Ahead of its official press release that will be coming out this week, we thought you guys might be interested in seeing this rather insane R35 build that is taking place in Australia. A collaboration between GT Auto Garage and HKS Australia, this R35 is being completely rebuilt from the ground up in readiness for the World Time Attack Challenge on 5-6 August. It'll be interesting to see how this new project fares against the top tier competitors that will be coming from Japan, the United States and New Zealand. Good friend William Ng, the former Editor of ASM, hunted down the GT Auto Garage R35 to bring us the scoop.
GT Auto Garage have enlisted Steve Glenney – a Targa Tasmania and rally specialist – to steer the R35 GT-R at WTAC. The team is based in Queensland Australia, however the GT-R is currently down south in Sydney at Custom Carbon Components for its bodywork. As you can see, molds have been made for the entire body. The GT-R will run full dry carbon body panels, and will later be shipped back to Queensland to complete the rest of the build.
The rear bar, quarter panels and trunk are now one piece, with the final kit produced from dry carbon. Although unseen in these photos, the R35 will also be fitted with a custom carbon diffuser and a twin element carbon rear wing.
The front will also be a clip, combining the hood, fenders, bar and headlights.
The final touches are still being done to the plugs that will be used to form the molds.
A pretty serious front splittler will also be fitted beneath the R35's chin.
The roof will be a dry carbon skin.
Inside, the R35 has been completely stripped. The chromoly roll-cage, designed by GT Auto Garage and A.D.E., is FIA approved and is certainly comprehensive.
The GT-R will be running dry carbon doors, so door bars have been incorporated into the cage design.
The front rollbar also features triangulated beams to spread load to the floor of the car.
A custom dash will, of course, be made of carbon fibre. The Bride driver's seat will be accompanied by a Willans racing harness, with the steering wheel boss and paddle shifters coming from Works Bell.
As this R35 will be built in conjunction with HKS Australia, you can expect to see plenty of performance bits from the Mount Fuji-based manufacturer. Indeed the motor is currently being reassembled with HKS Step II rods and forged pistons along with the HKS GT 800 turbo kit. HKS head and main studs as well as HKS metal head gaskets will be used to withstand the punishment. The manifolds have been sent off to Hi-Octane Performance Coatings to receive a five stage ceramic coating.
Performance Wholesale have developed a custom CNC head for this R35, which will be fitted with HKS Step 2 cams and valvesprings. Engine management will be in the form of an HKS F-CON V Pro and Valcon. In terms of the engine's fuel demands, we've been informed that the R35 will run on E85 via a 2000hp Magna fuel pump and 2000cc injectors.
A custom fuel cell will also be fitted in the rear.
The transmission will be beefed up with Willall Racing Kevlar clutch packs and a PPGearbox helical gearset that replaces all six OEM gears. Both the front and rear diffs will also be swapped.
There will be no less than five external coolers fitted to the R35. All of the cores – the intercooler, radiator, oil cooler, transmission, diff – were custom manufactured locally by PWR.
The suspension will be a combination of Australian and Japanese components. A set of HKS Hipermax III coilovers have been revalved to custom specs, with the spring rates also changed to specifically suit this R35. Suspension arms from Hi-Octane Racing and Sunline Auto will allow for significant adjustment to camber, castor and toe.
The R35 will run Volk TE37 Super Lap Edition rims in 18×11-inches. Behind them will be Project Mu two-piece SCR-Pro rotors and Project Mu H16 pads. Tyres are obviously crucial in time attack, and the R35 will run Hankook Ventus TD (Z221) in 295/30 size.
When completed, the GT Auto Garage/HKS Australia R35 will produce between 800-1000HP depending on the requirements of the track layout. Torque output will be between 900 and 1100Nm.
The team are aiming for a weight of 1250-1350kg (2755- 2975lbs) which will certainly make this a very strong contender at this year's World Time Attack Challenge. While this Australian creation will be facing some pretty stiff competition from the overseas entrants, it'll also be going up against strong opposition on the local front. Did I mention Mercury Motorsport are also building an 800hp+ carbon R35 GT-R for the event?
- Charles Kha
Photos by William Ng
OFFICIAL SPEEDHUNTERS SUPPLIERS
Cool project. Not too excited about it, but cool.
The dry carbon panels are mandatory for a GT-R to be competitive at the WTAC. Its porky weigh doesn't help.
EVERYONE in the field has a svelte car.
The Cyber EVO weight about 1060Kg. (2332 lbs.) and makes roughtly 700hp, and now with a dry carbon fiber roof, it will be even more competitive.
The Panspeed FD also weight about 1060Kg but makes a bit less power (600hp).
