Unicus Vehiculum Porticula [GOTO:Racing GT-R Replica Added]

  • Thread starter Eric.
  • 8 comments
  • 6,051 views

Eric.

Premium
8,515
GTP_Eric
Ebiggs
Hey there, welcome to Unicus Vehiculum Porticula, more commonly known as UVP. I'm Eric, and this is my auto design studio. Maybe you came here after leaving the joint-tuning operation B&B Tuning with a track-scorching setup. Or perhaps you've come to my own studio first, intent on catching the eye, before chasing for the checkered flags. Whichever the case, you're in good hands.

Have a look around. If you see something you like, let me know! Questions, comments, and special requests are welcomed. All requests will be considered.


Index of Available Projects:

A. Full Designs
  1. GOTO:Racing GTR
B. Vinyl Groups
 
Last edited:
GOTO:Racing GT-R (R35) (replica of the real GOTO:Racing GT-R piloted by Brian Lock)


This project got started when we took delivery of the 2010 GT-R SpecV at an Atlanta-area Nissan Dealership. Several strings were pulled, plucked, and stretched this day, and the weeks before it in order to obtain the Japan-only SpecV model, and allow for it to be street-legal for a short time. The trip to Road Atlanta, our test circuit, just under 50 miles, would not be adequate for the GT-Rs powertrain to break in. So we doubled back partway through the drive, intentionally getting into stop and go traffic. This would be a good chance to clutch to bed in and hopefully perform as it should on-track.


Arriving at the track, which was open to the public that particular day (we have scheduled private sessions throughout these days), We found a small group who spotted the right-hand-drive SpecV as being a little more unique than the "vanilla" GT-R. An impromptu Q&A session followed.


We take a moment to snap the first photos of the car and perform a last-minute check that the mint GT-R is safe for track duty. Just a few more minutes for the public track session to end and my first ten-lap session to learn the controversial new Godzilla.


You can almost feel my anticipation.


Just another moment for the track to clear.


I'm given permission to start my session. Gently, I slam the accelerator to the floor and get to work.


Note to self: Despite hitting 176mph, physics still apply. Not enough braking power supplied through the 20" Bridgestone Potenza Runflats to stop all 3700lbs of Nissan engineering.


Charging through the final turn flat out at 120+mph.


At the end of our session, the tires still had some life to them. But because we're trailering the car back, we didn't need them. Time to paint R.A. black.


Back to the pits for an inspection before we pack up. I didn't break it.


The spec sheet for a stock SpecV reads as such: Four-hundred-seventy-nine horsepower, four-hundred-thirty-five pound-feet of torque, three-thousand-seven-hundred-four pounds (!!!). The Forza Performance Index is calculated to S609.

First impressions are that the car has a heavy understeer bias, and the brakes (rather, the tires) aren't adequate. Its not that the GT-R can't handle. It does that wonderfully. However, forcing the 3700lb car to start a turn is not its strong point. Track notes are made that we need to work on turn-in and braking, which all points to weight reduction and race slicks. For the positives, the car's power is great. The giant boost gauge in the center LCD is the only indicator the GT-R is turbocharged. There's no lag, no suddenly spike in the powerband. Just smooth power that begins to drop off about 1000 revs short of the fuel cut. It fares well mid-corner, providing you hit the apex right to begin with. If not, there's not much opportunity to correct your mistake and hold a good line. The transmission and differentials are also well-matched to the R35. Like the turbos, the AWD is almost hiding, there's little understeer present under throttle. And we thought the R34 had fancy AWD. Fast forward ten years and Nissan's still at the top of their game.

Our best lap of the day was a 1'24.868. For reference, our track spec A600 2005 Mustang GT runs 1'26.121 with 474hp, 2891lbs. Our race Evo IX produces 486hp while weighing just 2668lbs and runs nearly identical times as the GT-R.

Back at the garage, the crew gets to work on getting the handling aspect straightened out. The already-lightweight SpecV wheels by Ray's are removed in favor of wider, even lighter race wheels fitted with 285mm front slicks and 315mm rears. A fully adjustable race coilover suspension is outfitted, and aerodynamics are improved by a downforce-producing front splitter and wing. Drag is reduced from C-West side skirts and an Abflug rear diffuser. We gut the car and then install a roll cage, shaving 257lbs, down to 3447. Performance Index S661

The modifications complete, we load the Nissan up for its first trailer-queen track attack. By keeping the stock horsepower we're able to focus entirely on adjusting the chassis without getting too out of hand.



Waiting for the first green. Oh yeah, we got stickers on it too. Almost like a real racecar now.


One of many pits to tweak settings.


...What? No, that's not the Space Shuttle..!

These revisions dropped our previous 1'24.868 down to a blistering 1'21.979. With the primary chassis setup complete, its back to the drawing board to plan out how to safely make enough power to hit the goal Performance Index of R3-800. A hundred phone calls, no sleep, and a half dozen deliveries of overnighted (more like 6-hour rush shipping) parts later, we were back turning wrenches. Harmon Motive pulled through with some fantastic intake systems. AMS brought in upgraded turbos, Deatschwerks supplied 800cc fuel injectors. Experts for ECU tuning giant COBB came in to extract every bit of power the mostly stock GT-R motor had in it. The results were amazing.

Using just aftermarket intakes, fully open exhaust, upgraded turbos, and a genius ECU map, the GT-R puts down 787hp and 721lb.ft of torque at the wheels. Corrected readings to the crank are approximately 897hp, 766lb.ft.

With arguably the most delicate part of the build complete, we headed back to Road Atlanta, with the GT-R looking fantastic in full race livery.


Smile for the camera! *GROWL*


All our new sponsors!


They grow up so fast...


Here goes nothin'...(also - say "Hi" to the GOTO:Racing GTR Fanclub!)


Braking from a blood-pumping 205 miles-per-hour, with room to spare!


By the end of the day, we managed to pull the fastest lap down to 1'16.664. Despite the huge advancement, the car is nearly as tidy on track as it was on day one. Braking and turn in have improved, however the nearly 100% gain in power hurls the GT-R towards the next turn so much faster that the notes from day one are still repeated. Needs work on turn in, and braking. Better tires and weight reduction...
 
That write up is so, so anorak. I absolutely LOVE everything about it! I've been wanting to do something like that for a while but I don't think I have the patience. More of the same please! Car looks spankingly awesome too. Well done, sir!

EDIT: I also found the 35's brakes to be very dodgy. I was very nervous about going hard into corners for fear of coming out with half a car left in the armco.
 
Last edited:
Thank ya! It's all done in the way that the real car is (listing of the sponsor parts specifically). Kept true to the real performance specs, though I had to use way more parts to get that power.

Here's pictures of the real car as it progressed:

http://www.gotoracing.com/images/GTR/100_2688small.JPG (ignore the small part of the filename, huge image, not going to embed it here)


In case you wondered where the 94 test car scheme came from...
gtr_first_td.jpg



Pictures and videos linked in this thread, too.

http://www.nasaforums.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=30137
 
Livery and Setup are going up to the storefront in just a moment. Look for GTPlanet, Eric, or Ebiggs in the description for my storefront. Expect 15k on the livery and 25k for the setup.

Edit: And there'll only be fifteen cars to start with. I'll add more when they sell out though.

They're up! Search for GTP, GTPLANET, ERIC, or EBIGGS under designs or setups on the storefront to find me.

15 Test Cars @ 5k design, 15k tune.

15 Final Cars @ 15k design, 25k tune.

Just sold one of the final designs.
 
Last edited:
Back