Sleek S-Chassis
S-Chassis’ can be found all over the world in varying degrees of quality, from stock time capsules to drift missiles holding on for dear life to immaculate showstoppers. Brandon's S13 is undoubtedly an example of the latter, with an extensive mod list that makes it stand out. It might be easier to ask what hasn't been done to it.
When Brandon first bought the S13, it wasn't actually the car he was looking for. After his M3-kitted BMW E36 was written off in an accident, he was looking for an R33 Skyline Sedan because it had a 6-cylinder engine. At the time, he wanted the same kind of power as the BMW he had just lost and thought that "4-cylinder was lame and slow." However, he found that "the R33 Skyline was rubbish" and ended up driving home in the S13.
So this was the beginning of the S13, but what got him into cars initially? "I feel, as do a lot of others, that our passion for cars grew from the first Fast & Furious movies alongside Playstation games like Need for Speed, etc. Buying Fast Fours and other tuner magazines that had these cars in them when I was younger, seeing the high-quality work gone into those cars started the passion and vision to build something like that of my own."
You can see these influences in the way that he's styled his S13. Wanting to know more, I asked him, "What was the driving force behind wanting to modify your car the way you have?" His reply was, "Seeing a lot of motivation on the internet from other builds around the world. But trying to add something a little different where I can from others. I feel my S13 stands out a lot compared to others around Australia. I honestly just love modifying the car and changing its looks more and more, making it how I want. Have had lots of people tell me over time that I can't do this or that, which drives me to prove them wrong and show those that I can, in fact, do that and at times better than they have."
For me, one of the indications that Brandon is achieving this goal he has for his S13 is the Car Modify Wonder wing. Its doubled-bladed design not only adds uniqueness but also seamlessly ties in various stylistic decisions. The other thing that stood out for me was that if you dive deep enough into his Insta feed, you'll see that the car once had a 180sx front. As a self-diagnosed pop-up enthusiast (who doesn't own anything with pop-ups, yet), I needed to know if he bought the S13 with it and how long he has had the current front. He responded, "Yes! It had the 180SX front on it when I first bought the car. I had that front end on the car for a bit over 3 years. After that, I decided I wanted something with a little more modern styling, as the pop-up headlights are a real 80/90s style. Without selling the car, putting the S13 front end back on was the best thing I think I could have done to it!"
Brandon's journey with his S13 has been a long and fruitful one. He's spent countless hours and money modifying it, and his mods list is a testament to his dedication to the car. When asked about the best thing he's done to his S13, he replied, "Like many of us who have been modifying our cars over many years, I've had a lot of 'best things' over time." He went on to list a few, including the S13 front-end, the rear wing, and the turbo SR20DET motor swap. "The rear wing, as much as it looks like an S14 wing, it's still far from it. Having only seen 1 other car with the Car Modify Wonder wing in Australia before mine (which has since been parted out and not seen again), I knew I wanted that wing, and it's a stand-out piece that's different from everyone else."
But as we all know, when it comes to modifying cars, you're never really done. When asked about his future plans for the car, Brandon revealed that he has a "huge list of things to come this year!" He plans on overhauling the engine bay, going for more power, tubbing the wheel arches, getting a bigger turbo, cams, R35 GTR coilpacks, a new radiator, front mount intercooler, external gate and screamer, LS1 alternator, and a bunch of Chasebays relocation kits. Needless to say, we're excited to see and hear what the car will sound and look like once it's all done.
Modifications
Note: This may not be a true representation of the car currently
BODY
Origin Labo front bar
Origin Labo rear bar
Origin Labo carbon roof lip
Custom splitter and lip kit
Ganador mirrors
Car Modify Wonder Glare wing
D-max rear LED tail light
Dark tint all around
Amber indicators
Brick headlights with 2up clear lenses
Carbon fibre GTR grill
Steel vented bonnet
Shaved boot lock
Tinted weather shields
INTERIOR
Viper security system with GPS tracking
Genuine Recaro SR2 seats
Genuine Bride MO low rails
Nardi Gara 3
NRG short hub with carbon quick release
Likewise Daytona gearstick
Double din head unit with sub and aftermarket speakers all around
Dashmat
LED strip 3rd brake light
StanceParts air tank and compressor in the boot on a custom-made floor
JD S13 TruFit floor mats
WHEELS & SUSPENSION
Work VSKF (18×9.5 +6 215/40/18, 18×10.5 +6 235/40/18)
SickSpeed 3pc Gold wheel nuts
StanceParts aircups front and rear
MCA Pro Stance coilovers
Full S15 5 stud conversion, Z32 front calipers R32gtst rear.
GKtech Braided brake lines
R33gtr (324×30) front and R32gtst (297×18) rear DBA T3 4000 series slotted rotors
Gktech 50mm front drop knuckles
Gktech Adj tie rod ends
Gktech Adj front LCA
Gktech Adj front castor
Gktech Adj front sway bar
Gktech Adj rear camber
Gktech Adj rear toe
Gktech Adj rear traction
Gktech offset rack spacers
Shortened stub axles
ENGINE & PERFORMANCE
SR20DET out of a 180SX halfcut from JDM Garage
6boost turbo highmount manifold
GT2871r with GTX core upgrade
T51r Mod
Custom braided lines with Golbey's fittings (water and oil)
Custom stainless piping
Link G4+ ECU
1000cc injectors
Topfeed fuel rail
Greddy style ffp
Turbosmart FPR and gauge
Walbro 460l in tank pump
R33 clutch master cylinder
Alloy radiator
Alloy overflow canister
FMIC
GKtech clutch fan
Gktech braided clutch line
GKtech cooling panel and headlight covers
Braided oil catch can lines with greddy catch can
Battery relocated to boot
Full 3" custom exhaust with 4" out the rear
Varex valved muffler
Tuned by Edge Performance Toowoomba
Get the poster
Poster print design based on the ‘Sleek S-Chassis’ feature design theme from DYS001.
Available in A3 and A2 and in 160gsm Matte Bond, 200gsm Satin, 250gsm Ultra Matte and 310gsm Smooth Pearl - view info at the bottom of the page.
Featuring @slatts.s13 captured by @markdmedia
