of my sails. Minus having to replace a clutch slave and master on Saturday, the day went pretty well! Between some good driving and hanging with friends all day I was living my childhood dreams. Night drifting was absolutely insane, with all the cars lit up and flying all over the course. Was truly a special experience.

The second day did not go so well. On reverse Advanced layout I was trying to play catch-up with a big power JZ car. I had just hucked a fast entry as he was at least 8 car lengths ahead of me about to exit the corner. Then I saw him basically stop and it was either send it off the bank into the fence and trees, or hit him. There was really no good way out. It doesn't look THAT terrible in the picture but the B pilar was past the seat ear, and the rocker and floor buckled, and door completly blown apart. He got off with a broken bumper, and a smashed tail light, his bash bar really did it's job I guess. Doesn't help I got hit in the most unsupported portion of the car. I swear s13s are made out of recycled soda cans and dreams. I still finished out the rest of the day, but was able to drive way harder because at that point I really didn't care. After 4 years of drifting with no hiccups or boo-boos I'm honestly suprised it didnt happen sooner.

The car ended up sitting in my garage for about two years before making it's way down to Incaudo AutoBody to finally get resurected. Shoutout to John for getting me set right. Deff recommend him for any paint or body work in the Illinois area. He literally took off the ENTIRE left side of the car, off drilling out every spotweld and cutting the pillars. Grafting in a new rocker, door, and quarterpanel, he really made this thing come back together well.

I ended up selling the car to a good friend of mine halfway through the bodywork process so I could buy a big block drag boat. So when the homie Dan Drozda brought it up to me after the repairs, right to its new home it went. I got to drive it off the trailer and into the shop, what a bittersweet moment.

I still managed to keep myself busy though. I ended up picking up a vintage big block drag boat to play with over the summer. Despite my friends questioning my decisions, I was having a blast with this thing. Ripping almost 80 on the water, shooting a huge roost, and standing the thing on end as a party trick. I spent the whole summer going to track events, and boating with a bunch of boomers on the Shawano Lake sandbar (which is wayyy more fun than you would think). It's a great feeling to be able to come and hang at the track in the morning and see all the homies, and then hit the water in the afternoon.

Luckily the story doesn't end there as I ended up getting a 350z to replace the s13. I was fiending for some tracktime, and so far after a lot of time and effort it's been a great machine. If you guys want to know my setup on that please let me know, I'll do a detailed write up.

Thanks for reading through my ramblings. I've never really posted a build thread let alone post much on a forum in general. If you made it to the end I appreciate it. If you have any techincal questions just ask. It was a SUPER simple setup, and it worked great.

See you at the circuit.