Second Life: </br>A NISMO Super GT In Norway
Obsolete

What motorsport have you watched recently? Did you enjoy watching the current pinnacle of automotive technology duel it out? At any point did you give consideration to the fact that in as soon as a couple of months, these cars will be old technology and in many cases become obsolete. Where will they end up? Will they be stored in a warehouse, never to be seen again? Will they be donated to one of the many motorsport museums located around the world? Probably, but generally only if they have accomplished something or broke new ground.

But the sad reality is that a lot of these beautiful machines are either completely disposed of and recycled, or we quite simply never see them again. Which is a genuine shame. Top-level motorsport builds are usually only with us for such a short period of time, that we never get to truly know them. Because of the competitive nature of the sport, the cars are usually shrouded in secrecy too. I mean, if you’ve spent countless hours and dollars – or Japanese yen in this case – trying to gain an advantage over your rivals, you’re not going to shout about it, are you?

2015 Nismo 350Z Extra-1

In many ways, elite motorsport is like the secret club that everyone knows exists, but very few get to see what’s behind the doors. Radni Molhampour is one of the lucky few who not only gets to look, but also has the privilege of being able to walk through those proverbial doors. He is the proud owner of not one, but two former Japanese Super GT cars.

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Radni describes the process of how he came to purchase the S15 and Z33 as ‘not easy’. “You need to take a chance. The offer and price you get is just that. No discussion. Where else can you get one? You don’t even know what condition the car is in after so many years of racing. All of them are just stored in a workshop or a warehouse after their final race season,” he explains. “So you need to trust that the car is good. After making the deal, mechanics take the car to service. Then you just hope it doesn’t have any expensive repair or maintenance costs.”

This is only one part of the equation too, and Radni uses his good friend Rikku from Drag and Drift to assist in the purchase and shipping of the car and dealing with all of the headaches that this incurs.

2015 Nismo 350Z Supet GT PMcG-1

Of the two cars, it’s the 350Z that appeals to me most of all. For everything that is good about the S15 – and everything is good about the S15 – the purity of the 350Z just captivates me so much more. With the only change being cosmetic (the livery), this is exactly how NISMO wanted the world to see their best work.

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For someone who has yet to visit Japan, it felt like such a privilege to watch Oskar Sandberg carve up Rudskogen from behind the wheel of the 350Z. On paper, Oskar surely had no chance with just 315hp and 300lb/ft against Gatebil’s legendary Extreme Class, featuring cars with four figure horsepower numbers. But he was able to prove the 350Z’s worth, qualifying first and placing second during Saturday’s Extreme race. A monumental achievement, considering the car only arrived in Norway earlier this year…

The Art of Super GT
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Despite being a 10-year-old chassis, the results at Gatebil go to show just how potent the Z33 remains. It’s that unrelenting pursuit of performance in every tiny detail and facet throughout the car that plays a huge role.

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Not all horsepower is created equally, and there is probably no better example than this. The hand-built NISMO engine is 4.8kg lighter than a stock VQ35 thanks to details like titanium conrods, which only weigh 350g each. This being a GT300 car – albeit wearing GT500 bodywork – it’s restricted with 24mm restrictor plates. With the restrictors removed though, it’s capable of a comfortable 480hp with the 262-degree camshafts.

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The GT300-spec car is equipped with a 3572cc V6 (the GT500 car featured a larger capacity V8). It does feature hollow cams with oil outlets on the cam lobes and a double valve spring system with 12.0mm/12.3mm lift. The crank is knife-edge forged and has four oil outlets for each main bearing, where a normal crank only has two. Air is fed to the engine via NISMO’s own intake.

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Cooling is carried out with Calsonic products and also an oil and water heater. The engine is dry-sumped using NISMO’s own system.

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Weight saving is key and this, of course, results in an almost pornographic use of carbon fibre. How else do you achieve a total weight of just 1080kgs (2,380lbs)? In 2008, the car was fitted with a full GT500 wide-body – in full dry carbon – to both increase aerodynamic performance and to generate appeal to potential new Japanese customers.

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Just walking around the car and taking it all in, the beauty is awe inspiring. When form follows pure function, the result is simply spectacular.

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Equipped with Dunlop slicks, the 18×11-inch SSR Type C wheels attach to the car with a NISMO centre-lock system. These surround AP Racing brakes and disguise the Racing Dynamics suspension system. The NISMO adjustable anti-roll bars can be adjusted from the driver’s seat.

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Speaking of which, it was never going to be your typical race seat. The all-carbon Tillett item is the sole seat inside the cabin – there is no room for passengers. It’s just Oskar who gets to experience the car at full speed.

