SP Rides: Foreign beauty turns heads
BY MICHAEL KITCHENS
Name: Giovanni Aguada
Age: 21
Occupation: Automotive Technician
Hobbies: Cars and driving enthusiastically
Year/Make/Model: 1989 Nissan Skyline GTS-T
Color: Grey
Engine: Series 1 RB25DET, RB26 Valve covers and coil pack cover, Greddy Intake manifold and throttle body spacer, 550cc Injectors, HKS Air filter, Circuit sports Oil Filter Relocator, Power steering Hicas Delete, CX racing Front mount intercooler, Koyo Radiator with 15″ E-Fan
Exterior: GTR headlights, “custom” GTR hood, GTR Grill, Ganador power mirrors, BN sports Replica kit.
Interior: GTR Front and Rear seats, Motor Trend “checkerboard” floor mats, 360mm Nardi Classic Steering wheel, Tomei shift knob, Power Fc commander, Air lift management, Defi Advance ZD monitor, GTR rear Strut bar.
Suspension: Airlift Struts and bags, 4 gallon tank, Viair 444 Compressor, PBM Rear upper control arms, ISR rear toe and traction rods, Custom extended 25mm and boxed Front lower control arms, Aftermarket front tension rods, Energy Suspension Polyurethane Sub frame bushings.
Wheels and Tires: SSR Professor SP1 18×9.5 +10 with 225/40/18 Achilles ATR sport. All around.
Shout-outs: Body work and paint done by Leighton Kano a.k.a. #Im_picasso
In 2014, the R32 Nissan Skyline became eligible for legal importation to the United States. At that moment, thousands of import enthusiasts cried out in joy as the dream of owning one became a possibility. Giovanni Aguada is one such enthusiast and being a fan of drifting, he opted for the RWD GTS-T model when the opportunity arose.
“I left on a school night … drove all the way from Arizona to California, picked up my car from a warehouse full of them, and drove it home,” says Aguada who was in Arizona at the time, studying to become an automotive technician.
This is a very rare case in the United States, and even Hawaii. Although importation is now on the rise thanks to the clearing of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) “25 year” rule, there’s only a couple riding around the island right now. Even so, Aguada has taken steps to make his R32 a standout.
The factory RB20DET engine that was shipped with the car was coming up on its last leg … Aguada ripped it out and installed the mod-friendly RB25DET. The “T” designation stands for turbo, and this swap provides an ample upgrade in horsepower and torque. An HKS air filter, Greddy intake manifold, and throttle body spacer were included along with 550cc injectors for optimal power creation. CX Racing front mount intercoolers, as well as an upgraded Koyo radiator with a 15” e-fan provide extra cooling.
Exterior-wise, the body has been retrofitted with a replica BN Sports kit. Team A-BO-MOON’s incredible drift machines inspired Aguada, and this kit features strong lines that accent the front bumper, sideskirts and rear cover. The car features GT-R headlights while the OEM GTS-T hood was replaced with a custom GT-R make along with a GT-R grill. Ganador power mirrors add a bit of sleekness as well. The entire kit was prepped and installed by Leighton Kano who did a fantastic job with the paint.
You can’t miss the fact that this Skyline is dropped and slammed. The SSR Professor SP1s are tucked nicely beneath the fender wells thanks to a custom install of Airlift Struts and bags. This setup consists of a 4-gallon tank and Viair 444 compressor. Additional handling is enabled thanks to further suspension tuning such as the PBM rear upper control arms, ISR rear toe and traction rods, as well as custom extended 25mm and boxed front lower control arms.
The interior has a host of upgrades including GT-R front and rear seats and a 360mm Nardi Classic steering wheel. Featuring a host of additional controls, the cockpit also has a Power FC and Commander to adjust vital engine settings, AirLift management, as well as a Defi ZD monitor. A Tomei shift knob and GT-R rear strut bar round out the rest.
As both a mechanic and enthusiast, Aguada believes that his ride represents his work and personality. Although still a work-in-progress, he’s taken a legendary brand and made it something more.
