If you've picked up this issue of 2NR and are now reading this mental gibberish, you must already know what type of car is on the cover. Thanks to video games, magazines and outright legend, the Nissan Skyline GT-R's square-cut jaw is infamous. Instantly recognizable to those in the know, the R34's chiseled face is subtle and yet incredibly muscular at the same time. Import fans are drawn to the bodylines like bugs to a zapper light, and Kim Johnson knows a thing or two about that. This 625-wheel-hp GT-R, Johnson's baby, is driven daily and even makes visits to the supermarket twice a week.
Notorious based on its lineage alone, the Skyline GT-R gets Johnson lots of attention. Passersby will initiate spontaneous conversations about the car at gas stations; video camcorders and flash bulbs will pop off at Johnson on the freeway, and inattentive drivers will unknowingly block Johnson in his lane, disabling him from passing since they're stuck staring at the side of this 2000 Nissan Skyline GT-R.
The tale of this Japanese dream car begins in the primordial soup of the import world. Think far back to the early days, a time when Battle of the Imports was just starting to rule the world. Johnson climbed the ladder of speed from a nitrous-fed Ford Escort to a Mitsubishi Eclipse GS-T. Slowly building the GS-T into a serious 425-wheel-hp performance car (which he still owns today), Johnson's world turned upside down when he received a chance to work with the A'PEXi guys on the 1,100-hp VMAX GT-R drag car. It was on this infamous drag beast that Johnson learned the ins and outs of the Skyline. Out of this he developed a deeper appreciation for the vehicle.
When it came time to participate in the PGA tour in Japan (Johnson is also a professional golfer), Johnson snapped up the opportunity to drive a street GT-R in the land of the Rising Sun. This was all before the days of U.S.-spec STis and Evolutions, so Johnson knew if he wanted to drive a stable, turbocharged, well-handling four-seat car that could do it all year round without any issues, he had to bring over a Skyline. Motorex, Skyline importers and legalization experts, answered the call.
The first issue to rear its ugly head? The car ran on Japanese 100-octane fuel, and Johnson only had access to California 91-octane juice. Eric Hsu, chief engineer at XS Engineering, stepped in with a custom-programmed A'PEX Power FC computer. The Skyline was intended to be a nice daily driver, so Johnson went with small mods. A Veilside 90mm titanium exhaust and stainless-steel downpipe were added along with an A'PEX Super Suction intake kit. Extra fuel is provided by a Jecs Racing N1 fuel pump, which feeds a JUN billet fuel rail, SX Performance adjustable fuel-pressure regulator and Denso/Blitz 720cc injectors. Dropped on Nismo R-Tune coil-overs, Johnson was content with his GT-R. More JGTC than street cruiser, the Nismo coil-overs peeked at what was to come. Because the coil-overs are double adjustable, equipped with external reservoirs and tuned by Öhlins, they're racecar ready and yet incredibly streetable.