Face/Off R32 GT-R
Like many of us, Skitch Bryant fell in love with the Skyline GT-R’s whilst playing Gran Turismo. Unlike many of us, he imported one. One that’s a bit different than most of the R32’s you’ll see roaming around.
Yes, despite what the car looks like from the A pillars forward, this is an R32 GTR. It just has front end conversion, similar to the Bee R 324R. Unlike the Bee R kit, this one has some R34 Z Tune fenders grafted on to it. It also has a rear windshield wiper, which is a nice touch.
Under the hood is…
…
*sips soda*
An RB26DETT that’s been given a lot of NISMO upgrades: N1 turbos and oil pump, bigger intercooler, and other stuff we’ll file under “etc”. It also has…
A BUNCHA SHINY-ASS HARD PIPES! And a shiny Top Secret catch can.
All of those pipes, along with the downpipe, exhaust, oil cooler, and oil filter relocation setup are GReddy/Trust pieces. There are also Spitfire coil packs, and a Cusco strut bar in there, but since it’s an RB26, people will focus on the power adders. Which is a shame, because this thing has seen some upgrades in the handling department as well.
Behind the NISMO branded Enkei wheels are the OEM brakes and rotors. And behind them are a set of Cusco Street Zero coilovers, and NISMO stainless steel brake lines and sway bars.
The interior has been given the NISMO touch as well, in the form of seats, floor mats,…
And 320 kph gauge cluster.
That orange, blurry thing in the last photo is a MOMO steering wheel, because it can’t be all NISMO all the time. While we’re here, can we take a minute and appreciate the late 80’s goofy awesomeness that are buttons and switches on the cowl of the gauge cluster? Man, makes me miss my Legend and its radio controls on the cowl.
Skitch picked up the Bayside Blue Skyline from a seller in Japan. He did all the paperwork, and flew to Long Beach to drive the car back. And that drive was interesting, because everyone was snapping photos of the car. Especially in California. From the email he sent me (because I forgot some of the details when he told me the story during the shoot):
I stopped at a Walmart along the way in Cali to grab some snacks and supplies for the road trip. I was literally inside for only about 10-15 minutes and come out to an entire Nissan club with their cars parked next to mine, taking pictures and geeking out over the Skyline. I asked them how they got here so fast and they told me that one of their members was following me and phoning everyone in the club to come out before the car disappears. They were super cool and we hung out for a little bit before I had to move on.
Stalkers can be fun sometimes!
People love it at car shows, especially kids. I love it when the little kids run up to it and recognize that they’ve played the car in a video game or that it’s their favorite color. Although I wasn’t expecting anyone else to really pay much attention or freak out over the car, it’s fun to know that it’s so well received and love in the community. After all, I bought this for me and because I love the platform and heritage of the car. It’s nice to know that others know of the car as well in some form or another
I can attest to the kids freaking out when they see it at a show. I was the guy shooting the roll in photos at ISS, and when Skitch and the Skyline rolled past, the crowd behind me lost their minds.
I’m glad that we can finally, legally, have R32s of all varieties. Especially ones like Skitch’s: super unique, and driven frequently. Now let’s see some crazy time attack builds!
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