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Midnight Express
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Follow the progress of the build by clicking on any of the following steps
( A full list of all modification specs is available here)
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Modifications List |
VIN Breakdown and Explanation |
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Body Modifications |
Fuel Setup |
| Suspension Setup |
Seats |
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Brake Upgrade |
Engine Modifications |
| Interior Upgrade |
Dyno/Track Results |
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Red indicates page is viewabe |
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We searched far and wide for a car that is common among tuners of today, that has a very reliable base to work with and
also takes well to modifications. No real surprises here, we ended up looking for a clean Nissan Skyline R33. As there
are many different models to choose from we decided on getting the somewhat rare 1998 40th Anniversary Model. These are
often sold for more than a standard M Spec. The main attraction drawing us to this model was the lovely hues of the Midnight
Purple duco and the factory options available to it.
The 40th Anniversary editions had some differences over other models, those being:
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Standard Features
- Badge on the seat
- Badge on C pillar
- Uses NEO spec engine parts
- CAS (Crank Angle Sensor)
- Cams use different key
- Front & rear strut braces with Nissan logo
- Made in late months of 1997 or 1998
- Limited Slip Differential
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Factory Options
- Additional colour codes
- e.g. Midnight Purple
- Momo with airbag
- GTR Spoiler
- GTR Bodykit
- Satellite Navigation
- 6 CD Stacker
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We eventually found the car we were after and
purchased it for the reasonable asking price of $15,700. This included the
modifications required to meet ADR (Australian Design Rules). The car itself
had a few extra goodies as well like; Tein HR Coilovers, SatNav, CD Stacker,
Genuine GP Sports Front Bar and Side Skirts and a 3" HKS Exhaust.
After taking possession in mid January 2007 came the lengthy and frustrating task
of Registration in NSW. Now most cars are simple enough to register however
many of you can probably sympathise with the difficulties faced by Import
owners. Upon returning the car back to almost factory condition it was then
sent to get a Blue Slip, Green Slip and a compulsory further inspection. Once this had
all been done we are
then required to go back to the RTA and fill out the remaining paperwork and
get the cars plates.
Now that all the legalities are taken care of it can be driven on the street
and the planning process for modifications can begin. As with any high
performance car it will need intuitive thinking along with a sound knowledge
of both the cars characteristics and engine strengths to achieve a good
result. As the car will be used mainly for street and circuit, with some
show events and lmited strip time, this will greatly influence the path this vehicle takes.
We will be documenting each modification step and provide feedback on any
decisions that had to be made. Where possible we wish to provide a dyno
sheet, non-bias judgement or technical report to evaluate the work we
carried out.
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Pictures of our Project Car (aka Midnight Express) when we purchased it:
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(Click to enlarge)
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40th Anniversary Advertising Material
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