Marks S12 Grand Prix

[sunny1600]

Hi guys

I am Mark, 29 years old and I live in the Netherlands. My French is very basic and rusty so therefor this thread is in English which I guess is better than your Dutch

About the car. It is a Nissan silvia S12 Grand Prix sporting the FJ20E engine. I bought it February last year after an epic car collection road trip.
The car was for sale near the Czech border in the little place called Stutzengrun.

First sight. Instant crush again


I have driven the GP on the Nordschleife only one time. Did 11 laps that day and it felt great. I have had a nissan sunny N14 before that I used to drive on the Nordschleife too. But I like the S12 better..

Previous car, my sunny chalkboardpaint blue.



The S12 GP on track





Why only 11 laps? Because I blew the engine. I had a coolant leak because a hose snapped on the freeway which resulted in a cracked head so had to be rebuilt. That had been done and it turned out that they fucked up my head, the cut the valve stems.

So I was totally fed up with the 12 and went on holiday in the States. Met some guys there from the 12 community (Draconis, the guys from LowXIIposition) and had a blast.

In the meantime found myself a fresh FJ20E in Germany so collected. Swapped it in recently and know need to fix the starter that died and the dizzy. Then I should be able to drive the 12 again.



Plans for 2012
Going for some tracktime at
- Zandvoort (Netherlands)
- Nordschleife (Germany) Whenever possible
- Donnington Park (UK) Japfest 2

Here are some links
S12 GP on s12sil
Drivers Blog on S12sil part 1
Drivers Blog on S12sil part 2
Photoshoot by Roy Zweers

Enjoy reading

Mark

[miniapache]

Beautyfull !!!
11lap without any stop?

(I don't know how to say it in english): Ma S12 CA18DET n'aurait meme pas tenu trois tours sans faire une surchauffe d'huile

[sunny1600]

No I stopped after my first lap to check the car for leaks and to see how it was doing, stopped after the second also. Then drove alot. Took the car of the track after 8 laps and went to the Nurnburg castle to see the view from there. Did the other laps so I basically did 11 laps in like 4 hours time period.

I planned to intend the Nurmeet hosted by SXCE.org with the GP but the engine wasn't repaired in time. So it was just 11 laps on the ring. Hopefully this year it goes better.

It would be nice to see some more 12's at the ring. Havent seen any other at the same time.

[Denrée]

Vraiment magnifique un GP toute stock, en plus avec un FJ20 (145cv).... miam, même en atmo, ça doit être sympa, comme mon ex SR20DE (143cv)

[Yu@34]

faut peut etre voir avec lui pour faire une session sur le 'ring

[GoSP]

Hi Mark,

Happy to see you here with your GP ! Enjoy the french forum !

[Fhu]

Welcome Marks
Very beautiful, I like it
Have you already fixed your engine? Is it just your starter is broken? Don't give up!!!!!!!!
What is the favorite S12 car that you saw in States (pictures)?

[sunny1600]

Hi guys.. thanks for the welcome. The french part I need to put through the translator.

The engine is swapped yes, dizzy and starter need to be fixed and then I should be able to drive it again. I have driven the car back to my place so the engine works. Just need to know if the engine is still good but for that I have to drive it first alot.

Here is the first startup after the swap. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-sKOsPHz ... r_embedded
Well it wasnt really the first try, we had to try alot of stuff before it ran again.
And after that the starter died so had to pull it and then just drive home.

[Fhu]

The more difficult is spent, I hope you can start it as soon as possible...
FJ20 isn't common in France, but If you need some help or parts, you can ask us. The shipping will be cheaper, I think...
But with this car, it's so difficult to find any parts. Generally, we buy the part in USA. But maybe in Germany we can find a lot of parts and our German speaking is very crap

[sunny1600]

Yes I mostly get my FJ stuff also from the States or Germany.
Try www.sxce.org This is a German based SX forum with alot of S12 owners. And most of them speak English.
FJ20 is more common in Germany than in the Netherlands. But still difficult to get the parts.

[sunny1600]

Sorry mate, just read it again.

I only saw 4 S12's in the States.

The one formerly known as the heartbreaker S12

Parted out and ready for drift/track
It is now owned by Hung

Andrew's S12

Justen's S12


I drove a couple of miles shotgun with Andrew's car. It is really low and hard on coils. I don't want my GP to be this low but I do need coilovers since my rideheight and bodyflex is too much atm. But this will all be sorted when the Energy suspension bushes are mounted with coilovers and S13/S14 front hubs conversion. Together with front and rear strutbars and bigger swaybars.

No rollcage in this one for now, want to keep the originality for as far as possible.

[sunny1600]

Why does it only show the half of the pictures?

[Fhu]

Why does it only show the half of the pictures?

It's a bug about the picture's size

Sorry mate, just read it again.

I only saw 4 S12's in the States.
...
I drove a couple of miles shotgun with Andrew's car. It is really low and hard on coils. I don't want my GP to be this low but I do need coilovers since my rideheight and bodyflex is too much atm. But this will all be sorted when the Energy suspension bushes are mounted with coilovers and S13/S14 front hubs conversion. Together with front and rear strutbars and bigger swaybars.

No rollcage in this one for now, want to keep the originality for as far as possible.

Very nice, you saw some of very famous cars for the s12 club
And have you see differences between all engines (KA, FJ, VG, CA) that you met?
In France, we only have CA & FJ (never seen)

Good conversion, I did this and Iam very happy (not my money ) but I just kept the S12 front suspension arms.

