Seafoam Dreams: Julian’s OEM+ Nissan SilEighty
The Nissan S-Chassis is arguably one of the most versatile platforms to build. There are nearly endless ways to set up a Silvia, whether it’s the S13, S14, or the S15. OEM, widebody, D-style, Formula Drift-spec, circuit, time attack, you name it. Wherever you go, you’re bound to encounter a clean S-Chassis – the Philippines included.
If you want an example of a clean S-Chassis locally, a look into the number of Silvia projects currently being built at DMF Motorsport ought to be in order. I recently visited the shop to check up on project IS200, and while I was at it I figure’d we’d take a closer look at one of DMF’s most popular builds. It’s arguably one of the most Instagram famous Silvias in the country right now – Mister @_Sil.80.
Julian’s owned the S13 for several years now, and trust me when I say it’s been through a helluva lot to get to where it is now. Having transitioned from his KE70 Corolla, I didn’t know what his plans were with the car when he first got it. All I knew was that he needed someone to sort his engine out after being stranded on the side of the road several times. Enter Mr. David M. Feliciano, the man who knows his way around Silvias much how he knows how to toss em sideways.
DMF quickly fixed Julian’s mechanical issues by swapping in a new engine paired with a Link standalone ECU. To freshen up the engine bay, he added a some Tomei goodies, including an oil cap and a valve cover. Once the mechanical issues were addressed, the question remained – what to do with the exterior.
When Julian picked up the S13, it already came with the SilEighty conversion. With the number of parts available for the car, it’s relatively easy to bring back the pop-ups and give it the full Type X treatment. There are also the popular D-style cars inspired by D1 cars from the early to mid-2000s – the ones you commonly see compete in Final Bout.
But Julian didn’t go for either route. It seems he already had something planned for the SilEighty, and it’s quite different from most S-chassis builds you see in the country. Rather than drift-style builds like the other Silvias at DMF, he went with the OEM+ look.
He kept the stock fenders and even sourced an OEM front bumper to match the Silvia front clip. The car was then repainted in the S13 Silvia’s signature two-tone Seafoam Green color paired with the Silvia lower door decal. A bit of an interesting twist considering the fastback body (RPS13) never received that two-tone shade despite coming out around the same time as the PS13 coupe. If I’m not mistaken, the only non-OEM panel on the car is the hood.
Some might not like the zenki taillights of the S13 hatchback, but it works very well with Julian’s build. I think they look better than the Type X on this occasion - and you wouldn’t worry too much about bashing them when you clip the rear. Then there’s the wheels – a rare set of Hoshino Impul G5s. Look closely, and you’ll notice Julian also kept the 4x114.3 hubs instead of the usual 5-lug swap, allowing him to rock the 14-inch Impuls without issue. With the low ride height, this SilEight breaks necks wherever he goes.
Inside, Julian kept it nice and simple with a Renown RWB steering wheel and a reclinable Bride seat for the driver. The passenger gets to sit in the comfy stock seats that came with the S13. Since the car was converted from RHD, he’s still trying to clean up the dash. If anyone reading this has a spare LHD dashboard for the S13, please hit him up.
While Julian’s S13 may seem done, for now, he still has more plans for it. A project car is never finished, after all. He won’t tell me what the next steps are for Project SilEighty, but he did give a sneak peek of what’s to come.
We can’t wait for the next step of @_Sil.80 plus his new ride.
Words and Photos by [Jose Altoveros]
Julian's Nissan SilEighty
Exterior
- OEM Aero S13 Coupe Bumper
- OEM Aero S13 Coupe Side Skirts
Engine and Driveline
- SR20DE+T Setup by DMF Drift
- S15 Stock Turbo
- Aftermarket FMIC
- Aftermarket Radiator
- LINK Engine Management
- KAAZ 2-way LSD
Wheels, Brakes, and Suspension
| - Hoshino Impul G4 15 x 7j +5 | 15 x 7.5j -10 |
- Sailun Atrezzo 195/55/15
- HKS Coilovers
Interior
- Renown RWB Steering Wheel
- Bride Seat
- Defi Gauge
