Nissan Skyline Upgrade at Speedshop44 - A Modernised Performance Restomod

The Nissan Skyline R32 is an iconic Japanese performance car produced between 1989 and 1994. Developed during Japan’s economic boom, the R32 was engineered with little compromise and quickly earned legendary status both on the road and on the circuit. The Nissan Skyline marked the rebirth of the GT-R nameplate and redefined what a high-performance road and race car could be. With its exceptionally strong engine architecture, timeless design, sophisticated chassis for its era and the huge aftermarket and motorsport support there is today, it remains highly sought after by collectors. These qualities also make the Nissan Skyline a popular choice for restomod and performance builds, which is exactly why this Skyline is currently in our workshop. Throughout this article, we will discuss the aftermarket upgrades currently getting installed on this Nissan Skyline R32. 

One of the key areas of this restomod project currently being worked on is the turbocharger conversion, switching the parallel twin turbochargers originally fitted in the factory RB26 engines with one large single turbo. Although the twin turbochargers provide a strong mid-range response, however, they have limitations when higher power levels or modern efficiency are required. Converting the Skyline to a large single turbo improves the airflow efficiency, greater power potential, simpler plumbing and more predictable boost control. This conversion requires custom turbo mounting, redesigned intake and exhaust routing, and careful thermal management.

Additionally, the Nissan is undergoing a transmission upgrade from a manual gearbox to the ZF 8HP automatic gearbox, a unit widely used in modern high-performance and luxury vehicles, blending classic Japanese performance with contemporary transmission technology. The ZF 8HP gearbox provides many benefits, including improved drivability, extremely fast, smooth gear changes, high torque capacity and better consistency on track or spirited driving.

In addition to the transmission upgrade and turbocharger conversion, we are also installing a MAXX standalone ECU, allowing full custom calibration of both systems. The ECU will provide fuel and ignition control, boost management, drive-by-wire integration, gearbox shift logic and torque control, and safety strategies. Using a single ECU to manage both the engine and transmission ensures seamless communication between systems, which is critical when combining non-original components.

Because this setup deviates significantly from factory specifications, bespoke fabrication is essential for this Skyline restomod project. A custom exhaust system, intercooler pipework and cooling upgrades are being installed on this R32. The custom exhaust is designed to suit the single turbo layout and is optimised for exhaust flow and turbo efficiency. The intercooler pipework will be custom routed to suit the new turbo position with minimised bends and pressure losses, and is designed to support higher boost levels. Additionally, the cooling upgrades offer enhanced cooling capacity to manage increased power. It ensures reliability under sustained load and is critical for rolling road tuning.

The final stage of this project is the rolling road dyno tuning, where the full system is calibrated. This process involves fine-tuning fuel and ignition mapping, dialling in boost response and power delivery, and setting the gearbox shift points and behaviour. Along with ensuring there are safe air-fuel ratios and temperatures, and verifying real-world drivability and performance. Rolling road tuning is conducted to ensure balance, reliability and refined driving experience.

Our client is kept well informed throughout the process; we provide photos and written updates about the work we carry out through our Global Workshop project management system. If you are interested in booking your future or modern classic car for a performance upgrade or restomod build, please contact us with confidence! Call us on 0115 926 2266 or email us at info@speedshop44.co.uk.