Low, wide and boasting enough power to torch all four tyres, Miranda Moyle’s FATGTR Skyline ticks all our boxes
Go to your computer and give it a hug. Why? Because without a doubt we can thank the Internet for opening up the options available to today’s car modifier. A couple of clicks of a mouse on any regular home computer can see an open, fertile mind being pummelled with images and specifications of insane rides from thousands of kilometres away.
Even better, thanks to forums and hosting sites like YouTube and Photobucket, we can see and hear modified cars from across the world in action. This can be dangerous to your wallet if you own something as easily modified as a GT-R Skyline. Think about the first time you saw a video of a big-power GT-R launching off the line or blasting supercars at insane speeds, and just imagine the havoc that would wreak in a stock GT-R-owner’s mind at the potential maelstrom waiting in their car.
Right now, there are probably GT-R owners amongst the people reading this story about Miranda Moyle’s R32, scanning the specs list for inspiration of modifications to do to their car, dreaming of opening the bonnet of theirGodzilla to see a snake’s pit of braided lines, before squinting into the reflection off a highly polished custom high-mounted billet turbocharger. For Miranda, it’s been a long two-year road to get to this point, but when the results are as stunning and well-presented as this, we’d say it is two years well-spent.
From the outset, the 30mm-wider guards and Andromeda paint assault your retinas, showing off the hard work from Adrenalin Auto Styling, who are responsible for the bonnet, front and rear bars, and side skirts. The custom bonnet and front-bar give the front-end a distinctive, angry appearance, while ensuring that plenty of cold air gets through the intercooler and the hot air is expelled out the vents.
Complimenting this aggressive exterior are the 18x10.5-inch Work Meister rims. The wheels are one of the most sought-after rims not only for GT-Rs, but any classic Japanese vehicle. With the extra girth packed onto the track of FATGTR, the wheels now offer more dish than usual and really do enhance the aesthetics to a point of near-perfection.
While some people would think that the car would be pretty sweet at this point, Miranda and her fiancé, Adam Drady, pushed on to build the Skyline into something that would be considered as a righteous interpretation of what many consider the ultimate ‘90s tuner car. This called for plenty of engine mods to the RB26DETT to liberate the bulk horsepower we all know is lurking inside the motorsport-derived in-line six-cylinder. Isn’t it great that there is so much information on the Net about these motors?
One of the tried and true ways of getting that huge power figure is to ditch the two smaller snails for one large, high-mounted single turbocharger. Although it was initially only used in Japan on drag and Wangan-style GT-Rs, plenty of Australians, Europeans and Americans have trod the “big single” route to kilowattNirvana . On top of that, FATGTR certainly pushes the right buttons with exceptional detailing on each of the high-performance parts making this engine bay walk the line between a show piece and track tool . Our recommendation is to take some time out to really appreciate it all.
Go to your computer and give it a hug. Why? Because without a doubt we can thank the Internet for opening up the options available to today’s car modifier. A couple of clicks of a mouse on any regular home computer can see an open, fertile mind being pummelled with images and specifications of insane rides from thousands of kilometres away.
Even better, thanks to forums and hosting sites like YouTube and Photobucket, we can see and hear modified cars from across the world in action. This can be dangerous to your wallet if you own something as easily modified as a GT-R Skyline. Think about the first time you saw a video of a big-power GT-R launching off the line or blasting supercars at insane speeds, and just imagine the havoc that would wreak in a stock GT-R-owner’s mind at the potential maelstrom waiting in their car.
Right now, there are probably GT-R owners amongst the people reading this story about Miranda Moyle’s R32, scanning the specs list for inspiration of modifications to do to their car, dreaming of opening the bonnet of their
From the outset, the 30mm-wider guards and Andromeda paint assault your retinas, showing off the hard work from Adrenalin Auto Styling, who are responsible for the bonnet, front and rear bars, and side skirts. The custom bonnet and front-bar give the front-end a distinctive, angry appearance, while ensuring that plenty of cold air gets through the intercooler and the hot air is expelled out the vents.
Complimenting this aggressive exterior are the 18x10.5-inch Work Meister rims. The wheels are one of the most sought-after rims not only for GT-Rs, but any classic Japanese vehicle. With the extra girth packed onto the track of FATGTR, the wheels now offer more dish than usual and really do enhance the aesthetics to a point of near-perfection.
While some people would think that the car would be pretty sweet at this point, Miranda and her fiancé, Adam Drady, pushed on to build the Skyline into something that would be considered as a righteous interpretation of what many consider the ultimate ‘90s tuner car. This called for plenty of engine mods to the RB26DETT to liberate the bulk horsepower we all know is lurking inside the motorsport-derived in-line six-cylinder. Isn’t it great that there is so much information on the Net about these motors?
One of the tried and true ways of getting that huge power figure is to ditch the two smaller snails for one large, high-mounted single turbocharger. Although it was initially only used in Japan on drag and Wangan-style GT-Rs, plenty of Australians, Europeans and Americans have trod the “big single” route to kilowatt
Internally, a crankshaft from an R33 GT-R, ACL bearings, CP pistons and Eagle con rods form the textbook forged bottom-end that can take the bulk of the horsepower increase. On top of that, R32s suffered oiling problems, so with this new short-motor mated to an upgraded Tomei oil pump and Tomei sump there will be no lack of the slippery stuff in the RB, because let’s face it – there’s no point making 10,000kW if your car only does it once.
Other items chosen for the safety of the in-line six are the 850cc fuel injectors, twin Bosch 044 fuel pumps and the A’PEXi PowerFC D-Jetro – which lets Miranda ditch the pesky air flow meters for a cleaner, easier air intake as the D-Jetro runs solely off the MAP sensor.
