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June 26, 2009
No Price For Knowledge: the Story of a GT-R
By Steve Neill
Steve Neill
After slowly setting foot onto my doorstep, I felt the sun glare onto my body. I had to shield my eyes to take the twelve steps to greet the beleaguered and somewhat shy fellow beside my garage, with the extremely common name of James. What James drove, however, was not common. James didn’t know much about what it was that he was driving, besides the fact that he loved it with a passion, and that he was proud to call it his own. He didn’t know that what sat in my driveway held many mysteries, and my day was about to be filled with surprise, and disbelief, all at the same time. What he was driving was a Nissan Skyline BNR32 GT-R, but not your everyday average GT-R. This one was quite special indeed.
Continue reading after the jump!
The shadows from the tree above outlining his face, he smiled and held out his hand, with a satisfyingly discreet and quiet, “Hello, I’m James.” As I shook his hand, I could see that in his other hand he held the characteristic GT-R key with a firm grip, and I could have sworn that his blue eyes had watched me glance down at it. “I’m Steve,” I said with a smile and a nod. We walked over to the car, the heat above its hood distorting the image of the fence. “This is really nice,” I said, and as I walked over to the passenger side to get in, he said “Yeah, it’s always been my dream car. It even has the BNR34 push button start!” James wasted no time in turning the car over, starting it, and jolting out of the driveway.
By jolting, I mean quite literally jolting. The first few things I noticed as I sat in the aftermarket Recaros was that the car had a vicious limited slip, and it ran really really rich. By rich, I mean you could have tasted the gasoline if you had stuck your tongue out. “A little rich, huh?” I said as we burbled down the road. “Yes,” said James. “It’s an oilpan leak I think. My family and I are out to get it fixed”.
As we drove along, we got our fair share of odd looks, and double takes. People still haven’t become fully accustomed to seeing a RHD vehicle, and when teenagers who know the GT-R see the four round tail lamps, they end up jumping up and down, trying to get the attention of their friends, as if to say “Look over there, that car is from Gran Turismo!” It was something I missed terribly about my GT-R. How special it was to other people, and not just me, from both a visual standpoint, but a historical standpoint as well. There were kids worldwide who had grown up behind the TV screen of this very car, praying and wishing that they would someday even see one in person, and when they did, their faces lit up like a match to octane.
As we idled at a stoplight, I listened carefully. Hidden behind his carefully done MOMO Steering wheel (the one in which his girlfriend had so thoughtfully bought for him), behind the NISMO gauges, and behind the carbon fiber cluster surround, sat an engine that I could have sworn I had heard before, but not from the BNR32 model itself. “This engine isn’t stock, is it?” I asked, confused as to its origin. “No, the man I bought the car from said it was from an R33 GT-R,” said James. Still, I questioned even that answer as being correct, because after driving a few BCNR33s, you get used to the sound, and it’s RB26DETT sounds almost exactly the same as the BNR32′s RB26DETT.
I knew almost right away it was no BCNR33 RB26DETT, either. The pitch was lower, and as we pulled into the mall’s parking structure, I kindly asked him to open his hood once his turbo’s cooled down. While talking about cars, we stood out in the cold, and he waited for his turbo timer to slow down, and let the car cool before dipping his fingers into the hot clip under the hood, to prop it open. When he did finally come around to opening it, what sat underneath shocked me, and I just had to tell him.
“This isn’t a BCNR33 RB26DETT…”
“No?”
“No buddy, this is a BNR34 RB26DETT tuned by NISMO Omori Factory.”
I watched in pure amazement as this young guy’s eyes bugged out of their sockets.
“Are you sure???” he asked.
“Oh yeah buddy, look right here. The injectors are BNR32, but the engine is all BNR34. These are BNR34 cam covers, and they haven’t been repainted this metallic red either. On the front of your cam cover, there is this sticker, it says NISMO Omori. See this code on the aluminum sticker? This tells you the number in which this engine was restored and tuned. This RB26DETT is full NISMO, and your engine is full BNR34. The only thought I have behind the smaller injectors is that the car is likely detuned. Maybe it belonged to a man in Japan, who used them in his new car, and just put the old ones back in. You never know…”
James stood in complete awe. He didn’t say anything, except “Whoa…” and he took a step back, almost tripping backwards, as if his car was that of a God.
Not only that, but after closer inspection, I realized that his car also had a NISMO LSD, a BCNR33 transmission, and a fully restored chassis. When I asked James how much he paid for his car, which I valued personally at somewhat over 45,000 CDN, he said “Umm.. The car itself was $15,000. They sold it to me cause I was there, looking at it, and they hadn’t even done their visual inspection of it yet, but they needed the money.”
Essentially, James had bought himself a 600 horsepower on high boost monster for the price of a used Honda Accord. Although he was wary to bring it past 1.1 Bar, the stock engines limit being only 1.2, I tried to tell him that if it was a Stage 2 NISMO Omori S-Tune modification, he could easily bring it past 1.4. It saddened me to hear him say that he barely ever drove the car hard, and only kept it at around 430 Horsepower. Still, it was his car, so who was I to say anything about what he did with it. He offered to let me drive it, but I have a rule about driving someone else’s car.
