Quite a long but interesting read about the history of Skylines and their banishment from Australia
This story is sourced from 'The Sky is the Limit' book and 'forumised' by the kind folk of Skylines Australia
RACE HISTORY OF GODZILLA
(also some info about the race days of Tony Longhurst and Alan Jones in E36 BMW M3's)
May 1989
Magazines preview the R32 model range. Even one month prior to release, the Australian press think the new model will share a v6 powerplant with the Infiniti range.
July 1989
One month after the R32 launch in Japan. The GT-R is covered, and a Group A version is pondered, the Australian press not realising the first 500 GT-R's built are in fact the homologation build run.
October 1989
Gibson Motorsport take delivery of four R32 GT-R road cars from Japan. Gibson Motorsport has been recognised by Nissan Japan for their efforts with the previous HR31 GTS-R Skylines. Gibson Motorsport are the only team outside of Japan to get GT-R's at such an early stage. Initial plans are to disable the HICAS 4 wheel steering system until the rest of the car is sorted. Due to homologation, they can run the cars either with HICAS or without.
The homologated weight is 1260kg, which is still heavier than the Ford RS500 Sierra at 1185kg. Gibson expects the first engines to have an output of 600hp – much more than the HR31 GTS-R's RB20DET-R which pushed out 460hp in 1989, and 370hp in 1988.
Fred Gibson flew to Japan in mid October with Nissan Motorsport Manager Paul Beranger, engineers Trevor Jones and Andrew Bartley to inspect the first GT-R race car built by Nissan Japan.
The Gibson team invest AU$300,000 - AU$400,000 in a sophisticated telemetry system in anticipation for the GT-R development programme.
Anders Olofsson (Swedish) becomes the first western driver to sample the Nissan GT-R prototype race cars. He reports that he has driven two GT-R race cars, the first has been around since May 1989 and has been a homologation development "mule", with the second being the prototype race car. The development car was built to test engines, transmissions, suspension, and cooling systems. It was equipped with sophisticated instruments. Both cars were trailed with Bridgestone and Dunlop tyres. As a side note, the Gibson Motorsport team were contracted with Yokohama.
November 1989
Australian's see a burgundy GT-R used as the official pace car at the Australian Grand Prix in Adelaide.
March 1990
The GT-R is officially homologated for Group A racing on 1 March.
April 1990
Gibson Motorsport roll out their first GT-R for a shakedown at Winton raceway on 11 April. Engineers from Japan and England join the team for the shakedown. Mark Skaife does the driving duties, while Jim Richards drives the current HR31 GTS-R as a measuring stick. Gibson had pulled the car's debut back because of parts supply issues. Nissan Japan sent four engineers from their experimental department to help Gibson Motorsport build the first car. All the parts arrived in assemblies eg. front suspension, engine and gearbox.
At the Winton test, the engine used was a unit sent over from Japan. It used a Japanese management system which restricted boost to 1.3 bar and power was about 550hp. The Gibson Motorsport team intended to replace the Japanese management system with their own Electromotive system and run higher boost, around 1.5 bar for 580hp.
Hollinger are commissioned to design and build a 6 speed gearbox for the GT-R. Nissan Japan decided they would also use the Hollinger box and placed their order.
During the shakedown, the team experimented with different EPROMS in the 4WD system. They started out with 45% front bias, and have different EPROMS to deliver 10, 20, 30% splits. [I'm unsure if the system uses EPROMS, perhaps it's a bit of bogus information in the report]
Wheels magazine staffer Peter McKay joins the Gibson team at Mallala for a test session. McKay is lined up to have a drive of the prototype - but the car breaks two half shafts, and the team have to wait for spares to arrive from Japan. A later test session takes place at Calder. McKay reports the Electromotive management system is in place, as is the first of the Australian built engines – the power output is quoted at 520hp with 1.2 bar boost, and 576hp (429kw) / 410nm with 1.8 bar boost. Tyres are 11 inches wide, and run at about 5 degrees of negative camber.
