The 2019 edition of the Tokyo Auto Salon saw an incredibly diverse display of modified cars, but for those with an unbridled liking for timeless classics, like our very own Danny Tan, visiting TAS becomes an obligatory pilgrimage. Apparently, over 330,000 visitors thronged the show, but even we think that figure is a tad conservative.
If you’re a classic Nissan buff, one of the highlights of the show was Star Road’s booth. The Japanese vintage car restomodder fielded four iconic cars – the original S30 Nissan 240Z, the Nissan Fairlady ZG, C10 Nissan Skyline and C110 Nissan Skyline.
The Z cars needs no introduction – the S30 Fairlady Z, known in some markets as the Datsun 240Z, is one of the most successful GT two-seat coupes of its time. In stock form, it had independent suspension on all corners, and underneath the long nose is a 2.4 litre inline-six that made 153 PS and 198 Nm of torque.
To make things look a bit more special, Star Road widened the wheel arches and dressed them in satin grey fenders with rivets, though interestingly the left side fenders feature a carbon finish. The deep dish six-spoke wheels are shod with slick tyres, whereas the front apron gets a carbon lower lip, and the tailgate gets a raised carbon-fibre spoiler.
Next up is the evocative Japan-only HS30-H Nissan Fairlady ZG. This model was released in 1971 to homologate the 240Z for Group 4 racing, and it gets extended fibreglass ‘aero-dyna’ nose, wider over-fenders riveted to the body, a rear spoiler, acrylic glass headlight covers and fender-mounted rear-view mirrors.
It’s an iconic look that defies the passage of time, and the car continues to be a desired collector’s item to this day. In Japan, the Fairlady ZG trades for anywhere between US$50,000 (RM205k) to US$150,000 (RM617k) – if you can’t stomach the asking price, well, you can purchase the “G-nose” kit separately and have it look just as sleek. Hey, as long as it looks good, right?
Another notable exhibit was the C110 Skyline, or more famously known as the Kenmeri Skyline. The unit seen here bears the GT-R badge, though we’re fairly certain it’s only modified to look like the GT-R KPGC110. That’s because the C110 GT-R is one of the rarest around, with just 197 units made and sold in Japan in early 1973.
It’s powered by a 2.0 litre engine six-cylinder engine making 160 PS at 7,000 rpm and 177 Nm of torque at 5,600 rpm, and the S20 engine features DOHC and three racing carburettors. Production was cut short due to an oil crisis at the time, and the Kenmeri GT-R would serve as the last GT-R – for 16 years! – before the BNR32 arrived in 1989.
Last but not least, the C10 Skyline. It’s historically significant because the C10 marks the first-generation Skyline under the Nissan brand after the company took over Prince Motor Company. A number of variants were made, including the top KPGC10 GT-R. Again, it’s unclear if the vehicle here is in fact the real deal (we didn’t get to see the engine), but at least it’s neatly modified to look the part. Good stuff, no?
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The most awesome Nissan models
GTR, silvia, fairlady all nissan iconic cars..
i want one!
now this is what we call cars!
What we get today are ugly toy like cars like the Myvi, Vios etc
Hi, been out of touch with Malaysia’s AP scene to import cars. Can anyone share what the AP would cost for classics like the Datsuns showed above? Thank you.
I’m nowhere near that. Practically none for seniors.