I Want An R32 GT-R
 

A little obsessed with this idea for some reason, maybe because I discovered the Japanese Classics website. I am frankly amazed what a cool freaking car you can get for relatively little money. For $20-25k it's hard to conceive a more unique, charismatic, and fun car than an R32 GT-R. Maybe it's my teen years playing Gran Turismo but I genuinely want one. The fact that they are supposed to be epic to drive and have a nearly unprecedented race pedigree doesn't hurt either. I will be in Richmond in a few weeks and plan on stopping by Japanese Clssics, we'll see what that does for my most recent wild hair.

https://www.japaneseclassics.com

Ok yeah, and as the owner of a 1993 240SX when I was 18 I would totally buy a Silvia for about $12k. That was my first decent car and I owned it for about 5 years, which is forever by my standards. It was a great car that was only let down my the truck derived KA24DE that they tossed in for the USA, the SR20DET from Japan would make for a great car.

I thought the R34 was the one to have? All of them are pretty well revered, just have to wonder if they hold up the hype?

You can't import the R34 for a while yet, the R32 is only recently legal under the 25 year import law. I've done some reading and they sound to be pretty damn incredible driving cars, and actually very reliable when left stockish. They are actually a homologation special so they could race, and much of the street car uses the same hardware as the race car. They won 29 straight races in Japanese touring cars, 24 hours of Spa in 1991, and 3 straight championships in Australia touring cars after which point they rules were changed and they were effectively banned. The more I read about them the cooler they are.

https://www.google.com/amp/www.roadandtrack.com/motorsports/news/amp27737/nissan-skyline-gt-r-godzilla-history/?client=safari

Oh man this is so timely! I spent two hours looking at them online last night.

We have a handful for sale locally and condition seems to be all over the map. A couple of them are pretty clean looking.

1991 NISSAN skyline GTR

1989 Nissan Skyline GTR R32 (PRICE DROP)

My only concern is RHD. Fortunately I'm staying less than a mile from Japanese Classics so I'm hoping to experience myself.

One of the techs at the Porsche dealership by the office drives a white R32. Whenever I see it parked along the side street behind the shop, I'm always taken by how small it is compared to the cars some of the other techs drive (B7s, C5s, E60s, etc). Really nice proportions that (imo) makes the current Godzilla an overly complex and massive beast.

But I'll just be happy with an FD...

Matts BTDT. Time for him to move on to the next car. What's the over under on an R32 if he gets one?

Wasn't referring to his FD (thought is was already sold), rather referring to my own quest.

Still have the FD, considered selling it then changed my mind. I don't know that I would replace the FD with an R32. Maybe the Boxster and make it a semi-daily driver?;)

That is a dangerous webite!

I know I'm a nutjob but I'm digging the Suzuki Cappuccino, if you are there Matt maybe take a peek at it and let me know if an adult can fit in it? :D

Just a dream, I doubt any of those cars could pass California smog. :(

Rhut Rhow...

http://www.importavehicle.com/vehicles

http://www.importavehicle.com/vehicles/58/1992-suzuki-cappuccino

https://www.japaneseclassics.com/
No Preludes???
Must be no sellers!

If I could find a minty 1991 Prelude Si it would be in my garage.

Not sure of OWP state (KS)..but here in MI you can plate anything that will go down the road..smokin, belching, loud, ...it doesn't matter. :)

Plenty of them here in Australia. My nephew had one with just on 600HP. The thing would launch like you wouldn't believe. The one thing that bugged me, but is easily fixed, is the 180Kmh speedo. Change that out for a Nismo 300Kmh one.

<iframe width="854" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/zaxBLHvXDew" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Smog testing? What smog testing? One of the benefits of a sparse population and conservative politicians.:)

The site I posted a link to is located about 10-15 miles from me and a dealer so what they are selling is legal (smog passed) in California.

Driving RHD would be interesting but I think I could adapt.

How are the parts availability for these old Japanese cars?

Supposedly there are a lot of places that stock the JDM parts, along with some dealerships that will order them. Also there are a lot of parts that will interchange with US market cars.

RHD is something you get used to, I guess it could throw you off if you were a smoker. When you get pulled over, you know, so they can ask you what it is, the cop might come up on the wrong side, especially if you have a passenger.

How often do you go to the drive through anyway? Only thing I could come up with that would actually be a problem. I looked at getting one of those R32 Skylines, really good looking car to me. bunch of other stuff happened and instead I ended up in California.

A lot of the parts are the same as for North American market cars, 300ZX stuff, if I remember right. Would not want it to be my only car, in case something happened that would make me park it and wait for something to be shipped from the land of the rising sun.
GRM Skyline R32 article

See also Stagea 260 RS for a wagon, talk aboout a grocery getter.

