21 years later, the R34 Nissan Skyline GT-R gets a transmission upgrade with parts from the newer R35.
An interesting project car was unveiled earlier last week during the 2023 Tokyo Auto Salon that proves Japanese tuners are far from upgrading the legendary R34 Nissan Skyline GT-R.
The Meiwa-based used car dealership and tuning shop Crewch pulled the covers off their proof of concept R34 GT-R recently at TAS, except this was no ordinary R34.
If you looked underneath, the R34’s transmission is not there, in its place is a pair of driveshafts. Crewch upgraded this GT-R’s Getrag 6-speed manual to the dual clutch automatic found in the newer R35, driveshafts and all, and modified the rear for it to fit (read, extensive cutting.)
Check out a walk-round from @Boyard7 below. (Yes, I’m aware he tagged the wrong tuner.)
Here are some photos of the R34 GT-R with a transmission from an R35 GT-R on Twitter plus a video with a recent interview with the project’s mastermind from two months ago (You’ll have to switch to English translation.)
今のところ一番？？？？？？ってなったCREWCHのR34
— ショウゴッテル (@Syo5_Mugen16) January 14, 2023
エンジンはRB26のままフロアぶった斬ってR35のミッション突っ込んでDCT化してる #TAS2023 pic.twitter.com/cW3dnetb7T
#Rsmeeting クルウチブースにお立ち寄りいただきありがとうございました?♀
— CREWCH★クルウチ@オートサロン2023西館ホール2-214 (@CREWCH_car) October 31, 2022
無事R35ミッションスワップR34の公開できました☺️
来年1月開催のオートサロン2022ではパドルシフトで走るR34の完成形を発表させていただきますのでそちらもよろしくお願いいたします?
参加された皆様お疲れさまでした? pic.twitter.com/9Qjrk2Tv98
The number one question is, “Why?”
And, according to the above posted interview video, the gist of his answer is, “Why not?”
It’s not particularly rare to come across a manual swapped R-35. Blitz did it shortly after the R35 came out in 2010.
Rarely is it ever the other way around, where the older car gets a three-to-two pedal automatic conversion (arguable upgrade.)
Benefits of an R35 Skyline GT-R transmission swap include a better weight distribution, better rear traction, and lightning fast, automatic shifts (just .15 seconds in R-Mode.)
As I understand, CREWCH is hoping to make a kit out of this conversion so R34 owners can theoretically buy a kit and do it on their own.
If you’re an R34 GT-R owner who doesn’t necessarily want more power as much as an inherently better driving experience and are looking for a wrenching challenge, this swap will not only do that, it’ll set you apart, for sure (big brain move.)