McKay reports the car is easy to drive, with a light clutch and a smooth power delivery (unlike the previous HR31 and DR30 that he has driven). The car has four electric coolers for the front diff, rear diff, transfer case, and the gearbox.
June 1990
The GT-R race car has it's competition debut at Mallala on 8 June 1990. Mark Skaife is the driver. The decision to use Mark Skaife was due to Jim Richards' points position in the Australian touring car championship – it was thought that having Jim debut the new car would jeopardise him winning the championship if anything went wrong.
The GT-R used Japanese wheels that cost the Gibson team AU$2,000 each, and only last one race – this is just one example of how important it was to develop local content for the GT-R programme.
During unofficial practice on the Friday, Skaife was under the lap record by 2.4 seconds, and was 1 second quicker than the fastest Sierra (Brock). The reported power output was 585hp or 436kw.
Saturday qualifying saw the car was sidelined briefly when a left front hub failed, damaging an oil cooler, the brakes, and causing the wheel to depart. The car was quickly repaired, and Skaife was able to qualify third on the grid.
Skaife started out of the third grid position, and was able to get into the lead on the 10th lap. The car retired about lap 20 with another broken left front hub.
Jim Richards takes over the car at the next ATC round at Wanneroo (24 June 1990) – he had to finish in front of Dick Johnson to keep his title aspirations alive. Both he and Mark Skaife were cross entered in the GT-R and the GTS-R. The team were still fiddling with the 4WD splits, and an engine management problem that saw the motor to over-fuel and misfire during qualifying. Jim managed to qualify 4th on the grid. The GT-R had a new engine transplanted and all the electronics replaced after qualifying on the Saturday night.
At the start of the race, Jim launched into second place. The decision to put Jim in the GT-R was justified when Skaife broke a half shaft in the GTS-R on the startline. Jim was overtaken and pushed back to 4th on the road for most of the race, eventually finishing in 4th 50 minutes later. Dick Johnson meanwhile had crashed out with a broken brake calliper taking out the right front wheel.
This story is sourced from 'The Sky is the Limit' book and 'forumised' by the kind folk of Skylines Australia
RACE HISTORY OF GODZILLA
(also some info about the race days of Tony Longhurst and Alan Jones in E36 BMW M3's)
May 1989
Magazines preview the R32 model range. Even one month prior to release, the Australian press think the new model will share a v6 powerplant with the Infiniti range.
July 1989
One month after the R32 launch in Japan. The GT-R is covered, and a Group A version is pondered, the Australian press not realising the first 500 GT-R's built are in fact the homologation build run.
October 1989
Gibson Motorsport take delivery of four R32 GT-R road cars from Japan. Gibson Motorsport has been recognised by Nissan Japan for their efforts with the previous HR31 GTS-R Skylines. Gibson Motorsport are the only team outside of Japan to get GT-R's at such an early stage. Initial plans are to disable the HICAS 4 wheel steering system until the rest of the car is sorted. Due to homologation, they can run the cars either with HICAS or without.
The homologated weight is 1260kg, which is still heavier than the Ford RS500 Sierra at 1185kg. Gibson expects the first engines to have an output of 600hp – much more than the HR31 GTS-R's RB20DET-R which pushed out 460hp in 1989, and 370hp in 1988.
Fred Gibson flew to Japan in mid October with Nissan Motorsport Manager Paul Beranger, engineers Trevor Jones and Andrew Bartley to inspect the first GT-R race car built by Nissan Japan.
The Gibson team invest AU$300,000 - AU$400,000 in a sophisticated telemetry system in anticipation for the GT-R development programme.
Anders Olofsson (Swedish) becomes the first western driver to sample the Nissan GT-R prototype race cars. He reports that he has driven two GT-R race cars, the first has been around since May 1989 and has been a homologation development "mule", with the second being the prototype race car. The development car was built to test engines, transmissions, suspension, and cooling systems. It was equipped with sophisticated instruments. Both cars were trailed with Bridgestone and Dunlop tyres. As a side note, the Gibson Motorsport team were contracted with Yokohama.
