The Car
Most people wouldn't know a Nissan Skyline GT-R if they saw one on the road. I will admit that I was unfamiliar with the car until I saw the Fast and Furious movies. Your hardcore Nissan fans will know a Skyline GT-R and know it well. So, when I first saw the car, I looked it up online, read the car's specs and saw many YouTube videos featuring it. I love the looks of the car as well as its reputation.
The Skyline GT-R has a storied history within the Nissan franchise. The Skyline debuted in 1957 and was originally produced by the Japanese Prince Motor Company. In 1966 Prince merged with Datsun, which continued Skyline production. The Skyline went through numerous generations and versions, but the GT-R variant didn't appear until February of 1969. Prior to the GT-R's introduction the R32 model was the first Skyline model to start making waves. The R32 was the first model that Nissan engineered with all-wheel drive. The R32 won 29 of 29 races in the Japanese Touring Car Championship and won the series title every year between 1989 and 1993.
The R33 was the next model introduced in 1993, in a special edition wagon model in addition to racing versions. The R34 was introduced in 1998. The R34 featured a standard inline 6 cylinder motor; 64,623 units were sold. The R34 addressed errors and complaints of previous models, but also included a 5.8-inch LCD screen in the dash, which gave the driver live readings of turbo pressure, oil temperatures and water temperature.
The GT-R version of the R34 appeared in 1999 and it was outfitted with a 6-speed gearbox and the twin-turbochargers were given ball bearing cores. Nismo, a performance tuning subsidiary of Nissan, designed a special version of the car during the time Nissan was ending production of the Skyline in 2002. The Nismo Z-Tune GT-R was built in 2003 in which Nismo bored and stroked out the cylinders to a 2.8 litres, and with other modifications the concept engine, named the RB26DETT - also called a Z1- produced over 500hp. Only 19 of these were built and these are regarded as the most expensive GT-R ever produced; several sold for more than $180,000. The GT-R was never engineered to meet US safety and emissions regulations so unfortunately the car was never sold in the United States. But the GT-R is simply an amazing car and an example of top tier engineering in its time.
The Kit
Tamiya constructed this kit and as usual, superior quality comes with it. Unfortunately, the kit was constructed as a curbside model. Before I built the kit, I was unfamiliar with the term, "curbside". After reading up on it and seeing different opinions, and of course not seeing any engine pieces in the kit, I found out what curbside means: it means the kit includes limited or minimal engine detail, and as a result, the hood is permanently shut. I would have liked to build an engine with this car, but my fabrication and modifications skills aren't that good. Regardless, the kit was a lot fun to build and I had a great time constructing it.
Tamiya recommends painting the car with their TS-17 aerosol lacquer, and I wasn't going to argue with that. Tamiya paints seem to have better coverage and are easier to use. It is a silver/aluminum color and I actually went a little too heavy with it. I consequently had some runny paint, which pooled up on the corners of bumpers and other areas where it is really obvious. I built this kit a few years ago before I knew about sanding and polishing, and well before I was aware you could strip the paint and simply start all over. I am embarrassed to admit I rationalized that building the kit with some painting mistakes was much better than spending money on a brand new kit! So there are overall build. Tamiya instructions are always clear and concise and the parts fit together flawlessly.
One aspect of the car I was really looking forward to was the right side drive option. This was the first model I built with right hand drive. I still feel that it's weird having the steering and controls on the "Passenger" side, given that it's the exact reverse of how cars are engineered in most of the world. I also used photo-etched parts for the first time with this kit. The photo-etch set was reasonably affordable and I thought it would be a nice addition to the kit. Tamiya produces "Detail Up" photo-etch sets for many of their car and motorcycle models and these are available on many websites. I was initially unsure how to use the photo-etched parts. I knew these parts would be great for the rotors and emblems, but there were other parts I wasn't so sure of.
After I finished the model, I read more about the proper preparation, cleaning, and treatment of photo-etched parts, but I only really cared about the metal "look" that only real metal can provide. The photo-etched set included license plates, brake rotors and vent screens. I fell that it is a great addition to the kit; it adds more detail to an already intricate kit. Overall the build was easy. Given the curbside nature of the kit and its excellent fit the GT-R can be built very quickly. I really appreciate the groove in which the window seal meets the car. This made it very easy to cut the tape when painting the window seals, which leads to a straight, accurate line for painting.
Conclusion
What can I say, another Tamiya kit, another wonderful modeling experience! I love the detail Tamiya puts into their kits, even their curbside models. Their decals are easy to use, they provide a little extra detail, and their paint guides are excellent. I have related that I was still refining some of my skills during this kit's construction, so it's hardly a flawless build. For the record, I felt that improving my modeling abilities is an endless journey. You can always learn something new, right? Given the finished model's imperfections AND the fact that I enjoyed it so much, I will build the GT-R kit again in the future. This was a great kit and from what I have seen, it is one of Tamiya's top sellers. I have seen many versions of this kit, with different paint schemes and wheel combos, but for me there is something about the silver body and black wheels that looks great. Happy modeling, everybody!