Made the machine that runs through the circuit with his own hands.
Even when it comes to old cars, everyone has their own style. Some owners enjoy their cars as originals, while others tune them for absolute speed. The old car life of Hiroshi Kitagawa, owner of the Nissan C110 “Skyline”, known as the “Kenmeri GT-R Racing Replica”, started 26 years ago.
What is the machine called a phantom?
Looking back on the illustrious history of the Nissan Skyline, many machines have been dubbed legends. However, it may be fair to say that the only car with a phantom name is the ‘Skyline Hardtop 2000 GT-R Racing’ (‘Kemmeri GT-R Racing’), which was exhibited as a reference exhibit at the Tokyo Motor Show in 1972.
In the motorsport world, everyone was excited and excited about the success of the Kemmeri GT-R Racing, which was announced as the next-generation model of the Hakosuka GT-R, which recorded 49 consecutive victories and is still talked about today. Its looks were perfectly finished with a large chin spoiler, works wings, and gold-striped racing machine, so no one doubted that it would be a success on the circuit. But, tragically, the times prevented the Kenmeri GT-R Racing from making its debut, and it ended as a mirage without ever being seen on the track.
Having a yearning for such a fantastic machine, Hiroshi Kitagawa decided to create his own “Kenmeri GT-R Racing” that would race on the circuit with his own hands.
“If I recall, it was 26 years ago now?”
As one would expect, we couldn’t afford a real ‘Skyline GT-R’, so we went to a dismantling shop to see if there were any bodies that looked to be in good condition. It was there that I happened to find this C110 ‘Skyline’. Luckily, when I popped the bonnet, I found that the engine was fitted with an L28 SU carburetor, with an intake manifold and a ø44 Solex lying around in the boot.
It was within our budget in terms of price, so we bought it and started restoring it so that it could run first. Since Kemmeri is synonymous with cars driven by delinquents, immediately after purchasing the car, the suspension was cut, the ride height was shortened and racing tires were fitted to create a machine that pretended to be a street racer. There was a time when he enjoyed a bit of a wild remake of the car.
He taught himself FRP technology
After a while, he became interested in the world of motorsport and tuned his C110 Skyline so that it could be driven in a serious aggressive manner. The tuning was a complete remake for circuit driving.
Currently, parts for the prototype “Kenmeri GT-R Racing” are sold as kits, but when Mr Kitagawa started building the car, there were no such convenient items available, and he proceeded to build a replica while collecting and referring to various materials. It is therefore surprising that he taught himself FRP technology, including the over wings, each spoiler, and the headlight jackets, and completed a completely original mold.
The engine, which took more time and money than the exterior, is a mechanically tuned L28 modified 3.1L engine with P90 head surface grinding, Tomei cams, port polishing, and recess processing. The carburetors are Weber φ50, one-off equal-length φ48 tacho legs are set up, and a φ80 self-made stainless steel muffler is combined. The fuel system, including the pump, was all relocated to the boot, and a Kinokuni safety tank was also set up to ensure a stable supply.
He spends his days honing his driving skills
The suspension, which is crucial for circuit driving specifications, has undergone repeated specification changes over the years to create the best set-up for the C110 Skyline. Current specifications include front and rear Star Road coilover kits, rear strengthened lower arms, and front and rear ARC stabilizers. Brakes have been replaced with Racing rotors and calibers with Wilwood. The drivetrain is equipped with an Ogra Racing Concept clutch, Nismo R180 LSD, and a Nismo 6-speed cross transmission for the Nissan S15 ‘Silvia’.
The driver’s seat has also been stripped of its undercoat as a ‘fighting race car’ and the instruments have been re-harnessed and set. A push-button starter has been fitted. The use of analog gauges, whereas most gauges these days are managed digitally, shows the owner’s commitment. The fact that many mechanical sub-meters are placed is also a point that old car enthusiasts will appreciate.
The main stage for this machine is Fuji Speedway, where the original Kenmeri GT-R Racing was supposed to run. The current target is to achieve a sub-2-minute time at FSW. To achieve this, Kitagawa-san is spending his days tuning the car and improving his driving skills in an ongoing process. Incidentally, this aka ‘Kenmeri GT-R Racing Replica’ is a fully certified car.
translated by DeepL