Starting 2024, anybody with enough cash to get themselves an R34 Nissan Skyline GT-R, arguably the most revered of Godzilla generations (at least as pre-R35s go) will be allowed to enjoy the JDM icon on American roads for as many miles as they please. However, this particular example, a 2001 R34 GT-R V-Spec II, is one of the very few that have been legal to drive in the U.S. for many years. And the vehicle, whose story is tied to that of the late Fast and Furious star Paul Walker, is currently for sale.
The Nissan is offered by Califonia-based Hive Auto Group. With 21,241 miles on the clock, many of which were reportedly done by Paul Walker back in the early 2000s, it seems to be in impeccable condition.
Now, the star’s involvement came as part of the vehicle’s import history with a company called Motorex. We’ll get to the highs and lows of the specialist’s tale below, but we need to discuss the car first.
Released in October 2002, the V-Spec II model, which makes for 1,855 units of the total R34 GT-R production of 11,578 cars, comes with plenty of factory upgrades (this is unit #672).
The R34 GT-R V-Spec II
The OEM features range from the stiffer suspension and larger brakes to the carbon fiber hood replacing the “traditional” aluminum unit—you can easily notice the material on the NACA duct present on this vehicle.
Moving past the standard features of the R34 GT-R—not easy when the package includes the legendary RB26DETT straight-six, a six-speed manual, intelligent all-wheel-drive and all-wheel-steering—we find a plethora of high-tier aftermarket bits.
The radiator and intake manifold come from Greddy, there are Tein coilovers with electronically adjustable shocks, Volk TE37 Saga wheels, a Trust stainless steel exhaust, a Momo Apache steering wheel, a Sparco four-point harness, and others. In fact, the seller mentions that the GT-R had a “tune up and work done by Kenji Sumino at Greddy USA” earlier this year.
What about the price?
The specialist offering the vehicle doesn’t mention the financial side in the ad, which we noticed in a story on the duPont Registry blog, but we’ll use a color similarity to discuss this.
The hue on the vehicle is Bayside Blue, the same as the one featured on the only R34 to have survived the F&F franchise (this is the Fast 4 car). Speaking of which, that car had to leave America following the 2009 crackdown on illegally imported Skylines (yep, it’s linked to the Motorex story below) and went to somebody in Germany for over $300,000.
Sometime after the tragic demise of the actor back in 2013, the car was listed for sale at north of $1.3 million—that’s a questionable sales tactic, but at least the auction website mentioned that half of the proceeds would go to Reach Out World Wide, Walker’s charity that focused on providing relief for those affected by natural disasters. And the info on what actually happened to the machine isn’t available.
None of the two cars were owned by Paul Walker and while the one currently for sale wasn’t a movie star, there’s no telling how high its price will climb in the current sky-high market.
So, how did GT-Rs get legally imported into the U.S. back in the day?
Back in the late 1990s, American company Motorex became a registered importer for Nissan Skylines of the R32, R33, and R34 generations. The specialist brought cars across the Pacific, worked to ensure they would meet EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) and NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) standards, and then gave them to the owners who had bought them from Japan as part of an agreement with Motorex.
In theory, the business sounded spectacular, feeding America’s rising need for JDM machines, which it also did in practice. However, stories of excess related to how the specialist was operated are famous.
To put things shortly, Motorex owner Hiro Nanahoshi initially made the necessary modifications that would allow GT-Rs to pass emission and crash tests, with these including adding catalytic converters and door bars.
And the list of imports includes the R32—the car that got Walker hooked up on JDM goodies—the R33, and the R34. However, the stories regarding the operation’s excess talk about bringing in vehicles without an engine, resembling them, and selling the things as kit cars in a bid to circumvent restrictions.
In addition, the obviously high costs of the US standard adaptations, coupled with poor financial planning led to missing cars, unfiled papers, people not receiving their cars, and even the company’s full inventory getting stolen from its facility in Gardena, California. Luckily, the vehicles were recovered and finally got to the people who had financed their importation.
Following the discovery of multiple Skylines that had been put on the road without proper paperwork, the Department of Transportation revoked Motorex’s importer license on February 15, 2006. Fortunately, the authorities issued bond releases to certain Motorex-imported Nissans, so the owners, who had entrusted Motorex with bringing the cars up to standards, could actually have them registered.
However, other GT-R owners in the U.S., who may or may not have been aware of how Motorex handled their cases, weren’t as lucky. As mentioned above, back in 2009 the authorities tracked the cars missing proper procedures and gave the owners a 60-day period to get the vehicles out of the country (as it was the case with the Germany-sent movie car mentioned above). For the record, failure to comply meant getting your vehicle crushed.
Now, with that story out of the way, we’re glad to tell you that this GT-R is said to share the country with other 15 legally imported Motorex R34s. So, if you see one while you’re out for a drive, you’re one lucky enthusiast.
