Words: René Vermeer Photos: Glen McNamara
There are some JDM appearances that simply just work, time and time again, with the appearance never getting old. TE37s on literally anything? Nismo wheels on any GT-R? A GoPro on the back bumper of an EG Civic? Or, in this case, a Rocket Bunny kit on an S-chassis — a tried and true combination set to spark the interest of any passing performance car enthusiast. It’s a combination seen predominantly online too, with the ‘stancey’ pages promoting its use more than most, or the replicated versions finding their way onto countless competition drift cars. What you don’t see often, though, is an S15 put together to this level for street use, in little ol’ New Zealand — in Christchurch no less.
If that is where the story began and ended, it’d be a worthy mention. In a day where coilovers and wheels are considered a build, chopping up a desirable JDM icon that’s still road-legal is pure insanity. A vehicle that has retained mounds of value, the S15 in right-hand drive is impressive enough in decent condition these days — especially in a turbocharged, manual guise. So what possesses a Christchurch-based, performance car enthusiast to not only build a street machine to this level of appearance but to throw the all-alloy four-cylinder SR20 engine into the bin and replace it with Nissan’s finest cast-iron six-cylinder glory engine, the RB26? I think we should investigate further, don’t you?
“I have always been fascinated by performance cars because of the thrill of driving. My journey really began when I started attending car meets and learning more about different models and modifications. My first car was a Nissan Cefiro — it was the introduction to the world of performance cars,” Jords reminisced, before continuing, “I hated how it handled on the road. I quickly became passionate about modifying it, exploring upgrades, and connecting with other enthusiasts. That experience ignited my passion for performance cars and set the stage for everything I’ve done since.”
For Jords, the Nissan Silvia S15 – and one with a Rocket Bunny kit – has always been a dream build. So when a half-finished, half-cooked S15 project arose, Jords jumped on it. The cylinder head was damaged and in need of repair, the wiring loom was a total mess, the engine bay looked terrible, and to top it off there was rust, where rust shouldn’t exist — but, the bones were right there ready for restoration.
With the engine in need of some serious work to achieve the target horsepower, Cliff Bond built the engine to suit. The head was brought back to life and fitted with Kelford 274/274 cams to ensure the RB stood a chance against the gigantic, BorgWarner EFR9174 turbo that was to be bolted to the side. With plenty of fuel, enough clutch and gearbox, and a locally-sourced Link G4+, SAS tuned the RB26 to 596kW at the wheels — the bite, to the wide, show-like appearance. “Honestly, the most memorable moment so far was when the car finally turned on for the first time. Bringing the motor to life after all the hard work and effort was an incredible feeling. One of my favourite features is the anti-lag system. Hearing it kick in and feeling the instant response is another level,” Jords told us.
With the vision seared into Jord’s mind, there was no doubting that the Rocket Bunny kit would be the genuine article and the engine bay was to frame the RB26 perfectly. DS Customworx completely refreshed the engine bay, and tubbed the front guards prior to Gary A Smith painting and fitting the Rocket Bunny kit, to perfection. To keep things in the family, an R35 GT-R Gunmetal Metallic (KAD) was chosen, giving an OEM-plus-type appearance to the finish. When you’ve chosen one of the widest JDM kits available on the market, you’ve really got to back that up with a suitable wheel. The picture wouldn’t be complete if there were spaced-out, skinnier wheels. Filling the void and completing the picture are 18×10-inch and 18×12-inch Work Meister S1 3P wheels wrapped in varying tyre compounds, front to rear depending on the occasion. The rears are huge though, measuring 315/30R18 with a pair of Zestino Acrova 07A semi-slicks, while the front steerers come in at 265/35R18 with a pair of Yokohama Advan Sport EV V108s
“As I got into the process and learned more about the car and its potential, my goals expanded. I started to incorporate more performance-oriented modifications, like enhancing the suspension and upgrading the engine components leading to a more comprehensive build than previously planned. Overall, it became a journey of discovery, with each step shaping the final vision of the car.”
The spec list is oozing JDM performance parts and the interior wasn’t left behind in any way shape, or form. There are Defi gauges in the usual S15 dash location accompanied by PowerTune digital dash, Bride reclinable seats, subwoofers to combat engine noise, a Momo steering wheel to keep the S15 under control, and a Nismo Duracon gear knob to row through the Speedtek dog-engagement gearset. Jords will never say the build is finished, but he sure has learned a lot throughout the process, he told us, “One important lesson I learned during the build is that patience is key — these projects don’t happen overnight. It’s essential to take your time and do things right the first time. Rushing through steps can lead to issues down the road.”
