Discussion>>the S-chassis Phenomenon

For this year's S-Chassis week, we thought it would be cool to try something a little different – a roundtable discussion of sorts between some of the Speedhunters staff about the S-Chassis movement.

Below you'll find a rather interesting discussion between Charles Kha, Matt Malcolm, Linhbergh, and myself covering several different S-Chassis topics – including the popularity of the cars, our most influential examples, and even the hot V8 swap issue.

Shall we start gentlemen?

OVERALL IMPRESSIONS OF THE S-CHASSIS. WHAT MAKES THEM SO POPULAR?

Mike: To
me the Nissan S-chassis is one of the world’s great cars. There are
great dream cars like the Ford GT or the Ferrari F40, but the appeal
S-Chassis is more along the lines of icons like the Ford Mustang or the
BMW 3-Series. It’s a great car that is also affordable and accessible.
It has great looks, a potent chassis from the factory, and a massive
aftermarket following. It has the perfect balance of practicality and
performance, without being overloaded with fancy gizmos. It is one of
the best, and most versatile build platforms ever.

Charles: I
agree with Mike that affordability played a big role making Nissan’s
S-chassis so popular. The fact that Nissan didn’t tamper with ‘the
formula’ over consecutive models – such as the 13, 14, 15 platforms –
was also a pivotal reason why they’re still popular til today.
Effectively it meant that the aftermarket could build on the parts they
had already developed, and didn’t need to start from scratch when a
replacement model came along. The huge aftermarket catalogue that
S-chassis owners have is certainly a reason why they continue to be
attractive cars to own.

Matt: In
my opinion the S-chassis is a true and almost pure drivers car. An FR
layout and a distilled and minimalistic cockpit with no TCS or Stability
Systems. Effectively what you saw was what you got. Three pedals, a
steering wheel, a gear stick and if you were lucky, no rust for those
with sunroofs! Mike and Charles both acknowledged the affordability, and
availability, and this is especially true here in New Zealand. Both of
these traits have played a large and integral part in making such a
popular motoring icon. Not to mention the colossal amount of aftermarket
performance bolt-on's available to turn lame-duck SR20's, CA18's and
KA24's into fire-breathing monsters which really made them popular
tuning icons for the masses.

Linhbergh:
It wasn't until recently that I understood just why the S-Chassis have
always been known as "cheater-chassis" to those that drift other cars.
When I had the chance to drive Mark Arcenal's S14, I saw the light.
They're excellent learner cars for anyone looking to get into drifting.
You can feel the car and predict exactly how the car is going to react.
It's that reason, plus its affordability, huge aftermarket support, and
the fact that it looks damn good when absolutely slammed has definitely
solidified its popularity.

YOUR FAVORITE CHASSIS AND WHY

Mike:
My personal favorite of the three main chassis has to be the S15. While
theS13 might be the most iconic, there is just something about the
ichi-go – it’s one of my favorite automobiles of all time. First off
there is the styling. Styling-wise, the S15 looks like it could almost
be the budget Ferrari that never existed. Underneath, it has more power
and a chassis that Nissan perfected after years of development. Even by
2011 standards, it could compete with everything else on the market.

Charles:
I was a big 180SX fan when it came out, and in high school I adored the
Kouki S14. But the S15 is still the one that I’d own. In my opinion the
S15 is the perfect blank canvas to build a potent performance car.

Matt: Forever
it would have to be the Kouki S14. Everyone loves their first car, and
mine just happened to be a Kouki S14. It rolled into my driveway late
one summers evening, a stock standard, poverty pack model, not much to
look at but at least it was mine. Over the years it turned from a NA,
non-LSD, 4-lug wimp of a car into a 5-lug, LSD, manual, half-caged,
SR20DET, money-pit of endless love and frustration. Would I change
anything about it? Hell no!