The R-Magic FD is one of the lightest one (about 1040Kg/ 2288 Lbs.) and makes 650hp.
The SSE is the heaviest, weighting at about 1230Kg. (about 2700 Lbs.) but makes 700hp. We all know the SSE is dialed-in though.
The Cusco/Tomei Subaru is also pretty light (1040Kg), but lacks power (about 500hp). If they want to be competitive, they better turn up the boost and dial in the ZERO 3X.
What I'm a bit concern about the GT-R is the amount of tubing welded in. Sure, strenght, safety, and rigidity are imperative when building a full-blown racecar, but I think they took it too far (IMO).
The HKS Hypermax III......ummm, with all the respect, there are many companies out there that make better coilovers for racing (I love everything JDM but, facts are facts). Penske, JRZ, Motons, Ohlins, Sachs, Dynamics, Quantum do perform a lot better than tuner-friendly Hypermax, again, not to be offensive but.....
Anyway, looking forward to the final result.
Awesome, Really want to see some footage of this thing when it's complete and at the time attack.
must be nice to have money
Its crazy to see all these companies spare no expense to compete in World time attack! But its great seeing the jump start of a great new motorsports era
A+ for the effort, but it looks cheap and it need bigger wheels.
How can you call it a R35 when there is almost nothing left of it? I dont see the point of it...
Will it still have an AWD layout?
thanks for the 'heads-up', need to shave as much weight as you can for this event.
Nothing gets done in Australia quickly - they have a crap load of work to do.
I'd not put money on them being there this year.
That must be one big loan.
I'm looking for my chin.
It just fell off.
Really excited to see this thing in action! With that fuel delivery system this thing is going to drink fuel!!
OMG!! THATS HAWT!!!
going to be worlds of fast
The world TAC is going to be full of nserious cars
Yumm
yeah love it !!!
JDMized, the Kypermax coilovers are not standard issue, i'm sure. the build is by HKS Australia, using the hypermax is nothing more than a sponsorship thing. the article states that the coilovers are being modified with custom components to suit this specific build. pretty cool build but I agree with the roll cage, it looks V8 supercar style which is indeed comprehensive, I guess you can't skimp on safety.
FD3S says "1250-1350kg? LOL, that's cute."
Guys guys why burning I say wow and good on the
For the build no one else has a r35 build this seriously yet (exept obvisiosly gt cars) but hey I dont see any one else thrOwing around loads of cash at a car most of the guys that do the burning are all keyboard warriors who probably drive an exel with a racing wing :/ cheers Pedro
I'm sure it'll be mighty fast but to me this car will be closer to a tube frame silhouette racer than a time attack R35.
In my book, tuning is about enhancing cars, make them faster (and make them look cool if possible). But here they are taking the easier way : chop off everything unnecessary including the whole rear if needed. This car isn't a tuned R35, it's a full on racecar.
If everyone is doing this perhaps teams should just consider buying a used Super GT GT500 R35, remove the air-restrcitors and turbocharge it. I'm sure it'll make 900PS without effort, and it'll save the effort of building a car from the ground up.
At this point where everything has been taken away and replaced by tubing and carbon, does it bear ant resemblance to a road car?
Its more like a Pikes Peak tube frame custome rally car.
The WTAC is supposed to be about tuner cars and showcasing parts and tuning which can be bought for customers car.
This is a purpose built race car with not much in common with a road car besides the name given to it.
IMO time attack cars are starting to lose touch with the customer base with one off prototypes like this.
Much the same as the controversial HKS EVO before it which set records and was promptly retired.
The rules need to change to bring the costs down and make the cars relevant to customers.
The guy thats doing the carbon work on this car is a shonk, The owner needs to do some research on other cars and work that he's done before. This guy promises one thing and delivers another! BEWARE and be ready for a date with the courts!
Yes still running GTR 4wd etc
clearly this car is shit. the cage is stupidly overcomlex. its just more dead weight.
is just like a real life RC car
@Kalle Anka, Its still a GTR-35, its just been stripped to the frame and being rebuilt. Of course its not gonna look like anything, thats the process of building a racecar. Only difference will be the way lighter body and gutted insides. Calm down and do some research, aight!
There is no tube frame to be found on this car what so ever. Take another look! It still uses the full chassis from the factory and has carbon panels being made which is no different to most of the other cars in the Pro Class like Sierra Sierra. Also the cage is FIA approved so the car can run at other events worldwide - Not just time attack. The car is being built for more development to the R35 GTR same as other have done with their model of choice.
Cheers
HKS Australia
There isn't a snowballs chance in hell that this will be ready for WTAC in August. I know how Aussie workshops operate, and it simply won't be ready in time.
