The eighth generation Nissan Skyline arrived in 1989 just as the Japanese economic bubble began to waver and shimmy. It was still a time of great optimism, and if you were a Nissan fan, there was no greater proof positive of a bright future than the return of the GT-R. After a decade and a half since the extremely rare Kenmeri was felled by the fuel crisis, the three most iconic letters in Japanese performance were back.

Twenty-seven years later, we can look back at the birth of a legend and marvel at how the E-BNR32 chassis Skyline GT-R tore a hole for itself in history, the right car at the right time. It was a technological powerhouse, an utterly dominant force on the racing circuit, and at the same time relatively common. Made from 1989 to 1994, nearly 44,000 R32 GT-Rs were sold, some 15 percent of all Skyline production.

Thanks to a DOT exemption for vehicles more than 25 years old, that means you can buy one yourself relatively easily. However, there are a few things to watch out for if you want to tuck a Godzilla in your garage.

Where to find one

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The most common way to buy a GT-R is to import one from Japan. Even though the Japanese government makes owning an older vehicle difficult, the GT-R's large fanbase means that well-preserved examples still pass through the auctions regularly. Pristine models are a rarity, so expect to dig deep into your pocket if you're looking for a extremely clean example.

Buying a car from a Japanese auction is a gamble, not least due to the ability for something to get lost in translation. You can reduce your exposure by finding a reputable importer in your area, and work with them to find a car that suits your budget. There may be something to be found locally, as the R32 has been importable since late 2014. A few specialists even import R32s and stock them in inventory.

One other possibility that's often overlooked is the Canadian market. Those beer-swigging puck-chasers have a 15-year market exemption, which means everything from Mazdaspeed Autozams to V12 Toyota Centurys are already roaming the roads. With the Canadian dollar weakened by low oil prices, your American dollar goes further; just be careful that you find a car with a production date that fits the 25-year exemption.

What to look for

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Unlike the R34-chassis Skyline GT-R, which has so many special editions it's practically an honorary Mustang, the R32 is relatively straightforward. Early cars are slightly lighter thanks to the addition of crash protection bars in the later models, and GT-R otaku will be able to spot generational changes by differences in the projector headlights, but the lion's share of R32s are roughly physically the same.

If you're considering this purchase with an eye to collectability, note that there are a few rare special models. The NISMO variant is very rare, with just 500 produced for public consumption. If a genuine example, one of these will be 30kg lighter than the standard car thanks to a lack of ABS, air conditioning, and rear wiper. They come in gunmetal grey only, and they're also considerably more expensive than a normal GT-R.

Rarer still is the N1 version, of which 228 were made. These were all white and have a few mechanical advantages over the regular R32, including a slightly stronger block and more durable steel turbine wheels in the turbos.

Not quite legal for import yet, the V-spec and V-spec II models were made to celebrate the R32's total crushing of the opposition in Group A racing. Starting in spring of '93, the V-spec offered better brakes and larger wheels and tires, along with a few other modifications. Around three thousand were produced, split pretty much evenly between the two generations.

Perhaps of more immediate interest is the color availability for the R32. Gunmetal grey is the most common variant, with red, silver, and blue all relatively rare. If you're looking at a grey-blue pearl car (paint code #BL0), you've got one of the rarest of the main-line GT-Rs.

What to avoid

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For the most part, the R32 GT-R has benefited from an active fanbase and loving owners. However, we're talking quarter-century old cars here, and that means all the usual Japanese-car red flags apply. Common sense would dictate that you'd check for rust anyway, but to be specific, Skyline problem areas are located around the inner rear fenders and below the rear window. You should also attempt to remove the rear spats and check for hidden rust there, as debris tends to accumulate and trap water.

Another physical Achilles' heel for the GT-R are its jacking points. If jacked improperly, these can be easily bent and open the door for rust starting behind the side skirts. Real carelessness with a floor jack can result in mild bending of the frame.

The VIN plate on the R32 is blue, and is located under the hood on the firewall on the right side of the car. If you suspect any tampering at all, run like hell.

As a legally importable Skyline will of necessity be 25 years old, many of its suspension components may be worn. If you're looking at a fresh set of coilovers, great, but all the rubber bushings throughout the suspension may be starting to become brittle or decayed. Further, torn CV axle boots, especially up front, can be an annoying expense.

