# What year car do I have?



## gogo97gti (Apr 28, 2004)

Hello, nOObie here. I just got me a free Silvia and I need some parts for it, but I'm a little confused on what I have. All the registration paperwork says it's a 1994, but it's an s14 with the SR20DE engine. Everywhere I've looked says the S14 started in 1995. I am in Japan, so I don't know if it's different here. Can somebody please shed some light? Thanks :cheers:


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## KA24Tech (Feb 2, 2004)

Look on the data plate under the hood to decode the VIN or the info inside the door for the exact production date. The S14 chassis actually began production in October 1993 in Japan as a 94 model (which is one reason why for the 94 MY only the S13 240SX convertible went on sale in the US). In Japan the RS13 180SX continued being produced along side the S14 until both of them went out of production in December of 1998. The S14 was introduced in America as a 95 MY but you actually can have a 94 in Japan.

I'm guessing it is a Silvia Q since it is a DE.?.

Troy


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## Enthalpy (Mar 17, 2004)

almost perfect KA24Tech 

RPS13 continued in production...not RS13. RS13 production ended in 1990. P = SR20.

but other than that a very concise and helpful answer!


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## KA24Tech (Feb 2, 2004)

Enthalpy said:


> almost perfect KA24Tech
> 
> RPS13 continued in production...not RS13. RS13 production ended in 1990. P = SR20.
> 
> but other than that a very concise and helpful answer!


According to the Model matrix, Nissan calls it the RS13 platform for the entire production not just during the SR20 (P) era. I don't write it, I just read it...

Troy


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## Enthalpy (Mar 17, 2004)

then model matrix is wrong. CA production stopped in early 1990. RS13 as a chassis ONLY code was still produced. but the vehicle RS13 stopped mid 1990.


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## KA24Tech (Feb 2, 2004)

Enthalpy said:


> then model matrix is wrong. CA production stopped in early 1990. RS13 as a chassis ONLY code was still produced. but the vehicle RS13 stopped mid 1990.


Right, the matrix and I were referring to the chassis only not the specific model. We are all saying the same thing and I knew that you knew that I knew that they knew we were all saying the same thing too.

Troy


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## azRPS13 (Jun 7, 2003)

KA24Tech said:


> We are all saying the same thing and I knew that you knew that I knew that they knew we were all saying the same thing too.


My brain hurts


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## Enthalpy (Mar 17, 2004)

KA24Tech said:


> Right, the matrix and I were referring to the chassis only not the specific model. We are all saying the same thing and I knew that you knew that I knew that they knew we were all saying the same thing too.
> 
> Troy


WOO! 

HAHAHAHA


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## gogo97gti (Apr 28, 2004)

KA24Tech said:


> Look on the data plate under the hood to decode the VIN or the info inside the door for the exact production date. The S14 chassis actually began production in October 1993 in Japan as a 94 model (which is one reason why for the 94 MY only the S13 240SX convertible went on sale in the US). In Japan the RS13 180SX continued being produced along side the S14 until both of them went out of production in December of 1998. The S14 was introduced in America as a 95 MY but you actually can have a 94 in Japan.
> 
> I'm guessing it is a Silvia Q since it is a DE.?.
> 
> Troy


Thanks for the info. I'll take a closer look at the VIN next time I'm under there. I looked on the door, but could only see tire info?? 
Next question, if I order parts from Stateside, does anything from the 240sx fit, or are there some differences? Basically first I need a suspension, it's totally shot. Also, who's the cheapest around for suspension parts??
Nothing fancy like coilovers or anything (that's all on my VeeDub...) It's just for transportation. I don't have the funds now to make a project out of it. 
Sorry about all the noob questions, this is my first venture into Japanese car territory.

Cheers! :cheers:


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## Enthalpy (Mar 17, 2004)

you'll be selling that VeeDub in no time


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## gogo97gti (Apr 28, 2004)

Enthalpy said:


> you'll be selling that VeeDub in no time


I'll never sell my baby  Besides it's back in the States, and I'll be in Japan for the next 3 years. The Japanese car thing is just a fling, sorry...
I'll be getting an Audi S4 wagon when I get back to the States.


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## KA24Tech (Feb 2, 2004)

gogo97gti said:


> I'll never sell my baby  Besides it's back in the States, and I'll be in Japan for the next 3 years. The Japanese car thing is just a fling, sorry...
> I'll be getting an Audi S4 wagon when I get back to the States.


Where in Japan are you? Pretty much anywhere you are over there you can walk into an Autobacs or a Super Autobacs to find upgraded suspension components. I don't know about buying parts from here to go back over there because you will probably be able to get it cheaper there. I do know that performance tires were cheaper ordered from the US when I was over there on a DOD contract job.

