My Skyline in Winter.

People say I am crazy, but I have been driving my Skyline for two winters now. I had it rust proofed last year, and I think I should do it again this year. I just haven't had the time. Anyway, the reason for this post is just that I wanted to say, the GTR is a great car in the winter. It drives like a truck (I mean this in a good way) because of it's all-wheel drive. Those front wheels kick in every time you need them. The ABS brakes work well too. I know it's a great car, but in the end, it's not that expensive. So why let your Skyline hide in the garage all winter. Get it out there and see what it can do. Heck, it would even make a good rally car if the suspension is raised.

Nissan Skylines on youtube.

The few videos I took of me driving my Nissan Skyline have had an incredible number of views, and in my opinion, they are super boring. But once you put Skyline on anything, people will take notice. For all you Skyline owners out there, if want to make a popular youtube video, get your Skyline on youtube. If you get video taken at the track even better. When I have time, I will make more videos of my Skyline. It's a good promotional tool for my blog as well.

Cheers youtube! What a valuble tool.

Watch the latest videos on YouTube.com

Showing off underground, my Skyline GTR

Showing off underground

Video of my Skyline

My Model review

1/72 scale model giveaway /photo contest.

Send in a photo of your Skyline and a short description of your ride, and I will give away one of these 1/72 scale models to the nicest car. All entrants will be posted on my blog. Send photos and description to palbrektsen@hotmail.com
Winner will be announced when I have enough entrants.

Best sports cars ever

Here is a ranking done by a program on the Discovery Channel. It seems like a very arbitrary list to me. It is hard to understand what they are basing everything on. But it was a interesting show regardless. I liked the part in the show where the guy says, the Skyline is like a Japanese salary man. Plain on the outside, but it really is a wolf in sheep's clothing.

Lamborghini Countach (5000QV)

Year: 1984
Power: 455 HP
Engine: 5,167 ccm, V 12 mid-engine
Weight: 1,494 kg
Top speed: 306 km/h
Rank: 10th

Nissan Skyline

Year: 1968 onwards
Power: 400 HP
Engine: 4,500 ccm, V8, Biturbo
Weight: 1,400-1,800 kg
Top speed: 260+ km/h
Rank: 9th

Corvette Sting Ray

Year: 1967
Power: 300-435 HP
Engine: 6,490–6,999 ccm, V8
Weight: 1300-1371 kg
Top speed: 240 km/h
Rank: 8th

Aston Martin DB5

Year: 1963
Power: 285.9 HP
Engine: 3,996 ccm, V12
Weight: 1465 kg
Top speed: 229 km/h
Rank: 7th

Mercedes Gullwing SL

Year: 1954
Power: 215 HP
Engine: 2,996 ccm, 6 cylinder
Weight: 1295 kg
Top speed: 235 - 260 km/h
Rank: 6th

Ferrari Enzo

Year: 2002
Power: 660 HP
Engine: 5,998 ccm, V12
Weight: 1,365 kg
Top speed: 360 km/h
Rank: 5th

Jaguar E-Type

Year: 1961
Power: 320 HP
Engine: 3,781 ccm, 6 cylinder
Weight: 980 kg
Top speed: 270+ km/h
Rank: 4th

MacLaren F 1

Year: 1994
Power: 627 HP
Engine: 6,064 ccm, V12
Weight: 1,140 kg
Top speed: 368 km/h
Rank: 3rd

Mazda Miata

Year: 1989
Power: 116 HP
Engine: 1,597 ccm, 4 cylinder
Weight: 955 kg
Top speed: 220 km/h
Rank: 2nd

Porsche 911

Year: 1964
Power: 130 HP
Engine: 1,991 ccm, 6 cylinder boxer
Weight: 1,080 kg
Top speed: 210 km/h
Rank: 1st

http://www.discoverychannel.com.au/greatest_ever/sports_car/index.shtml

LED rear lights for the R32 Skyline. In recent years, LED tail lights have become standard on most cars. The number one reason is light-up speed. They light up faster than standard lighting units. The difference is just Milli seconds, but it does make a small difference. Also, they use less electricity, and last longer. I would like to get some for my Skyline, however, for nostalgia sake, I am torn. A R32 is almost a classic car by toady's standards, and LED lights would look silly on a Classic. This unit is for sale at http://www.modyourcar.com.au/product_info.php?products_id=4393

Nissan Skyline R32 GT-R engine bay. Dunnville, Ontario, Oct 14th, 2007

Here is a closeup of the Nissan Skyline engine bay.

