The Ced’ Sled: Reimagining Retro VIP
We Will Recreate

In February of 2011, the city of Christchurch was shaken by an earthquake of disastrous proportion. Measured as a magnitude 6.3 and striking from an epicenter a mere 10 kilometres from the central business district, the quake caused widespread destruction on a scale not seen in New Zealand for a number of decades. In the aftermath of the catastrophe, the city has largely begun to move on – to rebuild, reimagine and rebirth.

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While the infrastructure, buildings and environmental aspects of the Christchurch area took a beating, the resolve of the local community resonated vividly throughout the lingering dust and scattered debris. A resolve focused on resurrection, to create a new beauty from the ruins of the past.

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Among the multitude soldiering on with life in typical Southern New Zealand fashion, this strong-willed attitude is likewise evident within the automotive community of Christchurch. Despite the major setback of a substantial natural disaster, the scene remains tight-knit, maintaining a characteristic unique to the area, visualised not least in the swooping form of John Van Beek’s 1978 Nissan Cedric.

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Emerging as a beacon of creation amongst an environment of destruction, John’s example could well serve to provide inspiration on just how to reimagine an old classic. It retains period character by the truckload, all the while taking advantages of the benefits afforded by a raft of cleverly conceived improvements. Things weren’t always this rosy for the big-body Nissan though, and the story of this particular car begins in 2008.

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Following the completion and subsequent sale of a previous build – a KB110 Datsun 1200 coupe sporting a supercharged CA18DET (obviously the T substituted for a blower) – John’s curiosity towards the pillar-less silhouette of the H330 Cedric hardtop was piqued by the internet discovery of an example in Japan, owned by one Ishibashi-san.

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Sporting a small block Chevrolet powerplant and an air ride system, exact details were scant, but the few images of Ishibashi-san’s low-slung silver sled declared the proverbial thousand words. An H330 Cedric hardtop was elevated to ‘must-have-in-the-shed’ status, prompting John to search for the right car to kick off a new project.

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Even though New Zealand is something of a ‘lucky country’ (to steal a term purveyed by our neighbours across the Tasman sea) when it comes to an eclectic selection of Japanese market automotive delicacies, an H330 chassis in hardtop form is a rare beast. Fortunately, the internet came through again, turning up an example roughly 1000km further North on the East Coast of the North Island.

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Reveling in the swathe of gadgets and knick-knacks Nissan saw fit to throw at the flagship SGL-E trim Cedric, John completed the home journey faultlessly – if not breathlessly.

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Supermodel level the Cedric wasn’t. The 1970s American-esque body lines so characteristic of the Japanese motor industry of the period wore a 30-year-old coat of factory brown, beneath which the factory sheet metal retained a largely solid composure in lieu of the dreaded tin-worm. But save for a set of lowering spring, the car was complete and unmolested – an important consideration when dealing with such an unconventional starting point.

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With Ishibashi-san’s H330 in mind the scene was set and a blueprint was laid. The Cedric was going to be low, running on air ride. The trusty L20E was to make way for a bent-eight of Japanese persuasion, and the cherry on the top was to be shade of silky silver enveloping the exterior surfaces.

To The Floor
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Having mapped out the vision for the car, John set about the first of what he termed, three separate projects within the build itself. Namely, the creation of a bespoke airbag suspension setup, the fabrication required to slot in a VH41DE at the pointy end, and of course the massaging and prep work needed to bring the bodywork up to scratch and contain a yet-to-be-decided-on set of period rolling stock.

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Amidst a plethora of carefully considered modifications it’s tricky to single out an area of the Cedric as a defining feature. Considering the air-bagged theme, it’d be rude not to start with the suspension, which although tucked away unseen is possibly the aspect that shines the brightest.

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Initially planning (and starting the build of) a fairly conventional 5-link rear end setup utilising a disc-braked live axle, plans soon changed. Following a trip to Japan and exposure to domestic VIP builds featuring hearty dollops of negative camber, it didn’t take long for cogs to start turning and ideas to germinate.