My rule is this, and for anyone who wants to use it, they may so use it, if they like:
If one is offered to ride in another’s favorite car, in which the other person has so painfully saved up for, and taken care of, you decline. What right, do you, as their passenger, have to drive their pride and joy, even if they offered it to you. It is something they cherish, and for that, you let them enjoy it, as it is a part of their love, and it is not your place to use it.
James drove me home after dinner, and I ran through the brisk air to open my front door. I was still surprised at what James’ car had been like, and I couldn’t wait for more rides, and more talks with this cool and quiet young man. Knowledge is an extension of ones soul, and I could tell there was a lot to be shared here. Sitting alone, in front of my computer, I was reminded of a picture I had from Japan of a little girl at the Daikoku. With James’ custom blue GT-R, I thought he had the only one this color. As I looked at the picture however, I saw, and I kid you not, James’ GT-R behind this little girl, wearing black TE37s. It was James’ car. There was no question. So I leave this post on CarDomain, for him to find out where his car spent most of its life. I congratulate you buddy, because you have yourself a genuine Wangan Terror. I hope deep within yourself you can find the soul that is attached to your car, just as it has found you.
Happy and safe driving folks.
Comments
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bnr32boy
Sep 1, 2009 at 1:45 pm
Thats BS! you can’t tell the difference between rb26′s by hearing them ..they’re all basicly all the same except for the pump drives and turbos….they all have 444cc and the r34 has a black plastic covered CAS
JDMGTR
Jul 2, 2009 at 2:46 pm
Tyndago, you can tell the year of the engine from it’s sound, it’s shifts, it’s pressure, it’s everything…
Like tasting a wine, you can hear it, as you would taste it.
Even tuned, there are little niggles that present themselves through the powerband, that only a certain aged engine could.
Biggunna
Jun 30, 2009 at 5:52 pm
Your blowing my mind man that’s some total, bumble bee in the transformers movie type stuff.
mcdoogle6969
Jun 30, 2009 at 11:51 am
Oh, and most of you are being very ignorant.
mcdoogle6969
Jun 30, 2009 at 11:49 am
Sorry, im going to have to post again. People are telling greg to respect the GT-R? Respect the Camaro SS also and stop hatin’ on it. You guys are being hyprocrites.
tyndago
Jun 30, 2009 at 8:20 am
I want to know how you tell the difference audibly between an R32, R33, and R34 engine. Thats pretty discriminating ears, considering the engines are all nearly exactly the same.
In 10 years of working with the cars, they all sound the same to me.
R32,R33,R34 injectors are all 444 cc, yellow top. Thats the limiting factor for most RB’s.
mdeserteagle50
Jun 29, 2009 at 10:33 am
Great story……Its weird how everything works out, rite???? Dont pay atention to the haters, man….Screw a camaro ss…That space age mosquito got owned by the 2010 mustang gt in motor trend with less HP!!!!!
K2dogg86
Jun 29, 2009 at 12:04 am
Greg… Your car. Wow! Cav. Come on now. How old are you? Whats a goon to a goblin? Goon=Camaro SS, Goblin=Skyline. Nothin! Respect the car and all the thought that was put into it when it was made! Nice ass read. Even nicer car!
Garage510
Jun 28, 2009 at 6:18 pm
Long story but nice read that was worth it. Those GTRs are truly great rides.
xXHotelCrazyXx
Jun 28, 2009 at 4:08 pm
Excellent post! Great read! Thanks!
mcdoogle6969
Jun 28, 2009 at 3:38 pm
Jeez! seems like alot of people are hatin on the camaro ss. Calm down guys, both cars are amazing. Check mine out
But anyways, that was a good read. That kid must have been amazed about what he learned about his car!
96Cavyz22
Jun 28, 2009 at 11:34 am
I f*cking love the Skyline man. Sick as hell and that is pretty crazy that you found a picture of your buddys car in Japan before he owned it. Hell I would drive the hell outta that car too. But I agree I wouldn’t drive it if it was someone elses except maybe a dealerships! lol I have always loved the Skylines. Wicked story bro. Car looks great. There was a grey Skyline here on Prince Edward Island which is pretty amazing… I almost shit my pants. I love Skylines and this one was fresh as f*ck. Unreal.
smoke_07018
Jun 28, 2009 at 10:32 am
great coverage but even greater you got a pic of the car in japan
HEEBZ
Jun 28, 2009 at 10:20 am
Wow damn that car is fricken awesome. it would surely set you back in your seat and give you one hell of a ride. just imagine gregg.. you could use your amazing chevy cavalier as a trade in for the lug nuts off this car… and then save up the rest and maybe buy all four tires off this GTR.. eventually you’ll get there.. man don’t listen to haters awesome write up.. hell of a nice car..
