I was like a kid in a candy store the other day at Rocky Auto. The selection of cars at the main shop is nothing short of mind-boggling, each one so different from the next yet so impossibly original. Watanabe-san always has so many ideas in his head for future projects, and I really can't believe he manages to come up with such unique cars each time he puts his thinking hat on. Take this PGC10 2-door Skyline 2000-GT hard top for example.
It is one of many demonstration cars that are kept at the shop and used on a daily basis by the man himself. Like most of the cars that come out of Rocky Auto this Skyline has been given a new breath of life, with a series of modifications that transform it into a very modern feeling car. Power is courtesy of an RB25DE, which is smooth and powerful, allowing the classic Skyline to retain its original straight-six feel.
Only complete cars get graced with this sticker.
The interior looks factory enough…
…until you take a closer look. That ignition looks a little too modern doesn't it? That's because it's taken from a C33 Laurel, much like all of the lower section of the dash board, the wiring loom and even the steering mounted stalks.
All four manual windows have been converted to electric-operation by using the motors and commands from a later generation 70's Skyline model.
The classic look is still there but that is an A/C unit taken from a C33 Laurel.
The car may sit a little high, but it's been set up like that to allow it to clear ramps and other urban obstacles one may encounter.
The RB25 has been modified with a special Rocky Auto direct intake throttle system and sports injection system.
The specially designed headers provide more power along with that glorious, refined straight-six howl.
Behind the Watanabe front wheels are 4-pot Nissan calipers taken from an R32 GT-S typeM. The front suspension arms and linkages have been borrowed from an S13 Silvia while the dampers are from an S14. Rocky Auto always takes great care underneath the car, trying to make the handling more akin to a modern sports car. They certainly know what they are doing!!
-Dino Dalle Carbonare
OFFICIAL SPEEDHUNTERS SUPPLIERS
It's not a PGC10 (4-door GT-R) it's a KGC10 (2-door 2000-GT). You SpeedHunters have a lot of trouble with your Hakosuka nomenclature lately lol.
That is one beautiful Skyline, thanks for sharing Dino!
Diggin everything but the rims.
Classic Nissan
Love the use of parts from the Nissan family.
Thanx Dino. Good to see a beautiful GTR.
Really, really Nice!
Conversion is mint!
they kept the family lineage intact parts wise.. what a immaculate example of a classic car, nicely turned out and very useable - the styling is what jumps at me.. that 'swage line' that runs from the rear quarter through the wheel and stops short of the door is very cool to look at.. from any angle! 10/10
Rocky Auto...fock they make classic Datsun's/Nissan's so damn nice!!!
Oooooo..AWESOME!
PERFECT car except for those red lips on the wheels
ahah! my next s30 project shud be na rb25 ;D
wow :O
Awesome.
"It's not a PGC10 (4-door GT-R) it's a KGC10 (2-door 2000-GT). You SpeedHunters have a lot of trouble with your Hakosuka nomenclature lately lol. "
Nah, this guy always gets it wrong.
Neat works, engine bay is also very clean. I believe it has clean beneath.
Very beautiful car!
Have to agree with Matt M on one thing: those front rims look a bit out of place here... They should have used a matching pair of Wats, either deep or shallow dish, not both.
Gorgeous. The purists may scream but this is a rather tastefully put together. I love it and wished it was my DD!!
they kept the family lineage intact parts wise.. what a immaculate example of a classic car, nicely turned out and very useable - the styling is what jumps at me.. that 'swage line' that runs from the rear quarter through the wheel and stops short of the door is very cool to look at.. from any angle! 10/10
I was impressed by this car so I went to their website... The only thing that didn't impress me was the price. I don't know who could possibly afford it. I guess I was being too optimistic hoping it would only be like 3 million yen.
I want that car lol I would have prefer N/A RB26
the red lip on the rim looks gay as fuuuck. They could have at least gone with like a chrome lip or a color that goes with the paint, geeze
Wow, another Hakosuka with Wantabes... How uncommon...
So immaculate...love it
Mr. Carbonare,
Reading captions like "The car may sit a little high..." in regards to a vehicle such as this is entirely inappropriate. A properly engineered suspension should allow for the tire to maintain it's optimal contact patch throughout its intended operational environment. A suspension is supposed to be a compliant system, a fact that seems to have fallen by the wayside in recent years. Seeing a properly setup street car on Speedhunters, let alone any other blog with a focus on modified vehicles, is becoming more of a rarity, and as such should be celebrated, not chastised for daring to be correct. This is not a vehicle for your fixie riding, frame scraping, hellaflush/stanceworks crowd. This is a vehicle for connoisseurs. A vehicle for patrons that understand Watanabe-Sans uncompromising vision and dedication to his craft.
I have been sitting by and idly biting my tongue for too long and I know I am not the only one that feels this way. In the future please show these cars the kind of respect they deserve.
sincerely,
Stubs.
Hey Klingelhoefer, don't you have some Civic to write about?...
i love it...damn,this is so sick...ride shotgun in it!!!
I'd sell a kidney for that piece of art. Not kidding.
NIce car, but i dont fancy the front wats, should have been a little wider;)
No correction from me, the different rear and front wheels looked work out. The red caliper, lips on rim are incorporated with the engine. Perhaps, only the rear spoiler need to be a bit horizontal, or use spoiler with full brake lamp
Awesome
This is the kind of tuning that I like, modernizing older cars without ruining their vintage styling. This is great!