MOTOR MANAGER

With the right hardware under the hood, getting the right engine management to control the RB was next. Thanks to modern technology and innovation, there were plenty of options available. Makenzie decided on ProEFI’s Pro128 engine management system. Not only did the Pro128 offer plug-and-play simplicity, it included provisions for flex fuel and traction control, in addition to failsafe features like lean cut, fuel pressure variance and cooling system pressure. These added features gave Makenzie the reassurance that if anything went wrong on his day-to-day drives that the engine would be protected. To tune the Pro128, Black Market Racing’s Chris Moore was brought in to refine the variables and optimize the tune for E85 fuel. Once the boost was raised to its target peak pressure of 30 psi, a grin inducing 788 hp and 579 lb-ft of torque were measured at the rollers of DSPORT’s Dynojet 424xLC2 Linx dynamometer.

UNICORN PARTS

Now that Makenzie had the horsepower he needed to make his Skyline move quickly, it was time to address the handling and chassis. He purchased a set of IMPUL-spec adjustable dampers by Öhlins along with a host of JDM Nagisa Auto suspension links and arms. Just when it seemed that the tallest hurdles had been cleared, new ones presented themselves. One of the suspension links had been damaged during shipping. Unfortunately, this particular part was out of production in Japan, making it all the more difficult to locate and purchase a replacement. This setback delayed the final completion of the suspension for quite a while, but with tenacity and determination, Makenzie eventually found the replacement part he needed to finish the setup.

FINALLY RIGHT

Although it was not always easy, Makenzie can look upon his Skyline without any doubt that it was done the right way. It was generally the more expensive path to travel, but he would rather have hurdled these obstacles than to have compromised or changed the course of his build. “I just love this car and drive it as often as I can. I’ve been through the drive-thru in reverse twice, and it’s been to WalMart more times than I care to admit. Even though I know more now about the challenges of sourcing parts for an out-ofproduction Japanese domestic market chassis, I’d still build this car again. But I would certainly do some things differently. I’d source more of the parts before turning that first wrench, and I would definitely skip messing around with the old cylinder head and go straight to a new one. It would have saved me a lot of time and headaches. Even though the car gets more looks than a porn star in a prison, I built this car only because it’s exactly what I envisioned. Now, I just need one of those cute, scantily-clad Japanese girls, freezing in the cold and posing with the car while we video all of the details of the build,” he said with a chuckle. For Makenzie, making no compromises and no concessions leaves him a Skyline with no problems.

Ashton Makenzie would like to extend a special thank you to Joey, whose assistance made this build possible. Without his help, this project might have been burnt to the ground on several occasions.