What’s so special about S-chassis?

Nissan’s SR20 and the S-chassis. Is there a more legendary JDM combo? Sure, there were plenty of other famous matches like the 4G63 and Evo, EJ20 and WRX, RB and Skyline, 13B and RX-7, 4AGE and AE86 but the sheer numbers and the popularity of the SR20-powered Silvias easily make it the definite JDM Tuner Combo of the late 1990s and early 2000s.

Let’s start with a bit of background info on the S-chassis. While the first car to carry the famous “Silvia” badge thus the OG S-chassis, was the CSP311 made back in 1965, what most people picture when referring to an “S-chassis” are the Silvias made between 1988 and 2002, namely the S13, S14 and S15 – And they’re the cars we are looking at today.

Sadly, North America didn’t get many of these, and the ones they did get, were powered by an asthmatic, naturally aspirated, 2.4L iron block KA24 engine. Arguably the best Silvia of them all, the S15, never even made it to USA. What the heck, Nissan?

Silvia S13 (1988 – 1994)

The famous JDM combo, the Batman and Robin of the Japanese Tuner car – which is Nissan’s SR20 and the S-chassis started with this car, the S13 Silvia. Introduced in 1988, and originally powered by the CA18DET the engine was changed to SR20DET in 1991.

With its comparatively low price, front engine and rear-wheel-drive platform, well-balanced and lightweight chassis, and potent engine, the S13 quickly became a hit with tuning enthusiasts. The drifters loved the S13’s independent multilink rear suspension giving it a hero status at Japanese drifting competitions.

Go to Haltech Plug’n’Play ECU solutions for Nissan Silvia S13

The Drifter

Anthony’s S13 is indicative of where most S13 end up these days – and that’s a dedicated drift car. Over the years his 1992 S13 has undergone numerous transformations and now runs an SR20VET a very desirable NEO VVL head.

Anthony engine has been so thoroughly overhauled and upgraded it can serve as an SR20 modifying guide. CP forged pistons, Manley I-Beam forged conrods, linished crankshaft, Darton sleeves. The ported and polished head uses Kelford 184ST camshafts, Supertech valve springs. Boost is provided by GCG GTX 3076R Gen2 turbo with Turbosmart external wastegate. The whole combo is controlled by Haltech’s Elite 1500 ECU.

“I’m not going to lie, this is a high maintenance car. I hate having to fix it between events and always rushing to get it done. But when I’m driving it I just can’t stop smiling.”

“It’s a high and a great stress relief at the same time. I can’t explain it in any other way.”

S13 180SX (1989 – 1998)

The 180SX actually started its life as an S13 liftback variant, which proved so popular Nissan decided to split it off from the main range and sell it as a separate, new model in 1989. It outlived its S13 sibling and even overlapped the next generation of S-chassis models in Japan. The 180SX is considered by many to be the most sought-after S-chassis model.

Go to Haltech Plug’n’Play ECU solutions for Nissan Silvia S13/180SX

The Cruiser

Because of its longer life span, there are still some fairly unmolested examples of the 180SX on the market. This particular one, owned by Blair from Mighty Car Mods’ would score highly on the S-chassis purity scale. While not exactly period-correct, a great deal of care has been taken to keep this 180SX’s mods in line with “the spirit” of the original design.

Time Attack Weapon

Despite, or perhaps due to, their popularity, plenty of 180SX still ended up getting the full race car treatment. Andrew’s car is perhaps one of the most extreme examples but also a testimony to how far this engine and chassis combo can be pushed. We’ve got a full feature on this interesting build coming soon.

If the 180SX is the most desirable,the S14 best looking and the S15 the best handling Silvia, the best SR20DET resided in none of those cars.

Curiously enough, the VVL version of the SR20DET went into Nissan’s Bluebird, a pedestrian, four door sedan and a quasi-offroader X-trail. Go figure.

Silvia S14 Zenki (1994 – 1997)

Introduced in 1994, the S14 was lower, wider, and slightly shorter than its predecessor. With a longer wheelbase and track, the S14 was rumored to be heavily influenced by the popular Nissan Skyline.

The SR20DET was updated with Nissan’s variable valve timing system and a larger T28 ball-bearing turbocharger. The changes yielded more power to counter the increase in weight. One for the trivia fans – the S14 was the first S-chassis car to come with five-stud wheels.

