S13 naming oddities

I was looking at the instruction sheet for my 180sx and it got me all confused. What's the difference between 180SX, 200SX, and 240SX for the S13?

There are two cars that get called the "S13": the S13 Silvia and the RPS13 180SX hatchback.

The 180SX was introduced with a 1.8 L CA18DE motor and the "180" in "180SX" comes from the displacement. When the 180SX was sold in America, Nissan changed out the CA motor for the KA24DE motor sporting 2.4 L of displacement; hence the name "240SX." At the same time, Nissan changed the 180SX's motor in the Japanese market, too, buy they got the SR20DE(t) motor there, but the name was still "180SX."

The Silvia was always called the Silvia in Japan, and the U.S. got a bastardized Silvia which was really an S13 coupe with the RPS13 front end (pop-up lights) and always a KA24 motor. It was also always called a 240SX in the U.S., even in later generations.

By the time the Silvia/180SX was exported to Europe, the SR20 motor was included, so in that market it ot re-named the "200SX," again, named for the 2.0 L of displacement.

What makes matters worse, is that Nissan exported the Lucino coupe to america with a transverse mounted SR20DE (no "T" :() motor and called it a 200SX here. So if you're talking to an American about a 200SX, remember that they'll imagine something like a Sentra coupe... ;)`

Thanks!!

Did the RPS13 ever get its name changed in the US? I coulda sworn I've seen some RPS13 with 180SX's on the tail!!

Originally posted by daggerlee
Thanks!!

Did the RPS13 ever get its name changed in the US? I coulda sworn I've seen some RPS13 with 180SX's on the tail!! Only if someone got the 180SX parts from Japan and did it themselves. Nissan never sold "180SXs" or "Silvias" in the U.S.

An interesting note; in Japan, the 180SX and the S13 Silvia were considered different models altogether, even though they shared chassis and many sub-assemblies. So, when the S14 Silvia came out in Japan in 1995(ish), they were still making RPS13 180SXs right alongside it.

Figured I'd add this even though Jay is all over this one.

http://members.iinet.net.au/~sayers/biscuits/history.htm

you forgot the SilEighty.....which is the Silvia nose, but with 180sx tailights...very cool car...

Thanks for everything, guys! Jay, you are the SUPER S13 GURU :)

I thought the Sileighty was just a made-up car for Initial D...hmm

The American hatch is also referred to as the RMS13

the 180sx is the called the 240sx here in the states, to make a sileighty u could do it yourself or get a factory made which the kept on the DL when they were available and only made around 400. the sileighty ran for about the same price as a new R32 GT-R.

damn you Jay! :D you stole my thunder! i'm the KING of S13 knowledge...

anyways, as well as a Sileighty, there's what's called a One-via, which is basically the reverse of a Sileighty. in the US, all S13 Coupes were sold as One Via's (180SX front with flip up lights on a coupe body), so over here they're not too special, but in Japan, they're as wacky as Sileighty's are.

the US 240SX hatch was refered to as RHS13 or RMS13, although i'm not yet sure of the difference.

and to add to Jay's point about the Sentra-based 200SX's - those aren't the only US bound Nissan's to wear to 200SX badge. in the mid '80s, the S12 Silvia hatchback was sold over here under the name 200SX, named so because the main engine is the FJ20ET with 2 litres of displacement, hence the 200 in the name, although some were available with the VG30ET. i'm am very close to buying one of these, actually...

and as for the factory made Sileighties, only 350 were made, so good luck finding one.

the centre panels that you see saying "180SX" are easy to find, but if you REALLY want your JDM 240SX to stand out, try finding a rare "RPS13" one or an even-rarer "Sileighty" emblazoned one...

Originally posted by S13_Iketani
the US 240SX hatch was refered to as RHS13 or RMS13, although i'm not yet sure of the difference.


Perhaps LSD and HICAS? My RMS13 doesn't have either.

Originally posted by S13_Iketani
the centre panels that you see saying "180SX" are easy to find, but if you REALLY want your JDM 240SX to stand out, try finding a rare "RPS13" one or an even-rarer "Sileighty" emblazoned one...

You can also buy the windows that say 180SX on them... If I replaced the rear panel, I'd surely get the windows too.

Originally posted by S13_Iketani
damn you Jay! :D you stole my thunder! i'm the KING of S13 knowledge...Four months before you joined AF, no less! :p

Originally posted by jay@af
Four months before you joined AF, no less! :p

that doesn't mean i didn't still know it! :p :D

WOw.... i knew that the Sil-eighty were rare... but only 350 ....wow
did it even come out in North America!?

Originally posted by endlesskev86
WOw.... i knew that the Sil-eighty were rare... but only 350 ....wow
did it even come out in North America!?

no

most of the ones you have seen were probably custom jobbies. since the 180SX and S13 (240SX hatchback and coupe, respectivley) share the same platform, the front end of either car will bolt directly to the opposite car. this fad started in the mid nineties. drifters who raced 180SX's would have accidents and found that the Silvia front ends, with their lack of flip up lights and all the mechanisms required along with them, were alot less expensive and also weighed less then the front ends WITH the flip up lights. thus, 180SX owners that had accidents started sticking Silvia front ends on their cars, and the rest, as they say, it history. seeing the apparent popularity of this mod in Japan, Nissan released the limited factory run of 350 cars. wanting to be different, S13 Silvia owners in Japan started doing the opposite, sticking the 180SX front end on their S13's, and hence, the one-via was born, although in North America, EVERY S13 240SX Coupe is technically a one-via.

you wndered what an S-12 Silvia looks like...

My classmate from English school bought his first car, and it was the S12.
He told me that it's got V8, but I checked the blue book, and only a few V6 were imported to the U.S.
Well, when I visited him, I counted the number of spark plug wires...
Let's see, 1, 2, 3, 4...
...5, 6...?
...7...8???

Apparently, it had a chevy small block, which never happens in Japan.
He just got the license, and the car was a stick shift, but he never stalled the engine. :)

BTW, Aoshima makes S12 with FJ20 engine.