Widebody Nissan PS13 Custom Build
Arrival & Initial Assessment
When the Nissan PS13 first arrived at Concours Classics, it was already a heavily modified car with the foundations of its aggressive Japanese-inspired styling in place. The car came to us fitted with an aftermarket fibreglass bodykit, including the front and rear bumpers, side skirts and wider exterior components, but considerable work was still required to bring the bodywork and overall finish up to the standard we wanted to achieve.
Our first stage was to assess the condition of the PS13, the existing bodywork and, importantly, the fit and alignment of the aftermarket panels. As can be seen here, the car was very much a work in progress, with a mixture of exposed metal, previous repairs, primer and unfinished fibreglass components across the body.
The bodykit was trial fitted and the individual components carefully assessed against the original Nissan body. Fibreglass bodykits rarely fit perfectly straight from the mould, so the bumpers, side skirts and wider bodywork required extensive adjustment, shaping and refinement to improve panel alignment, gaps and the transition between the original steel body and the new components.
At this stage, we were also able to establish the overall direction and proportions of the finished Nissan PS13 widebody build, ensuring the aggressive styling worked cohesively around the car before progressing into the more intensive bodywork and preparation stages.
This initial assessment and mock-up formed the starting point for the PS13's transformation
Rear Widebody Replacement & Shell Preparation
As work progressed, it became clear that the existing rear widebody arches were not of a suitable quality to retain. The fit, shape and overall finish of the old components were poor, and attempting to extensively rework them would have compromised the standard we wanted to achieve with the finished Nissan PS13.
The decision was therefore made to remove the previous rear widebody sections and replace them with new widebody rear arches. The replacement panels provided a much better starting point, allowing us to carefully position and refine each arch around the PS13’s original body and achieve a cleaner, more consistent profile from front to rear.
Each new rear arch was trial fitted and adjusted to establish the correct position around the wheel, while particular attention was paid to the shape of the arch opening, the transition into the rear quarter and the overall symmetry between both sides of the car. This was an important part of creating the exaggerated stance of the finished PS13 widebody buildwithout sacrificing the quality of the bodywork.
Alongside the widebody work, further areas of the original shell were stripped back to bare metal and prepared correctly. This included the window apertures and surrounding sections, allowing the condition of the underlying metal to be inspected and prepared before the car moved into its final bodywork and paint preparation stages.
Widebody Refinement & Bodykit Preparation
With the structural repairs completed, attention turned to refining the PS13’s widebody conversion and aftermarket fibreglass bodykit. Achieving the right fit and finish required considerably more than simply bolting the components onto the car, with each section being worked individually to create a more cohesive finished body.
The widened front wings were extensively shaped and refined, improving the contours around the wheel arches and correcting the transitions into the original Nissan body lines. Particular attention was paid to the panel gaps and the relationship between the wings, doors and surrounding panels, ensuring the aggressive widebody styling still retained a clean, purposeful appearance.
At the same time, the removable fibreglass components — including the front and rear bumpers, side skirts and rear spoiler — underwent their own preparation process. Imperfections in the fibreglass were corrected before the panels were progressively prepared and primed ready for final paintwork.
This was a crucial stage of the Nissan PS13 custom build, bringing together the original steel shell and aftermarket fibreglass components so they appeared as one complete design. Once the panel fit, profiles and surface finish met our standards, the PS13 could progress towards its final preparation and distinctive Millennium Jade respray.
Final Bodywork & Epoxy Primer
With the metalwork repairs, replacement widebody arches and fibreglass modifications completed, the Nissan PS13’s bodywork was brought through its final stages of preparation. Every panel was carefully worked and refined to achieve the correct profiles, consistent panel gaps and smooth transitions between the original Nissan body and the extensively modified widebody components.
Particular attention was given to the large, highly visible surfaces such as the roof, rear quarters and widened arches. The bodywork was progressively shaped and block sanded, removing imperfections and ensuring the car was as straight and uniform as possible before progressing into the paint process.
