NISSAN GTR R33

GIVEN THE SUCCESS OF ITS PREDECESSOR THE GTR R33 HAD BIG SHOES TO FILL

Few cars have been more influential over a short passage of time than the Nissan coupe known as ‘Godzilla.’ Original R32 versions of Nissan’s all-wheel drive GTR won motor races and caused controversy wherever they went, and it was no real surprise when the model that followed turned the wick back a little.

The R33 Series GTR was launched onto the Japanese market in January 1995, 15 months after its motor show debut, but was never officially exported to Australia

At the heart of the GTR was Nissan’s 2.6-litre, straight-six engine with sequential turbochargers, an intercooler and variable torque-split transmission. Official engine output was a conservative 206kW, but more realistically in the 260-270kW range.

Performance remained exceptional but a restyle didn’t do this GTR any favours. Nor did engineering changes including an extended wheelbase (2770mm against the R32’s 2615mm) and revised suspension that turned the uncompromising R32 GTR into a more compliant Grand Tourer.

Velour seats were standard and their blandness echoed throughout the cabin. A few slivers of carbon fibre or strips of faux timber might have made the driver’s workspace a little less drab, but Nissan didn’t care.

Owners might go for some after-market seats, a Momo steering wheel and gear-knob, just to brighten their lives a little. Hold onto the bits you remove though, to preserve the car’s authenticity.

There exist two distinct markets in Australia for the R33

GTR, served by different styles of car. At the bottom sit recent imports with undistinguished history showing 100,000 kilometres or more. These might have been used as fairly regular transport or been flogged around race circuits during ‘track days’. Some will have original components replaced by after-market stuff and the money available is likely to sit between $75,000 and $85,000, not the $100-110,000 asked by some vendors.

Above them and scarce in our market are cars that people will pack away and preserve for 20, 30, maybe even 50 years. There they will remain as rarely-used collectibles until the age of the petrol-powered vehicle ends and such cars can be occasionally brought out of hiding to draw astonished crowds.

R33s of distinct quality are chosen with several criteria in mind; kilometres travelled, confirmed history, colour, specification and current pricing. The best of them already exceed $120,000 and that figure continues to climb.

More than 16,000 GTR R33s of various kinds were made, with Series 1 cars accounting for over half the total. Among the least common variants will be N1 versions of the V Spec and the Series 2 LM Limited.

Cars originally painted in white are the most common R33s, with more than 6500 of these produced. Midnight Purple is sometimes claimed to be a rare GTR shade but there were more than 2500 of those built as well. Find a genuine Active Red or Black Pearl, though, and expect to pay very big money as they are exceptionally scarce.

BODY & CHASSIS

R33s are now more than 25 years old and rust is more than a possibility. Crash damage is very likely too, so when checking sills, mudguards and door skins for rot, check the front chassis rails for kinks, look for partial repaints and mismatched lenses. The extra weight of that hefty rear wing can weaken boot-lid supports and water can leak through mounting holes. A used R33 rear spoiler with some repairs required was offered recently at $2000. Plenty of basic R33 body parts are available but sourcing the more specialised GTR items can be tedious and costly, so make sure everything is in place and undamaged when buying.

ENGINE & TRANSMISSION

The GTR engine with its twin turbochargers and ageing electronics is not something for the home mechanic to ‘fix up’ on weekends. Avoiding big repair bills is best achieved by choosing a car with local service history and some recent work already undertaken. If the turbochargers haven’t been replaced and history is patchy, assume major work will shortly be needed and price the car accordingly. White exhaust smoke indicates oil being burned in the turbochargers. Check under-bonnet hoses and plastic components for perishing and heat damage and the cylinder head for oil leaks. Rapid standing starts hurt the clutch which costs more than $2000 to replace. Listen for clunks from rear drive-shafts or the differential.

SUSPENSION & BRAKES

A lot of GTRs suffer more from minimal use than misuse, allowing bushes and brake components deteriorate due to age alone. Re-kitting wheel cylinders and the booster, changing hoses and replacing standard pads will alone cost more than $1500. Standard brakes fitted to GTRs weren’t really up to the cars’ potential and some will have later, larger rotors and callipers. Rotors warp due to excessive heat and pulse through the pedal. When new these cars sat high with at least a handdepth of clearance between the tyre and wheel-arch. A car that sits noticeably nosedown or unevenly then its springs may have been shortened or are sagging.

INTERIOR & ELECTRICAL

The GTR interior is basic but trimmed in quality materials so a well-kept car may well retain the original seats and show minimal deterioration to the cabin plastics. Cars that have had plenty of use will likely show wear to the seat bolsters but that is fairly cheaply fixed. Avoid any that combine low kilometres with a trashed interior, because the odometer will have been ‘fiddled’ or replaced. A complete Nismo instrument cluster showing ultra-low kays was offered locally at $6000. Age can afflict electrical components as well, so a full is recommended. The air-conditioning should activate with an audible click and send a stream of cold air through the vents within 20 seconds