LEGEND, REBORN: 1991 Nissan Skyline BNR32

The Skyline mythos is hard to trace for a non car enthusiast. A worldwide fascination for a three box sedan based coupe with "only" a 2.6 litre inline six putting out roughly 280 hp is not rationally explained. Yet, starting from the very first KPGC10 "Hakosuka" to the modern hypercar killing R35 GTR, Nissan's flagship has gained a legendary status not enjoyed by many, especially not by a car sold officially in only one country, its home market.

They were certainly raced though. Ever since the original Hakosuka dominated more thoroughbred machines such as Porsche's 911 in touring car racing, the Skyline badge has had an intimate link to Motorsport. After the Hakosuka, there was a lull in the performance aspirations of the badge, due to economic downturns and a shift in focus to more mild cars killing off the GTR badge for a good 4 decades. When it returned, it was the high tech R32 GTR that dazzled the automotive world.

The Australian press christened it the "Godzilla" after another terrifying Japanese import of the same name. The R32 won every race it was entered in officially, and was banned from every single one because no one could match its stability and pace. In the racing world, getting banned because the car performed too well is perhaps the greatest achievement.

The Skyline you see on these pages is not a GTR. It lacks the all wheel drive, all wheel steering, twin turbo six cylinder RB26 engine the top dog Skyline came with. Efaz Ahmed's Skyline R32 is an original GTS-T, with 4 doors, rear wheel drive, and less of a knife edge compared to the GTR. Considering the shape it was in though, the way it has been built up is nothing short of extraordinary.

The first step was to buy a Skyline GTS-T from Japan. Efaz already had the hideous Windom front Skyline in Dhaka, and the only remaining solution was to swap in the GTR front end. Murshed Huq, well known in Dhaka's tuning circles as a Mazda rotary expert, was drafted in to help with the project.

The presence this car has is nothing short of incredible. You feel like its so familiar from all the games you've played and videos you've watched, but nothing  prepares you for this face to face meeting with a silver Godzilla, albeit with 4 doors. It's a surreal experience, akin to meeting the girl of your dreams and knowing that it isn't a dream anymore.

The front is a Skyline GTR conversion, with the special edition N1-spec front bumper which makes the sleek lines of the R32 sedan a bit more aggressive in a subtle, suggestive manner. Elsewhere, the GTR spec spoiler, side skirts and rear bumper finish off the exterior, coated in a beautifully muted silver that contrasts well with the beast hiding underneath the carbon fiber hood. There's little that gives away the potential of the machine to the untrained eye, at least not when it is turned off. When the ignition is turned, the 5Zigen exhaust (attached to a Trust exhaust manifold) lets the whole world know the characteristic thump-thump of a big bore six cylinder through a bass ridden baritone that is accompanied by the rich aroma of burning petrol.

You climb in, sit low on the factory bucket seat and look at a dashboard that has seen many years slip into its many cracks and creases, but it does not matter. With hushed expectations, you wait for the engine to warm up, to reach that optimum temperature where the magic happens.

The RB20DET may have less pedigree compared to the full on legend that is the RB26DETT, but with a few right parts and in the right hands, it serves its purpose: elevating the car beyond mere horsepower numbers and dyno bragging and straight to the region of no-damn-given-I'm-just-here-to-have-fun territory. With a Mines tuned ECU, Blitz intake, Greddy intercooler and Trust exhaust manifold/5zigen exhaust, the R32 harnesses the power of 9 psi of boost and propels itself forward.

In a straight line, the car rattles and hums as the boost builds, and when its lungs are full of compressed, cooled air, the R32 launches itself with a viciousness and ferocity hardly matched by anything this side of a knuckle to the solar plexus. The blow off valve lets out pent up pressure with an audible whoosh, and the tail end of the car starts slipping at angles that should be alarming, but can't help but put a smile on your face. The Nismo 2 way differential holds the slides and HKS Hipermax 2 coilovers and Driftworks lower arms keep the car stable. The Advan Neova tyres make it hard to slide out the rear end off power, but with enough stabbing of the right pedal, its easy to power over in corners and get the R32 to misbehave a bit. Having owned and driven a modified Nissan S13 in Malaysia, Efaz is well up to the task of taming the R32's wily side.

The R32 is a testament to what hard work and determination can accomplish. Efaz took a car that was well on its way to being a write off gathering dust and transformed it into one of the most desirable street cars in Dhaka, packed full of JDM goodies such as the ultra-rare Hasemi Sport SS-II 3 piece rims and Kansai Service steering wheel. Even then, Efaz says the car still needs a lot of work, not to mention preparation for an RB26DETT swap, including chassis, suspension and brake upgrades.

With the GTR badge stuck beside the Bee-R taillights, some people on the R32 internet forums said Efaz's car doesn't deserve it. We think different. It may not be perfected yet, but its definitely on its way, and Efaz's future plans for the car are promising at the least.

They say don't meet your heroes. We say, choose your heroes better. The Skyline GTR has defined the childhood yearnings for an entire generation starting with the R32, and even though this is not a "real" GTR, it's still the closest thing we've got. Considering it was built by a 20-something year old with a dream in his eyes and passion in his heart, we're mighty pleased with the results, and cannot wait to see where this project goes in the coming months.

SPECS

1991 Nissan Skyline R32 GTS-T

Engine: RB20DET, Greddy intercooler, Blitz air intake, Mines' ECU, Spitfire grounding kit, Apexi AVC-R boost controller. 

Exhaust: Trust low mount exhaust manifold, 5Zigen 3-inch turbo back titanium exhaust, 5Zigen ProRacer end box.

Gearbox: Stock GTS-T unit, Nismo 2-way differential. 

Suspension and chassis: HKS Hipermax-2 coilovers, Driftworks control arms, Cusco strut bars front and rear.

Wheels and tyres: Hasemi Sport SS-II 17 inch 3-piece wheels, Yokohama Avan Neova tyres. 

Interior: Recaro bucket seat, Kansai Service steering wheel, Sparco gear-knob, Razo pedals, Defi oil temperature/oil pressure/boost gauges, AEM wideband O2 guage, AutoGauge water temperature guage. 

Exterior: Nissan R32 GTR facelift front and rear, Nismo N1 spec front bumper, M-spec bodykit, carbon fiber hood, BEE-R taillights, GTR badges. 

Words: Shaer Reaz

Photos: Rahin Sadman Islam