About rear, do you have a SRA on GP?

[sunny1600]

Andrew and Justen are both driving VG30 engines, Colin (Draconis) didnt bring his car over sadly and Hung (ex heartbreaker) is now sporting a CA18DET iirc.

My rear is IRS and the coilover setup will have to wait till next winter. The engine rebuilt and after that the swap cost me too much money too also spend money on coils atm. Want to drive the car first, do the bushes and coils in the next winter.

[seb.racing]

salut soit le bienvenue

elle me dit quelque chose cette Grand prix

[alundra]

Hi,
What a story, i like it!
Passion and a road trip for a car is a good story to come.
The Nûr? Waouh you went so often! One day i hope i'll go there and also hope i'll come back with my car!

Henry-s12, my top 3 best s12 of the world to me.
You had a great trip there is good to see other s12 owners.

You're welcome

[sunny1600]

Thanks.

I have only driven the S12 one time to the Nordschleife, and did 11 laps there. I have taken my previous car more often there, and I had planned to take the S12 more times last year but the FJ20 decided to get in the way of those plans.

It is nice indeed to meet fellow S12 enthusiast. Draconis (Colin Masterson, RB26 powered S12) is coming over this summer for euro trippin so will take him to the Nordschleife.

[alundra]

Will he come with is beast?

[sunny1600]

No Colin will come over by airplane.

[Fhu]

Mark, what are the sizes of the GP wheels? In front 15x7 ET10? In rear 15x9 ET0?
Thanks

[Denrée]

Les jantes GP d'origine c'est 15x7 devant et 15x8 dernière.

[Fhu]

Les jantes GP d'origine c'est 15x7 devant et 15x8 dernière.

Merci Denrée, tu as changé les voiles pour passer en 9"? et pour l'offset ça te donne quoi à l'arrière?

[Denrée]

Oui voiles changé car j'avais eu que une seul voile de 8...

En ET, j'avais noté mais je ne sais plus ou, c'est genre 10 a l'avant et 5 a l'arrière, de mémoire... C'est le mec de cher Gotti qui me l'avais dit au tel.

[Maskym]

Hello Mark, welcome here. You have a really nice car. I love the GP, they are too rare in France.
You've met one of the "masters" of the american S12 community, that's cool.

[sunny1600]

Tnx for the welcome.

There is a member from France on the S12silvia calender named Batiste. Is he also on the forums here?
Love those fenders combined with the Gotti's.

[Denrée]

Michelet Batiste, it's me thank you

[sunny1600]

Yes I thought so because I dont think Gottis are common in France either. Time to update your sig then.

[sunny1600]

So I have replaced the starter, but still the car wouldnt start. So I have been trying to fix the problem but didn't had the time for it atm. So I towed the car this week to my buddy and he should take a look at it.
Problem had something to do with the spark plug wires and the coil. I switched one of the plug wires with the wire from the coil in the dizzy cap. Stupid mistake... hence the non running explained!

Yesterday we had a meeting I organised in Eindhoven. So perfect opportunity to drive the GP.

There where some things that caught my attention.
- in fifth gear on acceleration there is a "strange" noise. Hard to describe and maybe I am exaggerating but I dont trust it completely.
- at start of the engine there is a strange hard noise coming from the starter or perhaps the flywheel?
- the coolant temp gauge in my dash is living his own live. Driving it is almost on the left side (cold) and when I have the car running stationary it goes to the center. Probably the thermostat needs replacement.

To do list 2012

- solve problems above
- upgrade my radiator with a thicker alu rad. And see what is possible with the use of (slim) fans etc.
- replace the coolant hoses
- have the recaro's collected here and welded in
- deep dish steering wheel
- weld a strutbrace front
- normal maintenance
- drive the GP on the circuits

Winter 2012
- remove the subframe/chassis and have it all powdercoated or with PU paint sprayed (apparently better/ more bulletproof then coating)
- Energy Suspension PU-bushes mounting
- coilover setup
- 5 lug converion
- brake upgrade

Circuitplans
- hit the Nordschleife in Germany a couple of times
- Japfest 2 Donnington Park (bought already 4 sessions of tracktime)
- if possible do some laps on the Hungaroring in Hungary. The F1 track which is also open a few days a year for trackdays.

Meetings
- the local Eindhoven meetings
- JAF (Japanese Auto Festival in the Netherlands)
- JAE (Japanese Auto Extravaganza in the UK)
- Nürmeet (German SX meeting near/on the Ring)

Some pics of my car at the meeting yesterday.

[Fhu]

Happy for you
Alundra had a same strange starter, and he changed his cap and rotor (Nissan OEM) to fix his problem

We will do our meeting in Oyonnax near Switzerland in the end of May
Your welcome, if you can come

You are going to have a lot of work this year

Have you already seen this car?
If yes, do you know who sell it?
http://suchen.mobile.de/fahrzeuge/details.html?lang=de&id=158137060&pageNumber=1&tabNumber=1&adLoadingVersion=bottom
Very clean

[sunny1600]

Hi

I have seen this MK2 GP replica.
It is not a real GP, only MK1 are sold in the GP trim. It looks clean, but not the real thing.

Perhaps I can come, it is only an 8 hour drive. If possible I would like to come over.

Tell me more about the starter problem please.