Linhbergh:
I'm a big fan of the Sil80 because of its
the-future-according-to-the-1990s look. I like the styling of the S15,
but the S15 steps into douchebag driver/owner territory for me. A la Top
Gear cool wall, you rarely ever see cool person own a really sweet
street tuned S15 –at least that's how it is in the States.

S-CHASSIS NEGATIVES

Mike:  Due to the
immense popularity, it can be extremely hard to find them in good shape.
Here in the US at least, it seems like half of all 240SX’s are
primered, junky, and beaten half to death. A stock, untouched 240 on the
streets of SoCal is rarer than a Ferrari. At the same time, as an
American it’s hard not to think that we got the short end of the deal
when it comes to the S-Chassis. While the rest of the world got the cool
turbocharged engines, we had to make do with less-inspiring KA24. It
also seems that about 80% of all the S13’s and S14’s sold in the US came
with automatic transmissions, yuck. On the bright side, at least us
Yanks GOT the S-chassis. That’s more than can be said for a lot of the
cool Japanese cars out there…

Charles:
[laughs] Well I guess I can’t complain; in Australia we were fortunate
enough to receive SR20DET S14s and S15s, and the S13s are available as
grey imports. Overall I think they’re really solid, but there are some
things in the design of the SR20 head that can be limiting… and I also
think they’re rather unimpressive in stock trim!

Matt: Top
bellhousing bolts, Spigot bushes, leaky sunroofs, rusty sunroofs, ughh
where do I start guys?! When I think about it, and if I really had to
pick one negative, it would be the simple demand and supply economics we
all know. The problem is that they are so damn popular that it's
starting to become hard to find an untouched example. And when you do
finally find one they are just so damn expensive!

Linhbergh: To
me, the biggest negative for the S-Chassis is its own popularity. It's a
double edged sword. It saddens me everytime I see updates on the
various social networks and forums of people's S-chassis getting
stolent! I don't think Formula D driver, Cody Parkhouse, ever recovered
his stolen drift car. :(

MOST INFLUENTIAL S-CHASSIS EXAMPLES

Charles: On
a personal level it would be the Auto Salon Industrie S15 drift car, as
I was involved with it from the start. It taught me a lot about the
S-chassis. But in terms of being the most influential for the scene, my
vote would be for the HKS RS2 Hyper Silvia that Taniguchi drove in D1GP.
That’s the one S-chassis that really stands out in my mind. 

Mike: Since
I am partial to street cars, there are two specific S-chassis cars that
stick out to me. One of them has to be Koguchi’s original street 180SX.
It looked awesome, it was low budget, and he drove it like a mad man.
It represents everything that’s great about the S-Chassis. The car (and
the man behind the wheel) converted many into S-Chassis beleivers. On
the other hand, a perfect modern example would be Dai Yoshihara’s
Formula D car. Yes it’s been extensively modified, and is powered by a
V8, but it is one of the top cars in pro drifting and a testament to
the longevity of the chassis.

Matt:
Well said Mike, Koguchi's street 180SX was definitely an awesome
example of an influential car. But I would have to say that Nakamura's
S13 Silvia from Team Burst in Japan would have to be one of the most
personally influential Silvia's. It immortalizes the S13's spirit, the
crazyness, the fun, and the fact the car just takes so much abuse and
comes out wanting more at the other end. How could you not love it!?

Linhbergh:
I'm going to have to agree with Charles about the HKS RS2 Hyper Silvia
being the most influential. That car skyrocketed the car into the
limelight it has now. But the S-Chassis that made me completely fall in
love with the S-Chassis is Joshua Maghirang's Rootbeer colored Risky
Devil 180SX. The shots of it with the hood off blew my mind. Up until that point, I've never seen an S-Chassis that "hard" looking. 

