Under a grey tarp in the corner of the Sumo Power/JR Motorsport factory was a little piece of Nissan history, a dusty but beautiful early '80s 2-door coupé DR30 Skyline.
Parked up next to the two brand new race-prepped GT-Rs, it was in stark contrast to the high-tech engineering of the 2010 GT1s.
Sumo Power boss Andy Barnes filled in the details: "The car used to belong to the director of Nissan GB. Each year he would import a Japanese car; in 1987 he imported this one – it's been in Europe ever since."
"We bought it around three years ago after it had passed through a few hands. It was in a real state, so we started restoring it bit by bit."
"The body has been repaired and painted, and the engine and running gear made mechanically sound. It's not a full restoration, but it's road legal and lovely to drive."
"It was never sold here – we think it's the only one of this model in the UK, if not the whole of Europe. We have it as a piece of Skyline history."
The interior has been tidied up and looked in great condition: authentically period with cloth seats and those sharp angles on the dash. I like the 'propeller' Skyline logo on the wheel boss, the same as on the front grill.
The DR30 was a step up from earlier models with their pretty basic cabins: here you get electric windows, air-conditioning and power steering.
The R30 is credited with rejuvenating the Skyline brand in the early 1980s. The doors on the two-door coupé don't feature pillars and have roll-down quarter windows for the rear-seat passengers so you can open up all the side glass.
Under the hood is a 2.0L 12-valve, 6-cylinder fuel-injected turbo unit pushing out about 145hp.
The engine bay had obviously had a lot of work done: not quite as clinically clean as the GT1s of course, but impressive nonetheless!
The car has been sitting idle for some time – it didn't look like it had been out from under the cover for a while… But nothing that half an hour of polishing couldn't fix.
The car's biggest fan was definitely our own Rod Chong. There was a lot of stroking going on – maybe a little too much to be honest…
I think he's still there, trying to work out how he could ship it back to Canada. All for the sake of Speedhunting, of course…
Jonathan Moore
OFFICIAL SPEEDHUNTERS SUPPLIERS
Amazing classic car and history and Mr. Chongs coat is even more amazing. Where can i get one like his?
That is one very nice skyline. It's amazing to see how far the Skyline has come over the past few years.
I love how rods jacket ties in with the interior
Damn, Rod looks as if he was taken straight out of an episode of Seibu Keisatsu. Gotta love the '80s! I used to dress in a similar style each time I drove my Jewish Racing Gold 535i.
It's not the only one in Europe, though i'm not sure if you were refering to the model/trim or to the DR30 in general!
There is one in Portugal, a South African import Skyline GTX (2.8)! Currently on Drifting duty and not so road legal .... ^_^
http://img684.imageshack.us/img684/8531/kdskiline2.jpg
http://img401.imageshack.us/img401/7118/kd4.jpg
http://img194.imageshack.us/img194/7901/kd2f.jpg
http://img195.imageshack.us/img195/4161/kd3i.jpg
Cumps!
Great car, great coat. lol.
Rod and that car fit hand in hand. MIND. IS. BLOWN.
Can we have a full feature on Rod and his jacket? Oh and a wallpaper too
Best jacket/interior combo so far.
I remember one of those R30s with an RB26DETT and a thousand horses
Aussies, kiwis and subscribers can check the issue of sep 07 of Fast Fours
One in Switzerland too i think.
If it was a Japanese market only car, why is everything in the interior labeled in english? Just a thought!
Rod and the DR30 are a perfect match
its actually a HR30, but very nice none the less.
the front grille, steering wheel, seat trim, Turbo EX badge and L20ET sitting in the engine bay give it away.
the DR30 was also FJ20DET powered.
I was wanting to do a feature of my Iron mask DR30 to submit for readers month, unfortunatly my DR30 is sitting over 8000km away until I get home next month.
That jacket plus that car = Epic Win.
I take your skyline and raise you this one. http://www.skylinesaustralia.com/forums/Ultimate-Oldschool-Drifte-t102340.html
I know everyone is loving it but... I'm not feelin it. Some years were not so good... Even for Skylines. There I said it. Same for the jacket. Not good. Sorry Rod.
I love Japanese Nostalgic Cars!!
Thanks for the post and listening to the readers who wanted to see more of this car. The Speedhunters team does some excellent work.
Hey Rod
Here is a skyline coupe thats for sale in Auckland .You could use it for transport when you are here in may then ship it home .
http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motors/Cars/Nissan/SKYLINE/auction-270502138.htm
LOL Rod, your jacket even match the pattern on the seat covers!
hey Rod if you like the DR 30, there are plenty here in south africa..plenty
Oh god I could totally see Rod ridin around in his tight red pants alllllllll day.
awwwwww its an automatic
I just spotted a very clean 4 door R30 in a local scrap yard...... What made my face like this O_O is it was an origenal LHD one which is more rare than the RHD one's
Sorry guys, as already mentioned this ain't a DR30. It's a HR30.
there are key differences in subtle body styling but also under the bonnet, where it counts the most.
It's immediately obvious if you compare the vehicle in the article with this one:
http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motors/Cars/Nissan/auction-269429104.htm
much fail its a hr30
This car used to belong to me!!!!
It lived with me in HACKNEY way back when, It used to have tinted glass and faulty air con which I had repaired.
I had to have a custom exhaust fabricated for this car as I couldnt find a replacement unit anywhere...
I cant believe what i'm seeing here!!!!!
It is a hr 30 i used to own it and sold it to a guy in Belfast
lovly car
I wanted to keep it but parts r hard to find
so I let it go
hi how much is the car worth
how much did u pay for the car and how much is it worth ?
oh by the way is my umbrella still in the rear quarter like they got on the phantoms lol.
how much did you pay for it
?
cant believe that car is still about,, yough cookie, drunk like a fish, spent most times in the petrol station, fuel injectors were replaced.
It's all about that coat.
Boy oh boy i remember that heap that Simon used to drive in Hackney rolling around with just his vest on, his skinny arms trying to turn the power assisted steering wheel all four stone of him and still he was struggling.I think in the end he had to fit two steering pumps just so that he could manouvre into those tight spaces outside dixy fried chicken on stokey high road on those hot summer days.I tell you what though that fella in the pictures should check the back of his jacket when he gets out coz i do remember the distinct aroma of bobby orange secreting onto the drivers seat when he couldnt get that air con to work and that jacket looks like it could be worth afew bob,for god sake dont climb into the back with it on bacause from what i remember those stains on the back seats were a tough job for the most industrial cleaning products on the market Mr Chong you have been warned!!!!! Get out now while you still can.........gotta love Simon........car was ok........best thing about it was when it flew into a railing in asda car park pure class wat a motor couldnt write it off even if you tried it was such a boat....... made the titanic look like a dingy in fact i think Kate Winslet may stiil be in the boot.hahah
Then he sold it to a bald irish fella i think......could be wrong about the irish bit may of been Northern Irish..........definitely bald.........you might find a syrup (wig for all you non cockneys) in the rear quarter next to Simon brolly ha........
he makes it looks like a 70s catalog
who is this migsy i think hes a bit jealous ???????????
ave you only got rollerboots!!!!!!
retard
Rollerboots very witty me old son,i think you need to wind your neck in and get back in your box boy.........the motor was lame and still is a bucket on wheels,skip with an exhaust,and at one point could of easily been mistaken for Madam KoKos knocking shop the amount of action them back seats have seen...... as for jealousy........yeah very.........you tool.....what a plank.
Madame KoKos Knockin shop....HAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHA - That jacket was specially designed to conceal those exact stains - no harm done.
lol