Out of control! Nice to see such a comprehensive build being undertaken here in OZ, good luck to them in getting it all done in time.
Guys Guys Guys you say it doesn't resemble anything R35 but explain to me how does one weld steel
and carbon together?? I for one like what i see here it is taking the next step and yes they will be showing off parts on it that can be bought by customers. This thing is going to be epic and out of this world i think. From What i can see on the photos there is still alot left of the old car it is just the next step in modification I am sure they did their homework as far as the requirements and rules and regulations and that this car this car is within the rules of World Time Attack. Mobi dude if you build a car for drifting it is purpose built if you build a car for the 1/4 mile drag race it is purpose built of course it has to built with a certain purpose in mind or why else do it stop hating like that man. Anyhow guys great article and great to see that the R35 is now being taken to the next level. We need to see more from this build. Keep up the good work.
grat built but i agree with
"If everyone is doing this perhaps teams should just consider buying a used Super GT GT500 R35, remove the air-restrcitors and turbocharge it. I'm sure it'll make 900PS without effort, and it'll save the effort of building a car from the ground up."
I think MOBI nailed it in the head !
A lot of companies want to show off their skill by building something sick and fast. Too often those folks go overboard and build something that does not resemble anymore a mass-produced car. (Chris Rado's spaceship is a fine example).
Although the lines of this particular Skyline do mimic the original donor, a one-piece front end, a full-tube chassis with dry carbon everything is far cry from a "tuned car." Don't get me wrong, I LOVE this stuff, it's just NOT feasible for the average Joe to build something similar without a sh!t load of money.
Last year Revolution (Japan) built the super insane dry carbon fiber FD (we've all seen it), and trashed Tsukuba in 53.673 sec.
Then, the guys running the WTAC decided not to invite Revolution and their FD because it was all chopped up and retained VERY little with the stock FD chassis, then some folks cried loud enough and now the Revolution FD WILL be in Australia in few months. It's a sick car, but is it fair for other teams that this car will race against them?
Completely pointless in my honest opinion. Why didnt you just build your own chassis and work up!? Would have saved you some cash probably. Spoilt a perfectly good car which the company spent millions on designing and testing for you to ruin. Sorry but completely pointless
It is not carbon, but fiberglass, 5x cheeper than carbon fiber; at least in Latvia.
Nice job
HAHA i cant wait til this rocks up at eastern creek and all the big mouths in here have nothing to say cos there is so much HKS australia cock in their mouths.
Give some props you haters!
LMFAO at the warriors
It's funny when people say that customers can't afford this... Guys, this IS a customer car!
Also it resembles plenty of an original r35. Still 3.8 ltr, twin turbo. Tube chassis? Wtf are some of u on about haha
I hope Magnafuel fixed their issues, because the voltage regulators on their pumps were failing left and right when I was looking into them a couple years ago.
Reminds me of the R35 lexan body kit on my R/C car.
People might want to read some more about the build here:
http://www.skylinesaustralia.com/forums/topic/365695-race-r35-build/
Cheers
HKS Australia
that kit is some ugly shit, and the stock wheels woulda looked better than those te's.
why has NO one made a nice looking r35 kit yet? come on, its been out 3 years
I love this and its great to see a gt car built in Aust. BUT Im going the other way and say they have stayed too truthfull to the original shape and am fearful that body height is not slippery enough. There appears way too much frontal area for the long EC straight compared to the super slippery cyder evo and revolution rx7.
I still hope it does well though.
It will be interesting to see if this build gets finished and to WTAC. I have heard about this carbon guy too and not any good stories, have a mate whom worked on a car that the doors and a few other bits were from here. He uses them for flower pot holders now as they fit better for that than actually to the car. Hope the owner of the car, as I doubt it is owned and being paid for by either GT Auto or HKS Australia, is checking on the build to make sure he gets what he thinks he is paying for.
F**K people annoy about this shit no F***ING idea on how to build a car i bet almost 99.9 percent of people in these comments have never built a car LOSERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I agree BROSEPH.. so many keyboard warriors here.
Also buying a super GT500 R35 and turbo it.. LOL I am 100% certain that would cost more than double what this would cost...
So many more comments here that make no sense, but so busy to care
Looks like a donkey from islamabad! What a waste of money
WIN!!!!!!!! Such a tough car!
Yesterday I was lucky enough to get invited to a private test session featuring some of Australia's
Earlier today I touched down in Vancouver after an amazing time in Sydney. I left Australia in a whirlwind
Can a car that's only been around for about four years be a legend? Absolutely. For the last of our Skyline week polls, we've assembled some of the world's great R35 tuner cars and race cars. Browse through the list and make your choice in