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The rest of the cockpit has been prepared by NISMO, as you would expect. The Pi Delta steering wheel features the essential controls and displays, whilst a secondary dash is positioned to the driver’s right-hand side. Also within comfortable reach of the driver’s right hand is the selector for the Hewland sequential gearbox, which was custom made for Super GT. The AP Racing pedal box – you can view details of these parts in the Bonus Images chapter below – is the driver’s other connection to the car.

2015 Nismo 350Z Supet GT PMcG-23

Whilst the sophistication of everything is impressive, it’s the small things that really entertain me. The cooling duct for the driver, which is cable tied to the underside of the dashboard.

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To the mirror stabilisers, made from a bent piece of metal. I think it’s these details that make me appreciate the human element of these cars and the rapid engineering that is often involved with limited resources whilst track-side.

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The rear hatch lifts off as a single piece but leaves the chassis-mounted carbon wing in place. Removing the hatch allows a better view of the rear air scoops and large-diameter ducting, and how they manoeuvre around the tunnel for the dry break fuel filler necks and fuel cell.

2015 Nismo 350Z Supet GT PMcG-56

It’s a cliché, but the more time you spend with this car, the more you appreciate its beauty. I’m certainly not an engineer so it takes me that little bit longer to figure things out, but when you do work out or identify something new, it leaves you with the biggest grin on your face. It’s such a rewarding car from every possible angle.

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What makes it all better is knowing that the car continues to be used in the manner originally intended. I’m sure when the fabricators were carefully aligning and welding the chassis, or the engineers were pulling out their hair over some tiny detail, they didn’t want to see a time where the car would sit under an inch of dust, never to be used again. This is a race car and it deserves to be used as such.

Rather than ramble upon about my experience exploring the car, I’ve loaded up extra images below so you can hopefully have your own moments of awe and discovery. I’ll leave you with a short video by Speedhunters’ friend, Daniel Hovdahl, who documented the car’s shakedown earlier this year.

Paddy McGrath
Instagram: pmcgphotos
Twitter: pmcgphotos
paddy@speedhunters.com

Cutting Room Floor
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65 comments

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1
90nissanS13@my350z

Paddy and 350z action. Heck yes!

2
90nissanS13@my350z

Paddy and 350z action. Heck yes!

3

Omg. This car is AMAZING. It's beautiful and menacing all at the same time

4

Whats with the black and white?? re up in color please. It's not studio arts.

5

Whats with the black and white?? re up in color please. It's not studio arts.

6

Whats with the black and white?? re up in color please. It's not studio arts.

7

Whats with the black and white?? re up in color please. It's not studio arts.

8

Please re up in color.You guys are taking the intersting details out from the pictures.I cant even see the carbon weave and anything else!

9

Please re up in color.You guys are taking the intersting details out from the pictures.I cant even see the carbon weave and anything else!

10

Please re up in color.You guys are taking the intersting details out from the pictures.I cant even see the carbon weave and anything else!

11

Please re up in color.You guys are taking the intersting details out from the pictures.I cant even see the carbon weave and anything else!

12

Heaven!

1st thing on my list would have been to take those restrictors out!

13

Heaven!

1st thing on my list would have been to take those restrictors out!

14

Heaven!

1st thing on my list would have been to take those restrictors out!

15

Heaven!

1st thing on my list would have been to take those restrictors out!

16

Pornographic indeed... pure smut, this was. Well done.

17

Mind blowing engineering. Curious as to why a Z33 out of Japan would be LHD?

Also, any pics of the S15?

18

Mind blowing engineering. Curious as to why a Z33 out of Japan would be LHD?

Also, any pics of the S15?

19
Gianluca FairladyZ

Wow this is very good work and info! Thumbs up Mr McGrath! But why didn't he run the car without the restrictors?

20
Gianluca FairladyZ

Wow this is very good work and info! Thumbs up Mr McGrath! But why didn't he run the car without the restrictors?

21

Let's see the s15

24

Gianluca FairladyZ To give everyone else a chance? :)

26
Gianluca FairladyZ

Paddy McGrath Gianluca FairladyZ  Hehe Yeah.. Think so!

27
Gianluca FairladyZ

Paddy McGrath Gianluca FairladyZ  Hehe Yeah.. Think so!

28

Super GT is awesome!! This is siiiiick! *faints*

29

Super GT is awesome!! This is siiiiick! *faints*

30

RBJET Might be more expensive than you think. The entire engine is built for restrictors. So it might not even take the extra loads when i gets the increase in HP.

31

Seriously though, thanks Paddy. Great article, lovely to see the detail of this incredible beast outside of Japan. When it took over from the R34 SGT I fell in love right away, defo a Gran Turismo fav, coz lets face it most of us will never get to drive one for real! But this is a GT300 so would have been in that class when its bigger brothers were replaced by the GTR's in GT500? Cool

A great example of form following function. Amazing well thought out details but also, as you mention, the trackside mods that take place when they realize tweeks are needed.

