Rezz

Yours is a '92 though isn't it Shaun? How did you get it?

Type Ms were released from May '89 through till July '93... all of those Type Ms had the 4pot brakes and LSD.

They're just standard used struts with different (maybe lowered) springs... he says that the although the struts are used, just think of them as a free gift witht the springs attached, so you're just bidding for the springs really. He doesn't say much about the springs... but I'll hazard a guess and say that they're probably "low down" about 20mm or more lower than stock with a firmer rate. If bidding goes much higher than 30,000 yen, I'd hold out for a proper set of coil overs... but then it depends on how much you've got to spend. Good coil overs from Yahoo kinda start at the 50 - 60,000 yen bracket, but then again thats for ultra-popular cars. Because you've got a Luce, the local guys here know how hard it is to get good used stuff for it, so every time you bid it might end up with the price getting blown out, I don't know.

Those memory schticks look tasty...

I ordered an SAU hat and a sticker from cafepress... I don't give a truck if it's a truker hat whatever, I just wanted that logo.

Somebody move this please. Shenz maybe read the forum title before posting too yeah?

Hey Dave, he's going to Yamanashi...

Thanks R32_GODZILLA Just looking at the first pic I posted, it looks as though the wheelbase has been *shortened* just a bit (maybe 10 - 15mm) as the wheels look pushed forward in relation to the wheelarch... anybody else think so?

Hahaha werd... that memo was faxed to everybody this morning...

I meant if thats real (as in, what it'll look like when it's released) I'm a chinaman...

Well, theres this French dude see...

Brilliant topi! I'm glad you had such a good time...

SS8_Gohan: could you PM me about that? Cheers.

Yeah, they were damaged... I don't want to use the standard GTS-t skirts anyways, I don't think they go well with the front lip I've got. I will put some skirts and rear pods back on though...

Even with the flared guards and big wheels it still doesn't look "special" does it? Just a V35 with a kit... Just going back and reading the article again, they say that *some* parts on that prototype are what the GT-R will have when it's released, while other parts will be changed dramatically (tail lights?)... they didn't say which parts though...

lol edited...

If you want to see the some of the best Japan has to offer as far as tuning shops go conveniently without a car, I'd suggest Tokyo. Some of the guys on here (Blitz aka Nick for one) will be able to point you in the right direction as far as tuning shops are concerned. To answer your 1st question, yes, you can buy merchandise you can use daily (eg: clothes, stickers, DVDs, lighters etc) but depending on where you go stock might be a bit lacking. As for events it really depends on when you decide to come here... although you mentioned the TAS '05, so I assume you're coming around Jan - March? On the other hand, if you came to Osaka, Troy and I could take you to some cool places by car... and meet the extended SAU/Performance Forums Osaka family. If I were coming here on a 3 month holiday, I'd go to: Fuji-san, Himeji castle, Hiroshima Gembaku do-mu (Bomb Dome), Koyasan in Wakayama (awesome buddist "temple town" - with one of the best graveyards you'll ever see!) Tokyo Ginza (all vistors have to go there) and take the Shinkansen (bullet train) from Tokyo to Osaka... I'm sure the other guys will have better places in mind though!!!