V8'S IN S-CHASSIS

Mike:
Any time a V8-powered S-chassis pops up on Speedhunters, a huge
debate ignites in the comments section. Personally, I don’t see what the
big issue is – it’s just an engine. V8s make lots of easy power, they
have a good sound, and are plentiful and cheap here in the USA. Apart
from the performance difference, you also have to remember that the
SR20DET and other turbocharged engines were never available in the
states, making them a bit more difficult to build and maintain. If the
car is driven well and has good style, who cares what’s under the hood?

Charles:
When I was over in LA, Will, Linhbergh, Larry and I were actually
discussing this over dinner. I think I’m on the fence with this one. I
can understand both sides of the argument, and both have valid reasons.
But if I owned an S-chassis myself, I’d stick with building an SR20.

Matt: A
touchy subject indeed guys, with claims of ruined handling, poor weight
distribution and all the other stigma that follow a V8 swap it does
make for an interesting and quite personal argument. I feel at the top
end of the scale, where top competition drivers are striving for rel
ability and wider torque bands that a V8 power plant does make very
practical sense. On the other side of the coin though, I can see more
and more 1JZ and 2JZ swaps becoming increasingly common with amateur
drivers, partially due to how easily they can make good usable power and
dare I say it, partially because of how reliable the Toyota motors are.
Regardless, I feel the SR20 is a timeless and fairly robust platform,
and at the end of the day whichever road you take you will be certain to
cross the different pros and cons of each.

Linhbergh: Cheap
reliable power and you don't have to source parts from Japan to repair
it. Break your drift car in the middle of nowhere America? Hop down to
any GM dealership and parts are right there. I totally support this
movement.

WHERE DO YOU SEE THE S-CHASSIS GOING IN THE FUTURE?

Mike: As
for the future of the S-chassis, it’s uncertain whether or not Nissan
will release a new version of the car. Until then, I don’t think the
enthusiasm for the existing S-chassis will fade at all. One thing that might become an
issue is availability – there are only so many of these cars to go
around. In a way, rarity might be a good thing as there will be more and
more quality-built cars out there. Whatever happens, I’m sure we’ll
still be talking about the good old S-chassis in the years and decades
to come.

Charles: I’d love to
see Nissan continue with the S-chassis, particularly as they’ve done
such a great job with the Z33/Z34/R35. Regardless, I think enthusiasts
will still have affection for the current crop of S-chassis platforms
because they’re so versatile. The biggest attraction I think is that you
can build a competent S-chassis drift or circuit car without it having
to be an absolute pig on the street. That’s a big plus in my books.

Matt:
Future and S-Chassis in the same sentence? Please Nissan hear my cries!
Because the S-Chassis as Charles mentioned is such a versatile platform
I think its only natural that we will see a further evolution in terms
of both style and the range of engine swaps. Different trends will come
and go but one thing is for sure, the chassis will continue to grow and
develop with the years. In the meantime, I'm just going to cross my
fingers and toes that Nissan develop and build a platform that is true
to the driver and that has the same longevity as our beloved S-Chassis.

Linhbergh:
I'm with all of you on this one. It'd be great to see a new S-Chassis,
but I'm afraid for it as well. Any new S-Chassis will probably be a
heavy, bloated, luxury sport sedan, impossible to modify, and with
electronic gizmos controlling your every input. Look at how far the
current generation of 3 series BMWs are from the original E30. Not even
the 1 series can be considered a worthy successor. Maybe I'm just
pessimistic but we do live in a world where cars are designed by a
corporation's board members and shareholders looking at profit margins
rather than passionate car designers.

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1

"you rarely ever see cool person own a really sweet street tuned S15 --at least that's how it is in the States."

They sold the s15 in the states?



2

We need a feature spread on Dai's S13. And possibly some video for the sweet sound of the LS series V8. :) Completely agree with Linhbergh on V8s.