Troy


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## gogo97gti (Apr 28, 2004)

KA24Tech said:


> Where in Japan are you? Pretty much anywhere you are over there you can walk into an Autobacs or a Super Autobacs to find upgraded suspension components. I don't know about buying parts from here to go back over there because you will probably be able to get it cheaper there. I do know that performance tires were cheaper ordered from the US when I was over there on a DOD contract job.
> 
> Troy


I'm in the Navy stationed in Yokosuka. I've been to Autobachs several times, but I haven't found much there that's very cheap. They do have an excellent selection of sublime car fragrances though  There's a place called Auto Wave that you can wheel and deal at if you're good. My father-in-law scored me a set of new Pirellis for my other car for over 200 dollars less than they were asking!! I've found some pretty damn low prices on the web with reasonable shipping. I just don't know who the reputable places are, and what brands offer the best bang for the buck.


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## KA24Tech (Feb 2, 2004)

gogo97gti said:


> I'm in the Navy stationed in Yokosuka. I've been to Autobachs several times, but I haven't found much there that's very cheap. They do have an excellent selection of sublime car fragrances though  There's a place called Auto Wave that you can wheel and deal at if you're good. My father-in-law scored me a set of new Pirellis for my other car for over 200 dollars less than they were asking!! I've found some pretty damn low prices on the web with reasonable shipping. I just don't know who the reputable places are, and what brands offer the best bang for the buck.


Yokosuka!.. that is a cool base and has the biggest E-club that I have ever seen. It is close to alot of things and you can visit Tokyo by train on the weekend. I always thought it was funny how the Japanese girls would wait outside the gate for someone to get them in to the club. Oh yeah and who could ever forget those crazy nights in Roppongi... 
Auto Wave is a really good place to score nice parts at a reasonable price. For springs take a look at Kg/mm, Tanabe, or Tein. For struts look at KYB Japan, Tein, and others I can't think of at the moment. But then again if you order parts from the US you only have to pay shipping to the FPO in San Fran (make sure to ask if they will ship to an APO or FPO address).
I never had a problem with the local speed shops there but also try asking around at the Auto Hobby Shop on base.

Troy


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## kaptainkrollio (Jul 29, 2003)

back to the chassis code stuff(sorry). my 91 code threw me for a loop. it says RMKS13. why K???


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## Blank (Aug 21, 2003)

look at the 10th didget fro mthe left on the VIN, tell me what that is ill tell you what year your car is...

4 04
3 03
2 02
1 01
y 00
x 99
w 98
etc...


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## Kelso (Apr 29, 2003)

VW's are great....expensive to work on though... shit from germany costs a ton as ive noticed from watching my bro build his VW's. hey gogo, just to let you know about his cars, he had an old rabbit(slow) then got a gti...92 i think it was. it was pretty damn quick.his current car is a g60corrado running low 13's. he wants to part it out though. hes beginning a new project. an old rabbit. i think hes doin a 1.8t swap and hes already got a bunch of shit for it. got a laptop for standalone,and just bunches of stuff...

but anyways about the topic, i never understood the rs13 and rps13 and k's and q's and all that shit....anybody got a breif bit of info about that stuff...i know q's is like the lowest trim level right? and k's is highest? j is middle(or is it a different letter?) im just confused about that stuff


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## KA24Tech (Feb 2, 2004)

kaptainkrollio said:


> back to the chassis code stuff(sorry). my 91 code threw me for a loop. it says RMKS13. why K???


The "K" stands for a HICAS-equipped chassis (the "R" means Fastback and the "M" of course is a KA24DE engine for those who were wondering).

Troy


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## kaptainkrollio (Jul 29, 2003)

ahhh. thats why my last one didnt have it. i was used to the other stuff.


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## gogo97gti (Apr 28, 2004)

Kelso said:


> VW's are great....expensive to work on though... shit from germany costs a ton as ive noticed from watching my bro build his VW's. hey gogo, just to let you know about his cars, he had an old rabbit(slow) then got a gti...92 i think it was. it was pretty damn quick.his current car is a g60corrado running low 13's. he wants to part it out though. hes beginning a new project. an old rabbit. i think hes doin a 1.8t swap and hes already got a bunch of shit for it. got a laptop for standalone,and just bunches of stuff...


My GTI is something of an addiction. I don't think I'll ever get rid of my first one. It is expensive though. Being married with kids, and being in the military doesn't allow me the cash to truly go nuts on my cars, but I do manage to justify some "necessary" mods every now and then. ("Look at the rust on the muffler, we need this Supersprint cat-back exhaust!")
I don't think I'll be doing much to my Silvia though, because I know I won't be able to take it back to the States with me, and there's no resale value at all on it, so any money I put into it will be a waste. Not to mention that here in Japan, there's just not many places to open her up at let it go. Stoplights every-damn-where.
Also, I was able to talk the guy at Autobachs down from $190 to $130 on a set of KYB rear shocks. I guess that's a good deal. I'm still not sure who the quality parts company's are for Japanese cars, but I've heard KYB thrown around as being a decent brand.


