Keep Your GT-R, I’m Taking This!

Yes, you read that right. Don’t get me wrong, I love and appreciate the KPGC10 Skyline GT-R with its screaming race-bred S20 motor, but the sheer value these cars command these days, well, let’s just say the dream has been shattered.

But with the build I’m about to show you, the guys from RS Start are telling us not to worry as there are a multitude of other ways to get into a Hakosuka. This 2000GT-based coupe they had on display at Nostalgic 2 Days over the weekend not only shows us a superb alternative, but one I’d honestly take over an authentic GT-R.

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Before anyone heads off to the comments section, let me explain why. You see, I’ve had the pleasure of experiencing the S20 engine a couple of times before, years ago on a drive of a GT-R, and more recently behind the wheel of a 432Z. Yes, the S20 is a sublime piece of late-1960s performance engineering, but with only 2,000cc it really struggles to deliver the sort of performance we’re accustomed to these days. Quite simply, 150hp isn’t much to shout about in 2018. I get that it was an impressive number in 1969 though, and I’m also certain that the S20 is one of the best sounding naturally aspirated straight-six engines of all time.

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But I like to drive. Sound is important, but there has to be an element of satisfaction there, and I’m sorry to say that only comes from a nice wallop of power. I would never swap an RB26 into these older cars – what I definitely would do is what RS Start has done.

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Yes, that’s an OS Giken TB24 B1 head sitting on an L28 block. I never said the alternative to an S20 would be cheap, but even a solution like this will be far cheaper than purchasing a GT-R.

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The beauty here is in the options; you could keep the bottom end all stock or throw in forged internals, go 3.0-liter, 3.1-liter, 3.2-liter or more. Then it’s on to the fuelling; would you stick with carbs or go fuel injection?

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As OS Giken showed us with its S30 Fairlady Z demo car, you can get over 400hp out of a fully-built, TC24-equipped L28. The sound is still very much there, mated to motorcycle-engine-like response and enough power to scare yourself every time you lean on the loud pedal.

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So yes, in my eyes at least this is pretty much the perfect setup for a classic Skyline. RS Start have gone with 50mm Solex carbs on the intake side, while the exhaust sports a hand fabricated 6-into-1 equal-length manifold.

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The engine bay has been smoothed out, wire-tucked and given a fresh lick of paint to create continuity from the exterior. It’s easily one of the nicest Hako’ builds I’ve seen in Japan, and every time I think of what the engine must sound like at full chat I need to go off to a quiet place with a box of tissues.

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The details are outstanding, right down to the lightweight carbon fiber front fenders. I love how they painted these but left the exposed weave along the edge where they attach to the chassis.

The details continue as you work your way over the car, with simple flares hugging modern rubber wrapped around RS Watanabe wheels. Sneaked back behind the rounded spokes are compact Brembo 4-pot calipers biting down on cross-drilled ventilated discs. Modern Öhlins dampers are fitted at each corner with the geometry set to zero camber.

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The interior features Recaro RS-GS race buckets with 4-point harnesses, and the driver steers with a classic Nardi wheel assisted by an electric power steering system.

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Speculators and collectors, the KPGC10 2000GT-R is all yours. I’m taking this RS Start Hako’ home with me and I’ll drive the crap out of it for as long as I can!

Dino Dalle Carbonare
Instagram: speedhunters_dino
dino@speedhunters.com

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1

With the head alone costing $45k USD this motor is likely close to $80-90k all in.....so not THAT much cheaper than the real deal.....but I fully agree with you, I'd take it all day long because I couldn't bring myself to mod a KPGC10....and I'm sure you've heard the glorious noise it makes!

Author2
Dino Dalle Carbonare

A real 2-door GT-R in good condition or fully restored starts at ¥25 mil these days...

3

I am fully aware of the costs....I am restoring a KGC10 right now (in the US) and if I put that motor in my car I'd be into it about ¥18-20.... also I am pretty sure there was a perfect looking safari gold KPGC10 at Nostalgic 2 Days for ¥22 million. Correct me if I'm wrong. Either way I would totally want this motor in my car and awesome article!!!!