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Good old fashioned peer pressure from friend Nick eventually persuaded John that the live axle needed to go, and an independent rear setup was the future. Initial considerations included full subframe swaps from donor vehicles, however the comparative lack of space and associated need to hack up more of the shell to accommodate such a swap soon gave way to the wild creation slung beneath the rear haunches of the Cedric.

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You see, Nick’s a bit of a dab hand using CAD in order to dream up bespoke solutions to problems car builders haven’t even thought of yet. And John, well he’s an accomplished fitter/turner with a solid understanding of CNC machining. Between the two minds, the resulting cantilever setup took shape, first on an LCD monitor (with a full stress analysis simulation to satisfy local certification requirements), then inside a machine room with John at the controls.

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Custom CNC-machined carriers sit outboard, with tubular A-arms bottom and hefty billet machined top arms acting on a set of inboard mounted RideTech ShockWave adjustable shocks featuring a bag-over-shock style Firestone airbag. Contained within the tubular subframe is the viscous LSD equipped R200 diff sending torque through a pair of R32 Skyline half-shafts.

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Although the front utilises a somewhat more conventional state of affairs, things are no less custom. Requiring a completely custom cross-member to support an engine swap slightly more serious than a tired old L-series, the opportunity presented itself to redesign the front end geometry to suit a lower ride height, as well as conform once again to strict road compliance rules.

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New tubular A-arms take control of the front end, again skirting a pair of RideTech shocks featuring a bag-over-shock type arrangement. A conversion to rack and pinion from the archaic recirculating ball setup instructs CNC-machined, one-off front hubs which way to steer. Again, CAD simulation ensured the reconfigured geometry functioned flawlessly without danger of excessive bump-steer.

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Last but by no means least, the air-ride operates under the command of an AccuAir e-Level controller – an addition John vehemently describes as the pinnacle of the car’s air ride system. Ride height and pressure sensors on all four corners ensure ride quality is kept in check. Say what you will about airbags – a well setup air system is definitely of no detriment to comfort or handling in a street application.

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Peering at the underside, many further concessions to ride height have been designed to insure against problems occurring as a by-product of running close to the tarmac. This is evident in the 90x45mm oval section exhaust running the length of the floorplan following the exit of a block-hugging pair of tailored 4-1 headers.

Indoor Outdoor Flow
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Upon rotating the ignition key clockwise, the twin up-swept stainless tail pipes loitering out the back of the Cedric emit an unmistakeably V8 burble on idle, rising to an aggressive crescendo with judicious application of the right foot.

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Like his inspiration from the motherland, John’s also shoehorned eight cylinders beneath the expanse of the Cedric’s bonnet. But unlike the cast-iron pushrod small block GM unit retrofitted by Mr. Ishibashi, an aversion to cross-breed engine swaps led to the use of Nissan’s own contemporary V8 powerplant – the quad cam VH41DE more commonly found between the strut towers of a Nissan Cima or Leopard.

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With previous experience dropping a VH41 into a Z32 300ZX, the attraction of an overhead cam, rev-happy V8 from the Nissan stable proved irresistible. Internally the engine remains as Nissan manufactured it, save for the addition of a set of aggressive camshafts to improve breathing and better utilise the striking addition nestling between the cylinder banks.

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Anyone familiar with the VH41 will be aware of the sprawling intake plenum these engines are blessed with from the factory. Resembling a cast aluminium arachnid, once the V8 was lowered between the smoothed and tubbed front arches it became evident the intake was going impede fitment of the bonnet. Solution? Create a lower profile inlet by way of adding an ITB arrangement.

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Akin to the H330 itself, the VH41 also suffers from a dearth of aftermarket support. True to fashion, John created his own ITB setup, dubbed the JBR ‘Octothrottle.’ Delving deep into his skill-set, a wooden buck was first formed, giving way to eight individual sand-cast aluminium throttle bodies. Machine-finished and fitted with a set of (yeah… you know) – one-off carbon fibre trumpets, the end result is as visually stunning as it is aurally pleasing.

