For pounding the roads of Oahu, this Nissan sports 18x10 Work VSKF wheels with a -6mm offset. Once trackside, these get switched for 5Zigen FN01Rs, 17x10 front and rear, running a +12mm offset. His other option-Mark admits to being a wheel whore-is a set of Rays Engineering Gram Lights 57S one-piece 17x9.5 cast wheels also with a +12mm offset. For street use, this ride rolls on 225/40-18 Federal 595 tires. When the race wheels go on, they wear 235/45-17 Falken Azenis.
Behind the front wheels are 30mm brake calipers from a 300ZX, which bite onto Brembo 11-inch rotors and stainless steel braided lines courtesy of Agency Power; the rear brakes remain stock-so far.
Working further in and up finds Battle Version rear upper control arms, forward links, front tension rods and rear toe links, Tein tie rods, and Function camber plates. Also from Function are the coilovers (Type I), with spring rates of 9kg up front and 8kg out back, while Tanabe braces link the strut towers at each end.
Mark's day gig as a respiratory therapist student probably didn't influence his choice of a GReddy intake manifold, JF SPL air intake and 3-inch exhaust (with a divorced O2 housing and dump tube), but they're good calls anyway. As are the Megan Racing turbo manifold, Tomei rocker arm stoppers, and the Real-Time Fabrication valve cover. The JF SPL brand will be unfamiliar to most readers. It stands for Jerry Fuentes Special.
Other GReddy parts include a Type R blow-off valve, oil pan and oil filter relocation kit. On the list of engine bay augmentations performed by Mark, aided and abetted by Jerry are Real-Time Fabrication radiator diversion panels, an A'PEXi head gasket, an HKS wastegate, a Magnaflow fuel regulator, a Walbro 255lph fuel pump, NGK BKR7E spark plugs, an all-aluminum Koyo radiator, a JF SPL intercooler and pipes, and an Earl's oil cooler. They also put the battery under the dash, along with the relocated fuse box.
Those years working on Hondas also allowed Mark to swap out the bulky Nissan wiring harness for a more streamlined one consisting of Honda wires and plugs. Running stock bore and stroke, with stock cams and 14.5 psi of boost, estimates put the current 2.0L engine at producing 280 hp. This power goes through an Exedy lightweight flywheel and Hyper Single clutch, into a stock S13 five-speed manual gearbox with a B&M short shifter, then out to a Nismo two-way limited-slip differential shrouded by a JDM rear differential cover. Real-Time Fabrication came up trumps again with polyurethane-filled transmission and engine mounts.
After a paintjob of Urban Green from Napa Crossfire, again carried out by Mark and the faithful Jerry, this car scored Second Place in the '07 Streetcar Showoff. But of course, it didn't come easy. There was a scramble to get the bodywork done in between bouts of rain; nevertheless they got the job done.
Most of Mark's choices stem from wanting to keep this project as simple as possible, to go with what works. Still, he said the cost of the build was "too much." The car's estimated value is put at around $15,000, a serious sum for most people, but especially for a full-time student. Which is why he did so much of the work himself-with the aid of some good friends.
Friendship is important to Mark. During this build, his friends would drop what they were doing and come help. In fact, Mark and his friends put this car together in two and a half days to make it to this photo shoot.With parts of the car still stock, there's plenty of scope for upgrading, and Mark has his sights on a full-race, top-mount turbo with an Autronic standalone ECU. He's hoping his friends will be there to, yet again, help with the build.
Behind The BuildHead to the message boards at www.importtuner.com to chat about this feature vehicle
By Bruce Grove
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