Demon Dave

OK, but as JimX said it's gonna look a little strange with a pumped front and skinny ass rears!

The shocks themselves maybe OK and if they are it *might* be possible to have new rubbers fitted. That'd probably be the cheapest option.

ditto - I had the same problem on my GTS. I learned to live with it (for 2 years!), it doesn't seem to affect the system functioning... I was told fixing it would involve stripping half the dashboard apart, something I couldn't be bothered to do.

It's hard to tell from the photos. The shocks certainly look like they've seen better days! The rubber surround tends to become brittle and break up over time, exposing the shock core to dirt, but the unit itself could still be OK... in any case, sounds like an excellent excuse for a suspension upgrade!

I'm not aware of any official skyline club in Australia. In Japan there is the "Official" GTR Owners club, with membership restricted to GTR owners only. Recently in the UK the GTROC UK was created. Aside from operating a great forum (gtr.co.uk) the club offers its members many great benefits: Membership cards and packs club calendar - featuring photos of members cars! discounts with local tuners, garages and parts suppliers group buys numerous events, such as xmas party & BBQ etc official club track days/dyno days etc The UK club is open to ALL skyline enthusiasts, no matter what skyline they drive. Given the popularity of this forum and the sheer number of skylines in Australia I was just wondering why you don't have the Australian Branch of the GTROC? unless there's already a club in existence? Something to think about... (I've just joined the British club myself and am eagerly awaiting the 2004 calendar! )

it may also be due to low AC coolant levels...worth a check. If there's insufficient refridgerant the compressor is going to be working overtime and that might lead to the loss of power/stalling...

And the V35 350 GT premium: Standard-vehicle itself price (Tokyo area) 356 ten thousand Yen drive system FR car names type UA-CPV35 transmission 6MT size weight fixed capacity door several total length x full x total height 4640 x 1815 x 1395 mm interior long x interior width x interior high 2025 x 1455 x 1135 mm wheel based 2850 mm roadspace 125 mm vehicle weight 1530 kg riding in a car fixed capacity 4 name door several 2 standard color black/the silver/pearl option color burning lead-lead/crystal blue engine type there is a DOHC V type 6 cylinder LEV and the type VQ35DE turbo is not total cubic displacement 3498 cc use fuel unleaded premium gasoline fuel tank capacity 80 L efficiency highest outputs 280 ps (205.94 kw)/6200 rpm largest torques 37 kg m (362.85 N m)/4800 rpm power weight ratio 5.46 kg/ps fuel consumption rate (10/15 mode travelling) 9.3 km/L minimum turning radius 5.7 m power transmissions running gear tire ago after 245/45R18 225/45R18 91W 96W? Brake system (before) ventilated disk type brake system (after) ventilated disk type suspension (before) independent suspension multi-link type suspension (after) independent suspension multi-link system They're both cool!

from a Japanese site, and translated using babblefish: 350Z Fairlady Z version ST Standard-vehicle itself price (Tokyo area) 360 ten thousand Yen drive system FR car names type UA-Z33 transmission 6MT size weight fixed capacity door several total length x full x total height 4310 x 1815 x 1315 mm interior long x interior width x interior high 1000 x 1475 x 1100 mm wheel based 2650 mm roadspace 120 mm vehicle weight 1450 kg riding in a car fixed capacity 2 name door several 3 standard color black/橙/the red/blue/pearl option color diamond silver/the sparkling silver/premium liquid silver engine type there is a DOHC V type 6 cylinder LEV and the type VQ35DE turbo is not total cubic displacement 3498 cc use fuel unleaded premium gasolines Fuel tank capacity 80 L efficiency highest outputs 280 ps (205.94 kw)/6200 rpm largest torques 37 kg m (362.85 N m)/4800 rpm power weight ratio 5.18 kg/ps fuel consumption rate (10/15 mode travelling) 9.7 km/L minimum turning radius 5.4 m power transmissions running gear tire ago after 245/45R18 225/45R18 91W 96W? Brake system (before) ventilated disk type brake system (after) ventilated disk type suspension (before) multi-link type suspension (after) multi-link system Sorry for the poor english!

the lower power could be due to emissions regulations. The figures I'm quoting above are for JDM cars only...

the figures from the Japanese site I have quote both the V35 350GT and 350Z (manual transmission) as being: VQ35DE 280PS / 205.94 KW @ 6,200RPM and since they're using the same engine, I'd imagine it'd be correct...