Gun metal gray 1990 Nissan Skyline at Dunnville

I was able to take a ride in this gun metal gray Nissan Skyline. This Skyline actually used to belong to a friend of mine. I hear he has a new one now. Nice red paint on the engine. I like the stock wheels too. The interior was very clean compared to mine.

Ferrari and two Nissan Skylines. Dunnville

A Ferrari and two Nissan Skylines going at it.

Wide Body Nissan Skyline. Dunnville.

Rear view of the wide body Skyline at Dunnvile, Ontario.

Two Skylines in a Battle. Dunnville

Two Skylines going at it on the long straight away at Dunnville. The Dunnville track is right next to Lake Erie.

Wide body Skyline. Dunnville

A nice wide body Skyline from the track day on Sunday, Oct 14th, 2007 in Dunnville, 2 hours north west of Toronto. This Skyline has about 500hp and is real wheel drive. It had really nice LED rear tail lights. One of the nicest cars at the event.


More about the event: It was my first times to attend one of these events, and I was able to take my Skyline for a few laps. The event was from 10am until 4pm and cost $100. A little pricey, but where else can you legally drive at high speeds? I am just sad that there aren't more events like this.
It was just about the most fun I have ever had behind the wheel in my whole life. The next event will be Oct 27th at Mosport, east of Toronto. The cost for this event will be $250. A bit rich for my blood. I think I will just take pictures at this event.

Visit nissangtrblog.com to buy Nissan Skyline parts.

Nissan R32 GTR emblems for sale.

Nissan R32 GTR emblems for sale. Brand new, genuine Nissan Parts. Front "S" emblem $55 CDN, and Rear "GTR" emblem $80 CDN, OBO (or best offer).

Ricers Vs American Muscle

Or should I say JDM VS GDM VS ADM
It is amazing how passionate people get about what country their car comes from. I see all kinds of Ford and Mustang owners putting down Japanese cars. I think it is all very childish myself. When I was young, I was only into Audi and Porsche. Then I went through an American Muscle car phase. Then I went to Japan, and totally got into Japanese cars. What I am trying to say is that it doesn't matter what country your car comes from, just look at the individual specs of each car and then decide from that.

Nissan Skyline 1300 Hp

This thing is fast.

V-spec GTR

The V-Spec GT-R. The black one has more attitude.
http://jdm-imports.com

GT-R, orginal brochure

Finally, the GT-R. It was a long strange trip. Notice how the GT-R is the only one to have the three meter gauges on the center console inside the interior.
http://jdm-imports.com

Visit nissangtrblog.com to buy Nissan Skyline parts.

GTS-4

AWD Coupe. The closest thing to a GTR. The rear wing has a flush mounted brake light. Not suitable for the GTR, however, it give the GTS-4 a very high tech look.
http://jdm-imports.com

GTS-4

The AWD sedan.
http://jdm-imports.com

GTS-T Type M

Starting to look like a GTR!
http://jdm-imports.com

GTS-T Type M

Lowest grade with the nice rims.
http://jdm-imports.com

GTS Type J

Red is not bad, but I like the darker red. Notice how they start to use the sunk in rear lights. Amazing how they pay so much attention to the detail and minor changes.
http://jdm-imports.com

GTS Type S

The lowest grade coupe. Very simple and understated.
http://jdm-imports.com

GTS Type S

How many variations do they need?!?
The rear lights use a flush, smooth surface. A high-tech feeling is created, but not quite an aggressive look like the GT-R. Handsome tail lights none the less.
The dark, royal blue is a very unique color. It would be funny to see a GT-R in this very, adult color.
http://jdm-imports.com

GTS Type X

Still very modest.
http://jdm-imports.com

GTXi Type X

From
http://jdm-imports.com
This one had a mere 91 hp and white is the cheapest color to produce. In Japan, white cars outnumber all other colors. Notice the ultra cheap plastic wheel covers. They look they came from Canadian tire.


Visit nissangtrblog.com to buy Nissan Skyline parts.

