Rezz

I think all of it is true... spoken like someone with quite a bit of experience. I don't like how you lose points for marrying a Japanese though... I reckon thats worth 100 points as it is!

^^^ Thanks guys... I'm starting to feel a bit better about the purchase The front AVS rims are in the mail! Picked the rear rims up for A$60 for the pair!!!

Thnks Rylan... Btw I mentioned 'AVS rims' above there, but the pics don't show AVS rims so here are a couple of updated pix:

So's the LSD! So's the Tein HR's! So's the Field fuel controller! So's the AVS rim's!!! I'd say all that gear together - plus the car - would make it's true market value to be about $2,000!!! BAAAAAAH - GIN!!! :lol:

They're called Enkei Racing S. They come in a wide variety of offsets and widths so the center spokes piece sometimes looks a little more flat/dished than others. Quite oldskool, I think they stopped being made around '93 or '94. They're not to be confused with Enkei Racing 'Peaks' which are basically the same design (2 piece wheel with little bolts all around the rim) but with only 5 spokes. Enkei Racing S also came as a 1 piece wheel with black centers and red/blue anodized rims.

Guys this is still available. To Australia shipping is about $110. That is shipped in 4 separate boxes in order to slip through customs. I'm willing to let this go for A$1150 all up to your door.

Anyone else notice the extreme positive camber on that 180SX? It gives me some hope with modifying a CA18DET though...

RS Yamamoto's website is down... maybe they've gone out of business? Amkread have a special info page on RS Yamamoto but it's basically contact detail etc nothing of use really. RS Yamamoto are/were located in Saitama, just north of Tokyo, and they specialized in Nissan cars, also did circuit tuning, zero-yon (0-400m drag) and street turbo tuning. I've seen some of their body parts for Z31 Fairlady Z's and they look like good quality and not over the top. Thats about all I could find, and rememeber don't confuse RS Yamamoto with the go-kart company of the same name

... and now... ... the car... ... that best fits the 'WTF is that?' category... <span style='font-size:14pt;line-height:100%'>The 1989 Autech Zagato Stelvio</span> Autech was originally started as a subsidiary of Nissan Motor Co. in 1986 producing limited run models and various other specialty cars (including driving aids for disabled people) and has since created a certain mystique amongst Nissan enthusiasts, not least because of Autech's various Skyline and Silvia variants. At the time in the late 1980's, Autech was trying to make a big impression on the extremely lucrative Japanese car market by launching it's first 'handmade car' - the Autech Zagato Stelvio - with the help of Carozzeria (Zagato in Italy) and Alfa Romeo. The Autech Zagato Stelvio is a true handmade car. Based on the F31 Nissan Leopard, the Stelvio came equipped with an Autech tuned VG30DET V6 3000cc quad-cam turbo engine producing (over) 280ps... as the only part of the car that wasn't extensively rebulit. An agreement between Japanese car manufacturers at that time cuased many to list '280ps' as the maximum horsepower of all their top performance cars, where in actual fact they produced 30 - 40hp more than that. Autech tuned the engine and the suspension, then the base frame, engine and suspension were sent off to Italy for the bodywork. Zagato in Milan took the base F31 Leopard frame and created all the bodywork, most striking of which would have to be the rear-view mirrors incorporated into the front fenders. Some would say that this is the ugliest part of the car, but at the same time is the cars most memorable aspect. The two 'bulges' in the roof line also point to the 'handmade' catchphrase, as this feature could've easily been omitted... but retained to further increase it's individuality. The interior boasts specially selected leathers and wood, with about every electrical gadget available in 1989. In fact, Autech originally wanted to incorporate a small hatch on the drivers side just behind the front door so that a briefcase could easily be stowed behind the front seat (not big enough for a passenger), but was left out as costs for the car spiraled upwards. The interior is finished in true Italian style, and is a statement of luxury, in contrast to the almost 'cool because it isn't' 1980's hard-edged chic styling of the exterior. As you can see, the base frame delivered to Zagato was completely bare, requiring all panels to be hand made from aluminium. Even so, due to the long list of standard features,the copious use of wood and leather and the 4-speed electronically controlled automatic gearbox (!), the total weight of the car still broke the 1500kg limit. Once the car was completed, it was given a coating of Zagato's original Red paint with no other colours available. The alloy wheels were also designed by Zagato. The final price that the Autech Stelvio commanded? An incredible 17,500,000 yen (A$210,686)! It has been said that to see a Stelvio nowadays, you'd have to be very lucky indeed, and that they could probably be had for about 4million yen at auction... less than a quarter of it's original sell price. So you see, to have a Stelvio in Japan in the late 1980's would've given you instant status amongst rich people, with a car that used Japanese know how and reliability, with the very best Italian hand made attributes... I tip my hat to you sir... The Autech Zagato Stelvio was limited to 200 cars with 3 test cars. Maker: Autech/Zagato Model: Stelvio Chassis: E-AZ1 Total length×width×height: 4370×1800×1345 mm Wheelbase: 2615 mm Unladen weight: 1560kg Engine: VG30DET Max power: over 280PS /6000rpm Max torque: 41.0kgm/2800rpm Transmission: Electronically controlled four-speed automatic Front suspension: Independent struts Rear suspension: Semi-trailing arms Tires: 225/50R16 92V

