180sx CA18DET Drift Build

Never done a build thread before so here goes nothing…

Started off drifting with a 323 e36 coupe. Had 2 or 3 very near misses at auto heroes a few weeks before I was due to do a fitness test for my new job so that was my queue to give drifting a rest for a little while. I sold the e36 and in February '17 I bought a uk spec 200sx. It came with a few nice bits on it like Tien coilovers and driftworks/ ikeaya formula adjustable suspension, a full turbo-back exhaust, over fenders etc.
So that got delivered to my house the day I stared the new job which for the next few weeks was going to be 9-5 so all work will be done at the weekends.


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On closer inspection the whole shell, being a uk spec, was full of rust. Time for a plan B…

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I came across a relatively clean 180sx shell on facebook which had a full idc spec weld in cage and the front cut for tube framing. There was only minor surface rust on it with no structural rust at all. Managed to pick it up for a few hundred quid.

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I transferred the doors and boot lid across from the 200sx to get the interior water tight. I then got to work treating the rust in the engine bay and with some light sanding I had the rust gone and gave it a quick lick of Halfords appliance white.

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I started working on getting the shell rolling. I dropped the rear subframe out of the 200sx in one go and wheeled it up to the 180sx thinking it would be a straight forward bolt on affair. It was not. The subframe had aluminium bushings and with all the arms and hubs still on it made it a nightmare to line up and manoeuvre into place but after a full Saturday I managed to get the rear subframe finally bolted up.

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On the sunday I pulled the full front running gear out of the 200sx. I just dropped the engine down on the subrframe with everything attached. Bit awkward lining everything up but worked much easier than the rear.

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Picked up a body kit for it, painted the roof black and picked up a set of +25mm front wings.

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Big dirty front mount and braided clutch and brake lines.

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Picked up a welded 3.6 (I think) diff and shafts.

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Tracked down a clean bonnet in matching white. Painted up the body kit and blue door to match up with the rest of the car.

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Cars loaded up to be sent to Andrew Kenna (Cant recommend enough) to get the tube front end done. Got him to fit the bonnet pins and modify and fit the exhaust while he had it there.

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Picked up a five stud conversion. S14 fronts and r32 rears. Front knuckles modified of course!

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Car came back from Andrew Kenna and It was looking More like a drift car. Couldn’t have been happier with it.Attachment 5137
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Made up some brackets for the rear anti-roll bars and a switch panel.

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Booked in for the drift games bash to give myself a deadline for the car to be finished. It was a financially tight few weeks leading up to drift games. Spent every cent I had getting the car ready. Had a few late nights but I got there eventually. Very proud of myself considering it was only a bare shell only 6 months before hand and having only weekends to work on it.

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Day 1 of Drift games bash:

I arrived quite late and when I unloaded the car I realised I put the front anti roll bar open upside and spent an hour or so messing about with that. I spend a few hours ironing out any issues I notice with the car once I got there. All small issues.

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Eventually got out on track and the car drove beautifully, Up until I ran out of talent a steered out of a drift and straight into the tyre wall.

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Time to call it a day and get a beer…

Day 2:

I start bright and early. Took all the bits out of the drift car I was keeping in it overnight. In my slightly hungover state I got a bit too eager to drive and didn’t do any pre track checks. So turns out the CA18 doesn’t like being rallied around the place with no oil. Who’d of thunk it. I was just getting the hang of the car. Had the national loop all to myself. I was loving life, up until I heard the bottom end shit itself. So I did what anyone else would do and keep ragging the shit out of it. Sure its already broken right…

Time to pull the engine and check the damage. Engine was rightly fucked.

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All those unburnt tyres is a sad sight!

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I had every intention of putting a SR20 or 1UZ into it when (Not if) the CA18 broke but I had a think about it and decide to just stick with the CA. I had everything there already set up for a CA and they’re dirt cheap so why not right? I picked one up for about 300 quid with a cometic head gasket and 140-150psi across all cylinders.

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Before the engine went back in I decided to give the engine bay a coat of paint. Things got a bit out of hand and all of a sudden Everything on the front of the car was getting painted.

Before:

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After:

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Painted the rear panel

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Had a slight fire while cleaning the engine. Pro tip: don’t had a ridiculously hot lamp sitting on an oil soaked engine while you’re spraying flammable liquid on it.Thankfully I had an extinguisher in the car.

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Eventually got the engine cleaned up, bolted everything up to it and was ready to go back into the car.

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Made a hydro bracket out of 5mm aluminium.

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Installed the 5 stud setup before the engine went in. Picked up a set of extended s14 front lower control arms to suit the s14 front hubs.
Picked up some cheap 5x114 wheels just to get her moving. Got some BF Goodrich semi slicks from a very nice chap down in cork. Friend of mine bought a 200sx off him and he threw them in with the deal. Need spacers on the front so I can get more lock.

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Engine finally went back in sitting on solid engine a gearbox mounts.

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Got the engine fired up and took the car out into the yard to a test drive and all went well. One or two small leaks but nothing major. I know where they are coming from.

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As of today thats how the car stands. I have lights on the way for the front, a sandwich plate for the oil filter so I can add oil temp/pressure gauges, and a few small bits like fuel and oil filters and new tie rod ends.

I want to finish paining the rest of the wheels black too as I just don't like white wheels on white cars.

Will try and keep this updated. Hopefully have the car back out on track soon.


Nice build. I have to say I like the idea you kept the ca. You can blow up. Quiet a few of them for the price of an Sr20 [emoji23]

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Nice one! Ca18 is a grand engine and capable of plenty of abuse when minded. Parts are harder to find than SR but way cheaper in general :)


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Liking this build! had a good few giggles whilst reading it too ha

Think its a cool idea to keep the CA! I used to have a 200sx for a while too and loved the CA in it, can take some abuse too (considering there is oil in it ha)

Thanks for the feedback guys. Hoping to have the car ready for auto heroes in a few weeks.

Just a quick update on the car while I'm bored in work.

Fitted the new lights there the other day. Some cheap b&q brackets and some Epoxy and I had them on briefly. In hindsight the epoxy was a bad choice as it was too rigid and just snapped off. Bit of double sided tape held them on way better than the epoxy. You live you learn...

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There was a slight coolant leak which on closer inspection seemed to be coming from the water pump. So for the sake of 30 odd quid on Micksgarage I grabbed a new pump and a new thermostat while I was at it so at least the cooling system is all freshened up.


Now to address the slop in the steering. I swapped out both tie rod ends for new ones just for the sake of it as one side was totally wanked, or so I thought. To my joy, the slop was still there. So after a quick panic about thinking I needed a new rack I had another look. My drivers side inner tie rod was shot. Back to micksgarage so. I had nice Ikeya Formula tie rods on it but I couldn't find a replacement inner joint so I picked up an oem spec for 12 quid. Best bang for buck in my opinion as the s14s are around 3 times the price, and Id rather by 3 12mm inners at 12 quid and just wait until they all break. Kind of like the ca to sr thing really.

Steering is now the tightest I've ever seen on any car. very precise. Just needs good alignment now and it should be good for Mondello.

If anyone wants to see a few more photos and a few videos of the car my instgram is Jamesh2501. Give it a follow if you feel like.

You haven't given yourself enough credit here.
From a back garden build, to 4 months of no lighting in the garage mid winter, to putting up with my fwd Honda/Mini related bullshit its been a struggle.
Cars a credit to your hard work.