Shannons staff member Christopher Wang Yuen has long been into the JDM scene and acquired his 1995 Nissan 180SX about seven years ago. There was Christopher sitting quietly in his uni class one day, flicking through ads on Gumtree – as you do –when he spotted it. For him, the next car didn’t have to be a 180SX, he was also keen on Skylines and assorted Toyotas – and even more so the Evo X – but when this one popped out at him, he just knew it was the right car at the right time.

The owner was in his late thirties and, says Christopher, on his way out of the car scene. The Nissan was, he reckons, pretty average and still fairly stock, itself an unusual condition for a 180SX, many of which have served faithfully for years as drifters. It might be well to say a little more about the rapid development of the JDM scene in Australia. As recently as the mid-1990s there was no more than modest interest in used Japanese cars. The popularity of the Subaru Impreza WRX  and Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution in particular served as an impetus. Others noted the standout rear-drive models like the Nissan Zeds and the 180SX, although front-drivers such as the Honda Integra Type R were also emerging stars. Buyers came to understand that grey imports from Japan were often low-mileage cars in outstanding condition. This was another factor driving interest in the JDM scene.

Christopher’s dream car was a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X. ‘That’s why I bought a Lancer and mocked it up as an EVO: it had full front and rear bumpers, the biggest spoiler and everything was blacked out. It was ‘slammed to the ground’ on 17x8 wheels, but remained P-Plate-compliant he says. The Lancer made way for a 2013 Renault Megane RS265, which he says is ‘pretty much a race car straight out of the box’. Put the Megane and the 180SX side by side and what you see is a two-car eclectic collection! When he got the Nissan it was unregistered and even now the project is far from complete. 

Owning the Renault taught him more about working on cars and turbos, he says. ‘I learnt more and made some great new friends.’ In the early years of the twenty-first century came a whole new incentive for turning Japanese. Like many of us Christopher got hooked on the Fast and Furious franchise, his favourite (like mine) Toyko Drift; indeed it is easy to conclude that Japanese dominance in the World Rally Championship from the mid-1990s, followed by Fast and Furious largely drove the extraordinarily rapid growth of the JDM movement in Australia. Having got his car, he was determined to personalise it and the initial plan was to paint the 180SX Nardo Grey. But between the time of purchase and time of painting, Christopher changed his mind. Nardo Grey, he says, had become too popular; great colour, nothing against it, but he wanted his machine to stand alone.

The colour he chose instead is certainly not one you’re likely to see at every JDM car show: let’s call it Custom Army Green metallic. Christopher was inspired by a wrap in this livery he saw on an R35 Nissan GT-R. ‘It’s unique,’ he says. ‘It won’t be going out of fashion in a few years time.’ This superb paint job was completed about two years ago. Under sunlight, the colour changes. It is a full door-open respray except for the engine bay which won’t be done until the engine is removed. Meanwhile, he reckons the bolt-ons are complete. There is an exhaust, intake manifold, front-mounted Hypergear Greddy intercooler and Link G4 ECU. Even though the engine is tuned to run on E85, it makes 275kW at the wheels which, as Christopher says, ‘isn’t bad for an unopened engine!’ He’s shooting for 300-plus. Just before the photo shoot, a Speed Tech short shifter was bolted in. The interior is factory-Type X (1995-late 1999). ‘Mine is a 1995 model and this interior was one of their mock-ups before they introduced the Type X.’ Christopher plans to wrap the centre console and to finish the door cards in black Alcantara. 

The wide-fender bodykit is by Original Labo and suits the 180SX’s looks superbly. It is complemented by a Torana XU-1-style Rocket Bunny ducktail spoiler.  For wheels, Christopher chose Work Emotion – 18x10.5 rears, 17x9 fronts. He has set his car up for easy balanced driving and the suspension is built around Slidework coil-overs. Christopher loves the shows and his car has already appeared at the Black Label Invitational in February where Shannons was a major sponsor.

More recently he displayed the 180SX at the Unmarked Show in Williamstown at Sea Works. This is a two-day event, with different sets of 50 or so cars each day. This is an invitational show and, says Christopher, ultra busy. It was the first Unmarked show in Melbourne. The cars are mostly JDM, starring Skylines, Silvias, 180s, 86s, Aristos, Crowns and more. Here, Christopher had the joy of seeing Aria’s Top Secret R35 GT-R resplendent in its SPL Gold Candy livery. 

As for Christopher’s 180SX, he doesn’t expect ever to use it as a drift car. The irresistible combination of a turbocharged engine up front driving the rear wheels has seen many lovely original Nissans re-purposed as drifters – no bad fate in itself. But the JDM show scene is progressing in leaps and bounds and it is great that owners like Christopher Wang Suen are keen to preserve their classic Japanese metal for modest on-road use and regular display. It seems increasingly likely that the 1990s will be remembered as the decade that saw the rise of the JDM scene in Australia.