If the first of this pair of maiden feature cars was from the Sega Rally era then this, the second, is most definitely from the Grand Turismo one. Presenting, David Beatson’s, Nissan Skyline R33 GTR V-Spec.

Yup it’s a long model name. In fact it takes about as long to say as this one does to nip from about 60 to 100mph. There are you see some slight modifications under the bonnet. While it started life as a 280bhp technology filled grunt monster, it’s been transformed in to a 557bhp horizon munching missile.

To fully appreciate something, anything, you have to be at the other extreme first. Much like David’s motoring history and much like our feature cars plan.

Yesterday’s Integrale shoot went like Swiss made clockwork. The owner was on time meeting us and the photographer was ready when I picked him up. Even the security guard at the industrial units we shouldn’t really have been in, actually called the police to tell them not to come and arrest us after we tripped an alarm linked to the local station. The sun was out the birds were singing and all was well with the world. Last night however, every one involved in today’s shoot was out and I discovered cola cube flavoured vodka.

Urgh! While I’m at the location on time we have a couple of problems. On top of me dying, there’s no car to photograph, but then there’s no photographer to do it either. Hmmm. Cue a bit of hanging about freezing my hoop off and adding to the profits of O2 and Orange. Finally, albeit ever so slightly later than planned but looking cleaner than my bloodshot eyes can fully appreciate, David’s GTR arrives.

In truth it’s a miracle he’s here today at all, for once he was sat behind the wheel in the remains of a kitted up MR2 listening to a police officer tell his colleague how the driver (David) hadn’t made it through the crash he’d just had. Little wonder as once the rear tyre had blown out at 71mph (honest) the Toyota had veered uncontrollably sideways, up an embankment, rolled a few times and finally stopped by impaling itself on a large fence post which pierced the floor pan, came through the car and lodged itself in the head cloth, just by David’s bruised and blooded head, narrowly missing him in the closest possible way. We’ll understate this by calling it the low point of his motoring life, which is a stark contrast to his ownership of this brute, which is appreciated even more, considering he was very nearly never here to enjoy it.

Thankfully Ross eventually joined us too and worked his usual camera magic. God knows how as that police officer who wrote off David would probably have written Ross off as a corpse too, seeing the nick of him when he eventually arrived!

Now, who would be the ideal person to buy a car from? Someone maybe who had a lot of money to throw at it when it needed it, but didn’t use it much in between probably. Sadly, rich old low mileage ladies don’t really go in for performance cars and they certainly don’t import Skylines. Luckily a twenty something year old lottery winner from Norwich did and when he’d spent a sizable wad of the £900k he’d been handed by Camelot on cars of all shapes and sizes, he thought he better part company with a few again. Cue a lengthy round trip a year ago by David to pick up exactly what he’d been looking for, a virtually bog standard, clean, well maintained, low mileage GTR.

At 27, David’s been at the car game a while now from XR2i to 320 Coupe via the fateful MR2 and few other not so notable but loveable models (405 Diesel). He has a fair idea what is achievable, what isn’t and he knew that the RB26 engine is the most tunable production engine money can buy. Since 1989 apparently!

So with purchase of the car the foundations were laid, something he’s no stranger to really, since David, spark to trade, is joint proprietor in building company. Unfortunately even when you own half the company, the personal budget doesn’t quite stretch to extreme spending on cars.

Cue the other passion in his life coming to the rescue. Did I mention he was out last night? Well he was, but working while we were out getting wrecked! No he’s not a pimp or a male escort, when he’s not behind a steering wheel he’s behind a wheel of steel (sorry!) or two. You may well have seen the car parked outside any number of pubs or clubs around Edinburgh and beyond since this is his daily/nightly driver. Yes, the source of funding for the car is his other hobby and second job in one, DJing. If you’re good, the money is good and as long as he’s putting the hours in between his two jobs the Skyline is going to go from strength to strength.

While David’s plans have come along reasonably, well there have been a couple of flaws. The rattle from the engine that turned out to be a shell bearing in the oil filter was one. Then there are the laws of physics to contend with. The front splitter you see on the car is in fact a Trust strengthened aftermarket part, since the original ones come off at around 190mph. Are you thinking that’s just overkill? Well, David knows first hand as that’s why the Trust had to bought!

Oh and don’t be thinking flat out is 190, nope, this speedo has seen a bonnet bending 201, not kilometres, but good old fashioned miles per hour on a late night run along a smooth section of autobahn that reminded David of the A92 westbound north of Kirkcaldy, even though it was pitch dark.

Funny power and physics pushing speed takes a bit of management, not just of the Apexi Power FC ECU commander type either. There was a lot of mixing of the tunes variety as well as the cement type involved but Subway, City and the Ballroom’s money has all been well spent, primarily on Bridgestone Semi Slicks wrapped round the split rim 18” BBS wheels, Tein Superstreet fully adjustable coilovers and the Nismo carbon rear wing, handy at keeping the rear in contact with the tarmac. When it comes to stopping there are Ferrodo race pads clamped by the OE brembo 4 pots on the front and 2 pots to the back to take care of business, rather then a using the nearest brick wall. But if you need a brick wall, David’s your man!

Before we close this feature with the biggest part of the car I promised some people would be mentioned. Rod Bell’s initials pop up on the car as you’ll see from the pictures, he is the Preston based guru of all things Skyline and the grease monkey behind this creation. David’s folks are next on the list, it was felt best they get a mention in the hope that the last four grand that David’s still due them doesn’t have to paid back too quickly. Finally, there is Laura. A girl that sits freezing in her car for 2 hours while the boys play with their toys, then has us use her car for the motion shots well David, she’s as much one to keep as the car is!

To close lets run over that engine spec. I may well be missing something, but since I had writers cramp by the end of the list, you’ll just need to be kept right at the next cruise you see David at by the man himself!

Engine:
Nissan RB26 2.6 litre 6 cylinder twin turbo.
Billet crank.
Lightened and balanced flywheel.
Giken oversized pistons.
Tommi Cams.
1.2mm Race spec head gasket.
HKS 550cc Injectors.
Nismo fuel pump & fuel pressure regulator.
Apexi FC ECU Commander.
Twin HKS 2860 Turbos.
Tommi Turbo elbows.
HKS air filters.
Twin HKS blow off valves.
Trust intercooler.
Mines 3.5 inch Turbo back exhaust.
HKS de-cat.
Nismo Oil cooler.
Oil move kit (taking the oil capacity to 6.5 litres!)
Giken Twin plate clutch in push formation.
Strengthened gearbox internals.