Pure white beauty just within reach
A tuning shop specializing in Nissan’s signature sports car, the GT-R, attracts unique owners and their cars. CREWCH in Mie Prefecture is one such shop. Among the owners who visit the shop, we introduce Mr. Kanehara, who bought his 1992 R32 Skyline GT-R three years ago at the age of 19. What exactly was the reason why he acquired a GT-R at such a young age, when the used car market price was skyrocketing?
Parents worried but never opposed
Born in 2002, Mr. Kanehara chose a 1992 BNR32 as his first car, having developed a love of cars during his school years and having decided that he would buy a sports car after graduating from high school. He was able to buy a car 10 years older than himself, no doubt thanks to his brother’s initiative.
“At first I consulted with my pocketbook and targeted a Honda S2000, but I changed direction when I looked at used car information websites and realized that if I worked a little harder I could buy an R32 GT-R, which I liked the shape of. When I bought it, my parents asked me, ‘Why are you buying such an old car?’ What are you going to do with the money?’ But they didn’t object, probably because my brother drove a Mazda RX-7 and I was immune.”
His budget was stretched quite a bit. Even so, the GT-R available was not the finest car, and there were signs of age-related deterioration in places such as the dashboard and moldings, but this car was chosen after consulting with CREWCH’s president on the premise that they would continue to drive the car while making repairs. The good condition of the body and front seats, and the fact that it had aero parts for the GT-R NISMO, which was sold in a limited edition of 500 units as a base car for Group A racing, were also deciding factors.
Fun turns sour in the catastrophe of engine blow
But the car had been 29 years old at the time of purchase. Although the car was delivered after inspection of all parts, unfortunately, it suffered from a blown engine. In the end, they had to raise a further 2 million yen on top of the vehicle price,
“I was prepared to overhaul the engine at some point, so I’m satisfied that we were able to refresh it. At the same time as the work, a BNR34 turbine and Tomei Poncams were installed, and fine-tuning was carried out, including management with a full-control LINK. The cooling system and suspension have also been reviewed, and I’m now ready to spend the rest of my life with it. Of course, I also added security.”
Although the unexpected expenses have added up and the burden of monthly payments is heavy, the review of the engine and suspension system has temporarily eliminated concerns about the engine area and footwork system. From now on, he will be working on the interior, which is a visible area of concern. The shift boot and side brake boots have already been replaced with Robson leather, and the dashboard, which is showing signs of lifting, will eventually be replaced with a good used one or reupholstered in genuine leather. They will take their time to make each one healthy.
“I need money to do everything and repairs to maintain it. But the satisfaction of owning one is superb, and I really enjoy the time I spend thinking about how I want to do this or that, aiming for the specifications I like. It also motivates me to put in the work. I have spent a lot of money on it, so it’s not easy to get out, but I don’t want to get out any more than that.”
As long as you have dreams and hopes, the GT-R life with your car will be fun, including the human connections. Even without money, the GT-R is a car that enriches the soul.
translated by DeepL