3

I DONT LIKE V8 SWAPS it feels like cheating in drag and drift in drift they keep on putting these motors in these cars just to make torque but it seems like every ones doing it, I mean i like Dai i Wear my drift monkey shirt all the time and was wanting him to win FD last year (still its good JR won) but i wish he did a SR swap or a KA or a RB but when i saw that ls motor in their i was alittle upset it was a beautiful car jus not a very atractive motor. to me V8s just dont sound good to me at all eather a friend of mine told me that F1 cars are the pinical of automotve tecnology and the dont sound or run like (american) V8s the run like Rotarys. but on the fact of a new S- chassis car ian scared to the poind i kin of dont want nissan to build the car yet at leat not untill they learn how to start shaving weight i mean the Z a 2 SEATER SPORTS CAR is just as heavy as a supra and the Z33 was 3500 lbs!!! WTF!! if mazda can create a 2800 lbs 4 door 4 seater sports car then why is the Z 3300 lbs, i mean u can say that the Rx8 is so light because of the rotary that weighs 257 lbs fully dressed but the RX8 is a 4 door car the z should be 2800 lbs at the most. But if they can build a S-chassis car that is about 2700 lbs and has 250 hp it would be the perfict car to chalenge the FT-86 (or FRS. i will be so upset if that car is a scion but thats another conversation for another time). if they could do that and give it something like the S15s lines then that would be perfict

4

Holy fucking run on sentance, Ty280. Christ, please go back to elementary school and learn how to communicate with others with a language we call ENGLISH.

6

I know, Rob I tryed posting that before but it didnt post up so I was pissed and distracted and wasent paying alot of atention to that when i was typing it. Im sure its filled with spelling mistakes and other grammer mistakes too. And how come nobody ever types the z at the end of my name.

7

i enjoyed the perspectives shared by the panel. when/if i find a s-chassis to start from, a v8 swap would definitely find its way under the hood. cheap. reliable. power.

8

This was a great discussion to read tonight. I remember when I was shopping for my first car and ended up test driving an S13 Fastback. Sadly, it was an automatic but a great car none-the-less. Upon inspection from my local garage, it edned up being a mix of two chassis and a ton of body filler. While it drove great, it was not an ideal first buy (and i'm definiatly not afraid of a project). So i kept searching and ended up with a 94' 300ZX (which is currently being rebuilt after the loss of the motor in a minor accident). Anyways, part of me still wants to own a great S chassis car to enjoy on the many Pennsylvania mountain rounds. The perfect S chassis for me would roughly be an S14.5 exterior, no more than 300whp from a slightly built KA24DE-T, a complete suspension overhaul, Sparco seats and steering wheel, a mix of alcantara and Bride clothe materials, a graphite metallic paintjob, and flat black Enkei RPF1's.

9

Sadly I think they days of cars like the S13-15 has passed, at least in a new car sense. Crash Regs, Emissions Regs etc have all contributed to killing the type of cars we love.

Ty280z - maybe ease off on the pipe before posting. V8s are great things in the right circumstances, but it depends what you're doing, try getting that sort of torque from an SR, KA or RB and its life is measured in minutes.

Jash

10

Great discussion...i dont know why, but my S13 is in the garage to fix up, and with all of the negative things on it i still love the car.



I'm afraid that nissan dont make a s16...or if they make it, it will come not great as the previous models s13,14,and 15.

11

Great discussion guys, although I've never owned an S-Chassis, I see myself in one in the next few years. Good to see the V8 discussion as I'm not fussed, but can see why both sides argue with fervour for their beliefs.

12

Linhbergh is right on the money. Please do not ever make another car called a Silvia or anything with SX on the end. It just can't turn out good due to government regulations and safety standards. Were in a different time now and these kinds of cars will never be produced again. Enjoy it while were still allowed to.

13

Ive got my fingers crossed for the next gen s-chassis, but prety sure it will jus be a matter of time, I doubt it will be a heavy, bloated, luxury sport sedan cos thats what the 350z & 370z's are, no point in having 2 ov the same in production at the same time, unless they are aiming to bring the s16 in when the 370z's time is up!

