The Nissan 180SX has been a mainstay of JDM culture ever since it began. This small, barebones sports car with rear-wheel drive shared it’s platform with the S13 Silvia, which for many young drivers was a highly attractive prospect. Very few were left untouched; they were either used as drift missiles or insane project cars with more style than substance. For those not old enough to drive, games like Need For Speed and Gran Turismo inspired a whole generation to one day go out and buy a JDM classic. Zachary fits firmly into this demographic, specifically seeking out a 180SX to make his own. The car he found was nothing like the one you see here, so let’s go through it all in today’s blog post.
Zachary bought the car back in 2019 for the low low price of $4,000. The previous owner from Sydney actually had the car stolen before it was recovered by police. It was in working condition and Zach did very little to it until one day he decided to refresh and personalise it. Despite the bills, a young child and a torn ACL eating into his finances and wellbeing, he was able to get the car straight and have it painted in a truly dazzling orange metallic colour. You simply cannot miss it and no, it’s not that 350Z colour but rather a GT-R colour from the 2017 model. Considering that Zach was the class ginger at school, it’s an extremely fitting colour.
Now, I’m not the biggest Need For Speed fan but I played Underground 2 several times and the first car I bought was the 180SX on every occassion. Compared to the front-drive hatchbacks and the Corolla, it looked like the superior car for me to start my career with. The rear end tailights are burned into my brain from all that time playing in chase camera, so I very much have a connection to this machine. Even back then I knew I was looking at something special, so I’m not surprised to see people put some serious effort into these builds. It doesn’t have to be insane – simply keeping them on the road and adding some extra pieces is enough to win respect from fellow drivers.
This 180SX is the second iteration of the model, removing the odd “pig nose” in the process. It’s the one to have and by far the most popular version. It may not look it but this car has a subtle bodykit with a lower front bumper, sideskirts and rear bumper. The mirrors are smoother than standard, and the exhaust is well polished with a chrome finish. A spoiler on the back of the hatch keeps the rear looking rather handsome, whilst the second spoiler on top adds another distinctive touch. The wheels are are split 5 spoke design finished in a dark copper, which I think is excellent for this style of car. It’s a great way to preserve and enhance a 30 plus year old chassis.
I find it hard to believe that this car first saw the light of day in 1989. You wouldn’t think so looking at the uncomplicated, flowing lines and classic sports car proportions. The all glass rear hatch helps this dramatically – much like the original Honda NSX. No matter how you cut it, the 180SX is a classic and Zachary’s is honestly one of the nicest I’ve ever seen. It’s not a so-called “big ticket” item compared to an SP3 Daytona, but I don’t care because it’s people like Zach who make car culture what it is today.
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