Worth modding a GTS-T?

[dj8684]

Whats up all... i wanna import the GTS-T and wanna pull some big numbers. Atleast 500+hp. Have there been many people do this? Over here in the US its all Supra and RX-7s... blah blah blah. People go nuts when they see Skylines here and I cant afford to get a GTR. I figure the 95 GTST is my next best choice. I still think i can pull the same power out of that motor as i could a GTR. Lemme know what u guys have done HP wise...

[Yakuza]

Its not bad at all seriously ..

Driving a skyline in the States should be really awesome since its so rare over there ..

[justified2.4]

There is a guy with a R33 GTS-t here in North Carolina, pulling alright numbers with Power FC and mild upgrades. I am in the process of putting a RB25det motor in my s14 from a R33 gts-t. Hope to pull good numbers considering the weight differences between the Skyline and 240sx.

[zaero]

I'm sure you wont have too many probs gettin that power

[GTS-t VSPEC]

500hp+ is easy, but will require a fair bit of money. Aftermarket ECU, FMIC, big turbo, cams, forged pistons and rods.

[ron]

getting the HP wont be too much of a hassle. but getting the car there is costing quite a fair bit i heard.

ron

[WazR32GTSt]

for the same price (or just a little bit more) than a 95 gtst, you could get an r32 (1990ish) GTR...

[Steve]

If you want 500hp it isnt going to be cheap.

To start, if you can pick up a good example with some fruit on it you will probably save a fortune. A totally stock GTSt doesnt go too hard at only 185kw, or about 125rwkw.

For 500hp (this is not inlcuding things like wheels and suspension) you will need;

Decent turbo,

ECU,

FMIC,

Full exhaust,

twin plate clutch,

Boost controller,

Pod (best to build a partition and CAI as well),

Z32 afm, or possibly infinity AFM (unless your management is MAP)

you will probably need a new manifold for the turbo, but with adaptors and a bit of grinding, a GT40 could be in place with the stock manifold. but the stock one doesnt flow the best.

Injectors - two options, side feed which are expensive, or top feed which are cheaper but will require a new fuel rail.

Plenum - the stock one probably wont be flowing too well at this sort of hp

Fuel pump - something like a bosch 044

Exhaust cam gear

Cams

Now time for a choice, you can use a metal head gasket, like the HKS stopper 1.6mm or do a rebuild using forged pistons. With a decompressed engine, you will should be able to make around that power without too many dramas - this is what I am doing:)

Thats a few dollars, probably more close to the intial purchase price of the car.( I know, as apart from fitting everything, I have already spent that much on my gtst) Great if you want a long term project, or you intend keeping the car for a long time. If you sell it you will loose a few dollars.

So, if it costs twice as much for a GTR, consider that you get 4WD so you can get the power down better, you also get a pretty tough looking body kit stock with pumped guards and wider wheels stock. You get a decent front mount cooler, a car built to rev to 8000rpm vs 7000rpm on gtst. An engine that you can wind 1.3bar (8.5:1 CR vs 9:1 for GTSt) into without a problem. Tougher internals good plenum. Infact you could do the exhaust, pod with partition and some boost and you will be getting deep into the 12s. The suspension is better, you get strut braces, better brakes, hid headlights AND its a GTR! Probably a few more things that I havent added, but you get the idea.

Some people on here may argue that you dont need the this or that to get a RB25 to make 500hp, but I think its pretty close to accurate.

So what is the price difference between a GTSt and GTR over there?

[DoughBoy]

Hey, an ECR33 is a cheaper 2 wheel drifter!

Well, from an initial and maintenance price perspective.

[rs73]

would getting a GT-R in the first place and work it up to 500HP be cheaper than working out GTS-T to the same power rating?

[GTS-t VSPEC]

Wouldn't be any cheaper, but you do have some distinct advantages having a GTR as a base. Steve outlined most of these:D

[Disciple]

GTR = no drifting around every corner, its sad but true

[Steve]

GTR can and do drift. The attessa doesnt work that well that you cant oversteer.

[rs73]

I heard you can buy some HKS stuff that electronically controls the amount of max front torque from your cabin. Is a dial type adjustment, not the handbrake lever style, cos the lever style I think is overkill for street use and attracts too many unwanted attention.

[dj8684]

Over here, I can get a R33 GTS-T for about $4,500 with about 30-60,000 miles. All american. Not sure how much that would all translate into Australian currency and kilometers. But to legalize it would be about $17,000 american. Still, $22,000 isnt too bad for a turbo car with semi low miles on a 1995 car that is rarer than ferraris and lambos. The look of a kid with a civic is well worth it when i speed by his ass makin him think he is Japan for a split second. haha. The R32 GTR is cool too but i like the body style much more on the R33. For all those parts to make the power isnt so bad cause i work at a speed shop down here so i get all my parts at cost, plus we custom fabricate parts like plenums, headers, etc.. etc... Plus we specialze in the Z32 over here so we have AFMs and stuff like that just laying around. I am now more convinced and enthused about buyin the GTS-T now after reading the good comments.

Dustin

[Steve]

Why so expensive to legalise the car?

Lucky you work in a speed shop, then again if it were me I think I would only be taking about $50 home a week cos everything else would be getting spent on mods. I have so much trouble going into a speed shop and not spending money:D

[GTS-t VSPEC]

rs73, Your talking about the torque split controller, some of the guys here have them, great for racing and drifting:D

[EVOIV]

You can pull out the fuse on a GTR and hurrah...RWD, no ATTESSA system. You can probably drift with that, but the problem then lies that a GTR is substantially heavier than a GTS-T due to the ATTESSA system, which even though can be disconnected, is heavier than the GTS-T drivetrain. But then I've heard that this can only be done on the R32 GTRs??? Would be nice to have a little in cabin switch to switch from RWD to AWD (ATTESSA).

[EVOIV]

Anyway, more to the point of this thread...yes 500hp should be quite achievable. But it will cost you lots of $$$ as said earlier. A GTR can make similar power, with lesser mods. I've read that a GTR can even dip into the 11s without replacing the turbos or ECU. You will need more boost, exhaust, cams...etc. But no major mods like a larger turbo or whatever. I would go the GTR, depending upon how much you can get it over there in the US.

Nonetheless, the RB25 is a very responsive engine to mods. But the RB26 is still King!!!

[GTS-t VSPEC]

Be careful by simply pulling the fuses out of GTR's, while it can make them run in RWD, it can cause overheating in the transfer case if used for any length of time, that's why the torque split controller is so good:D