14

I DONT LIKE V8 SWAPS it feels like cheating in drag and drift in drift they keep on putting these motors in these cars just to make torque but it seems like every ones doing it, I mean i like Dai i Wear my drift monkey shirt all the time and was wanting him to win FD last year (still its good JR won) but i wish he did a SR swap or a KA or a RB but when i saw that ls motor in their i was alittle upset it was a beautiful car jus not a very atractive motor. to me V8s just dont sound good to me at all eather a friend of mine told me that F1 cars are the pinical of automotve tecnology and the dont sound or run like (american) V8s the run like Rotarys. but on the fact of a new S- chassis car ian scared to the poind i kin of dont want nissan to build the car yet at leat not untill they learn how to start shaving weight i mean the Z a 2 SEATER SPORTS CAR is just as heavy as a supra and the Z33 was 3500 lbs!!! WTF!! if mazda can create a 2800 lbs 4 door 4 seater sports car then why is the Z 3300 lbs, i mean u can say that the Rx8 is so light because of the rotary that weighs 257 lbs fully dressed but the RX8 is a 4 door car the z should be 2800 lbs at the most. But if they can build a S-chassis car that is about 2700 lbs and has 250 hp it would be the perfict car to chalenge the FT-86 (or FRS. i will be so upset if that car is a scion but thats another conversation for another time). if they could do that and give it something like the S15s lines then that would be perfict

15

hate the fact that in every blog/forum or website i've visited, all the s-chassis cars are being flamed for not having the so called 'hellaflush' stance. as if its the must have mods for every s-chassis cars out there.

just a decent fitment like the previous recently spotlite "redliners rb25 s13 is enough.

modding a car till it drag frames, cracks bodykit and destroy oilpans breaks the essence of the fun and reliable daily drive s-chassis cars.

16

Where are the S12's!

17

REALLY NICE ONCE AGAIN; IT´S ALL ABOUT S CHASSIS.

AGAIN.

YOU SHOULD TRY SOMETHING ELSE.

18

any more pictures of the red s13, second picture on this page. its beautiful

19

That first pic of the car lifting BOTH front tires...ooooooo yah.

20

Motors are power plants. It's not cheating if you have put the time, money, and effort of stuffing the damn thing in your engine bay. If it doesn't belong, it's unique and will probably get you on Speed Hunters very quickly. S-13's will forever be in my heart...first car was an S13 coupe (still have) and bought a RPS13 when I was in Japan. But I also have the love for BMW's and Miata's...not to mention everything else on wheels including Honda's

21

I used to be disappointed with any news of hearing about a V8 swap... But the more I think about it, the more its fine with me.



its all subjective, its all 4 stroke engines, and its still done out of the love of tinkering with this car. For example, that 2 tone blue/gray S13 built by a dude with his dad, featured on here.... My first initial thought wasn't about the V8 under the hood, but rather how perfectly executed the whole package was. It was in my opinion, the best Silvia I had seen in 2010...and this is coming from a guy who would go through a dozen engine configs before I'd even consider a V8 in an S chassis.

22

STFU Ty. V8s are awesome. You're just an ignorant fanboy without a clue.

23

I say send an email to nissan including these comments and discussions to give them an idea of how popular an s16 with the same design consept would be.

24

Great discussion here guys. I am still a purist at heart so if you want big power still go nissan. And nissan has power to offer RBs... but a little off track i still believe s chassis like the s15 and also Soarers are some of the most beautiful cars produced in the 90s. U can show a s15 to a guy that knows nothing about cars and his jaw will drop and ask him what manufacture it is and he will be sure to tell you lambo or somthing crazy

25

Drifting is a form of grassroots motorsport where more often than not the budgets are quite limited. That's why the Nissan S-chassis is so popular. It's a cost effective option of getting your foot in the drift door. This leads to the reason why V8 engine swaps are ideal. Drifters who live in metropolitan areas likely have to deal with emissions. For that reason alone a V8 swap would be ideal. Not to mention parts for American V8 engines are everywhere. An LS1 swap would cost a few grand, an LT1 even less, and suddenly you've got all the power you really need to have fun and more money in your pocket for things that really matter - like buying replacement tires.