R34 Police car

This one is from
http://commons.wikimedia.org
This is quite an odd site for me. Here in Canada, cops often pull over Skyline owners, but in Japan, some police cars are Skylines. How the tables are turned! Maybe the OPP (Ontario Provincial Police) should recruit some Skylines on the force, lol. Heck, these days, half the Taxi's are Japanese in Toronto. Why not? The automotive world is changing fast.
Another interesting side note, there have been R32, and R33 police cars as well. There have also been RX-8, RX-7, and Subaru Impreza Police cars in Japan. I have seen them first hand.

1963-68 Skyline

Visit http://history.jbskyline.net/ to see more history on the Skyline.
Yes, it started way back then. The four round lights and the lip over the rear wheel. This Skyline is not exactly the most exciting as it looks like it was made in Eastern Europe, but it hints at greatness to come.
This was the S50 series, and was built from 1963 until 1968. I believe this model represented the metamorphoses from luxury sedan to sports car. The next model after this was definitely all muscle.
In 1967 Prince merged with Nissan.

1961-62 Prince Skyline

This one is from
http://www.importculture.com/
This Skyline was from around the time Prince merged with Nissan. The amazing thing about Skyline's is that they maintained the same design ques/elements from the beginning. Like the four round lights and the little line over the rear wheels like the ones you see on this car. Granted, there is not as much lineage as the Porsche 911, but compared to other Japanese makers, they didn't throw the baby out with the bathwater. Toyota for example, is a great company, but they hardly ever look that their past models when designing a new car.

This Skyline was Italian designed, but it was short lived as it was too expensive to produce compared with the up and coming S50 models.

Inspiration for the Skyline C211?

This one is from
http://www.renaultklassiek.nl/
I can totally see that the designers were looking at this design when they designed the C211. Specially the front end. This Renault 15 is a very handsome car. The rear end was very unique too. Also, you got to love the vibrant orange and green shades European automakers used in the 1970's.

1971 Skyline

This one is selling at
http://www.terra2imports.ca
for $18,675 CDN. I am sure these are great cars, but I have never been a fan of this design. Like the R31 Skyline, I feel the design is a bit bland. It reminds me of a supped up Lada.

1975 Skyline

This one is on sale from
http://www.terra2imports.ca
It is selling for $22,097 CDN. I didn't think they made these after 1973 but maybe I am wrong. I don't think this is a real GT-R, rather, it is a replica made from a lower grade Skyline. Some real C110 GT-R's in great condition go for close to $100,000! This makes them just about the second most expensive vintage Japanese cars. I predict that in the future, vintage Japanese cars will go way up in price. Considering how most of them have rusted away.
Anyway, this car is well worth the money as this car is basically non-existent in North America. I hope to own one someday. Oh yea, and the wheels are nice. The original wheels were basic steel rims. I guess in those days, slick low-profile rims were non-existent.

A powerful C110 (240k GT) model from Arabia!!

This one is from Arabia believe it or not. This thing is over the top. I think it has a good ol' V8 with a huge blower. Check out http://www.q8hp.com for more crazy cars. The Datsun 240k GT was the name used in Europe.


Visit nissangtrblog.com to buy Nissan Skyline parts.

European C211 Skyline "Datsun"

Looks Like a European C211 Model. It's funny that they used square rear lights in Europe instead of the trademark, four round lights.

Paul Newman and Skyline. I heard he even raced one.

西部警察 Nissan Skyline Nostalgia

A link to
http://tonchi-banchou.seesaa.net/archives/200505-1.html
Here is a poster from 西部警察

西部警察!!

A model from http://s597016.exblog.jp/m2005-02-01/
This appears to be from a 1980's Police Drama Show called "Nishibukeisatsu" or 西部警察. That means west wing police force. It's kinda like a Japanese version of Starsky and Hutch.

1977 Nissan Skyline (1977-1980)

A 1977 model from http://www.amayama.com/
I quite like this one. Clean, simple and unique. I would say it is very European looking. I reminds me of a Renault or Peugeot from the same era. However, I feel it does not have the same robust looks of the 73 model or the newer 90's Skylines. The top model had 145 hp.

