Now here’s a subtle eye-catcher.
When Melbourne’s Matt Portelli cruises past you in his R33 Nissan Skyline
GTS25T you might need to take a second look to recognise it’s a long way from
standard...
At a casual glance, the paint looks like standard R33 burgundy – a common
colour for the big Nissan coupes. But when the light flashes down the side it’s
obvious somebody has been doing things to this car. Stock? Not by a long
shot!
Matt tells us the original burgundy paint of his Skyline was pretty faded
when he bought it about three years ago. So the first move was to do it
proud with a subtle variation of the factory colour. The biggest change is the
inclusion of gold pearl, which effectively removes visual weight from the body.
Matt’s brother Joe and Darren from Darton Panel Works can be thanked for the
exterior rejuvenation.
At this time the front ‘bar was also swapped for an aftermarket part. The ‘bar and lower extensions are from I.Q. Auto Image.
Matt did an excellent job selecting gold coloured wheels to match the new
paint job. The new rims integrate beautifully – oh, and did we mention they’re a
massive 19 inches in diameter? A lowered ride height – thanks to a set of
aftermarket springs and Bilstein dampers – completes the visual ensemble.
These body changes hint that there’s some hardware to fear under the bonnet.
And, believe us, there is!
The standard R33 GTS25T is a quick machine with its 187kW 2.5 litre DOHC
turbocharged straight six. Modify it to generate 265.5kW at the wheels and
you’ve got a very, very quick machine!
We’re talking about twice the factory power output.
A gigantic turbocharger is the part responsible for much of this newfound
power. There’s a claimed 600hp worth of turbocharger mounted on the side of the
engine in the form of a T66 roller bearing Turbonetics product. This is bolted
to the standard exhaust manifold via a custom adaptor plate – and why not when
the factory manifold flows well and is durable? The manifold is also modified to
incorporate a PSR 42mm external wastegate. An A’PEXi AVC-R electronic boost
controller opens the wastegate to achieve a maximum boost pressure of 17 psi.
The factory intercooler would either melt or split at the seams under this
kind of duress, so the nosecone is now packed full of Hybrid intercooling. The
plumbing is 2½ inch mandrel and, like all of the mechanical work on the car, is
credited to G-Tech Performance. Note that no blow-off valve is fitted.
Air intake and exhaust restriction are kept as low as possible with a K&N
pod filter mounted on the compressor inlet, along with a 3 inch mandrel system.
On a Japanese import such as the R33, it’s a good idea to upgrade the engine
management system before going too far with mechanical mods – remember, the
computer is factory mapped for Japanese ultra high-octane fuel. Matt’s car does
away with the factory ECU and employs the latest Wolf plug-in programmable
system. The MAP-sensed Wolf system also allows removal of the Nissan airflow
meter - which is probably restrictive enough to be used as an official CAMS
restrictor!
The fuel system is upgraded with larger Skyline GT-R injectors, a custom
rail, adjustable pressure regulator and a high-flow pump. An oil breather
prevents unwanted gunk entering the engine. Note that the internals of the engine are completely
standard and untouched – 120,000 kilometres have passed without any hint of a
mechanical problem.
The only area that has required attention is the clutch. A full-face upgrade
Extreme Clutch now takes drive to the 5 speed manual ‘box.
Nissans are famous for their drift-ability so it’s no surprise that rear-end
traction is an issue – once the big turbo comes up on boost you’d better be
paying attention! It’d be easy for Matt to resort to slicks to make a drag pass
but, much to his credit, he preferred to race the car in complete street trim –
19 inch rims an’ all.
"It was hard to hook up," he says but that immense top-end power came through
to achieve a 12.0 second pass. Not hanging around!
(Update: the car has now run an 11.2 second pass with race fuel, 20 psi of
boost and slicks.)
The standard GTS25T interior remains untouched with a couple of exceptions. A
Momo wheel gives better driver feel, while the Japanese frequency audio system
has been hauled out to make space for a Pioneer DVD set-up with a flip-out 7
inch screen. The cabin is equipped with tweeters, 6 inch front and rear
full-range speakers while the boot carries twin 12 inch Kicker competition subs
and a pair of 600W amps. No stuffing around here!
And, speaking of going all-out, Matt is currently on the verge of some
further engine mods.
"I’ve been shopping around for a nitrous system," says Matt. Twelve second
performance in street form – and low 11s when prepared for the track – is all
very good but the goal posts have recently shifted into the 10 second
region.
A car with that much performance shouldn’t be colour coordinated and
sophisticated looking – it should be plastered in sponsor stickers and have a
number!
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