Once the bodywork had been finalised, the PS13 was moved into our paint booth for the application of epoxy primer. The shell and relevant panels were carefully masked and prepared before being coated, sealing the underlying surfaces and providing a durable, consistent foundation for the next stages of primer, further blocking and final paint preparation.
Epoxy primer is an important stage in a build of this scale, particularly where the car has undergone a combination of metalwork repairs, bare-metal preparation, fibreglass bodywork and extensive panel modification. It provides a stable base from which the final surface finish can be developed while protecting the work completed underneath.
At this point, the transformation of the PS13 was beginning to come together. With the fabrication and major bodywork behind us and the shell sealed in epoxy primer, the project could progress into the final preparation stages ahead of its full Millennium Jade respray.
Final Preparation & Millennium Jade Paintwork
With the bodywork and primer stages complete, the Nissan PS13 underwent its final preparation before paint. The shell and individual panels were thoroughly cleaned to remove any remaining dust and contaminants before being carefully masked and moved into the paint booth.
The inside faces, edges and returns of the removable panels were painted first, allowing full coverage into areas that would become difficult to access once the car was reassembled. This was also the first opportunity to see the chosen Millennium Jade colour come to life on the PS13 and confirm how it worked with the shape and character of the build.
Once the preparation and internal panel painting were complete, the exterior was ready for its full colour application. Millennium Jade base coat was applied across the shell and individual panels, followed by a show-level clear coat designed to provide the depth, gloss and finish required for the completed car.
This marked one of the biggest visual transformations of the project, taking the PS13 from months of metalwork, widebody modifications and preparation into the distinctive Millennium Jade widebody Nissan PS13 originally envisioned.
Award Winning Nissan PS13 Show Car
The completed Nissan PS13 widebody is a perfect example of the bespoke custom car work undertaken at Concours Classics — combining metalwork repairs, extensive fibreglass bodywork, replacement widebody arches, show-level paintwork and careful final assembly to create a completely individual take on an iconic Japanese performance car.
2K Primer & Final Blocking
Following the application of epoxy primer, the Nissan PS13 moved into the next stage of paint preparation, with the shell and individual body panels receiving 2K high-build primer. This provided the material needed to further refine the surfaces and remove the final minor imperfections before colour.
The doors, bonnet, bumpers, side skirts, spoiler and other removable components were prepared separately, allowing every panel to be worked thoroughly rather than relying solely on preparation with the car assembled. Particular attention continued around the replacement widebody rear arches, ensuring their profiles and transitions into the original rear quarters were straight, symmetrical and consistent.
Once primed, the body was progressively block sanded by hand, using the primer to identify and correct any remaining highs, lows or surface imperfections. This process is essential on a build with extensive custom bodywork, as the final paint finish will only ever be as good as the preparation underneath it.
Panel gaps, body lines and the overall flow of the widebody conversion were continually checked throughout the process. By this point, the original steel body, replacement rear arches and modified fibreglass components had been brought together into a much more cohesive finished shape.
With the 2K primer blocked and the final bodywork refinements completed, the PS13 was approaching the end of its preparation phase
Millennium Jade Paintwork & Reassembly
With the paintwork complete, the Nissan PS13 emerged from the booth in its new Millennium Jade finish. The metallic colour completely transformed the appearance of the car, highlighting the widened body, sharp PS13 lines and extensive work carried out during the earlier bodywork stages.
The show-level clear coat provided the depth and gloss required for the finished build, while also bringing out the metallic character of Millennium Jade under different lighting. Particular attention had been paid to achieving a consistent finish across the original steel body, replacement widebody rear arches and fibreglass bodykit components.
The PS13 then moved into reassembly, with the painted bumpers, side skirts, exterior trim and lighting progressively refitted to the car. Careful assembly was particularly important following a full respray, protecting the fresh paintwork while ensuring the previously established panel alignment and bodykit fit were maintained.
With the major exterior components back in place, the vision for the build was finally becoming clear — an aggressive Millennium Jade Nissan PS13 widebody combining unmistakable Japanese styling with show-quality bodywork and paint.
