1985 Nissan s12 hatch - Redneck's Build Thread

[Redneck]

So I wasn't gonna post up a build thread for my s12 but after searching in the vehicle build up section there is not one s12 build (jeez). It seems most people on here don't seem to know much about s12's so here is a little back ground info before we get into the build thread:

The biggest thing that separates an s12 from an s13 or s14 is the rear suspension. The vast majority of s12s use the same semi trailing rear arm design as the z31 and, in 1984 only (first year of production), s12's that came with the base model ca20e engine got a solid rear axle. The semi trailing rear arm design is the s12's achilles heel. Its biggest disadvantage is that it lacks camber adjustment which can be a big problem for guys wanting to really lower their s12's. Besides the rear suspension issues the s12 is a pretty cool car with not many big drawbacks. They are cheap, plentiful (at least on the west coast) and a lot s13 stuff can be swapped over. At the very least they can make great daily drivers with the right engine. So enough basic info on the s12 and onto the build:

I have two s12's: an 88 SE with the vg30e that runs great and have never had any problems with. Then I have the 85 turbo which for the last 4-5 years that I have owned it has probably only seen maybe 5,000 miles on the road at best. The stock ca18et it came with has been horribly unreliable even after repeated attempts to fix it. I gave up on trying to repair it about a year and a half ago and it has been sitting ever since. Until now...

The s12






Draining the fluids






Out with the old...


And in with the new!


The bellhousing swap that saved some fabrication to make the C tranny work in the s12 (the c tranny is a bit longer):

s12 B tranny


s13 C tranny


Hybrid tranny with C tranny bellhousing on the B tranny


What a great site!


The new nismo motor mounts (s13 motor mounts generally bolt into the s12 with no fabrication)


New clutch and flywheel installed


More updates later.

[Odysseus]

Something different...Right on. SR or RB in there would be fun.

[di-devol]

Just a na ka? what's your plans? I have a friend who just got a 87 s12 with the vg. I like the s12 a lot, the vg is fun as is in the hatch lol.

[sthirteen]

dude you gotta see my buddy's s12. He has pictures of it on club s12. It's DOPE!!! Made me appriciate them alot more. I would say they are a little more rare being that you don't see them as much as s13's. I'll get you some pic's of his. O and his is vg. He wants to build that....I know that's what I told him...too heavy right? I would do ca, sr, or ka-t.

[DeleriousZ]

If you've ever heard of BARTCO, he's making sweet custom shit for s12's.

[Redneck]

Just a na ka? what's your plans?

My plans are just....an na ka! It will be a fairly big improvement in itself as I am gaining 35 hp and 60 lbs of torque plus naturally aspirated throttle response. If money wasn't an issue I would probably go with the sr20 but like the majority of guys building cars I am on a limited budget. All the small stuff I am having to track down that I am missing from the ka is nickel and dimeing me to death as it is. Besides that the dohc ka has a lot of potential down the road since I can turbo it.

He wants to build that....I know that's what I told him...too heavy right? I would do ca, sr, or ka-t.

The vg30 is a heavy engine but I wouldn't say it would ruin the build. It will have a little more understeer versus a 4 cylinder s12 because of the extra load on the front tires but it shouldn't ruin the cars handling by any means.

If you've ever heard of BARTCO, he's making sweet custom shit for s12's.

Yeah Bart makes a lot of cool stuff for s12's. He has been a big help for the s12 aftermarket. I just wish I could afford more of his stuff haha.

[Redneck]

Bellhousing swap worked great! Didn't have to modify anything at all.




The ka downpipe sits right up against the bottom of the car. Any ideas besides a hammer? Haha.


The downpipe didn't bolt up to the s12 cat either.


Gettting a little closer.




This picture worries me.

[too4t]

that last pic looks ominous lol

[Odysseus]

Have you test fit the hood? You might need to go a different route with mounts....Or cut the ribs outta the hood in that part haha

[Redneck]

Have you test fit the hood? You might need to go a different route with mounts....Or cut the ribs outta the hood in that part haha

Yeah I haven't test fit the hood yet. There are a few other options besides swapping out the mounts I am exploring right now. If all else fails I can always pick up a turbo hood that only came on the 84 turbos with a non functional hood scoop that will clear. I'd rather keep my stock hood but you can't always get what you want. The hood looks like this:

[Redneck]

Not surprisingly the hood didn't clear the end of the ka valve cover. Luckily the part that was not clearing was part of the hood support. So we just took a whizzy wheel to a small part of the support that was not clearing and now it is all good and fully latches with no issues (although it is probably just barely clearing).




Just about everything is hooked up and the basic wiring to make the car run is all completed. We test started it today but only let it run for a few seconds since we still have a couple small things to hook up.


Basic wiring all hooked up.




The new s13 SE rims.


A glimpse of the interior.


If we get lucky and everything goes smooth it should see the road by the end of the week!

[Odysseus]

I figured that ought to do the trick...

[edsz31]

The S12 is a cool car, Its just they had garbage motors, here in the states anyway, Most countries got the ca18det motor and thats is a bad-ass little motor. The KA is a great upgrade for a daily driver, I hate driving my nice car every day in the crappy weather we have here. It would be great to be mobbin in a ka powerd s12.

[Redneck]

I figured that ought to do the trick...

Yeah we lucked out it cleared with just cutting out a little of the bracing. The real test will be daily driving it with the motor moving around a little bit. I'll definitely have to keep an eye on it to make sure it isn't rubbing.

It would be great to be mobbin in a ka powerd s12.

Thanks for wiring everything up for me old man! Good thing your apparently a bad ass at wiring. I'll have to let you borrow the s12 for a couple days so you can feel the ka powa! Hahaha.

[Redneck]

Now that the car is out of the shop and back on the road I figured I would post up some recent pics.