Boosted charge meets engine management via 1,000cc injectors, controlled by a D2 proprietary HKS PFC F-Con ECU, tuned by Minoyama-sama. HKS fuel pumps pressurize the Auto Staff fuel rail and pressure regulator. Igniting the concoction are HKS race spark plugs, resulting in an "approximate" whopping 550 whp-the D2 crew knows the engine's true output; they simply see no reason to brag about it.
An HKS twin-plate clutch and lightened flywheel are bolted to the back end of the SR crankshaft, but what follows aft is even more impressive: An HKS six-speed sequential gearbox, allowing for incredibly fast mid-corner shifts, sustaining drifts or powering out onto straights. To transfer power to the rear diff in either scenario are an ATS two-way LSD and D2 carbon fiber propeller shaft.
However impressive a boosted, individual-throttled, 550whp SR and sequentially shifted drivetrain might seem, a closer look at the chassis shows it's only part of the equation for track dominance. Although the chassis prep starts with a modest store-bought Safety 21 (a division of Cusco) six-point bolt-in cage, the car's A and B pillars are gusseted in to further make the cage a structural part of the frame. Optional door bars and a rear cross bar add to chassis stiffening, as does stitch welding of the unibody. And with their signature attention to detail, the D2 crew rigged the S13 to a chassis straightener for this phase-believe it or not, vehicles do not come from factory perfectly straight, and hidden tension in the body can cause warping during the welding processes if such care isn't taken.
Drift suspension is addressed via Hyperco 10kg/mm springs up front and 8kg/mm in the rear (558 lb/in and 447 lb/in), HKS D-Dash shocks with adjustable height, rebound and compression settings that eliminate spring lash, and Cusco front and rear bars that further limit chassis flex. For time-attack, stiffer springs are swapped in, with the dampers adjusted accordingly. A set of staggered, black LE37s with chrome lips encase a set of R33 hubs and OEM GT-R four-pistons calipers. Larger, aftermarket brakes are in the works, but this setup did the team well throughout their street-class endeavors. Front tires come in the form of Toyo Proxes, with Achilles ATR Sports at the rear, again mis-matched only for street-class duty. With its significant power increase, expect the S13 to be rolling stickier rubbers at each corner by the time you read this.
By now, you're all wondering about the most stunning aspect of this 180SX. Saving the best for last, D2 collaborated with Kei Miura of TRA-Kyoto for this wide body kit sold exclusively via D2, featuring a fiberglass reinforced plastic (FRP) front and rear bumper, side skirt, duck tail, roof wing, front and rear wide fenders, and carbon fiber hood. Take notice of perhaps the two coolest features: the riveted rear bumper panel and minimalist aero mirrors.
Remember folks, don't have dirty exhibitionist sex unless you're in a Hummer limo, have a statuesque body and stripper girlfriend, and parents who won't be "disappointed". Chicks dig infamy more than fame, and mastering the drift on back canyon roads in a gutted and caged S13 will drop them like flies. Just ask Komatsu.
'96 Nissan 180SX
Output 550 hp (approximate)
Engine SR20DET; 87mm bore, 94mm stoke; HKS 2.2L kit (includes rods, pistons, rings, and crank), valve springs, Stage 3 camshafts, adjustable cam gears, 3037 Pro S turbocharger, six-row front-mount intercooler, wastegate, turbo manifold, PFC F-Con, spark plugs, fuel pump, 1,000cc injectors; Auto Staff fuel pressure regulator; Greddy Profec-B Spec 2; D2 Motorworks head porting, tuning, oil pan, titanium intake manifold, intercooler, turbo-back exhaust; Nagoya Precision (Naprec) valves; Ikeya Formula individual throttle bodies; Samco radiator hoses
Drivetrain HKS twin-plate clutch, lightened flywheel, six-speed sequential transmission; ATS two-way LSD
By Tatsu Tscuchida
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