My GT-Rs - the Nismo R32

Ever have an experience where whatever strange forces control our fates (e.g. God, Buddha, the stars, Midi-chlorians, that freaky dude that stands on the street corner talking about the end of the world) seem to have contrived to put you in just the right spot at just the right time that it seems predestined?

When a nice lady I didn't know told me many Christmases ago while I was hanging out waiting for Best Buy to open that the Target across the street had ONE brand new, just-released PS3 in their display case and I managed to snag it before some speculator threw it on ebay for a gajillion bucks it sure felt predestined. But really it was probably just dumb luck and the woman thought I was stupidly freezing my butt off and took pity on me.

She didn't really catch my eye at first - tucked in a corner of a warehouse and all.

Anyway, fate seemed to have its hand in my snagging my limited edition Nismo R32 as well. And when I say limited edition that's no joke with only 500 ever sold to the public...in Japan...across the Pacific Ocean from where I live. It's not your neighbor's “limited edition” pickup truck that's only limited by how many people the manufacturer can hypnotize with the shiny badge.

In the days leading up to my finding the car I had thought about getting a project vehicle to help improve my miserable wrenching skills. I had also been reading of the first Skyline R32s being brought in legally to the States now that they were 25-year old cars and thought it might be nice to have one – but it was a bit of a fanciful thought.

Finally, I was sitting and waiting for a lecture to start when I decided to pass the time by reading a Speed Hunters article on the Nismo Festival in Japan on my iPad. Right then and there, I had an epiphany that despite my unhealthy love for all things Nissan I had never owned a Nismo and needed to have one at some point. I made up my mind that I would get a Nismo of one form or another eventually when I found the right car – maybe a Z or that Nismo Pulsar from Europe if Nissan USA ever wised up and brought it here.

So after all those thoughts about project cars, R32s, and Nismos, what was I to make of it when the following day I found myself at an importer and they had an honest-to-god, rare Nismo R32 just sitting there and they offered me a good price for it?

Weird how things just seem to work out sometimes.

And that's how I now come to find myself with Nismo R32 number 167. She's not the most pristine example out there but neither is she the worst. She runs fine without spewing vital fluids all across the road, the AC blows cold air that smells authentically of King Tut's burial chamber, the stereo plays all the channels of static you could want, and it's still in the Nismo trademark Gun Metal Grey paint (although some parts feel like they were detailed with a leftover Brillo pad from last night's dishwashing).

Looking a bit better after some TLC

At this time I've had her for just over three weeks and I've started trying to nurse her back to her former glory. Some needed maintenance items have been done, I've given her a wash, and the interior has been mostly defunked. It's still going to be a long road ahead for this car before she'll be anywhere near worthy of showing off but it will no doubt be an interesting and memorable journey and as a diehard roadtrip fan might say: “The journey IS the destination”.

Stay tuned...and back to the studio.