R30 Skyline. (1981-1985)

Here is an image of the R30 from
http://theskylinesunderground.hostingzero.com
Slightly bigger headlights than the R31. I love the understated wheels on this one. They suit the two tone color scheme. There was a popular Japanese Drama series based on this car. I will try and find a link about this.
There was also a version called the Iron Mask, or 鉄仮面, Tekamen. It was the RS version, and the front end was reminiscent of the Iron Mask from medieval times. The Top model had 205 hp.

R31 Skyline Club (R31 1986-1988)

In Australia, there is a strong following for the R31. The website is http://gallery.r31skylineclub.com
or http://wiki.r31skylineclub.com
Personally, this is my least favourite Skyline. Can we say bland styling? Anyway, I sure they still perform very well. The top model had 210 hp. All other Skylines after this were limited to 276 hp by Japanese law. However, this number was far under their potential.

Visit nissangtrblog.com to buy Nissan Skyline parts.

R31 Engine

Here is a view of the R31's engine. I am sure this had some power too. This is from one of the club meets at http://gallery.r31skylineclub.com

RB20 Engine 2.0L

This one is going for $1200 USD. From http://www.japangeneraljdmmotors.com
I believe this is the engine from the GTS model. It has 212 hp and a single Turbo.

RB26 Engine

This RB26 engine is on sale at http://www.japangeneraljdmmotors.com
for a price of $3900 USD. It looks quite clean.

Original Wheels

These are the original wheels found on the R32 GTR. It is rare to see them these days because everybody ops for lower profile aftermarket wheels. Personally, I would love to have a set of these rims. However, they do not suit a silver body. Matching silver rims work far better on a silver body. On black, gun metal gray, and dark red, these rims work very well. I also like the "S" logo in the middle. This Skyline was sold by http://www.theskylineshop.com

An interesting side note, the lowest powered R32 Skylines had a mere 91 hp! This would be the GXi Type-X model. Could you imagine that!? That is even lower than all the Skylines from 1968 until 1988. They had at least 95 hp.

73 GTR 1/18 scale model

I own this great model from Kyosho. The detail is excellent. Even down to the seat belts. They have a numerous other skylines. See their website at http://kyosho.com

1/18 scale model from auto art.

I highly recommend these 1/18 scale models from http://www.autoartmodels.com
I have one, and the detail is excellent. They have them with many different racing decals, and they also have the R33 and R34 models as well.

Scale Model

Scale Model

Playing around with lighting in this 1/12 scale model.

turbo gauge

A view of the turbo gauge. A nice little feature.

1991 GTR

I almost decided to buy this one. I just wasn't crazy about the wheels.

A four door sedan from http://www.theskylineshop.com

Skylines on film

Here is a cool website called Internet Movie Cars Database. A kind of takeoff of Internet Movie database (IMDb), but this one is for cars.
http://www.imcdb.org

R32 Commercial

1989 Commercial. Check out the cheasy CG

R32 Commercial

R32 Commercial

R34 Commercial

1973 Nissan commercial

1973 Nissan Skyline KHGC110

Here is a 73 model. It sounds sweat!

1989 Nissan Skyline GTS -t Type M

I have always liked the lines of the clean sleek GTS models. In some ways, I even like the looks better than the GTR model. All the side panels are more narrow than the GTR's. The side turn signals are a different yet an interesting design as well. This design looks far more European to me. Elegant in an understated way. This one is on sale for $12,950 at http://www.jdmcars.ca/
My friend had one of these and I was very impressed with the soft fabric seats and the sunroof. It was a nice change to sit in compared to my stiff GTR. Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't trade my GTR for the world, but sometimes it is nice to ride in luxury.
On a side note, they even made an all wheel drive version on the gts just in case you didn't know.

Where to race your Skyline: Cayuga International Dragway Park

A drag park
http://www.ca.dsm.org/cayuga-map.html

Where to race your Skyline: calabogie motorsports

Never been here, so I don't know much about it.
http://www.calabogiemotorsports.com/

Where to race your Skyline: Shannonville

Visit their website at http://www.shannonville.com/

I have actually taken my car to this track, but I was not able to race my car because a motorcycle race was going on. I did however sneak some time on the back track, but I was quickly asked to stop. There was a drag race going on at the same time, but I decided not to take part. It is my everyday car after all.