1991 Nissan Skyline GT-R

Kakimoto Racing RB30 Demo Car Nissan Skyline GT-R R32 (BNR32)
Genuine Kakimoto Racing factory demo car
Kakimoto Racing RB Standard SPL High Deck 3.0L RB30
LD28 crankshaft stroker conversion + 20mm deck plate
Custom twin top-mount IHI RX5 turbo setup
One-off Kakimoto Racing fabricated exhaust system
AP Racing 6-pot front BBK
Kansai Service half cage
Featured in Best of Skyline GT-R 1994

At the heart of the car is Kakimoto Racing’s in house developed engine, a 3.1L High Deck stroker built using an RB26 block, LD28 diesel crankshaft, and a proprietary 20mm upper deck plate. Because the RB26’s narrow bore spacing limits displacement gains through conventional boring, Kakimoto engineered its own solution by increasing through a dedicated High Deck design. The package incorporates Kakimoto forged pistons, chromoly connecting rods, a full-counterweight crankshaft, performance camshafts, reinforced valve springs, upgraded retainers, and revised valvetrain components.

Supporting the High Deck engine are larger-diameter individual throttle bodies, a custom twin-entry intercooler system, Kakimoto intake and intercooler piping, and a custom twin top-mount turbo setup currently utilizing twin IHI RX5 turbochargers. Long before aftermarket RB30 solutions became common, Kakimoto developed its own approach to increasing displacement while maintaining the high-rpm characteristics that made the RB26 legendary.

Founded in 1975 by Yoshiyuki Kakimoto, Kakimoto Racing established itself as one of Japan’s most respected tuning houses through record-setting drag cars, circuit machines, and innovative engine development. While most enthusiasts recognize the Kakimoto name through its legendary exhaust systems, the company engineered complete vehicle packages including engines, driveline components, suspension systems, aerodynamics, and electronics. By the mid-1990s the company had achieved over 1,000 horsepower from production-based engines and would later record an 8.275-second quarter mile with a stock-bodied GT-R. Their demo cars served as rolling development platforms and were rarely preserved in original form.

Period documentation described this GT-R as a “comfortable full tune” capable of excelling in multiple environments. Despite producing 677 PS at 7,880 rpm and 78 kg-m of torque at 5,910 rpm while running 1.5 kg/cm² of boost pressure, the car maintained stable idle characteristics, functional air conditioning, audio equipment, and excellent street manners. Kakimoto specifically praised its ability to transition effortlessly between city driving, circuit use, and drag racing applications.

The chassis remains true to its intended purpose. A Kansai Service half cage reinforces the chassis while a Cusco front strut brace sharpens rigidity. The HICAS system has been deleted for improved steering feel and predictability, while AP Racing 6-piston front brakes paired with two-piece rotors provide serious stopping power. Additional period hardware includes Kakimoto-spec suspension components based on Ohlins dampers, adjustable suspension links, upgraded stabilizers, and stainless braided brake lines.

Inside, the car remains a time capsule of 1990s Japanese tuning culture. Recaro SPG bucket seats, a 340 km/h gauge cluster, Kakimoto mechanical boost and oil pressure gauges, Omori temperature gauges, Greddy instrumentation, an HKS turbo timer, and HKS injector pulse monitor create an atmosphere that immediately transports you back to the peak of the Japanese tuning scene.

Like many legendary tuner cars of the era, the exterior was developed as aggressively as the mechanical package. Period features document Kakimoto’s full aero treatment consisting of a front bumper with enlarged duct openings, side steps, rear bumper, bonnet, and proprietary FRP blister fenders designed to accommodate wider wheels and tires while increasing track width. The original Kakimoto aero package transformed the already capable GT-R into a complete high-speed performance machine.

Finding an R32 GT-R is easy. Finding a genuine RB30-swapped GT-R is difficult. Finding the actual Kakimoto Racing RB30 demo car featured in period Japanese media is nearly impossible. More than a modified Skyline GT-R, this is a documented piece of Japanese tuning history and an opportunity to own one of the most important surviving cars from one of Japan’s most legendary tuning houses.

Mechanically, the car is exactly what you want to find in a piece of tuning history. It starts immediately, idles properly, drives well, and performs as intended. This is not a non-running project or a car that needs to be sorted before use. You can fly in, turn the key, and drive it home.

The interior and exterior would benefit from a refresh should the next owner wish to bring the presentation to the same level as the car’s historical significance. Whether preserved as-is, cosmetically restored, or returned to showroom-level condition, the history will still be there.