JPP 180SX

It was impressive just how many familiar faces I came across at the WTAC last month. Thanks to the success of the Drift Matsuri events up in Ebisu Circuit it seems half of the Australian drifting community has been to Japan's drift heaven. So it was no surprise that I bumped into David and Brie Lawrie from Japanese Parts and Performance who over the last couple of years have traveled to Japan every time Ebisu opens its gates to the best drift event on the planet. Prior to flying over to Australia, Dave mentioned that he was in the process of putting the final touches to his new drift car, an RSP13 that would be driven by…


…pro-drifter Luke Fink at the Tectaloy drift event during the WTAC.

One look at the engine bay and I knew this car was special, that NEO VVL badge on the cam cover hinting that Dave has done things slightly differently from the norm.

So very early on the main race day, as most of the time attack guys were preparing for the day ahead, I met up with the JPP team on the big concrete area behind the paddock at Eastern Creek to immortalize the 180SX under the deep blue Australian sky.

Andy at Powervehicles originally sourced the 180SX, finding the perfect base for Dave's project. Once the car arrived in Australia the work began almost instantly…

…starting with the chassis and engine. First up Dave had Fabrication 81 create a full race spec and CAMS-approved multi-point roll cage and tub the front wheel arches. If you look above you can also see the bar that was welded in place from the strut towers to the chassis, adding enough rigidity but not stiffening the front end too much, an unwanted thing on a drift-specific car. Then came the engine. In order to boost low-rpm response and mid-range torque Dave came up with the idea of dropping an SR20VE VVL variable valve timing and lift head from a P12 Primera onto the SR block. Even in Japan this is a rare modification, I've personally only seen this done to a handful of cars, Under Suzuki's S15 being one of them. The stock cams remain but are joined by OS Giken adjustable pulleys to allow fine tuning of the timing and overlap.  BC valve springs and retainers increase reliability of continuous high rpm use. On the bottom end side of things, upgrades followed with JE pistons and Eagle connecting rods, stronger parts that are able to take the boost…

…the Kamak modified T67-25G top mount turbo supplies. A GReddy wastegate is mounted along with the blower on the 6Boost manifold while spent gasses are dumped into the custom 80 mm exhaust…

…ending with a twin pipe set up with no silencers to be seen. Piping to and from the HDI intercooler has been kept as short as possible and leads into a custom Fabrication 81 intake plenum via a BMI 90 mm throttle. The ample fuel supply is delivered by four ID 1000 cc/min injectors, which are kept topped up by pair of Bosh 044 pumps in the trunk.  Engine management is handled by an Apex ECU and power is rated at 500 HP to the wheels. Dave decided to replace the stock transmission with an R33 GTS-T unit fitted with an OS Giken gear set. Powered is juggled via the Jim Berry clutch and sent to the Nismo 2-Way LSD at the rear via a single piece tail shaft.

Plenty of suspension modifications followed with a set of Racing Logic coilovers and a host of Ikeya Formula adjustable links. JPP Advanced knuckles take care of extending that all important steering angle. Hiding behind the glossy red Rota Grid wheels are BNR32 GT-R brakes at each corner.

The exterior has been fitted with a BN Sports aero kit with 30 mm spaced front and rear overfenders.

From this angle you can notice the staggered wheel fitment with 9.5Jx17s up front and slightly bigger 10Jx18" at the rear. Achilles rubber is used all round, 235/40R17 front, 265/35R18 rear.

Dave's wife Brie took care of designing the graphics, which were then made up by Clarke Signs.

 It's hard not to notice the massive rear wing…

…or the wing stays, machined with the JPP logo.

This was Luke's office for the weekend, a safe place to be in thanks to that roll-cage!

The main dashboard remains, but is joined with a custom center console…

…onto which a line up of GReddy gauges have been fitted.

To help the driver keep an eye on boost, the respective gauge is fitted on the left side of the instrument binnacle.

The Power FC Commander offers a few pages worth of useful readings from the ECU, making it easy to keep an eye on engine vitals.

Here is Luke in action during the Tectaloy drift competition where he managed to finish in 5th position.

An imprssive car to say the least and now that it's all done Dave can't wait to drive it in anger. He will be behind the wheel this weekend duing a Powercruise demo run in Queensland as well as the Australian Drift Grand Prix round.
I'd like to thanks David & Brie as well as Luke for giving us some time to shoot the car at Eastern Creek during what must have been a very busy morning for everyone! Thanks guys!

Dave would like to thank:
- Dent Wizard
- Racing Logic
- PITS
- Race Clutch
- Achilles Tyres
- Rota Wheels

Here is the complete spec list:

Engine:
In-house built S13 SR20DET block, modified to accept P12 Primera head,
JE Pistons & Eagle Rods
ARP full stud kit
Cosmetic head gasket
P12 Primera SR20VE head
OS Giken cam gears 
BC valve springs and retainers
Fabrication 81custom inlet manifold 
BMI 90mm throttle body
ID 1000 cc/min injectors
Aeromotive fuel regulator
ARC sump
HKS oil cooler
KOYO radiator
BMI ø90 mm throttle body
HDI intercooler
Custom I/C piping
6Boost exhaust manifold
Modified T67-25G Turbo
GReddy external wastegate
Stainless steel ø80 mm exhaust in to twin tips, no mufflers
GT-R lift pump
3-liter surge tank
Twin Bosch 044 fuel pumps
Fabrication 81 front wheel tubs

Transmission:
R33 GTS-T gearbox with OS Giken gear set
Adapter plate SR to RB
Custom Jim Berry race clutch
Single piece tail shaft
Nismo 2-way SLD
GT-R drive shafts

Suspension & Braking:
Racing Logic coilovers (8kg/mm springs front, 6 kg/mm springs rear)
Ikeya Formula lower front arms
Ikeya Formula tie rods
Ikeya Formula rear lower arms
Ikeya Formula rear castor rods
Ikeya Formula rear toe arms
JPP Advanced knuckles
Bolt on rack spacers
Cradle spacers
R32 GT-R brakes all round
URAS extra lock hand brake shoes

Exterior:
Type X taillights
BN Sports body kit
30mm front fenders with z spacing
30mm rear overfenders
Ban Sports rear wing & custom JPP stays
Graphics designed by Brie
Stickers done by Clarke Signs

Wheels & Tires:
Custom painted Rota GRID 9.5Jx17" +12 (front), 10Jx18" +15 (rear)
Achilles tires 235/40R17 (front), 265/35R18 (rear)

Interior:
Fabrication 81 welded-in Cams-approved roll-cage
Racing bucket seat
Personal steering wheel
GReddy gauges
Custom center console
Power FC Commander

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