Other ancillaries fitted to the engine include an HKS twin spark ignition system to stop the boost blowing out the spark at high loads, a Turbosmart e-Boost electronic boost controller and a custom front-mounted intercooler kit from Fantasy Performance.
Up top, the RB26’s head runs OS Giken cam gears and lumpy Tomei 262-degree cams to suit the peaky top-end rush of the Mr Turbo billet Z-P huffer, which is aQueensland made product also seen on Mark Navcic’s GODZLA R32 GT-R. With the large-frame Garrett-based turbo slung on a Fantasy Performance exhaust manifold, and with boost bled off by an HKS 60mm wastegate, Miranda needs the four-wheel-grip of the GT-R when all 22psi hit the tyres in a massive top-end rush.
While they could have gotten away without running the aftermarket cams, the truth is that a high-mount big turbo will make its power further up the rev range than where stock cams will be at their most efficient, so the prudent choice is to change the cams to shift even more of the power towards redline. And when you experience how a GT-R with these mods comes on boost you’ll understand exactly why so many people take this line. If you consider that Miranda’s FATGTR has spun the Auto Salon dyno rollers to 379kw at the treads, that is one hell of a rush to experience!
A stock clutch was never going to cop over 500hp at the treads, so an ORC twin-plate clutch was installed. The twin-plate means Miranda can run a less aggressive pressure plate, but still get the clamping force required by such a powerful motor and all that torque the RB26 is putting out.
Handling is taken care of thanks to the ever popular Cusco coilover struts, while a Cusco strut brace also adds more bling to the engine bay already shining from the huge amounts of braided hose snaking its way around the RB motor, not to mention the polished compressor housing of the turbocharger.
On the braking front, there are a seriously huge set of stoppers peering out from behind the front Work rims, with KTS brand callipers, rotors and pads being given the nod to haul up the four-wheel-drive terror from the insane speeds it can reach. Considering the big power, it’s a very wise upgrade.
Inside, there is a mix of street and track themes with a pair of Bride-trimmed recliner buckets holding passengers in place when the roads turn twisty, and Miranda saw fit to have the door card inserts trimmed in the matching Bride material for more JDM flavour. There’s a pretty sweet stereo install too, featuring a Kenwood DVD headunit, Fusion front speakers, Bzerk amplifier and an Alpine subwoofer.
The Auto Meter monster tacho will mean the driver doesn’t ever miss a shift, but it is the way it has been mounted – with the Auto Meter volt gauge and Defi water temp, oil temp and boost gauges affixed to it in a clock-like layout – that will surely grab the most attention. While most people just mount theirs in a row in the glovebox, or dash-top, Miranda has come up with an innovative and easily viewed solution.
Other items chosen for the safety of the in-line six are the 850cc fuel injectors, twin Bosch 044 fuel pumps and the A’PEXi PowerFC D-Jetro – which lets Miranda ditch the pesky air flow meters for a cleaner, easier air intake as the D-Jetro runs solely off the MAP sensor.
Other ancillaries fitted to the engine include an HKS twin spark ignition system to stop the boost blowing out the spark at high loads, a Turbosmart e-Boost electronic boost controller and a custom front-mounted intercooler kit from Fantasy Performance.
Up top, the RB26’s head runs OS Giken cam gears and lumpy Tomei 262-degree cams to suit the peaky top-end rush of the Mr Turbo billet Z-P huffer, which is a
While they could have gotten away without running the aftermarket cams, the truth is that a high-mount big turbo will make its power further up the rev range than where stock cams will be at their most efficient, so the prudent choice is to change the cams to shift even more of the power towards redline. And when you experience how a GT-R with these mods comes on boost you’ll understand exactly why so many people take this line. If you consider that Miranda’s FATGTR has spun the Auto Salon dyno rollers to 379kw at the treads, that is one hell of a rush to experience!
A stock clutch was never going to cop over 500hp at the treads, so an ORC twin-plate clutch was installed. The twin-plate means Miranda can run a less aggressive pressure plate, but still get the clamping force required by such a powerful motor and all that torque the RB26 is putting out.
Handling is taken care of thanks to the ever popular Cusco coilover struts, while a Cusco strut brace also adds more bling to the engine bay already shining from the huge amounts of braided hose snaking its way around the RB motor, not to mention the polished compressor housing of the turbocharger.
On the braking front, there are a seriously huge set of stoppers peering out from behind the front Work rims, with KTS brand callipers, rotors and pads being given the nod to haul up the four-wheel-drive terror from the insane speeds it can reach. Considering the big power, it’s a very wise upgrade.
Inside, there is a mix of street and track themes with a pair of Bride-trimmed recliner buckets holding passengers in place when the roads turn twisty, and Miranda saw fit to have the door card inserts trimmed in the matching Bride material for more JDM flavour. There’s a pretty sweet stereo install too, featuring a Kenwood DVD headunit, Fusion front speakers, Bzerk amplifier and an Alpine subwoofer.
The Auto Meter monster tacho will mean the driver doesn’t ever miss a shift, but it is the way it has been mounted – with the Auto Meter volt gauge and Defi water temp, oil temp and boost gauges affixed to it in a clock-like layout – that will surely grab the most attention. While most people just mount theirs in a row in the glovebox, or dash-top, Miranda has come up with an innovative and easily viewed solution.
All in all, FATGTR represents a fantastic blend of street detailing and race engineering – bolt on parts and a lot of individuality combine for an exceptionally well finished car boasting plenty of drool-worthy parts. With nearly 400kW at the wheels it certainly backs up the
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