Go to Haltech Plug’n’Play ECU solutions for Nissan Silvia S14 Series 1

Silvia S14 Kouki (1997 – 1999)

The S14 received an update in 1997 with a more aggressive front end and a new Garrett T28 turbo with a ceramic core. This version came to be known as “Kouki” and it cemented Silvia’s place in the JDM tuner world.

Go to Haltech Plug’n’Play ECU solutions for Nissan Silvia S14 Series 2

The Stunner

Bronte’s S14 is a perfect example of the model’s heyday. Highly personalised, full of bolt-on mods and undeniably eye catching. Additionally, and perhaps most importantly, enjoyed on daily basis.

Bronte’s tasteful mods ainclude a GT2860RS turbo, HKS cam gears, Invidia exhaust, Mishimoto radiator, fans, catch can and overflow bottle. Suspension consists of Silver Neo coilovers, Hardrace caster arms, and Cusco strut braces. The throttle has been converted to drive-by-wire and the whole setup is controlled by a Haltech Elite 1500 ECU with the iC-7 digital display replacing the factory cluster.

In the late 1990s and the early 2000s it was near impossible to miss the S-chassis cars. Drifting had spread across the world making Silvias synonymous with the sport.

As well as drifting, Silvias also dominated the street and show scene. Two decades on we might question some of the choices made by their builders and owners but there’s no denying the ubiquity of the S-chassis platform in the scene.

Silvia S15 (1999 – 2002)

As is the case with most cars, the last model usually is the best one, as the manufacturers iron out all the kinks and get all the systems performing at their best. That is also the case here, with the S15 considered to be the best S-chassis car in the range.

Released in 1999, the S15 scored a new SR20DET with an upgraded T28 turbo with a factory-claimed output of 164 kilowatts (in the Spec R version). It also featured the first six-speed manual transmission in the S-chassis, four-piston brake calipers (sourced from the 300ZX), and for the first time the viscous LSD was changed to a helical LSD. Interestingly, the S15 was also offered with a four-wheel steering option. Unfortunately, only residents of Japan, Australia, and New Zealand were able to buy the final S-chassis from Nissan leaving the rest of the world envious and anxiously waiting for the 25-Year rule to lapse.

Go to Haltech Plug’n’Play ECU solutions for Nissan Silvia S15

The Weekend Warrior

While there are numerous S15 competing in various forms of motorsport from drifting to time attack, Fernando’s 2001 Spec R is perhaps the most commonly found combination of a tough streeter and a weekend warrior. Running enough serious upgrades to make it fun on a race track, this S15 also takes advantage of Haltech’s flex fuel system giving Fernando the option to run on PULP or E85.

“It’s surprisingly comfortable and easy to drive. The shifter, steering wheel, and seat are perfect for my body proportions.”

“The fuel economy is not great and the clutch is on the heavy side but the car is setup for track days so it comes with the territory.”

SR20 Sans S-chassis

The SR20 proved so popular it was used in a variety of different applications from small SUVs like the X-trail to family sedans like the Bluebird and most importantly the Pulsar range which included the mighty Nissan Pulsar GTi-R, an AWD, turbo hot hatch that competed in WRC with the likes of Stig Blomqvist and Tomi Makinen behind the wheel.

The S-Swapping Game

Being compact, readily available and relatively inexpensive, SR20s ending up in plenty of engine swaps. From old school Datsuns, to RX-7s and even Toyota AE86s like this one here. Built and owned by Adam from Just Engine Management this is one of the best-sounding and hardest-charging AE86 we’ve seen.

Adam reckons the swap was relatively easy and made the car much more enjoyable to drive.

Silvias in 2023: desirable or duds?

Just like with any performance car from that era, finding a clean example is getting pretty hard, and they’re not exactly cheap anymore, but the combination of a well-balanced chassis, and a solid easy to work on, (somewhat reliable) engine coupled with a great after-market support is still there. Add to it a touch of the Golden Era of JDM nostalgia and you start to understand the appeal of the S-chassis cars.

The support network for the SR20 and S-chassis is huge, so good, practical advice is never far away. So if you’ve ever looked at a Silvia with a twinkle in your eye, don’t overthink it, as far as JDM tuner classics go, they’re right up there with the Supras, and Skylines, albeit at a fraction of the cost.

Coming soon: What’s so special about the SR20DET