[post_ad]More than the noise. More than the atmosphere. More than body-stretching aero and lunatic horsepower. If there's one thing that makes the World Time Attack Challenge at Sydney Motorsport Park worth spectating, it's unpredictability. Still accessible (by motorsport standards, anyway), it's one of the few sports where an amateur team can turn up, take on world-class names and, with some clever engineering and driving talent, walk away with some silverware.
Of course, getting there is a learning process, and for South Australian team Integrated Motorsport, that process has been steeper than most over the last 12 months. The second-place Open Class trophy on the roof of the GT-R was hard fought—the result of endless testing and refinement of a concept that brought an 8-second improvement in lap times since its first WTAC outing the previous year in '15 and put them within two tenths of a second of the class leader. Results that get even more impressive when you realize owner/driver Matt Longhurst first came to the event five years ago as a spectator.
Matt wasn't new to Nissan's high-tech muscle car in '11, though in hindsight the string of lightly modified R33s had barely scratched the surface. This car, an early V-Spec, had plenty of potential, Matt says: "It was in very good condition when I bought it, though I probably should have started with something much cheaper! I thought 600 bhp would be enough, but with other priorities getting in the way, it took four years to get it ready for World Time Attack."
Even with the backing of serial motorsport builders Solid Engineering and Mechanical behind him, this would not be an easy ride. Open Class is the biggest at WTAC, positioned between the heavily restricted Clubsport class and the totally unrestricted Pro cars, but it's no soft option. With unrestricted engine modifications, but limits on the aerodynamic upgrades, the entry list is broad and the times are often not far off the pace of the Pros. Winning here means finding a balance.[post_ad]
"The weight of a Skyline is a negative, and the sheer size of the car doesn't help from an aerodynamic point of view," Matt explains. "However, the ability to make huge horsepower and put it down through four-wheel drive makes them a great Open Class car, where mechanical grip is more of a factor than aerodynamic grip. But it didn't take long to pass the point of no return with the build."
Overcoming packaging issues and adding strength was priority number one. The team at Solid stripped the Nissan back to its bare bones, ready for a rollcage and tubular front end, designing around the cooling pack and the downward pressure of the planned aerodynamic upgrades coming later on. Glass windows were replaced with polycarbonate and steel panels made way for a one-off, lightweight wide-arch kit. That blank-sheet approach to the build means that underneath the Bayside Blue paintwork, you can't buy much of what you see here at your local Nissan parts department.
| Tuning Menu | |
|---|---|
| OWNER: | Matt Longhurst |
| HOMETOWN: | Eden Hills, SA |
| OCCUPATION: | Project Manager |
| ENGINE: | RB28DETT; Spool RB28 crank, rods; CP Custom pistons and rings; custom cams; ported cylinder head; Supertech valvesprings, valves; BorgWarner EFR turbo; 6Boost headers; 4" to 3" aluminum exhaust with twin 3" side exit tailpipes; airbox in passenger-side headlight; carbon-fiber intake plenum; Solid Engineering custom intercooler and pipework; dual Bosch 044 fuel pumps; NISMO lift pump, surge tank |
| DRIVETRAIN: | Albins ST6-R32 transmission with custom ratios; Xtreme quad plate clutch; custom billet driveshafts and axles; Quaife limited-slip differential |
| ENGINE MANAGEMENT: | MoTeC M800 ECU; T Zee Tuning map and mil-spec wiring loom |
| FOOTWORK & CHASSIS: | Supashock T1 Race professional dampers; custom sway bars and arms |
| BRAKES: | 375mm front, 330mm rear Alcon rotors with AP Racing six-piston calipers and Endless pads; brake bias adjuster |
| WHEELS & TIRES: | 18x10" RAYS CE28 wheels, 295/35R18 Advan A050 tires |
| EXTERIOR: | Solid Engineering composite widebody aero kit; Topstage Composites carbon-fiber hood vents; Slimline carbon-fiber mirrors; polycarbonate windows; tubular front end with carbon-fiber wheel tubs; dual-element rear wing; Supashock carbon-fiber splitter and diffuser |
| INTERIOR: | trim and sound deadening removed; Sparco steering wheel; Velo race seat; MoTeC CDL3 dash; Alex Bennett Motorsport rollcage; carbon-fiber door cards and dashboard |
CAR AND MOTOR MANIAC
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