1970 Nissan Skyline 2000GT-R Sedan

The Prince Motor Company introduced the first Skyline in April of 1957. It was marketed in Japan as a luxury car and it came equipped with a modest four-cylinder engine. Over the years, it received aesthetic updates, including a rare Michelloti-styled Skyline Sport. In September of 1963, the second generation (S50) was introduced, continuing to be offered as a luxury vehicle for the Japanese market. Perceptions of the Skyline changed radically though, with the introduction of the S54 Skyline 2000GT in May of 1964. This new version was aimed squarely at competing in the GT-II class at the second Japanese Grand Prix. The car rode on a wheelbase which was been extended by 8-inches in order to accommodate the larger G7 six-cylinder engine. The S54B 2000GT wore styling by Prince engineer Shin'ichiro Sakurai (Mr. Skyline), and would dominate the Suzuka Circuit during that year, finishing second to a Porsche 904 Carrera GTS. It swept the 2nd through 6th places, and even briefly outpaced the Porsche, birthing the Skyline legacy that would continue for many years into the future.

The third-generation Skyline (C10) was introduced in 1968 and was given the nickname 'Hakosuka' (pronounced Hak-OH-skaa and loosely translated as Boxy Skyline). It was originally conceived by Prince and was badged and marketed by Nissan after the companies' merger. The first 2000GT enjoyed success, prompting Nissan to further develop the Skyline with the triple-carbureted 2000GT-X. The ultimate iteration would come later in the 2000GT-R. The first GT-R was introduced as a four-door sedan (Type PGC10) when it was launched in February 1969. Power was from a race-derived S20 inline-six, which featured double overhead camshafts, a cross-flow head with four valves per cylinder, and a hemispherical combustion chamber that included triple dual-throat Mikuni-Solex side-draft carburetors. In October of 1970, a two-door coupe version (KPGC10) was introduced. In total, just 832 examples of the GT-R Sedan were produced.

This particular example was given a restoration in Japan, and completed in 2009. Soon after the work was completed, it was imported to the United States. As of February 5th of 2010, it had 55,300 kilometers. On April 17, 2012, it had 56,200 kilometers. Currently, the odometer shows 58,200 kilometers. Thus, it has been driven just under 3,000 kilometers since its restoration and engine rebuild.

This is a late-production GT-R sedan and features the revised 'dog bone' front grille and headlight surrounds. Inside, it has the correct shift knob and wood-rimmed steering wheel. It has the emergency flashlight in the correct holder, which is mounted by the passenger-side footwell. The car rides on the original black steel wheels, has its original Nissan Motor tool roll, tire iron, jack, wheel chock, and trunk-mounted spare wheel and tire.

The Hakosuka GT-R was never sold outside of its home country.

By Daniel Vaughan | May 2019