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And it works! Following a dyno session tuning the Link G4 Extreme ECU in charge of the whole setup, John netted a respectable 268kW (360hp) at the rear treads, spinning the VH41 to an ear-splitting 8.000rpm. It’s a noise I can quite happily say sounds exceptional resonating throughout the still, dusk Christchurch air.

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With a contemporary mechanical package, a desire to retain the 1970s character of the Cedric resulted in subtle, yet consistently thorough approaches to the interior and exterior of the car. Maintaining a premium feel inside, a re-trim in black leatherette and Alcantara cohabitates with the full SGL-E feature set. All original gadgets remain intact (and working), as do original door trims and all the little finicky styling cues so typical of ’70s-era Japan.

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Outwardly, the aesthetic impact offered by the hardtop body style is unmistakeably. Sweeping disjointed waistlines from the rear and front, reminiscent of 1971 Buick Riviera, underline the gaping aperture of the passenger compartment. Keeping the Nissan theme running strong, the glossy metallic silver tone has been lifted from an R34 Z-Tune GT-R, although to no detriment of the period feel.

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The re-plated lustre of the heavy chrome front and rear bumpers complement the tone, tubbed rear arches encompassing yet one more custom touch. Period-perfect August Feroce 3-piece wheels sink into the body, but while the fronts measure 15×7.5 inches, the 15×10-inch rears required the custom touch. Here, in a display of commitment to get things ‘just right’, John formed his own die to spin new barrels.

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Cruising the broken streets of Christchurch in the Cedric, you can’t help but wonder just what the local community is going to make of the rebuild of their shattered city. If the drive, imagination and will to see something truly special through to completion is inherent, the city – much like John’s Cedric – has the potential to rise from the dust and stand proud at the pinnacle of its game.

Richard Opie
richy@speedhunters.com
Instagram: snoozinrichy

Cutting Room Floor
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Comments



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59 comments

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1

Colour me impressed!

2

I like it alot!

3

Totally bad assed!!

thanks Richard for the underneath shots.

4

oh.. my.. gaawd...

5

can we please get a wallpaper of the cover photo??

6

dartizumi 
View the story in presentationmode and rightclick the picture should work.

7

dartizumi 
View the story in presentationmode and rightclick the picture should work.

8

Stunning.
Would it be presumptuous of me to enquire upon your talented person the relative means and structure by which remuneration is served - and therefore settled - by way of personal fiscal accounting with direct reference to the totalising and ultimate agreement of sentence construction via frequency of word creation and further scribing?
Sorry, but is your fee based on word count by any chance?
(Insert smart arse winking smiley face...)

9

Stunning.
Would it be presumptuous of me to enquire upon your talented person the relative means and structure by which remuneration is served - and therefore settled - by way of personal fiscal accounting with direct reference to the totalising and ultimate agreement of sentence construction via frequency of word creation and further scribing?
Sorry, but is your fee based on word count by any chance?
(Insert smart arse winking smiley face...)

10

i really love this car apart from too low stanced ride height.      japanese styling, wheels, custom part, japanese v8.. is the win

11

i really love this car apart from too low stanced ride height.      japanese styling, wheels, custom part, japanese v8.. is the win

12

Amazing, got to be the best owner-built car around.  The ambition and skill required to design a bespoke suspension setup is massive, there are so many aspects of the geometry to get right to avoid unsettling or downright dangerous behaviour on the road - just ask GM about the Corvair, or Mercedes about the Gullwing.

The result is something of a holy grail for me - I love the style and character of older cars, but baulk at spending my own money on something with a live rear axle, vague steering box or asthmatic engine, as I want to *drive* my cars.  The combination of authentic period body and interior with a proper four-valve motor and IRS is simply mouth-watering - imagine the reaction of other road users when this dowdy old Japanese car kicks down and howls past at 8,000 rpm...