4

"Speculators and collectors, the KPGC10 2000GT-R is all yours. I’m taking this RS Start Hako’ home with me and I’ll drive the crap out of it for as long as I can!"

Amen

5

Youhave really made me feel the same way you do. this car is beautiful and with 400hp (even 300hp) this would very easily tick all boxes for the one space garage life. the passion in the writing in this article is brilliant, keep doing you Dino.

Author6
Dino Dalle Carbonare

Thanks man! Cars are meant to be driven, not stored and looked at

7

THIS! I really really really like this car. They "get it" in a way speculators and badge-ooglers never will. Looks like there is even room in the back for a kids seat.

Author8
Dino Dalle Carbonare

It's a very spacious car

9

Has anyone ever actually dyno'd one of the TC24-B1Z motors? There's a lot of claims out there about the power levels, but I've never seen a real dyno chart. 400HP out of 3.2L N/A is insane efficiency, to the point of [citation needed]. Even spinning to 10K, it's hard to hit that kind of power.

10

The "AK47" EG civic drag car makes 400 hp out of a 4 cyl K24. 2,4l.

Super clean skyline by the way!

11

I don't know what the shops in Japan are dynoing at, but in the US ZCarGarage has built this motor with two different induction systems. It made 370hp+ at the wheels with a stroker bottom end and triple Mikunis (I assume 50s, but can't remember). That car is actually in the Speedhunters archives somewhere.

Then they built another motor with an ITB EFI system and that made over 400 at the wheels if I recall correctly.

12

Well, Porsche can get 500HP out of a 4.0L in a production car (991 GT3 RS), which is exactly the same 125HP per Liter as 400HP out of a 3.2L.
Honda did 120HP per Liter back in 1999 with the S2000 (also a production car) and Pagani even did 133,33HP per Liter with the Zonda Revolucion (800HP out of 6L) in 2013, so I definately think it's possible for the TC24-B1Z to hit that kind of power.

Reminder for anyone joining this discussion: These are all N/A engines!

13

Sorry Dino but you cracked me up with race-bread. I'm still giggling at the idea of a loaf with wheels.
Silliness aside I still struggle with how much OS Giken charge for those heads. I understand that they're trying to deliver a quality product to a niche market and recoup development costs but damn.

Author14
Dino Dalle Carbonare

Oh crap...must have been very hungry when I wrote this story haha

15

I'm crying because it's so beautiful..... #kyushaforlife

16

It strange but I have this feeling that something is wrong in the enginebay.... it's too clean and simple ... or I'm just to blind cause of those Turbo and supercharged monsters that already exist around the planet

17

No hardlines from the master from what I can see, a sensor or two not hooked up (the one coming off the front of the valve cover... unless that's an oil inlet for a spraybar?), the radiator hoses aren't hooked up, there's no fan on the radiator either, and the fuel lines aren't pumped in yet. There's some bits and pieces, but by and large that's about how clean it will look.

18

Oooooh I lied, the hardlines off the master cylinder are run out the bottom and immediately hit a walled terminal thing-a-ma-bobber on the fenderwell. That's dope.

19

hahaha you´re right ^^, the coolingsystem is also without function. But if the engine is completly ready, it will be interesting how many horses this nice 2000GTR will have

20

For one, it's a classic car, and classic cars had simpler tech. For another, this engine bay isn't complete, as shown, at least, by the lack of radiator hoses.

Author21
Dino Dalle Carbonare

It's shaved and smoothed out as I mention in the story :)

22

I'd love to see similar build but on sedan or wagon Hakosuka instead.

Author23
Dino Dalle Carbonare

Now a wagon would be unique as hell! You hardly see people play with the at all

24

Gorgeous machine. Would give all my testes for one but whats with those radiator hoses to nowhere. Maybe where they are going they don't need coolant? Odd.....

25

Show cars are often incomplete. The fuel and throttle cable don't look to be connected, either. The point of the display is probably just to show off the availability of this powertrain option.

