A car with a dirty little secret...

Albrecht

Well-Known Forum User
I spotted this car at the 5th May 2018 ADVAN All Fairlady Z Meeting at Fuji Speedway. A car with a Dirty Little Secret.

I walked past it a couple of times when the bonnet was closed. Nice to see a C-GS31 still on its original steels and hubcaps. Blingtastic mirror treatment, but great body and paint. Hmmm, why has it got that tax code on its plates? Strange. Oh well. Popped a shot on the phone camera anyway.



Nothing more to see here, I walked on...
 

Albrecht

Well-Known Forum User
Walked past again a bit later. Bonnet up. What's that I see under there? Oh!



Warrants a closer look...
 

Mr Tenno

Digital Officer
Staff member
Site Administrator
Very cool - when I tried to find a picture of GS31 for the cars section it was pretty hard to find one. Are they a rare sight generally?
 

Albrecht

Well-Known Forum User
Very cool - when I tried to find a picture of GS31 for the cars section it was pretty hard to find one. Are they a rare sight generally?

Generally speaking, fairly rare in Japan. It seems that - like elsewhere - it's the 2-seaters that have tended to have a better survival rate.
 

Albrecht

Well-Known Forum User
I would have thought you disliked the hybrid mod to that car?

Really? Can't think why?

Just about every car I have owned - since the age of 14 - has been modified in some way. I grew up with a father who was a big fan of modified cars, and who read 'Hot Rod' and 'Hop Up' magazines as well as Motor Sport, Autosport and Motoring News. Some of my fave ever cars are Rods and Customs (I should say 'Kustoms') and car culture is a braod church. I also have catholic (small C) tastes...

As long as modifications are well thought-out, well engineered, well executed and - the killer point - tasteful, I am in favour. I like the car in question because it seems - as far as I can see - to tick all the above boxes.
 

Rob Gaskin

Treasurer
Staff member
Site Administrator
Really? Can't think why?

Just about every car I have owned - since the age of 14 - has been modified in some way. I grew up with a father who was a big fan of modified cars, and who read 'Hot Rod' and 'Hop Up' magazines as well as Motor Sport, Autosport and Motoring News. Some of my fave ever cars are Rods and Customs (I should say 'Kustoms') and car culture is a braod church. I also have catholic (small C) tastes...

As long as modifications are well thought-out, well engineered, well executed and - the killer point - tasteful, I am in favour. I like the car in question because it seems - as far as I can see - to tick all the above boxes.

So you see that as tasteful then?

Interesting.
 

Albrecht

Well-Known Forum User
So you see that as tasteful then?

Interesting.

All things considered, yes. In fact, the chrome fender mirrors on a GS31 body offend me more than the powertrain transplant on the same car.

If we compare it to the Don Muscles mobile (which you and a few others here appear to be cheering-on), it's a no contest in my book.
 

AliK

Vehicle Dating Officer
Staff member
Club Member
Nissan RB25DE 'NEO Six'.

Thank you!

I wonder how well she can use the power with what books like stock wheel / tyre sizes.

Did you notice any suspension mods!?

I have to agree with you, it's very "tastefully" done and I love the sleeper aspect of it!!
 

Rob Gaskin

Treasurer
Staff member
Site Administrator
All things considered, yes. In fact, the chrome fender mirrors on a GS31 body offend me more than the powertrain transplant on the same car.

If we compare it to the Don Muscles mobile (which you and a few others here appear to be cheering-on), it's a no contest in my book.


Aah that's where we differ then, I think this car being rare should have it's engine. As I've said before a rare E Type wouldn't have a modern Jag engine installed. Also the Don Muscles car IMO has been improved a great deal from what it was hence the cheering. This car has gone the other way (but is a great car) - these things are personal choice.

Also why that engine in a car with limited roadholding etc. ?
 
Thank you!

I wonder how well she can use the power with what books like stock wheel / tyre sizes.

Did you notice any suspension mods!?

I have to agree with you, it's very "tastefully" done and I love the sleeper aspect of it!!

I'd guess as a RB25DE it wont have crazy horsepower, more importantly the torque spikes.
 

Albrecht

Well-Known Forum User
Aah that's where we differ then, I think this car being rare should have it's engine. As I've said before a rare E Type wouldn't have a modern Jag engine installed. Also the Don Muscles car IMO has been improved a great deal from what it was hence the cheering. This car has gone the other way (but is a great car) - these things are personal choice.

Also why that engine in a car with limited roadholding etc. ?

'Rare' doesn't necessarily mean desirable of course. 2/2 models are relatively rare in Japan because they were less treasured than the two seater models, so they have a lower survival rate. Personally I wouldn't choose one over a two seater.

The car in question has fully reversible modifications as far as I could tell. I doubt it will happen, but if somebody wanted to put back the original L20E drivetrain they probably could with little difficulty.

Why that engine? Well, it was hooked up to a modern automatic transmission. It's a cruiser! I bet it wafts around very nicely and for that type of driving the RB25DE Neo is a good choice. Whole engine and trans could probably be bought for peanuts in Japan, and probably cheaper than rebuilding an L20E. The wheels and hubcaps were probably only on for the show (I might not have snapped the first picture if it was sitting on this week's 'cool' wheels...) and I see wheels and tyres as a moveable feast anyway. Like shoes and socks, I always have a few to choose from.

For me there's simply no comparison between this car and the Don Muscles car. Referencing what the DM car used to look like is all very well, but I don't personally believe it has been 'saved'. More like a stay of execution if anything. The red car has had a body restoration and repaint to pretty much ex-factory stock condition, clearly with lots of rare OEM parts hunted down and rounded up at some cost. No 'personalisation' body and paint-wise. It's almost bone stock.

Two quite different situations and with quite different results.
 

Albrecht

Well-Known Forum User
Indeed but you started it.

Yes. As a reference point for comparison of reaction.

You see why don't you? You - and others - apparently cheer on the DM car (fair enough, you must have your own good reasons but I'd guess that was more to do with encouraging the protagonist than the final result for the car itself) and yet you appear somehow critical of, or just indifferent to, the red car.
 
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