If Mr Van Beek were to sell this car as he did the previous one, I'd be sorely tempted.

13

This is gorgeous.  So right.

14

This is gorgeous.  So right.

15

Wow! Just when you thought you'd seen it all! I wasn't expecting anywhere that level of suspension and engine pornography; thanks for getting me drooling this morning!

16

beyond dope. I remember my neighbor had this car. It was almost like this except the rims were XR4's and it was midnight blue. L engine of course. I remember him inviting me for a ride. Then the carpet in the trunk caught on fire from the exhaust heat and we had to jump out. We ran into a restaurant and hijacked their fire extinguisher and put out the fire. Good times in Japan. Man looking back was that really over 25 years ago. Wow time flies.

17

Congratulations!
That's the car of the fucking year award sorted out!
In love with this.

18

Congratulations!
That's the car of the fucking year award sorted out!
In love with this.

19

AlexGut NO SHIT!! COMPLETELY has my vote for Car Of The Year!
This thing is AMAZING!!

It ticks EVERY SINGLE ONE of the right boxes.

[X] Rare 70's JDM Nissan Chassis.
[X] Rare Engine choice.
[X] Rare path of modifications on a chassis normally reserved for Bozozoku build-ups.
[X] V8 Swap!
[X] Custom ITB's
[X] 8K Rev Limit on said V8
[X] Completely redesigned... everything, aside from restored yet preserved factory interior
[X] Redesigned using one-off, hand made, un-buyable parts created entirely by the Owner
[X] Fucking DEAD SEXY car, from headlights to taillights! Just stunning!!

Best article i've read ANYWHERE in a LONG time!!

20
NikkSquidBonnett

Supremely impressive car in every aspect, love it! Owner's a GC as well as being very talented.
I think this may be my favourite photo set from Mr Opie.

21

Thought this would be "just bags/stance! I was reluctant to click on but Wow!!
Can we have a video of this on a top gear style track please,I'd love to hear it growl and see it corner.
Truly epic

22

Easily one of the best builds in New Zealand, absolutely flawless. 
Have yet to see it rolling the streets of Christchurch though!

23

Easily one of the best builds in New Zealand, absolutely flawless. 
Have yet to see it rolling the streets of Christchurch though!

24

It is definitely in the worldwide top 2 V8 powered silver Cedric 330 4 dr hardtops on air ride :)

25

It is definitely in the worldwide top 2 V8 powered silver Cedric 330 4 dr hardtops on air ride :)

27

Chri5 Duncan upskirt heaven

28

Christ I love it!

29

Christ I love it!

30

914RS dartizumi  thanks doood...best desktop background ive had in forever. this is a beautiful shot..

31

HoTWire Hah, John's perfectly humble about the fact Ishibashi's car was the inspiration for the build - I think it has more than enough unqiue touches that separates it from being a copy at all though. Hope you're doing well though Mr Hotwire, those MSN yarns feel like a lifetime ago!

32

HoTWire Hah, John's perfectly humble about the fact Ishibashi's car was the inspiration for the build - I think it has more than enough unqiue touches that separates it from being a copy at all though. Hope you're doing well though Mr Hotwire, those MSN yarns feel like a lifetime ago!

33

Austinallagro Maybe I can see if I can convice a buddy in Christchurch to put together a little something something... glad you clicked on it! It's so much more than simply a big sedan on bags.

34

@Awesome I agree, it 100% is one of the country's finest. Yeah it doesn't get out a lot... I was privileged enough to hear it rumble up my driveway in Auckland 18 months ago however, so it does get driven!

35

eejjkk AlexGut It's bonkers right? Trying to do it justice is somewhat nerve-wracking.

36

CoreyKononchuk I hope you didn't make too much of a mess! You're more than welcome though, glad you dig it

37

@Tom Westmacott I think you might be out of luck with that one - it's one of those cars with so much heart and soul poured into it that parting with it is a thought too hard to bear. And how could you put a monetary value on this? I agree with you regarding the train of thought surrounding the mods - it's very much a bang-on combo of old and new.