26

Matt stated that "ruined handling, poor weight distribution and all the other stigma that follow a V8 swap" as reasons why people argue against v8 swaps. I think we need to distinct between the countless v8 swaps and the infamous LS GM gen ii swaps.

the typical ls1 has been proven to be lighter than a KA, and have a lower center of gravity "since all the weight is in the block and not hanging over the heads" so many need to put the stigmas that come to mind to rest....



I think the issue is the way the Drift scene particularly here in America came to be. and the savage lack or respect that the muscle heads and "V8" guys gave to many who were building s chassis at the time, and in many cases still do.



now many members of the S Chassis people have enough respect amongst themselves that they have a semi resistance against all things muscle.



they hate the fact that people are now using the properties from the muscle crowd to build awesome drift cars. and complain about it "ruining the car" or "no sounding right" or "messing up the legacy" etc...



the legacy of the S Chassis is being cheap dependable and fun.

the legacy of the gen ii v8 is being cheap dependable and fun.



theoretically and logically they fit together like peanut butter and jelly.

but the "Opinionated" hate is just that an "Opinion"



I tire of people making up false claims about why a particular setup sucks because of opinionated reasons that are based on the type of crowd that supports that particular car.



Just be honest about your opinions and stop hiding behind lies....

27

could it be possible that a coachbuilder/tuner gets the rights to build new S13, S14, S15 chassis and body.

They do that for old USDM muscle cars no? So, if there's a market why not give it a try with silvias. It could solve the problem of finding unmolested chassis. new engines would also had to be built.

Imagine taking delivery of a brand new stock SR20DET S13 in 2020!!!

28

the reasons why we don't have lightweight an simple replacements to great cars like the E30 are emissions regulations, crash tests, comfort and electronics (that most buyers require) and safety features that slowly becomes mandatory (first ABS, next ESP...)

29

Linhbergh, now that you own a BMW, you need to get the different series right.

The 3-Series didn't start with the E30, but with the E21 back in '75 ;)



Other than that, great discussion guys. I'd personally like to see more of this.

30

Motors are power plants. It's not cheating if you have put the time, money, and effort of stuffing the damn thing in your engine bay. If it doesn't belong, it's unique and will probably get you on Speed Hunters very quickly. S-13's will forever be in my heart...first car was an S13 coupe (still have) and bought a RPS13 when I was in Japan. But I also have the love for BMW's and Miata's...not to mention everything else on wheels including Honda's

31

Motors are power plants. It's not cheating if you have put the time, money, and effort of stuffing the damn thing in your engine bay. If it doesn't belong, it's unique and will probably get you on Speed Hunters very quickly. S-13's will forever be in my heart...first car was an S13 coupe (still have) and bought a RPS13 when I was in Japan. But I also have the love for BMW's and Miata's...not to mention everything else on wheels including Honda's

32

HellaFlush = Nothing but a bunch of HARDPARKERS

33

2nd Most hated car next to the Mustang?

35

Here in the UK, Sbodys are mostly ruined, its a shame, most of them have been fitted out with cheap bodykits, crap wheels, shit paint and poor modifications. In the winter we salt our roads like mad, and our cars rust like hell (shame, i've lived in canada, with much worse winters and the cars have much less rust), our safety test (MOT) sends a lot of these cars to the scrap yard. Finding a cheap, good Sbody is difficult, its cheaper/similar in cost to buy a BMW E36 m3 (remember we get the full fat 282/321bhp M3's rather than north americas weak m3's). For this reason as much as i'd like a sweet white stanced up S14, i probably wont.