I wanted to just skip this update this time round... seeing the prototype GT-R pics again at the Nurburgring had me excited at first, but now the realization is sinking in that Nissan: a) ARE running with the V35 platform... no hint of V36 development as yet. B) ARE going to keep the "Nissan family face" (read: more agressive V35 coupe... ) Don't get me wrong, the next GT-R is still the technological powerhouse that it's always been touted to be, but I think the packaging and dare I say "pedigree" has lost some of the 'ol R34 magic for good... underdone IMO. From "Best Car" magazine: Yes, it's a lefthand drive "Infinity"... LHD in Germany remember! A German photographer snapped these pics recently, remarking on how quickly the car was travelling around that part of the 'ring. A professional driver from Japan has been flown to Germany to carry out "overall" testing with emphasis on aerodynamics appraisal. The test at Nurburgring wasn't about parts testing, but overall performance and handling, suggesting that the GT-R has entered the middle phase of development where engineers concentrate on the entire package rather than just seperate parts. The front bumper seen in the pic above isn't the final design!!! It's a just a quick bumper thats been made so the car has some kind decent airflow characteristics without any attention to styling. The rear wing on the other hand does give a big hint as to what the final one will look like. The reporter from Best Car was suprised that the rear wing is just your generic late model FD3S RX-7 type wing with beefed up end plates. The wide fenders will make the GT-R 100mm wider than the current V35 Skyline Coupe, making it the same width as the current Porsche turbo. Some effort has been put forward to make the fenders blend in as a component of the complete aerodynamics package, one that will become one of the strongest merits of the car. *sorry about the wonky pic* Best Car couldn't report on much about the engine this time around, but were quick to point out that a "number" of different engine capacities are being tested, 3.2, 3.3, 3.5 and possibly a 4.0 (a la the V36 VQ41DE) but still retaining the electric spool-up twin turbo configuration. Also note the two air opening under each headlight on the pics above, they aparently feed each turbo, with a highly efficient intercooler design making use of the third opening. Power is still being set at about 460ps. Just a final note, the engine is the ultimate "saving grace" for this V-series GT-R, and as far as Best Car can see, Nissan WILL NOT dissapoint in this area... so guys, sit back, don't write off the next GT-R just yet (although I almost did!) /Rezz

Aparently Dave knows what I'm talking about too!

I went to Kounan (or some generic lifestyle/hardware center) and bought these little rubber round thingies that popped straight into the holes in the boot... instant fix. Troy knows what I'm talking about.The Nismo rear spoiler doesn't cover any of the holes in the boot though, I just painted the round rubber things body colour, thats it.

I call him: T R A N S F O M A T I O N! :bahaha: :bahaha: :bahaha: :bahaha: | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | V Grand total? A$8,950... including car... :looney:

Not really... you've got to dismantle the car to get the bonnet on. By that time the car is well and truly "mine" so to speak If you're doubtful about the quality, maybe you should go for one of the Autoart 1/18th scale Nismo R34s that TonyGTS-T posted up?

Isn't much to hold on to is there?

First of all, you should go for a Type M (as opposed to a standard GTS-t - Type Ms have the "Nissan" 4-pot front calipers)... not that you'll find a normal GTS-t floating around anyway but...The interiors on the later (post '91) GTS-ts ditched the smooth black plastic surround that goes around the audio system/air con controls for a "grained" grey plastic trim (can someone confirm? I bought a grained plastic surround for my car off Yahoo and it was from a post '91) and the seat fabrics are different afaik. The standard audio system was upgraded, but I think most R32s have had their audio changed for aftermarket at some stage in their life. All Type Ms have the 5 stud hubs on them.... I have a 1990 model btw. Just my 2c, but I really think you should get the latest model you can find with the best bodywork. Especially check the rear wheel arches for rust and where the rear bumper attaches to the bodywork... a haven for rust. Rust is the killer, you can change the engine, replace the interior WHATEVER... but you can't stop the rust without doing it properly with alot of $$$ that you could be using for performance mods. I love my R32 even though it's been abused like a 2-fitty hooker, but I would go back and do it again to get a more expensive well maintained (and rustfree) 1992 model.

geno8r: do a search, and read some of the material thats been posted in this forum already. I assure you if you had read some of the threads about the next GT-R, you wouldn't be asking these questions. The next GT-R is going to be the first of the next *generation* GT-R, so it's highly unlikely that they'll keep using the "R" prefix... although as Carlos Ghosn is a wannabe tryhard sportscar enthusiast bean counter, anythings still possible at this stage. AS for those "concept" pics you posted, they aren't concepts pics.... they're just photochops put together by some Chinese graphic design Uni student about 4 years ago.