1st posted edited to show the original pics again...

You mean Cicada's are usually that big? Wel... I'd never seen a Cicada before I came to Japan. I'll shut up about it now

My man I swear sometimes it seems Shan and I have the same brain but I'm white and he's bleck :lol: If everyone on SAU could *get it right* and call R32/33's 'Type M's' it'd make us sound more like proper Skyline enthusiasts... /rant (so says a Silvia owner)

Christian are you still interested? I sent 2 emails but with no reply... Let me know mate please as another person is interested too, I should let him know whats happening.

One of those bastards actually made it into my apartment when I was living in country Japan (Mie-ken) about 5 years ago... I had to get the BB gun out and got him 2nd try! I was standing about 4m away. The thing just fell to the floor in an explosion of flakes...

Did you see my thread about the Silvia? That was through Yahoo... best car buying experience I've ever had. I guess the trick is to establish contact with the owner asap (throguh mail or Yahoo messenger) and ask all the nitty gritty questions abotu the car. Being Japanese, they're usually forthright with all the info, and you can quickly weed out someone whos trying to rip you off... There are some genuine bargains in there.

I used to do business with David Zozuk at www.kobecars.com but it seems like that site is down/no longer used. Other than him I don't know anybody off hand. Why don't you buy a car through Yahoo Auctions?

Bloody huge Cicada was in the parking lot at SuperAutobacs 171 in Ikeda (north Osaka)... I *think* it was alive when I took the pic but I could be wrong. Had to lay the mobile next to it to give a reference of size:

You have to own a personal import for at least 12 months... I've only owned that Silvia for lees than 2 weeks. Besides, the paperwork for bringing a personal import in is twice as much, and evrything has to be translated into English... 15 year rule was much easier.

What about the VG30ET?

Shodo: Yeah, I was thinking RB20 for a while, but unbalancing the car like that with a cast iron block doesn't sound right. If I have the cash, SR. If not... a CA18DET would be such an easy swap I could do it myself. I know what most people think of CA's, but I've always liked them so meh. Mark: The R32 was sold to my younger brother. He wanted a new demo car for his shop as the old Mitsubishi Lancer wagon (Libero GT style) wasn't what he really wanted. I love that R32 but the situation was such that I couln't hang on to it any longer. Totoro: "If the price is right"? We'll cross that bridge when we come to it But in the meantime, I was originally going to deal in brand new gear only... the used parts business is barely worth doing these days... but I do have very good contacts for both new and used parts so I'm sure I can source anything at all. Just the larger stuff like body kits and exhausts etc will take alot longer and have a scary freight charge. If all goes well I'll be open for business out of my brothers shop TKO Tinting in Bentley (fingers crossed) as of the end of October. Edit: Totoro PM me and we'll talk some more about the wheels/tyres

Gee, the replies so far have been a good help haven't they? I wouldn't say the car has alot of 'goodies' on it. Theres and engine 'sub-computer' I don't the brand, maybe like an e-manage or something, so it's tuned a bit, maybe making a little more power over stock. There's also 'low-down' suspension... again could be only lowered springs. Aftermarket alloys and muffler, rear spolier... hmmm, nothing special IMO. If you were thinking of getting a crashed car for the parts, well this isn't the one to get. In fact my $700 piggy Silvia has got more stuff on it

I've got something lined up in the very near future regarding that^^^... I hope I can really help out the Japanese import guys in Perth

About $3,500 B)

We're talking 135hp (100kw) at the engine!!! For a 2-door FR coupe, thats just not cricket.

Yep, Nerve ECU's are from www.essential.co.jp and are programable 'OEM' type ECU's... like what Mine's do. They have a 'Lite' version which is a ROM for minor mods (intercooler, bigger injectors, air cleaner, exhaust, boost up) too. They sound expensive but they are pretty reassuring about their settings. I'd say they're good stuff... up there with Mines and the miryad of other programmable ROMs.