Yeah, I guess you're right. By the time you'd finished strengthening the chassis to compensate it'd probably weigh more...

I don't know of any official comparisons...however: The look similar (but they are also quite different!) I believe the use the same platform. and they both use the VQ series engines. 350Z has 2 seats. G35 (V35 in Japan) has 4.

easiest way to check for sure is pop the hood and have a look at the VIN plate (back left in the engine bay, nearest the driver.) The plate will have various codes to the chassis, engine, transmission and also the paint and trim code... though if it's a repaint you might not even have to bother with that, it's not too often that people bother to pull the engine out and repaint the engine bay too... And if it is a factory original green then all I can say is that you learn something new everyday!

no denying it looks the business... Shame that they're so expensive though...

There's a superstition in England that green cars are unlucky. I'm not superstitious by any means, but I had a green car once... I had it 2 weeks before I wrote it off in a head on collision with another car. I won't have another green car... As for Green R32's. I don't believe green was a factory option, certainly I don't recall ever seeing a green R32...

Thanks mate! Geez - 120,000 yen a month! Still I bet it's cool to live in a nice area. Don't get me wrong, there's nothing bad about being in the countryside but my youngest neighbour is way past retirement and I'm surrounded on all sides by old farm houses and even the odd mud brick house! Not to mention there's virtually no nite life...

It certainly seems expensive, but I'm always converting things to British, and rents over there, even in London, aren't too bad! It's certainly a lot cheaper to live outside the main cities. You also have to factor in parking costs - I believe Rezz pays around 15,000 yen a month whereas I don't pay anything living out in the countryside as I do.

Rezz will know more about the costs of rent in big cities, but basically it's looking like Japan is VERY expensive compared to Aus. Don't forget before you can move in you often have to pay several months in advance, plus a months rent as fee to the housing agency, plus another month's as "Key Money" - a mandatory monetary gift to the land owner...

FCUK! Then you're gonna have a shock living in Tokyo! According to an online currency calculator 420 bucks AUS is around 35,000 yen! Shit, my mate who lives in the small city near me pays 40,000 yen for a 1 room apartment!!! In tokyo expect to pay around 50,000 to 80,000 yen a month for a similar sized (1 room with dining/kitchen bathroom) and that won't include parking!

The amount of FUN to be had driving a Skyline should not be under-estimated On a more serious note, there are some downsides. As mention expect to be skint/broke (whatever you call it in Aus! ) soon after buying it because you'll either be spending all your money on petrol or spending it on mods. Other downsides include having to put up with every idiot and his monkey trying to race you. Expect the girlfriend/wife/better half to be pi55ed at you because you'd rather spend time washing your car than watching TV with them. And since you're in Aus, it seems as though the police enjoy defecting Skyline owners and performance car drivers in general. As for the car itself. Solid as a rock. Front lights are a bit dodgy at times, and the oil pressure sender units tend to go south on a regular basis but aside from that you'll have few probs on a properly maintained car. Dave

So H5/2 would be Feb 1993 or H12/10 would be Oct 1998

Not sure what you mean, but if you're referring to how they name months - they don't. January is 1, february is 2. They just number them.

I'm sure this was touched on before, on one of the other threads. Can't find it now though, probably a victim of The Great Lost Month... But basically: BIG CITY = Very Expensive LITTLE CITY = Expensive IN THE MOUNTAINS = Cheap the biggest outlay in Japan is rent. Costs your more in the city. Having said that, I have no idea how that compares to Aus. How much would you pay for a small apartment in Sydney for example?

Looks good. And with the slight weight saving would probably be a little faster too... so who's gonna be the first to chop their roof off then lads?

So a Hyundai is what it WAS. So what's it supposed to be now? Celica? Supra? In bayside blue? Looks to me like some kind of bizzarre automotive plastic surgery attempt gone awry...