Greggk
Jun 28, 2009 at 7:26 am
awesome write up. just run of the mill luck turned out to be a treasure chest
tater17
Jun 28, 2009 at 6:43 am
oh… and not to mention that greg drives a cav… OWNED!!! hahaha
tater17
Jun 28, 2009 at 6:42 am
what a great story… if this was an english class you would get an A++
greg… oh buddy… where do i even start… your camaro ss would be like riding a bicycle next to a jet plane…
Static24
Jun 28, 2009 at 4:50 am
Man I would have crapped my pants if I even heard that thing comming before I saw it.
iphone
Jun 27, 2009 at 11:06 pm
damn thats powerful awesome write up as usual,
GREG’s being a prick as usual
RioRcR
Jun 27, 2009 at 11:05 pm
Very nice story. Love the fact that even though the guy got his dream car he still was unaware of the true miracle that was basically dropped in his lap. Just goes to show you that this car was meant for him.
buickpimpin101
Jun 27, 2009 at 8:43 pm
WOW
DarthMandingo
Jun 27, 2009 at 7:49 pm
Great story Steve Neil. A website like this should offer car stories for all to read, every week. Forget about them hater comments and keep bringing those great stories for us. I’ll be lookimg for more…
satty12
Jun 27, 2009 at 7:10 pm
Amazing story Steve you are a car god of the GTR as always great read and hell yes do the book i would by it imediatly and GREGs ride dude come on you drive a crapalier one of the worst cars ever to roll out of a GM plant.
BIG4GALANT99
Jun 27, 2009 at 4:59 pm
it was very nice writing though, i just dont have alot of patients when im reading about gtr’s
BIG4GALANT99
Jun 27, 2009 at 4:56 pm
did some guy say buy a camaro ss instead? buddy you better hope your camaro ss never meets a car like this one. itll send ya home with a limp.
BIG4GALANT99
Jun 27, 2009 at 4:55 pm
i felt like i was reading a novel. i dont give a crap about how the sun felt on your face just stick to the freakin point. goodness, i had to read a hundred pages to hear you say “he got a good deal on a nice car that was nicer than he originally thought”.
GREGs_ride
Jun 27, 2009 at 3:33 pm
nothing but chinese junk, buy a camaro SS
luminathunder01
Jun 27, 2009 at 1:47 pm
wow I almost cried lol damn thats one sick car!!
CARPLAYER
Jun 27, 2009 at 1:16 pm
nice story thats sick bout the picture those are nice cars great story
GREDDY1387
Jun 27, 2009 at 5:16 am
awsome story and man do i love skylines and i could read this a 1000 times
JDMGTR
Jun 26, 2009 at 11:45 pm
Go nuts with the quote.
Also, I was thinking about writing a book with a bunch of small stories in it, but I dunno how well that would work out…
Thanks for the positive critique guys!
milena00
Jun 26, 2009 at 8:01 pm
If you don’t mind, I would like to use your quote on driving someone else’s car on my ride page. Can I?
PsychoVolvo
Jun 26, 2009 at 6:59 pm
Your stories are always great. If you wrote a book, I’d buy it.
Big_Block454
Jun 26, 2009 at 3:08 pm
Wow, what a great story. That car definitely has an amazing soul that you cannot put a price on. Skyline GTR’s have been around the top of my list for quite some time now, hopefully someday I will become an owner.
SS87622
Jun 26, 2009 at 2:20 pm
I was driving down a street by me about a month ago and i saw a white R34 with a crappy body kit on it. It was the real deal though, not a clone like i initially thought it was. Was cool to finally see one in person.
EricShoHo
Jun 26, 2009 at 2:00 pm
nice read,bro…the GT-Rs are sweet cars…and I too found out what they where playing gran turismo 1 and fell in love,then through,2,3,and 4 they just got better!…this is definitly one of my top ten cars to own!
ZATcarkid
Jun 26, 2009 at 12:56 pm
I want one!!! GTR32′s are going for less than 20K in the US these days. I really want to find one.
XTZTwinTurbo
Jun 26, 2009 at 12:46 pm
Ha. If a good writer could tell my story on my car. bought by Rob Dibble of the Cincinnati Reds, sold, resold, moderately/heavy modifications by the previous owner. A brothers feud found the car on ebay. bought it for $12,900.00 with 550hp at the wheels on pump fuel. This car was a steal!
byxman
Jun 26, 2009 at 12:42 pm
wow this is amazing. there is a r33 for sale just down the road from here and im try to buy it. i hope i can work it out with the owner.
05SaabVert
Jun 26, 2009 at 12:33 pm
This story was awesome!!!
RavenAegis45
Jun 26, 2009 at 12:24 pm
haha wow what a nice surprise lol
good story
buickboy92
Jun 26, 2009 at 9:42 am
I loved that story! awesome.
Austin Knight
Jun 26, 2009 at 7:53 am
Awesome read. Superb story.
Maffew
Jun 26, 2009 at 6:55 am
as usual, killer read…. Keep ‘em coming!
PureBusiness
Jun 26, 2009 at 5:45 am
Very nice,really!!