IG: @jonanerud
Photos: ohg.photo
What Nissan are we looking at, and how did it find its way to you?
This is my 1993 Nissan Skyline R32 GT-R.
I have owned it for a little over a year and a half.
After ten years of driving newer, non-JDM cars, I felt a strong urge to own something like this again. Finding this car was pure luck.
It had been advertised online for a while. At the time, I still owned my 2004 Porsche 996.2 GT3 Clubsport.
The Porsche sold shortly afterwards, and the R32 was still available.
I had to go and see it.
It was love at first sight.
Finding an almost untouched R32 GT-R in this condition is nearly unheard of in Norway.
The car was unmodified and had spent more than 25 years in Japan with one owner.
I had to buy it.
What drew you to the R32 GT-R?
That is quite a long story.
My history with Nissan started in 2002. At the age of 19, I bought the first of several Nissan S13s.
It was such a good platform. Of course, every one of them was modified in the style that felt right at the time.
Like many people who grew up in the 1980s and 1990s, I spent a lot of time playing Gran Turismo on PlayStation.
The game opened our eyes to iconic JDM cars that were never officially sold in Europe.
My favourite was always the Skyline R32 GT-R.
It was my dream car for many years.
In 2006, I finally bought my first one. It was a 1994 model in KL0 silver, exactly the same colour as the car I own today.
That car was modified in true JDM spirit, and I loved owning it.
After five years, my life changed.
I had become a father and bought a house. The car hobby had to take a step back for a while.
I sold the R32 to a good friend. He still owns it today, 15 years later.
It is still the car I regret selling the most.
I always knew that if I got another chance, I would have to build a second one.
That brings us to this car.
What inspired the direction of the build?
I had a very clear idea of how I wanted this build to look.
Starting with an untouched car gave me the perfect base.
The R32, R33 and R34 can be built in hundreds of different ways. You can make them very personal, or you can follow the usual rules of the scene.
Many builds end up looking similar.
They can also become overbuilt because that is what people expect.
For me, the overall presence of the car is the most important thing.
It has to sit properly.
It needs the right wheel and tyre setup.
The modifications also need to feel period-correct.
There are so many aftermarket parts available for these cars that it is easy to go too far.
The R32 GT-R does not need much to stand out.
For me, it is all about finding the perfect balance.
Less is more.
I feel I have achieved that with this build.
The style is heavily inspired by the Group A cars. It does not get much better than that.
I also loved the R32s featured in old Option videos, especially the cars competing at Tsukuba Super Lap events in the early and mid-2000s.
Those cars had a very special presence.
I wanted to bring some of that feeling into my build, but make it more suitable for the street.
Why did you choose Icons Reimagined wheels?
The LMGT1 has always been one of my favourite wheel designs.
Especially on the R32 GT-R.
It was number one on my list when I started thinking about wheels for this car.
During my first season, I used a set of Advan RG3 monoblocks that I had refurbished.
They looked good, but I knew the car had more potential.
Wheels are one of the biggest changes you can make to a car.
They have a huge effect on its overall look, proportions and character.
While searching for options, I found Levi Nguyen’s stunning R32 on Instagram.
That is how I discovered Icons Reimagined.
The process started immediately.
Markus responded quickly, and we went back and forth before deciding on the final specification for my three-piece LMGT1 wheels.
The communication and feedback throughout the process were excellent.
It is easy to see that Icons Reimagined is a real passion project for Markus.
His knowledge is impressive, and the quality of the finished product is excellent.
They were well worth the wait.
A major reason for choosing these wheels was the ability to have them built around my exact requirements.
I wanted the classic design, but with modern manufacturing, lower weight and the right finish.
I am very particular about fitment.
Getting the exact specification I wanted was important.
This is not a direct, off-the-shelf R32 fitment.
However, once everything was properly dialled in, the wheels looked perfect on the car.
Current specification
Engine
The engine has basic power modifications, but a lot of work has gone into the appearance and condition of the engine bay.
Most components have been replaced, painted or refurbished.
The specification includes:
Porsche Oak Green Metallic engine covers
Water-polished inlet plenum
Reimax gaskets and cam cover baffle
Nismo air filter
Nismo oil filter
Nismo thermostat
Nismo oil cap
Nismo coolant cap
Polished pipe kit
Titanium strut brace
ARC titanium cooling panel
Koyo radiator
Oil catch tank
Tomei full titanium exhaust
Tomei equal-length downpipe
Suspension and brakes
Blitz ZZ-R coilovers
Ikeya Formula front camber links
GKTech adjustable rear camber links
Midori HICAS delete kit
Braided brake lines
Ferrari F50 Brembo brake kit waiting to be installed
Interior
Nismo seat covers
Old-logo Nismo 320 km/h cluster
Nismo gear knob
Nismo floor mats
Nismo carbon mirror cover
Nismo knee pads
Exterior
Garage Active Group A dry-carbon mirrors
Garage Active N1 headlights
Abflug carbon front diffuser
N1 bonnet lip
N1 boot lip
Kill All Wipers rear wiper delete
Rolled front and rear arches
Icons Reimagined LMGT1 wheels
The wheels measure 18x10.5 ET15.
They have white centres, black barrels, polished two-inch lips and titanium bolts.
They are wrapped in 285/30 R18 Yokohama Advan AD09 tyres.
Are there any details you are especially proud of?
It is not one individual part.
I am most proud of the overall impression of the car.
Everything flows together.
The car looks like something that could have been built in Japan many years ago.
That was always the goal.
What was the biggest challenge?
Working in the engine bay has probably been the biggest challenge.
Everything is packed in very tightly.
The parts are also getting old, so small clips, bolts and fittings can easily break while you are working.
What is the car used for now?
I only drive the car during the summer.
It spends around six months of the year hibernating in my heated garage.
That is also where I carry out almost all the work on it.
I enjoy the car most on long Sunday drives and road trips.
It is important to me that the car remains fully usable, even with the stance and fitment exactly where I want them.
I do not plan to use it on track.
However, I attend some shows and Cars and Coffee events.
What is next for the build?
Modern engine management is next on the list.
The goal is to make the car even more usable and reliable.
Is there anyone you would like to thank?
I have completed most of the work myself in my own garage.
However, I have to thank Stefan for all the paintwork and Stian for helping in the garage whenever I need more than two hands.
I also want to thank the wider community, especially the people I have connected with through Instagram.
There is so much knowledge about these cars out there.
Whenever I have needed help, someone has usually been willing to share their experience.
The best thing about cars is the people around them.