November 1989
Australian's see a burgundy GT-R used as the official pace car at the Australian Grand Prix in Adelaide.
March 1990
The GT-R is officially homologated for Group A racing on 1 March.
April 1990
Gibson Motorsport roll out their first GT-R for a shakedown at Winton raceway on 11 April. Engineers from Japan and England join the team for the shakedown. Mark Skaife does the driving duties, while Jim Richards drives the current HR31 GTS-R as a measuring stick. Gibson had pulled the car's debut back because of parts supply issues. Nissan Japan sent four engineers from their experimental department to help Gibson Motorsport build the first car. All the parts arrived in assemblies eg. front suspension, engine and gearbox.
At the Winton test, the engine used was a unit sent over from Japan. It used a Japanese management system which restricted boost to 1.3 bar and power was about 550hp. The Gibson Motorsport team intended to replace the Japanese management system with their own Electromotive system and run higher boost, around 1.5 bar for 580hp.
Hollinger are commissioned to design and build a 6 speed gearbox for the GT-R. Nissan Japan decided they would also use the Hollinger box and placed their order.
During the shakedown, the team experimented with different EPROMS in the 4WD system. They started out with 45% front bias, and have different EPROMS to deliver 10, 20, 30% splits. [I'm unsure if the system uses EPROMS, perhaps it's a bit of bogus information in the report]
Wheels magazine staffer Peter McKay joins the Gibson team at Mallala for a test session. McKay is lined up to have a drive of the prototype - but the car breaks two half shafts, and the team have to wait for spares to arrive from Japan. A later test session takes place at Calder. McKay reports the Electromotive management system is in place, as is the first of the Australian built engines – the power output is quoted at 520hp with 1.2 bar boost, and 576hp (429kw) / 410nm with 1.8 bar boost. Tyres are 11 inches wide, and run at about 5 degrees of negative camber.
McKay reports the car is easy to drive, with a light clutch and a smooth power delivery (unlike the previous HR31 and DR30 that he has driven). The car has four electric coolers for the front diff, rear diff, transfer case, and the gearbox.
June 1990
The GT-R race car has it's competition debut at Mallala on 8 June 1990. Mark Skaife is the driver. The decision to use Mark Skaife was due to Jim Richards' points position in the Australian touring car championship – it was thought that having Jim debut the new car would jeopardise him winning the championship if anything went wrong.
The GT-R used Japanese wheels that cost the Gibson team AU$2,000 each, and only last one race – this is just one example of how important it was to develop local content for the GT-R programme.
During unofficial practice on the Friday, Skaife was under the lap record by 2.4 seconds, and was 1 second quicker than the fastest Sierra (Brock). The reported power output was 585hp or 436kw.
Saturday qualifying saw the car was sidelined briefly when a left front hub failed, damaging an oil cooler, the brakes, and causing the wheel to depart. The car was quickly repaired, and Skaife was able to qualify third on the grid.
Skaife started out of the third grid position, and was able to get into the lead on the 10th lap. The car retired about lap 20 with another broken left front hub.
Jim Richards takes over the car at the next ATC round at Wanneroo (24 June 1990) – he had to finish in front of Dick Johnson to keep his title aspirations alive. Both he and Mark Skaife were cross entered in the GT-R and the GTS-R. The team were still fiddling with the 4WD splits, and an engine management problem that saw the motor to over-fuel and misfire during qualifying. Jim managed to qualify 4th on the grid. The GT-R had a new engine transplanted and all the electronics replaced after qualifying on the Saturday night.
At the start of the race, Jim launched into second place. The decision to put Jim in the GT-R was justified when Skaife broke a half shaft in the GTS-R on the startline. Jim was overtaken and pushed back to 4th on the road for most of the race, eventually finishing in 4th 50 minutes later. Dick Johnson meanwhile had crashed out with a broken brake calliper taking out the right front wheel.