Mechanically speaking, the GT-R is very robust.

Mechanically speaking, the GT-R is very robust, which directly contributed to its winning racing career. The RB26 2.6-liter straight-six is a very strong engine, capable of holding 5-600 hp, and the five-speed transmission can similarly hold big power from a modified car. That said, oiling can be an issue for the former, as the early cars have narrow-drive oil pumps. Bounce off the rev-limiter a few times and you can break them. The factory oil-pressure gauge should not be trusted. Coil packs can get cooked as power levels and temperatures rise.

All the usual old turbo-car foibles should be examined, including checking for boost leaks and a compression test if possible. The turbochargers use ceramic wheels for lightness, but if the car you're looking at has had the boost cranked up, it's entirely possible these will crack and explode. A naturally aspirated Hakosuka GT-R is still respectable; a non-turbo R32 is not so much fun. Happily, the RS580/N1-spec steel-wheel turbos are a common upgrade.

Big grip and big power can put a hurting on a transmission, but the GT-R's five-speed is pretty stout. A grind from a third to fourth shift is pretty common, and can perhaps be addressed by using a high quality gear oil.

From an electrical standpoint, the factory systems on the GT-R don't have many weak points. However, after 25 years and a mod-happy owner or two, loose connections, corrosion, and bodge-job electronics should be watched for. It's possible to replace or repair many owner-introduced faults if you're patient, but go in with your eyes open.

A note on modifications

The chance of finding a completely unmodified R32 GT-R is basically zilch. Not only is the Skyline a central figure in Japanese tuner culture, it's as if Nissan intended every single one to be altered as soon as it left the factory. The most obvious example is the stock boost restrictor which can be easily removed. Adding a 10 percent horsepower gain is about as difficult as putting on a hat.

The mass of GT-Rs on the market will have a smattering of aftermarket parts, from upgraded brakes—the factory four-pots can be overwhelmed with hard driving—to the commonly replaced exhaust. If you were buying something like a Subaru STI, any modification would be something of a red flag as to owner type, and you'd want to tread carefully.

But Japanese owners modify everything up to and including the million-dollar 2000GT. Further, a totally stock GT-R is going to be specifically targeted at the speculative collector market, and might be out of reach of the ordinary enthusiast.

As with all things, moderation is the key. A Japanese-market performance ECU swap will be a pain if you want to run your GT-R on pump gas (Japanese fuel has a higher octane rating), but a known-brand of aftermarket intake and exhaust won't likely cause you any problems.

Maintenance

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Low mileage is the rule in the Japanese home market, especially for a weekend driver like the GT-R. But don't be fooled into thinking that a 30-40,000 miler is automatically a creampuff. Just because mileage is low doesn't mean that all regular maintenance has been performed.

The RB26 is an interference motor, so pre-emptive timing belt replacement makes for good insurance. If you're changing the oil, 10W-40 will do the trick (the factory-recommended 7.5W-40 is excessively rare). If you've purchased the car from a reputable source, it may not need much; if it's a new auction car, a full fluid flush lets you reset the clock.

Parts availability is a mixed bag.

Parts availability is a mixed bag. On one hand, as state-side ownership grows, the number of specialist mechanics stocking parts increases. Further, your ordinary local Nissan dealership can occasionally order you Skyline specific parts with the correct part numbers.

The most annoying parts to replace are minor trim pieces like window moldings. I spoke to The Smoking Tire's Matt Farah about the relatively stock 1990 GT-R he purchased recently, and he said he had success at Fontana Nissan in Eastern Los Angeles, who has two Skyline-specialist techs on staff and the ability to perform standard repair and maintenance.

If you'd like to do some or most of the work yourself, an English translation of the entire GT-R shop manual can be found here: {http://www.skyline.se/dokument/R32_gtr_service_manual.pdf}

Community

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To be a Autozam AZ-1 enthusiast is to condemn yourself to a lonely life spent hunting for advice using Google Translate. To be a GT-R fan is to buy a ticket to a large and passionate owners' club, many of whom are perfectly happy to help out with a newbie's questions—after some gentle ribbing, of course.

Two of the largest and most active sites are GT-R OC and GT-R USA. For both, the search button should be your first stop, but many veteran board members will help with more involved questions—the more information the community digs up, the easier GT-R ownership can be.

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