I am huge Skyline junkie as well (so can relate) and have been thinking about selling my 323 GTX to buy the little brother..a Pulsar GTiR..but go back and forth.

Japanese Classics in VA bring in some nice cars and they do a good job with what they import.

I have a good friend here in Houston who recently bought a R32 GTR for $25k and he got a nice one, the car is epic. He drives it 3-4 times per day and can't get enough of it. My only reservation like you mentioned is the RHD and also RB26 parts are not actually on the shelf anywhere so be prepared to have the car laid up while you wait for your parts plus the higher costs. God forbid you need a fender or a bumper from a minor fender bender!

There are a couple on the local CL for ~10-12k, seems like a lot of car for the $$. I like the right hand drive bit, something different.

It looks like the prices have been going up.

I know we had some other thread then this about the R32 GTR, can't find it with search easily.

I am starting to want one myself.

The woosh of the turbo, and a factory 8,000RPM rev limit.

My Mini Pickup is RHD. The first time I drove it I had a headache from concentrating so much. After a few drives in it things became more intuitive. I was driving it so much when I first got it that it really became second nature without a thought.

Came in handy when I visited Ireland and had a RHD manual car. Very easy for me to get on that side of the car, left side of road? Not so much.


Also, it is really hard to pass people on 2 lane roads in a RHD car being on the right side of the road. You have to drop back pretty far in order to see then cheat out a bit as well.

Also toll booths and drive through windows are fun.

I used my pickup to run to customers houses sometimes, when I got to guard gates that was fun too. The guard usually got all flustered.

I like you taste in cars Matt. :D

Since you refused to sell me your FD, I found another FD powered FC, buyer is sluggish but I think I should be in proper trouble with the wife real soon.

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1999-honda-prelude-2/

We can import them now?

Same rules apply to Land Rover defender of the same vintage?

That’s pretty awesome, but I would like a 1991 Si 4ws. Really cool cars.

If it’s 25 years or older, you can import anything you want!

Not being horrible, but most R32 cars have been owned my morons and thrashed within an inch of their lives. Plus differed maintenance to save money for burnout tires and KFC.

Since initially posting this thread a lot has changed with regards to my life and vehicular priorities. I’m hoping that someday the R33 and R34 being eligible for import will drive down the price of a mint R32 GTR. I have to say that after driving stick in the UK I find it pretty fun.

At less then $20K for a good one, I'd be looking harder.

At this point, I'll just keep an eye out.

The R33 GTR would have the largest back seats of any car I've bought.

It is possible that is the one I should go for.

I do not really see the R34 GTR ever hitting a price where I would want to buy it any time soon.

As soon as the R34 hits the market the R33 and R32 will plunge in value. That’s the GTR that the Fast & Furious and Gran Turismo crowd grew up with, and the fastest of the bunch. To me they are too computerized, much like the current model. Though at least the R34 can be had with a stick.

Plus I like the dominant race history of the R32.

My 19 year old Daughter bought this 93 GTS a few months ago from an importer. She loves these cars.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1535114680.jpg

That is beyond awesome. So cool to see any teen interested in unique cars, especially your daughter.

If anyone wants to have fun, this is a good site for JDM shopping: Japanese used cars and Japanese imports | Goo-net Exchange Find Japanese used vehicles

Hey Vash, go look at the various options for 70 series Land Cruisers that you can import.:)

Yeah man, she put coil overs on it last week with a little help from her boyfriend who also has one. She knows more about cars than I do.... Ha

I stopped into Japanese Classics in Richmond last year during a trip, they told me that the Skyline GTS-t is actually more bang for the buck than a GTR. You can find a pretty nice GTS-t for $10k, and still get plenty of power out of them with upgrades. Most are also RWD, which makes them lighter and more tossable.

was behind one of those skyline RHD cars recently in traffic. looks so awkward driving from the other side of the car!

dunno about the old ones but several years back I did an autocross driving school with my 911 and one of the coolest cars there was a new GTR. was just ok through the corners where I guess weight must be dealt with but the launch on that thing was just crazy.

so i can go to canada, buy a 25 year old Defender, bring it over and register it? WOW!!

with my luck California will poo-poo the dream.

googling a 1993 Landrover Defender now :)

You are correct about California.

In the case of the R32 GTR you have to bring the "emissions up to California standards".

Stronger cats, etc...

Possible the same with the Landrover.

However, the feds won't stop you from bringing it into the country.

i'm going to research this some. maybe figure out how to take advantage of my texan family members.