1998 NISSAN SKYLINE GT-T (R34)
NAME: BRAD GREER // AGE: 24 LOCATION: BLENHEIM // OCCUPATION: VINEYARD MANAGER
NZ Performance Car : Hi, Brad. Tell us how you got into modifying cars and what you’ve owned in the past.
Brad: Hey, team. My family has always been into cars, so it didn’t take much. My first car was a ’77 Honda Civic, and I’ve owned anything from VTEC Hondas through to XB Falcon wagons. In the past, I’ve built an R33 GT25T coupe, [an] S13, and [an] S14.
So, what was it about the R34 that made you want to buy one?
I like the way they look and perform. My dream car has always been an R34 GT-R so this is close enough! It was originally up in Auckland with 20-inch chrome wheels and Lambo doors, which the guy I bought it off had done — he was the first New Zealand owner too.
What was the first thing you did when you got it home?
I didn’t even get home before changing something on it. On the ferry ride from Wellington to Picton, I ran in to someone that quite fancied the 20-inch chromies, so I sold them to him on the spot. At 2am I was swapping my wheels for a decent set I had in the shed, and, within a week, the Lambo doors were gone as well.
And what was the aim for the car?
Well, it was mainly to get rid of The Fast and [ the] Furious styling that it came with. I wanted to make it a good street car that performed well and could be used for whatever I felt like. And, seeing as I’ve always wanted that GT-R, I sourced all the right parts to make it as close as possible, including the whole genuine front.
Does look the real deal. Any plans for it in future?
I’m really unsure as of yet. I’d like to get a bigger turbo set-up etc., a set of genuine wheels would be nice too, but not in a rush at this stage.
No rush at all, looks solid as is. Thanks, Brad.
STYLIN’
When you think ‘steering wheel’ on a street car, there’s only one name that should come to mind, and it’s all Italian made, baby. Yep, we’re talking Nardi! Crafted by pizza-makers of old and loved in the land of the rising sun, they’re still one of the most popular options here and abroad. Luckily for us Kiwis, North Shore Toyota (NST) Parts have just been announced as the official local distributor. There’s nothing quite like unwrapping a fresh example that only your hands have ever had the pleasure of touching. Now available to be purchased exclusively through NST, call the team on 09 444 8825 for further information and pricing
FITMENT
Featuring a super deep concave design with reputedly the most unique wheel widths on the market, the XXR 553 Labyrinth offers an exclusive extra-wide wheel and precise offset pairing that allow you the perfect tyre stretch fitment while affording you a maximum tyre footprint for street. This lightweight, traditional, web-styled design clears big brakes like those found on popular models such as Evo, STi, and Z-Cars with ease. Available in flat black and chromium black. For full sizing and fitment, contact the Grip Tyres & Wheels team on (04) 568 5989, or visit gtw.kiwi.nz.
On the limmy
Sticking a Beams engine in your KE? An LS in your S13? Perfect for those latemodel engine swaps in an old-school body, the Auto Meter tach converter is an easy way to get a distributorless ignition system to speak to the tachometer. It is compatible with any Auto Meter standard ignition tacho or Digital Pro-Shift System gauge, tube, or controller module, and is available from My Automotive for $256.83. Visit myautomotive.co.nz for more information.
Kick up your audio
Add a Kicker Smart Amp to your car’s existing audio set-up, install the microphone in your cabin, and a button press will tune the sound through 40 channels of equalization, adjusting speaker gain and timing to turn any car cabin into a tuned sound stage, even using standard speakers — a groundbreaking one-box solution to every audio compromise in ICE. Contact a local stockist for pricing via kickernz. co.nz.
SECURED
Hit them fasteners with a 320rpm dose of ugga dugga driving force courtesy of Teng Tools 26 piece 3.6V Power Screwdriver Set, featuring reversible function, LED light, built in battery with USB charging, and a double-injection housing. Supplied in the unique Teng Tools TC-Tray, it features a removable lid and dovetail joints for use on its own or as part of the TC-Tray™ Modular System. Included in the set are 1/4in 50mm Hex Bits: 0.6x3.5, 0.6x4.5, 0.8x5.5mm; PH0, PH1, PH2 (5 pcs); Hex 2.0, 3.0, 4.0; PZ1, PZ2; TX8, TX10, TX15, TX20, TX25; TPX15, TPX20; and 2.0mm (x 2 pcs), 3.0mm drill bits. Priced at $148.35 until the end of April 2019 (RRP$244.70) from all participating Teng Tools retailers nationwide. Contact info@tengtools.co.nz for more info
STAY COOL
Electric fans are a sweet way to rid your engine of that parasitic drain on the rotating assembly, while decreasing weight and most importantly, beefing up cooling ability. The Davies Craig 305mm/12inch Thermatic Electric Fan provides a strong, consistent, and highcapacity air flow, while featuring fully reversible blades and polarity for bi-directional air flow, and a low profile for ease of mounting. The Davies Craig 12-inch Thermatic Electric Fan comes in at $161, with larger sizes also available. You can grab yourself one at my automotive.com.
SUPER SOLID
The two most common types of wheels you see on the street or the track are the traditional cast wheel and the Flow Form wheel. For a solid strength to weight ratio, Flow Formed technology is the way to go — the lighter the wheel is, the less rotational mass to turn and therefore the faster you can get up to speed. The Motegi MR136 is offered in a satin black finish, and the raised face mimics a two-piece construction, starting off as a cast mould that goes on to be heat treated and sized to proper vehicle dimensions. Formula Drift driver Corey Hosford’s S14 Nissan runs a set of Motegis — and if there’s ever a test of abuse, it’s drifting. For further information, visit dtm.co.nz, or contact your local DTM retailer.
GET SCANNED
When you want to diagnose those codes on the fly, you gotta have the XTool Anyscan A30 All System Scanner in the glove box. It’s a full system diagnosis kit that uses both iOS and Android platforms and covers all brands and systems; it also includes many special functions, such as service-light reset, DPF regeneration, and EPB reset. Plus, all the staples of a code scanner with the ability to quickly read and clear codes in all modules for European, Asian, and domestic vehicles 1996–present; one button auto-scan reads codes in all modules and displays them on the screen; the quick erase feature allows all codes to be cleared with the push of a button; and many more — all from your phone or tablet! For further information, visit stahlcar. nz/xtool-a30.