Cliff Gonzalez R32 Nissan Skyline GT-R
In 1989, Nissan had no shortage of geniuses running their engineering team. Innovating and setting the bar for other makes and models of the time in Japan, Nissan was blowing it out of the park with their Skyline. The introduction of the R32 generation of the Skyline GT-R was a memorable day for some and a fearsome day for the competition.
Eye level rear quarter view of Cliff Gonzalez's 1994 Nissan Skyline GT-R on driver side.
Godzilla
Dominating Group A racing is a feat that many auto manufacturers strive to claim. Nissan has been down that track more than once; in fact, during the three years it competed in Group A, it had 29 wins in 29 races in Japan and won four consecutive championship titles. In Australia, it had 17 wins and multiple championships. This car dominated so aggressively that it led to changes in racing regulations.
This car was created as a homologation model for the Japanese market. A homologation model means the car was created for the track, but to qualify, it had to have a certain number of public sales and units produced. The whole idea is to race a car that’s closely related to a road-going car. Instead of making a street car into a race car, they made the race car into a street car.
So what made these cars so unbeatable? From the factory, they came with the renowned and legendary RB26DETT engine. This Nissan engine is a 2.6L twin-turbocharged inline-six with a dual overhead camshaft (DOHC) setup and 24 valves. The advertised power output was 276 horsepower at 6,800 RPM and 260 lb-ft of torque at 4,400 RPM, with an impressive redline of 8,000 RPM. While it’s well known that the actual power of these motors is closer to 300 horsepower, they were restricted by the Japanese “gentleman's agreement,” which capped the advertised power. They were only produced with 5-speed manual transmissions. The car had a 0-60 time of around 5.0 seconds and a governed top speed of 155 mph (250 km/h).
What really made this car stand out from its competitors was the cutting-edge technology installed in it. These cars used Nissan’s legendary all-wheel-drive system, referred to as ATTESA E-TS, which stands for “Advanced Total Traction Engineering System for All-Terrain with Electronic Torque Split.” Essentially, the computer would adjust power distribution between the front and rear based on traction. This often led to a rear-end power bias until a loss of traction was detected. In addition, the car had the similarly complicatedly named Super-HICAS, which stands for “High Capacity Actively Controlled Steering.” This system provided the R32 GT-R with four-wheel steering, a superior option for handling corners. Both the front and rear ends had independent multi-link suspension. The brakes, front and rear, were vented disc brakes, and on Nismo trims in later years, they were paired with Brembo calipers.
Eye level front quarter view of Cliff Gonzalez's 1994 Nissan Skyline GT-R from the passenger side.
A Teacher with Taste
Today’s 1994 Nissan Skyline GT-R is brought to you by Cliff Gonzalez. This car was imported to the United States in 2019, though it had a fairly interesting life in Japan during the time it was there. The car was owned by a gentleman who was a school teacher in Japan. This owner taught English overseas. Eventually, he retired from that job and made sure to bring something special back home with him when he returned. What else should one bring from overseas as a totem of work travels, but a Skyline GT-R, of course
Gonzalez had always had an interest in older Japanese Domestic Market (JDM) cars, and several years ago, he was in a position to finally own one. After studying and preparing, Gonzalez and his wife drove all the way to North Carolina to purchase his future car. There, he rented a U-Haul truck and trailered it all the way back home to Ohio.
Close up photo of the intake manifold on Cliff Gonzalez's 1994 Nissan Skyline GT-R.
Awaken The Beast
Gonzalez's fantastic car doesn’t stray from the iconic engine that powers it. It’s equipped with the RB26DETT, though it has been modified to become an even more intimidating beast. This car is fitted with an HKS turbo timer as well as an HKS boost controller. It has no lack of airflow thanks to the HKS cold air intake. There’s more man-and-machine communication with the Defi boost gauge. The clutch for this manual transmission has also been modified with the Nismo Twin Disc Super Copper mix clutch. The HKS branding continues with the super smooth HKS exhaust note.
Lower angle up close shot of Cliff Gonzalez's 1994 Nissan Skyline GT-R passenger side tail-light from center.
Pimp my Skyline
This Japanese import is painted in a fantastic Italian color, Ferrari red. It has a window tint of an unknown percentage. The body features iconic Nissan Nismo elements, such as the 18” Nismo rims. It also sports a Nismo front lip and side skirts. This car sits tastefully low on Tein coilovers.
Inside, the car has just as many astounding features. The steering wheel has been replaced with an aftermarket Victor Design wheel, and the seats have been swapped for Recaro Confetti Racing seats. It also features a sound system consisting of a Pioneer head unit
Centered head on angle shot of Cliff Gonzalez's 1994 Nissan Skyline GT-R rear passenger wheel.
For the Future Generations
Gonzalez recently upgraded the clutch in the Skyline, a job he took on as a learning moment for his son.
“My son is an aspiring mechanic, so I thought this would be a good opportunity to show him how the drivetrain works on the Skyline,” he stated.
Eventually, the car will be down for an upgraded cooling system to be installed and possibly even a roll cage. He looks forward to the 2025 car season, where the car will explore the turns of the famous Nelson Ledges Racecourse.
