Picked up a new DD: R33 GTR

Joined
14 October 2002
Messages
4,490
Location
Ottawa, Ontario
It's been a long drawn out shopping process, started almost a year ago with the idea of picking up a jdm market Lotus/Caterham 7 (ended up with the yellow one locally, owned a total of 7 weeks), which changed to an usdm E60 M5 (found a Cali car in TO, owned it for 6 months), then to a usdm S2K, then finally reverted back to my true love, an R33 GTR. Here in Canada we can import any car that is over 15 years old. This is my second "rightie", the other one being the very first *legal* R32 GTR I bought back in 2004, which eventually was traded in for my NSX.

Bone stock mechanically except for a very quiet Nismo exhaust with CF pipe. No suspension mods, no intake, just all oem goodness. The Japanese owner did minor updates to the car like swapping out all the interior bulbs to leds, new gear shift and brake boots, N1 ducts, unidentified front lip, grill and R34 wheels. I should note it's a one owner car, who was a guy in his late 40's.

No major plans this year, I just want to enjoy the car as a DD. I'll prob just drop it on some mild springs and I already have a set of 18x9.5 bronze TE37's.

I'll update this thread with new pics as I take them.

@RightDrive
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My buddy Daryl's R32 in the background.
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400 kms later, safe at home:
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OMG! ;)
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I have to give props to the guys at RightDrive in Toronto. It was by far one of the best buying experiences I have ever had...and I've bought a lot of cars in my time. It exceeded all expectations. The people at the local BMW and Lexus dealerships I've dealt with in the past can learn a few things from these people. As soon as I gave them my deposit to start the search the emails with possible candidates came regularly and quickly. The car came complete with all oem books and documentation, all history of the car, importation papers (translated) etc in a nice binder with extra space for future records. I didn't even have to drill my plates to fit them to the jdm screw holes as RD had fabbed little alum adaptor plates. Its fine details like that which makes a difference to picky people like me.
 
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Dude,

That thing is sick! Color is nuts and I love it!
 
Congrats ! Good find and a classic as a DD makes you a lucky guy !
From an R35 owner.
 
Nice john. For some reason, I thought you already had one.

So, when can you get an r34 in canada?

Sent from my PC36100 using Tapatalk
 
Congrats, my neighbor in WA had the same color and my other friend had a flat black R32 with those wheels. Awesome cars, I still want a R32 or a early 70s model.
 
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Nice ride! You can't get those in the states anymore right? They've been outlawed?
 
GTRs in the US has a long and sordid history, but the short answer is no, you can no longer get one. Once in a while an original Motorex car comes up for sale, but the asking price is usually consistent with the rarity of these cars stateside. The god news is that the R32's are going to be legal in a few more years when they hit 25 years old ;)

Cam: decided 1 NSX is enough for now. I need the variety! :cool:
 
Awesome car man. . . would make a great car for a Mailman or a paperboy, though I doubt any paperboy could afford one of them... :biggrin:

Quick question, how do you service one of those? Are a lot of the parts shared with other Nissan models available in Canada or the US? I've always loved the R33, moreso than the R32 or R34. . .it looks soo sinister.
 
Awesome car man. . . would make a great car for a Mailman or a paperboy, though I doubt any paperboy could afford one of them... :biggrin:

Quick question, how do you service one of those? Are a lot of the parts shared with other Nissan models available in Canada or the US? I've always loved the R33, moreso than the R32 or R34. . .it looks soo sinister.

Parts are actually quite easy to find. There are so many JDM imports now in Canada that most dealerships stock or can order parts. The R32-34 share a lot of mechanical components related to the RB26DETT engine, and other parts are common with the S13-14's. There's a decent industry set up to supply parts direct from Japan. Just today I received a set of springs, engine dress-up bits and new led tail lights from Japan direct. :)
 
More pics taken tonight on my driveway :)
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scalpel and sledgehammer :)
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beautiful car.

one of the benefits of being north. In the us, if you get one of those, you have to constantly look over your shoulder or fear that a fed will show up at your house and take it away. it is crazy people car drive all sorts of crazy cars (cobra, arial atom) but the skyline is targeted by our government.

jealous.

seriously jealous
 
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Just so badass. :cool: Awesome color.
Thanks man. I had to crouch eally low to hide the silver Odyssey in the background :rolleyes:

Here's one with the kids :biggrin:
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Very nice! I've been looking for a new DD since selling my S2k...

Few questions, if Canada can import RHD Skylines, can we purchase from Canada and drive it down?

How much are the going rates for R33 and R34 GTRs?

I'm intrigued...
 
Very nice! I've been looking for a new DD since selling my S2k...

Few questions, if Canada can import RHD Skylines, can we purchase from Canada and drive it down?

How much are the going rates for R33 and R34 GTRs?

I'm intrigued...

Nope, Canadian and US import laws are different. You can pay me money for it, you can probably drive it across the border, but you will not be able to register the Skyline in your state.

R32 GTRs are going for $15-18K, R33's $15-22K, R34's are not legal yet until 2014 but so far the jdm market is very strong for them since they are the last of the breed. They are hovering in the $40K range. I expect that to stay around there even in a few years. These prices are for good to excellent condition examples. You can find a beater R32 for $5K, but I wouldn't buy it.
 
Thats going to be your daily driver!!! Thats one of the best daily driver cars ever!! Are they really that reliable to daily drive???? I would love that car as a daily driver minus the purple color.
 
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