Andy's R32 GTR

[Andy616]

Not much to update but I have managed to get hold of some original wheels.

The standard 225/50 R16 tyre size has never had a great selection of rubber to choose from but Bridgestone have recently released the RE002 in this size so I thought I'd give them a try. They're only just scrubbed in but first impressions are very good.

Anyway, the sun was shining today so I went for a drive and took some pics.

Edited by Andy616 on Wednesday 7th May 21:35

[Andy616]

gaz1234 said:

Where in som are you?

Yeovil area unfortunately.

I'll be at the Caring with Cars event on May 18th all being well. Can't wait!

[Andy616]

Thanks guys, I've been planning an update to the thread as I've had the car stripped back to bare metal underneath and coated with epoxy mastic chassis protection (awesome stuff). I'll update the thread with more pictures when I've got them sorted but here's a teaser shot:




I've got out to a few events this year so far:


Local charity convoy and show.





Yeovilton Air Day.



A good wash for Wings and Wheels at Henstridge yesterday.

[Andy616]

Not much more progress on the car but I remembered to take a picture of the brake master cylinder stopper I've fitted. I had it sprayed to match the turret and didn't clean up the bolts so it doesn't look out of place.



The previous owner also fitted some very expensive Nismo braided brake lines so I've now got a very firm pedal and much improved feel.


I took the car on a quick holiday to Dartmoor two weeks ago and it still amazes me how well it drives. Epic!

Don't see the fuel gauge this full very often. Nearly at 100k now, must remember to get a picture.


















In other news, the time has come to replace the Astra as a daily driver. I'm showing a bit of brand loyalty so it's still got a Vauxhall badge. I'm picking it up next weekend.


Time for a V8!

[Andy616]

New year update:

I'd been after a decent set of 17" wheels for a while as I wasn't sold on the R33 wheels.

I've gone for some RAYS/VOLK CE28 17x9.5 et22 in a very similar colour to the original wheels. They're forged monoblocks so they're incredibly light. Even lighter than the standard 16" forged wheels (and that's when they've both got tyres on as well).

[Andy616]

Thanks guys, I'm hoping to get a fair bit more done this year. I won't be changing the anything on the exterior now, I'll just be swapping between these and the original wheels for shows etc.

I think it's going to eventually be a case of seeing how much power I can get out of it whilst still looking standard under the bonnet as well. Not the usual way of modifying one of these but I like the idea of it looking standard whilst still producing a lot of power. The chassis can certainly handle it.

Neith said:

Really is a stunning car! I ran some insurance quotes recently and can probably justify a R32 or R33 so I'm extremely tempted to sell the S15 and go for it.

You probably answered this already but what's the R32 like on british roads? I've heard that it can tramline really badly and that they can be a bit skittish/unbalanced- have you noticed this with yours?

Keep it up, it looks an amazing example of a complete icon.

I think a lot of the handling issues have to do with owners modifying the suspension and fitting large wheels and tyres. I personally think 18" wheels are too big for an R32. 17s are by far the best compromise between looks and handling. I'm still running stock suspension (properly laser aligned on one of those Hunter machines) and although its a firmer ride on the 17s than the stock wheels I've not noticed any tramlining. I've still got fully functioning HICAS as well and see no reason to remove it like a lot of owners have. The steering is so direct and it's an extremely balanced chassis.

They are renowned as the rawest of the later GTRs and it's certainly a lot more focused than comparable modern machinery. I'd definitely test drive one before considering one as a daily driver. It uses more fuel than the Monaro as well. Anything more than 15mpg is a bonus!

[Andy616]

Oops, it's been a while since I've updated this thread. The Skyline turned 25 on the 26th June this year, however, work, study and the other car have meant that I've not had much time to do anything other than regular maintenance. I do have a Do Luck Hyper Ignition harness kit on order so that will be the next job.

I have made it to a few local shows this year as well:

CabbageMS said:

Hi Andy,

Great to see an R32 in such unmolested condition.

I've tried to keep mine in as original condition as possible although I have replaced some worn out parts with aftermarket parts. For example the coilovers I replaced with Nismo S-Tune coilovers and the clutch I replaced with a Nismo twin plate coppermix (amazing btw).

I've also maintained the HICAS system and I use it on track days with no problem (although the HICAS certainly takes getting used to if you've not used it before).

Thanks, some Nismo bits are definitely on the cards when I refresh the suspension. Hopefully the clutch will be ok for a bit longer but I've heard really good things about those Nismo clutches.

5harp3y said:

Absolutely bloody amazingly stunning!

dream car right there!

any more info on the underbody protection? looking to get the Z3 done soon

Cheers, the car is stripped back to bare metal underneath and any rust repaired, before being coated with Epoxy Mastic 121. About a week's work if the car is in good condition underneath. The guys that did are called Zealou5 and they're based near Trowbridge in Wiltshire. They are fantastic guys and the quality of their work is amazing. Here's their Facebook page if you want to have a look at the work that they do: https://www.facebook.com/Zealou5?fref=photo



Speaking of the other car, the Monaro has taken up some time recently with some forced maintenance. The spigot bearing started to break up so I used the opportunity to upgrade the clutch to an LS7 unit and fit a Ripshift. Here are a few pics from just after I got it: