A True Fairlady Keeps Her F20C Close
F20C swaps are a dime a dozen these days, but this classic Z isn't your average, basic swap.
Far From Basic
As we already know, the F20C is a pretty fabulous engine. Which is why we've seen it swapped in all manner of cars, whether they wear a Honda badge or not. But in the case of Kiochi Kanoe’s S30 Z we recently caught over at Stancenation, this isn't your average, basic swap.
Photos: Stancenation
Good to Great
For starters, we're obviously huge fans (shhh) of these classic Datsun/Nissan Z cars, what with their timeless style, tidy packaging, and performance potential. Throwing a modern motor into the mix only makes them better, too.
Photos: Stancenation
>>Join the conversation about this F20C swapped Fairlady Z right here in the S2ki Forum!
Natural Flow
Kiochi’s S30 features a host of exterior mods, but they actually don't upset the car's natural beauty. The wide fender flares and massive front air dam don't look quite as tacked-on as they would on other cars.
Photos: Stancenation
>>Join the conversation about this F20C swapped Fairlady Z right here in the S2ki Forum!
Perfect Pair
Engine swaps in Z cars are nothing new, but typically you see things like American V8s and Nissan/Toyota inline-sixes under their long hoods. But given the F20C's lightness, we think it makes a perfect pair here.
Photos: Stancenation
>>Join the conversation about this F20C swapped Fairlady Z right here in the S2ki Forum!
Go Juice
The Honda mill has been fortified with an HKS Rotrex supercharger for a little extra go juice. And amazingly enough, the whole swap is so natural it almost looks OEM.
Photos: Stancenation
>>Join the conversation about this F20C swapped Fairlady Z right here in the S2ki Forum!
Organ Donor
Kiochi could have stopped there, but he also utilized the transmission, suspension, differential, power steering, brakes, seats, console, and dash from the donor S2000.
Photos: Stancenation
>>Join the conversation about this F20C swapped Fairlady Z right here in the S2ki Forum!
Easy Maintenance
Thus, this car is essentially just an S2000 with a Datsun body on it. But the real beauty of the swap is that it makes maintenance and repairs a snap. Kiochi didn't have to fabricate a bunch of one-off stuff to make the job happen, after all.
Photos: Stancenation
>>Join the conversation about this F20C swapped Fairlady Z right here in the S2ki Forum!
Restomod Treatment
Essentially, this Z is more of a restomod than anything, even if most people would classify it as a stanced car. Combining a classic car with modern mechanicals is really the core of the build, it just happens to have a little extra camber, too.
Photos: Stancenation
>>Join the conversation about this F20C swapped Fairlady Z right here in the S2ki Forum!
Real World Application
Those HRE Classic Series wheels are a timeless choice as well, and the car packs an air suspension when you need to adjust it for real-world use.
Photos: Stancenation
>>Join the conversation about this F20C swapped Fairlady Z right here in the S2ki Forum!
Extra Effort
Thus, what appears to be a high-quality show build is actually a reliable driver. And while stanced cars aren't really our thing, we can certainly appreciate the effort and skill that went into this amazing build!
Photos: Stancenation
>>Join the conversation about this F20C swapped Fairlady Z right here in the S2ki Forum!