Be interesting to see what changes or tweeks Radni has planned for it. What a car

Those wing mirrors give me an idea.....

Thanks again

32

Seriously though, thanks Paddy. Great article, lovely to see the detail of this incredible beast outside of Japan. When it took over from the R34 SGT I fell in love right away, defo a Gran Turismo fav, coz lets face it most of us will never get to drive one for real! But this is a GT300 so would have been in that class when its bigger brothers were replaced by the GTR's in GT500? Cool

A great example of form following function. Amazing well thought out details but also, as you mention, the trackside mods that take place when they realize tweeks are needed.

Be interesting to see what changes or tweeks Radni has planned for it. What a car

Those wing mirrors give me an idea.....

Thanks again

33

loslogo I chose black & white because I felt that the details of this car are art. Colour is a distraction under these circumstances.

34

BT180 S15 and Z33 in 2015-uniform.. 
Picture by Henrik Oulie Media
https://www.facebook.com/HOulie.Media?fref=ts

35

Paddy McGrath loslogo I tought the exact opposite, the lack of color removes most of the detail and makes it look dull.

36

Gepi Paddy McGrath loslogo Colour has no impact on detail. Unless you want to know what colour the wiring is :)

37

Where is the specs?
I want to know the weight, balance, etc

38

Topevolution7 The car weighs approximately 1080kgs or 2380lbs.

39

I don't think there was enough carbon fiber, definitely needs more

40

I don't think there was enough carbon fiber, definitely needs more

41

AprilexHK I would suggest brightening your screen. I can see the weaves and everything just fine

42
90nissanS13@my350z

My 350z needs to weigh 2380lbs!

43
90nissanS13@my350z

My 350z needs to weigh 2380lbs!

44

Just beautiful work Paddy McGrath ! Love the black and white and the feel it gives these pics.

45

KeithSimister Paddy McGrath Thank you, greatly appreciated :)

46

Great car. Hats off.

47

Paddy McGrath 
Might have used the incorrect word, but english is not my first language, so, i'm trying my best :)

It is, obviously, a matter of opinion, but i enjoy watching the pictures in "detail", the wear and tear, color shifts from the exterior light, different textures from the different materials, etc. Black and white washes most of it away. 
The S15 article you mentioned, is an example of what i'm trying to say.

48
jbfromsiliconvalley

I see a true testament to engineering above all. I imagine it does a lot w/ 315 hp

49

Paddy McGrath loslogo Fair enough I'd agree it is art. I do like color though with the detail shots, there so much going on it's nice to see all the elements. Either way, top piece :)

50

frack!

51

I think time attack needs a new statement.... "where old racers get a second chance"

Anyone wanna put in for an HSV-010?

I was speaking to Romain Levesque at Eurospec 2000 some number of months ago and he expressed a desire to replace his CRX with a SGT CRZ.... but I doubt they will be up for sale for a while, shame...

52

I think time attack needs a new statement.... "where old racers get a second chance"

Anyone wanna put in for an HSV-010?

I was speaking to Romain Levesque at Eurospec 2000 some number of months ago and he expressed a desire to replace his CRX with a SGT CRZ.... but I doubt they will be up for sale for a while, shame...

53

90nissanS13@my350z removing all body panel would help, I guess

54

MatsNorway RBJET or maybe just put a new GT500-spec engine. Hmmmm

55
90nissanS13@my350z

Lol...but aero drag :(

56
90nissanS13@my350z

Lol...but aero drag :(

57

Paddy McGrath Topevolution7 

I'm happy my Z32 is lighter at 1055 kgs empty gas tank

58

Paddy McGrath 

A other pic

59

He should VR swap one of them and boost it to 1k+ hp and let it rain havoc

60

He should VR swap one of them and boost it to 1k+ hp and let it rain havoc

61

Topevolution7 Paddy McGrath  I love these cars. I test drove one with my dad when they were brand new. He ended up buying a maxima. >.<

The maxima was a good car though.

62

Topevolution7 Paddy McGrath ive never seen a pure track build for a z32, our family own two, ive always tried to get my dad to get off the looks for once but he never would go to the track anyway. With the closest one to us being Road Atlanta, GA

63

Topevolution7 Paddy McGrath ive never seen a pure track build for a z32, our family own two, ive always tried to get my dad to get off the looks for once but he never would go to the track anyway. With the closest one to us being Road Atlanta, GA

64

whaoww § Nice race car at gatebil .... mais pourquoi gardez les restricteur??! quel dommage

65

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