SP Rides: Clean and Simple
BY MICHAEL KITCHENS
Year, make, model: 1995 Nissan S14
Owner: Anthony Thipphavong
Age: 24
Occupation: student
Hobbies: Cars
Engine: S14 SR20DET off 1998, BC Stage 2 cams, Circuit Sports rocker arm stoppers, S15 Garrett T28 turbo, Tomei turbo manifold, Tomei turbo elbow, Tomei titanium exhaust/catback, Blitz downpipe, Megan straight pipe, Nismo slave, Greddy suction intake, Greddy FMIC, Greddy oil cooler, Z32 MAF, Nismo thermostat, Greddy Type FV BOV, Tomei 555cc injectors, SplitFire ignition, Aeromotive FPR, Walboro 255 fuel pump, Koyorad radiator with flex e lite fans, Chase Bays PS kit, Chase Bays coolant overflow reservoir, Chasing J’s Spark plug cover/oil cap, GKtech radiator shroud, Downstar hardware, Taka turbo lines
Exterior: OEM JDM Kouki front bumper, OEM style JDM Kouki front lip, OEM JDM Kouki rear bumper, OEM JDM Kouki rear valences, OEM JDM Kouki wing, OEM S14 rain rails, Naval side skirts, Ganador carbon fiber mirrors, Chasing J’s license plate bracket
Interior: Vertex 10 Star steering wheel, Never content x Works Bell QR, Works Bell short hub, ARC shift knob, C’s short shifter, Cusco E brake button, AEM AFR gauge, Blitz oil pressure/boost gauge, HKS water temp/turbo timer, HKS boost controller, Power FC ECU, cold A/C
Transmission: ORC 409D clutch (unsprung), Circuit Sports trans mount, GKtech Trans Pivot Ball, Driveshaft Shop aluminum driveshaft, Nismo 2-way diff, Taka clutch line
Suspension: Tein Master Flex, Tanabe Sustec front/rear under brace, Circuit Sports adjustable tension rods, Nismo strut bar, Unknown rear strut bar
Wheels, tires, brakes: Work Meister S1 18-by-9.5+11 (5mm spacer) 18-by-10+5, Z32 front brakes, STK drilled/slotted rotors, Circuit Sports SS brake lines, Federal SS595 tires 225/35
Anthony Thipphavong is an import enthusiast. It just so happens he became a Nissan enthusiast by way of calamity. Thipphavong was once the proud owner of a limited-edition Mazda Miata that just so happened to float away one day. Yeah, that’s right — it was swept away in the 2018 April flash flood in Niu Valley. Over half the car was submerged, resulting in a horrific mess of sludge and debris. As a total loss, Thipphavong parted the car out and looked to new horizons.
A friend was stepping out of the drifting scene and an opportunity arose to become the owner of this gorgeous 1995 Nissan S14. With only limited knowledge of what it was like to own an S14, he was giddy with anticipation. It came with a swapped SR20DET so he had reason to be excited.
One of the first things you may notice is the looks. This isn’t U.S. spec, it’s straight JDM. All of the body parts, badges and associated trim are straight from the Land of the Rising Sun. Featuring an OEM JDM Kouki front bumper and lip, rear bumper, rear valences, and wing — this baby looks like it’s Japan factory fresh. Some additionals include the Naval side skirts, a set of rare Ganador carbon fiber mirrors, and a Chasing J’s hyper color license plate bracket.
The body rides low on 18-inch Work Meister S1s with static coil-overs — Tein Master Flex mated with Tanabe Sustec for the front and rear under braces. All of this rides on polished Work Meister S1s that fit that classic look and are fitted with Federal SS595 tires. Additional braking power is provided by a combination of Z32 front brakes paired with STK drilled and slotted rotors as well as Circuit Sports SS brake lines.
Underneath that sleek black hood emblazoned with the Silvia logo resides the swapped powerplant. This 1998 build features a ton of aftermarket parts — too many to list — but the highlights feature an S15 Garrett T28 turbo, BC Stage 2 Cams, a set of Tomei bolt-ons as well as a Megan straight pipe and Blitz downpipe. Combined with the upgraded Greddy FMIC and oil cooler as well as all of the additional components and this baby puts out some respectable numbers. Much more than a Miata, that’s for sure.
The transmission has also been tweaked and features a gnarly, unsprung ORC 409D clutch that is a beast to engage paired with a Circuit Sports trans mount, Driveshaft Shop aluminum driveshaft and a Nismo 2-way diff.
The interior has also received some needed attention with a Vertex 10-star steering wheel paired with a Works Bell quick release and short hub. Shifting has been improved with an ARC shift knob and C’s short shifter. The cockpit also features a slew of gauges to include an AEM AFR, Blitz oil pressure and boost, and HKS water temp/turbo timer. Keeping the engine management in check is a Power FC paired with an HKS Boost controller. This baby still has cold A/C to boot!
Even with all of this insanity residing on the inside, the overall feeling of this vehicle is clean and simple. That’s pretty much a reflection of who Thipphavong is as a person. Nice.
