The Nissan 180SX is a classic Japanese car from the late 80s and is one of the more desired Nissan sportscars. One of the surviving examples is now going for a custom build by the Australian YouTube channel, Mighty Car Mods, featuring Blair and Martin. This example of the 180SX is more than twenty years old and is Blair’s favorite car of all time.

Nissan 180SX (1988-98)

Successor to the Nissan Gazelle, the 180SX is one of the most popular JDM cars from the late 80s and 90s. It is a two-door hatchback with pop-up headlights, typical in the late 80s. Back in the day, these cars were popular because they could be easily modified on the cheap, though today, the story is a bit different. Initially, the 180SX was powered by a 1.8-liter turbocharged four-pot, which is one of the reasons behind the car’s name. But the example we have here is the later version, powered by a turbocharged 2.0-liter engine, code-named SR20. The factory claimed power output was rated at 202 horses and 202 pound-feet of torque. It is a rear-wheel-drive car with a manual transmission and could do 0-60 mph in 6.5 seconds. Blair repurchased this example of the 180SX in 2019 for about $9,000 Australian, which is about $6,500 as of the time of this writing. This is not the first time he has owned a 180SX, and with this car being in such good condition, this is the perfect opportunity for Blair to complete the dream build he never could when he was younger.

The modification begins…

This Nissan 180SX modification is a kind of restoration because most of the changes are to be made under the bonnet. This video is the first episode of the build series, and it starts straight with pulling out a couple of boxes containing spare parts. The boxes have a few valuable components: ignition coils, stock hoses, a battery tray, Pitwork oil filters, spark plugs, and a shift boot. The trunk also packs a few Nissan March floor mats, which are unexpected finds. The modification continues with swapping old spark plugs with the newer ones and a compression test. The next big move would be removing the stock turbocharger, the spark plugs, and the side-mounted intercooler. However, the episode ends with Blair showcasing a performance turbocharger from Garrett. Watch the video below to learn more about this dream build, and be sure to check back with us when the next episode airs.