As far as the V8 swaps go, i find the US attitudes a little daft, the SR20det is a good engine, but it is one of the least inspiring sounding engines ever. Unless highly tuned it sounds like a wet fart. Its attatched to a gearbox that is likley to lose 3rd gear and once tuned, loses a lot of its reliability. In the UK a V8 is a special thing, most of our V8's are in Jags/BMWs/Merc's so you never hear them, the average modified car is (due to our crippling fuel and insurance costs) a small, sub 2l, 4 cyl, tuned for economy car (think mid 90's gm/ford/french products) and no-one wants to hear a loud 4cyl. If someone fits a v8 (or even a straight 6) to a drift car, its an awesome thing, especially since drifting makes engine sound that bit more awesome than other forms of motorsport. With v8's the weight sits further back, lower and generally without all the ancilleries of the other swapout fave, a big heavy turbo straight 6. Give ma a V8, maybe north america is bored with the V8, but here in the uk, we need it!



I'm out of the UK at the moment, but my next drift car, well i cant halp it, if i can find a cheap, imported (read rust free) early S14 in white, for the right price, i'll buy it. But chances are, i'll spend 3k on an E36 M3, 6k on a E39 M5, or 8k on a E46 m3, if the uk does one thing well, our keeping up with the neighbours attitude means everyone wants something new, nobody wants something bad on fuel, premum cars have massive depreciation, i'm buying a cheap BMW. Sorry nissan.

36

sparknotes of this article: Linhbergh's last paragraph. unfortunately he's dead right, haha.

37

awesome report!! really interesting comments!!



my next car will be a S-Chassis for sure! kouki s14 with sr20

38

Why no love for the s130 and the s30's?



Still S chassis' but Z's at heart

39

it sucks not having any money there is a decent unmodified convertible in my town for $1500 i currently have $30 and food stamps. all i know if i win the lottery im going to have like at least 5 s-chassis cars. all powered by different engines.

40

LiveFast said some real shit.



Logic and reason > Fanaticism and bullshit. Get your heads on straight fellas, it doesn't matter where the fuck it comes from if it works superbly. Genetic fallacy-- look it up.



Also, VK/VQ45 swaps, while rare, do not usually have the same BS comments of "OMG RUIN'D IT" in their YouTube videos. This further proves his point that most claims of how an S-chassis is ruined with a V8 swap are based more on bullshit than on fact. Not that it takes a fucking genius to figure that out.



FWIW, BK300ZX just described my ultimate dream S-chassis to a tee. Except for the flat black wheels *puke*. I'd go with brushed aluminum.



In regards to the statements about regulations killing the sport compact, this is partially true. However, the tides are definitely changing with the advent of the Genesis coupe and the FT-86 concept. I test drove a Genesis coupe and was very impressed with it's simplicity and style- the spirit that drove the S-chassis was definitely there. However, I think Nissan will bide its time to see how the FT-86 and the Genesis coupe do in the longer run before pissing away billions into a market that's been untapped for almost a decade. I wish they wouldn't, but I can't blame them.



Anyway, great article, awesome pics.

41

3k for an E36 M3? I wish you could see the tears streaming down my face.

42

Yes the big problem, is finding the good one's that are left.

43

at the end of the day, anyone could do whatever they want to thier OWN cars.. its not like the poeple above me that complain about v8 would go out of their way helping install or pay for a BJ

44

Love the S14 chassis the best. I think people should stop destroying these chassis for the sake of drifting. They have paid their dues to the craft. Modding is cool and I know how everyone just wants to take their car to the limit, but c'mon they've done their part. Although bashing them up is taking the value of my stock S14 through the roof. I'm restoring mine. Probably the first ever 240 resto project lol.

45

as far as the future of S chassis goes,





due to the large amount of aftermarket parts, id like to see a company start producing shells. like they do with the mustang.





think about it, if you get a brand new bare shell with rubbers and windows. it would be the ultimate blank canvas

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