Author26
Dino Dalle Carbonare

It's almost finished, few details to be tied up as you can see

27

This IS the true RACE CAR FOR THE ROAD.
The best way to enjoy the Hakosuka is to DRIVE the **** OUT OF IT.
I prefer this more than a F40. Seriously? YES!

Author28
Dino Dalle Carbonare

Oh now that would be a tough choice!

29

This is absolute automotive perfection bar none. Everything is done just right. This would be by 2nd choice of any car to own. 2nd only to an F40 LM of course ;)

30

As much as I love that motor, I think it deserves a nice EFI system over the carbs. More power, more tunability, and ENGINE BRAKING BWAHAHA.

But in all seriousness, i think EFI would also suit the car better tbh.

Author31
Dino Dalle Carbonare

There is something about these engines on carbs!

32

I tune EFI systems as a part of work now and ....... side-draft carbs > ITB's

33
Richard Clayderman

Mmm, race bread.

Author34
Dino Dalle Carbonare

With twin cam jam!

35

That car reminds me a ton of my favorite car I saw at Nos2Days in 2014. The Tea Valley Z. The execution and blend of high quality build and exposed carbon fiber is very similar.

http://www.teavalley.jp/s31-2510.html

Author36
Dino Dalle Carbonare

Hey Ben!! Yes Tea Valley do build some amazing cars. They had a booth there this year but nothing that was crazy.

37

Thank you for engine Bay shot. This what I’ve been waiting for. nostalgic 2 days is the show I want to go to. Quality of workmanship is motivating. I want one to. Question I have for you Dino-San Are they selling the bodies ? I have seen some pics of hako skins. Is it possible to purchase the shell? That’s would be a way to build one state side. And then I could build a kit car of sort Thanks

Author38
Dino Dalle Carbonare

Yeah you can definitely find stripped chassis, conditions vary though. Thing is with these cars it's best if you buy something as complete as you can find it as then having to source parts from Japan for the build & restoration will drive you nuts and be very costly

39

This car is PERFECT. Hell I would drive the tyres off it with 200HP, plenty to have fun with.
Need videos of this thing being driven.

40

I've long held the theory to buy the base model and build the car of your dreams from it.

41

"need to go off to a quiet place with a box of tissues"

To weep from the magnificence, I assume

42

Yes... "to weep".

43

Wow.

Just wow. I bloody love these cars. Great work on the article Dino, and thank you for making me want something like this even more ya grub.

44

All you had to say was OS Giken TB24. Dream engine setup right there.

45

All the 6 pot L heads and blocks can be matched around (even the diesels, with some tinkering), so you have a choice of 2.0L, 2.4L, 2.6L, 2.8L, and then you can use Diesel cranks in all 4 which makes 2.0L a 2.1L and so forth, then theres oversize pistons of turbo variety (low comp) or N/A variety (slightly higher comp) or custom high comp pistons etc.
So the choices are pretty much limitless, the only issue is the engine block needs machining to accept installation of gear drive all the way from the block to the head, not to mention sealing it all in so it can be oil-sprayed, so to get a OS Giken head you have to send it in to OS Giken, you CAN get someone else to do it but you`ll be "voiding" the warranty so to speak.
Furthermore if you look at single cam builders, Rebello for one, they get this done and still extract almost the same power so you don`t actually gain all that much with a custom DOHC head, and I`m not first in figuring that one out: There`s a reason they quit making them back in the early 80`s, which brung about the advent of the turbo in the tuning market :)

46

And still they feel the need to stick a GTR badge on the back. So many fake ones why not just be what you are a stunningly gorgeous perfect engined GT.

47

Very nice, although not sure about the bluetooth rad hoses.

48

Really well written and spot on Dino.
The OS Giken engine is a bit expensive and very hard to get. I have tried to buy one in the US but they keep saying it isn’t ready to be released yet.
I have a Hakosuka that I have been restoring for a few years and finding the parts to for it can bleed your bank account dry.

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