"This one is my personal car now," Daryl begins, "but was brought in specifically for the film by Kaizo, under the NHTSA's `assemblage of parts' rule, which allows it to be imported, only without a drivetrain." For that, Daryl contracted LRS Trading in Orange, CA, to import a low-mileage RB26DETT swap, and had Vildini Motorsports in Mission Viejo, CA, handle the installation, while also modestly upgrading its intercooler, exhaust, suspension, wheels, and interior and exterior components. "Since the car is driven on public roads extensively in the film, Justin (Lin) and Paul (Walker) wanted it to appear as solid and reliable as possible," he explains. No Lambo doors, gaudy battle kits or chrome dubs this time around, "Paul even had to fight the production company--almost literally--to keep vinyl graphics off the car during filming."
This car was designated as "first unit production", which means that only actors get to sit in it, not stuntmen. Remember those seven other Kaizo "Skylines"? Wrecked; destroyed during filming, mostly during the "Dom and Brian race scene", which you'll have to wait to see. "Six weren't even based on the GT-R chassis," Daryl explains, "They were based on the non-turbo, RWD GT-Ts, and were each given matching East Bear `Master Piece ER34' conversion kits and wheels to look like GT-Rs, but with slightly narrower fenders." The only other GT-R imported was completely gutted, given a tube-frame chassis and a rear-mounted VW engine, and used specifically for off-road stunts. Something else you'll have to wait for the movie to see...
'07 Kaizo GT-R
"The hero car"
Name: Daryl Alison
Age: 43
Hometown: Torrance, CA
Occupation: Owner, Justdriven.Com
Hobbies: Vehicle Restoration, Track Karting, Collecting
Build Time: Five Months
Feedback: Madd417@Aol.Com
Quote: "It's not a Skyline; it's a kaizo. It's still all Nissan, but it's a kaizo."
Output: N/A
Engine: Nismo NE-1 exhaust; Turbonetics front-mount intercooler and plumbing
Drivetrain: Stock
Suspension: Nismo lowering springs; custom roll cage; ARC titanium strut tower bar
Wheels/Tires: 19x11 Volk Racing RE30 wheels; Continental tires
Brakes: Rotora big brake conversion, front and rear
Exterior: Nismo Version II front bumper, side skirts; Sunline Auto carbon fiber hood
Interior: Rear seat delete; Momo steering wheel; Nismo V-Spec Nur pedals; custom heads-up display for dash-mounted PC; MFD Xenarc gauges; Sony head unit.
When it comes to movie props, all that glitters is not always gold. In abandoned back-lots and production warehouses alike, lie substances ranging in authenticity from high-grade pyrite to $2/can knock-off Krylon-over-foam spray jobs, and everything in between. If the disillusionment of a VW-powered Skyline, or the fact that over 100 cars were built specifically to be crashed during filming, has killed your faith in the `Biz, here's a chunk of 24-karat, daily driven gold to lust over: Vance Hu's NSX-T; another "first unit production" ride, this one piloted by Jordana Brewster's character, Mia, for all of one scene--a very important one, but not much more can be shared.
By Luke Munnell
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