We’re stoked Jords can finally enjoy his build on the street. When out and about in the S15, it demands attention from young and old, car enthusiast or not, proving that if something is built with quality and passion in mind, people will admire the hard work put in and give credit where it’s due. Jords’ S15 is truly one of the cleanest, most dialled-in, street-driven S-chassis we’ve come across, and the RB26 is ready to turn those back tyres inside out!
SPEC LIST
1999 Nissan Silvia (S15)
Heart
ENGINE: RB26DETT, 2600cc six-cylinder
BLOCK: CP forged pistons, Manley forged rods, ARP main studs, MSL head gasket, balanced rotating assembly, billet crank collar
HEAD: Kelford 274/274 cams, Kelford valve springs, Permaseal steel head gasket, ported, custom Bayside blue TV2 painted engine covers
INTAKE: Plazmaman single-throttle inlet manifold, 82mm throttle body with DBW, Plazmaman Plazmaclamps, Bosch ICV, K&N air filter
EXHAUST: Sinco custom T4 manifold, custom four-inch downpipe, 3.5-inch stainless steel exhaust system, AdrenalinR muffler, four-inch shotgun tips
TURBO: BorgWarner EFR9174, twin-scroll 1.04 rear housing
WASTEGATE: Turbosmart 60mm Progate
BOV: Turbosmart Gen4 60mm
FUEL: Walbro in-tank fuel pump, 2x Bosch 044 external fuel pumps, 1550cc Xspurt injectors, Turbosmart 1200 fuel pressure regulator, Plazmaman fuel rail, Continental Ethanol flex-fuel sensor, Aeroflow surge tank, -8 hard fuel lines under car
IGNITION: Ross Performance lower pulley and crank trigger kit, Ross Performance cam sensor, Spitfire coils, NGK spark plugs
ECU: Link G4+
COOLING: PWR aluminium radiator, custom cooling fan carbon-fibre cooling panel, Plazmaman pro intercooler, TTT custom intercooler piping
EXTRA: Custom catch-can, custom reservoirs, Reimax oil pump gears, GMB water pump, Gates timing belt, MR2 electric power steering pump, custom mil-spec engine loom with firewall connector, battery and fusebox relocated to boot
Drive
GEARBOX: RB25DET gearbox casing, Speedtek dog-engagement gear-set, billet centre-plate
CLUTCH: Tilton twin-plate
FLYWHEEL: Tilton
DIFF: R32 GT-R 4.11, GT-R axles
EXTRA: Custom single-piece driveshaft, driveshaft hoops
Support
STRUTS: TSD adjustable coilovers
BRAKES: (F) eight-piston D2 callipers (R) six-piston D2 callipers, Znoelli DDS Sports brake pads and rotors, GKTech braided brake lines, R33 Skyline brake booster
ARMS/KNUCKLES: Truhart adjustable camber, toe, caster, and lower rear trailing arms
EXTRA: R33 Skyline front sway bar
Shoes
WHEELS: Work Meister S1 3P custom (F) 18×10-inch (-21) (R) 18×12-inch (-41)
TYRES: (F) 265/35R18 Yokohama Advan Sport EV V108, (R) 315/30R18 Zestino Acrova 07A
Exterior
PAINT: R35 GT-R Gunmetal Metallic (KAD)
ENHANCEMENTS: Pandem Kyoto 6666 V2 Rocket Bunny body kit, complete with diffusers and LED lights, carbon-fibre bonnet
Interior
SEATS: Bride DIGO II
STEERING WHEEL: Momo Prototipo
INSTRUMENTATION: PowerTune Digital Dash, Defi oil temp, water temp and boost gauges, Defi gauges controller
EXTRA: Nismo gear knob, Kenwood head unit, Kenwood speakers and tweeters, twin 10-inch Zero Flex subwoofers
Performance
POWER: 596kW (799hp) at the hub
TORQUE: 784Nm at the hub
BOOST: 24psi
FUEL TYPE: 100 octane
TUNER: SAS Performance
Driver Profile
DRIVER/OWNER: Jords
AGE: Early 30s
LOCATION: Christchurch
OCCUPATION: Rollercoaster designer
BUILD TIME: Three years
LENGTH OF OWNERSHIP: Three years
THANKS: Scott Huddy and Muzz at Amma Motors, Geoff at Gary A. Smith, JC Autos, Tiger Tints, Cliff Bond, and Doyle at DS Customworx — thank you for the hard work and support. This build wouldn’t be possible without you guys.
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This article originally appeared in New Zealand Performance Car issue 311