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## Kelso (Apr 29, 2003)

are you positive you cant get it back? my brothers friend is in the navy and he said you can ship cars for FREE. so look into that. if you can bring a silvia over youd be the coolest guy in your town  lol.seriously though ask some navy people if you can ship your car back to the states


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## 93blackSER (Feb 1, 2003)

Kelso said:


> are you positive you cant get it back? my brothers friend is in the navy and he said you can ship cars for FREE. so look into that. if you can bring a silvia over youd be the coolest guy in your town  lol.seriously though ask some navy people if you can ship your car back to the states


you can ship it back, but getting it legalized and everything is a completely different story. i dont think that they will do that for you. i could be wrong on that one tho.


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## KA24Tech (Feb 2, 2004)

Shipping is free for those who serve overseas for more than 330 days continous. The EPA/DOT certification is seperate as well as the NHTSA compliance. The particular EPA standards can vary depending on which port of entry the vehicle is brought in to and DOT and NHTSA is fairly easy because we have similar models in the US. The legalization process would probably not be cost effective though unless you got a ratted out 240 and brought the Silvia over as a parts car and did a total conversion to the 240.
Just my .02

Troy


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## gogo97gti (Apr 28, 2004)

The military is already storing a car for me in the States. I'm pretty sure that they will only handle one car per set of orders, so since they're already paying to store my GTI, I don't think they'll pay to let me ship a car back.
Don't mean to hurt anybody's feelings, but the Silvia is not really doing it for me like I thought it would anyway. Maybe if it had a turbo.....
It is a fun car to drive, but it's going to require some $$$ to get it the way that I'd like it, and I'm not willing to drop that kind of cashola on it. I'm saving for my Audi :thumbup:


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## Joel (Jun 11, 2003)

Australia has an import rule that if you own the car overseas for a particular time you can bring it with you and license it without having to 'legalize' it.


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## KA24Tech (Feb 2, 2004)

Joel said:


> Australia has an import rule that if you own the car overseas for a particular time you can bring it with you and license it without having to 'legalize' it.


The US only does that for Diplomats and those who are in the US temporarily but the car must be deported or be destroyed when they leave.

Troy


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## Kelso (Apr 29, 2003)

you could easily legalize it. im probably wrong but i bet if you got the VIN off of a coupe, you could just say it was a 240sx coupe...with lots of work done lol. or you could turn it into a track car if you really wanted. why doesnt it have a turbo? i thought they all had turbo motors?


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## kaptainkrollio (Jul 29, 2003)

you are allowed to import cars as long as the same chassis has already been sold here, so unless it is an s15 silvia, it can come in, just has to pass smog and some safety inspections, nothing major.


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## vsp3c (May 15, 2003)

why can't you import a s15 chassis here?? just call it, "custom chassis from japan" why not just build from chassis up?? it would be hell of a project if you had time/money

i mean.. hot rod guys do it right?? so why can't we do it??


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## gogo97gti (Apr 28, 2004)

Kelso said:


> why doesnt it have a turbo? i thought they all had turbo motors?


Unless it's a really tiny turbo that I can't see, I'm pretty sure it doesn't have one. The engine code is SR20-DE. Sucks huh?..


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## Kelso (Apr 29, 2003)

sr20de on a silvia? that does suck.... i really thought all silvias came with det's but im apparently very wrong...

im sure you could swap the motor out pretty cheaply for a turbo SR


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## KA24Tech (Feb 2, 2004)

The Silvia Q (Queen) models came with the DE (when I was there we called them "Queer") but the K (King) come with the DET (called them "Killer" because you could beat up on Skylines).

If you were to swap a DET into it then why even bring it over...

Troy


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## gogo97gti (Apr 28, 2004)

KA24Tech said:


> The Silvia Q (Queen) models came with the DE (when I was there we called them "Queer") but the K (King) come with the DET (called them "Killer" because you could beat up on Skylines).
> 
> If you were to swap a DET into it then why even bring it over...
> 
> Troy


Great, you mean everytime I drive by someone, they're thinking "Look, he's driving a maroon queer car." 
Excellent!


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## KA24Tech (Feb 2, 2004)

gogo97gti said:


> Great, you mean everytime I drive by someone, they're thinking "Look, he's driving a maroon queer car."
> Excellent!


NO, I meant we didn't think too much about them as a challenge in a race and I think it was mainly a gaijin thing back then. I don't think anybody would even know about that anymore, so I wouldn't worry about it. Remember, we're the ones that dream and have to rebadge our cars to make them Silvias or 180s while you are cruising around behind the wheel of a real one.

Troy


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## AlexAtMyNismo (Apr 16, 2004)

IIRC....the K is for the cars with HICAS.....My friend got a redtop motorset with the vin tag from the firewall attached to his motor, and his motor had the hicas powersteering pump on it, so he researched it and he concluded that the "K" within the chasis stood for "super-hicas equipped." 

-Alex Best


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