What do you do when your favorite things aren’t where you live? Of course you create it yourself. This is how my Nissan Silvia PS13 build started.
I’m Sidney, I’m 22 years old and I live in the Netherlands.My obsession with Japanese drift and car culture started in 2015 when I discovered Noriyaro YouTube channel. After years of searching the internet for the coolest Japanese drift cars of the 1990s, it was the PS13 Silvias that stood out to me the most.
Of all the nostalgic Silvia photos and videos I’ve found, the car with the B-Wave aero is my favorite. B-Wave is a brand created by a drift shop called Pro Shop Wave, which was established in 1992.
Falling in love with the simple 1990s Japanese drift style, I set my sights on building a PS13 one day that would look right at home sitting in front of the Pro Shop Wave back in the day.
I was too young to drive, so I bought myself a camera and started traveling to local car scene parties and events in the Netherlands, only to find that the type and style of car I was hoping to find wasn’t around. This gave me the impetus to import Silvias from Japan and do my best to bring authentic Japanese car culture to my home country.
In 2020, after four long months of waiting, the Silvia PS13 I bought in Japan finally arrived in the Netherlands. My goal with this car was simple: build a period PS13 using only authentic JDM tuned parts.
In my opinion the most important aspect of any build is the wheels, so I’m sad to see about 90% of the cars in the Dutch scene using knock-off brands. My Silvia is running SSR Longchamp XR4s which have had some work done to make it as perfect as possible. The wheels feature a new CNC machining center, polished lip and new hardware.
The extremely rare D-Speed mirrors were also a highlight for me. These were used by Pro Shop Wave on their first demo cars in the 90’s.
Along with the TBO front bumper, B-Wave spoiler and other select parts, I feel like Silvia now really looks like a key part of the car culture that is sorely lacking in the Netherlands.
Sidney Laman
Instagram: fulljpn/goodvibesniceddrives
photographer Colin Timmons
Instagram: fuegocarculture
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How to join the IATS program: We always welcome readers to contact us with examples of their work, and believe that the best Speedhunters are always the ones closest to the culture itself, right on the street or in the local parking lot. If you think you have what it takes and are willing to share your work with us, you should apply to be part of the IAMTHESPEEDHUNTER program. Read how to get involved here.