38

@jay Luckily, at the touch of a button the ride height can be stock standard if you so desire!

39

Putasixinit Greetings and salutations to you sir, Putasixinit.

Nah bro. Tried to keep that one succinct for you!

40

... things were going pretty well............and then I saw the shots from under the car.............

JAW
ON
FLOOR

41

... things were going pretty well............and then I saw the shots from under the car.............

JAW
ON
FLOOR

42

Well, I guess this is one of the best street legal cars EVER posted on #Speedhunters... Easilly. Price tag?

43
Gianluca FairladyZ

Man this is so well built...! I have to leave my country and work over there! They'd put you in jail with a car like this here..

44
Gianluca FairladyZ

eejjkk AlexGut Bro you forgot the August Feroce wheels <B

45

I'm totally speechless when I saw the underneath pics of the car. It's a work of ART.

This Cedric has CHARISMA. What a BEAUTY.

46
Alastair Tilley

Sweet sweaty shitballs. This has to be the wickedest ride i've ever laid eyes on. Such under carriage, v8 wow, much dedication.

Christ on a cracker.

47
Alastair Tilley

Sweet sweaty shitballs. This has to be the wickedest ride i've ever laid eyes on. Such under carriage, v8 wow, much dedication.

Christ on a cracker.

48

well shit, I'm certainly not unimpressed..! :O

49

greenroadster it's 100% street legal too, all engineered with the ability to roll fuss free on the roads. Price? I don't know if it would be easily calculated. Plenty of shed-hours in this one, massive time cost!

50

greenroadster it's 100% street legal too, all engineered with the ability to roll fuss free on the roads. Price? I don't know if it would be easily calculated. Plenty of shed-hours in this one, massive time cost!

51

Alastair Tilley I'm not going to lie. That comment's got me laughing.

52

Alastair Tilley I'm not going to lie. That comment's got me laughing.

53

Anthony959rs I think it more than represents the owner's dedication to doing it right. John's one of those jokers with an exacting eye for detail, and it helps he's a function minded person to boot!

54

Anthony959rs I think it more than represents the owner's dedication to doing it right. John's one of those jokers with an exacting eye for detail, and it helps he's a function minded person to boot!

55

SnoozinRichy HoTWire Ahh sorry for the slow reply Richy (unlike MSN ;) )... That is the thing I DO love this car, and John's work on it is phenomenal, real next level stuff for NZ scene, he also couldn't have picked a better inspiration.
I also wish it wasn't silver ;) ... but it ain't my car and I'll never build anything as great as this (but I'll damn well try ;) ), I just don't know that I could roll around in a car that looked so much like the thing that inspired it.  Which may explain why I never wanted to build a Cal Looker when I had VWs ;)


Seeing as half the RR Gathering organising team live in NZ now I've been trying to convince him to get an event going out there.  So one day maybe I can see the car in the flesh and John can give me a slap for being such a whinging bitch :)

56

SnoozinRichy HoTWire Ahh sorry for the slow reply Richy (unlike MSN ;) )... That is the thing I DO love this car, and John's work on it is phenomenal, real next level stuff for NZ scene, he also couldn't have picked a better inspiration.
I also wish it wasn't silver ;) ... but it ain't my car and I'll never build anything as great as this (but I'll damn well try ;) ), I just don't know that I could roll around in a car that looked so much like the thing that inspired it.  Which may explain why I never wanted to build a Cal Looker when I had VWs ;)


Seeing as half the RR Gathering organising team live in NZ now I've been trying to convince him to get an event going out there.  So one day maybe I can see the car in the flesh and John can give me a slap for being such a whinging bitch :)

57

holy fuck balls. i've seen this car a lot online, NEVER knew it was that far built! beyond impressed

58

holy fuck balls. i've seen this car a lot online, NEVER knew it was that far built! beyond impressed

59

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