Godzilla on the carbon fiber diet.
Carbon fiber is one of the automotive aftermarket’s favorite materials - and for good reason! The lightweight yet strong nature of well made carbon fiber. The looks. Even the name sounds cool when you say it, right? Carbon. Fiber. Most enthusiasts either have some element of carbon fiber or aspirations for it on their own builds. For some like Cole Kay, however, a simple carbon fiber hood or spoiler isn’t enough to satisfy the itch. With a big platform like the R35 GT-R Nismo, it turned out to be the perfect recipe for balance.
Kay has been modifying cars as long as he can remember. His modification bug isn’t just about making each vehicle his own, or making it unique. In fact, it’s often not about the outcome at all. For Kay, it’s about the process and the people he meets along the way. “I find every build I ever do forces me to explore and use new shops,” he says, “inevitably building new friendships along the way.” After building a 7-second fox-body Mustang strictly for drag racing, as well as a Ford F-250 on 40-inch wheels to tow trailers and race cars, Kay set his sights on the extremely tuner-friendly GT-R Nismo.
Upon taking ownership of his 2016 Nissan GT-R Nismo, he installed some carbon fiber hood struts to help keep the hood open when he was in the bay because his left arm was injured at the time. Those hood struts were the first of many carbon fiber additions. Kay wanted to keep the overall body design true to the OEM Nismo GT-R, which means only the hood and wheels changed their actual shape on the exterior. If you saw the car in the dark, it might just look like a black GT-R Nismo, but as soon as the light hits any panel, you get an idea of what’s really happened here. Every single panel and exterior part has been changed out to make it the world’s first full carbon fiber body GT-R Nismo.
In addition to numerous Overtake carbon fiber parts which include the trunk, doors, roof, quarter panels, front fenders, hood, A-pillars, mirrors, fender vents, and even the emblems, BulletProof Automotive went above and beyond by stripping down and refinishing the front and rear bumpers in carbon fiber, as well as providing custom carbon fiber door handles and surrounds. Working closely with BulletProof Automotive gave Kay the ability to apply custom one-off pieces made of carbon fiber wherever possible. Inside the cabin, every single thing has been changed to a custom carbon fiber version from the vents to the radio surround, and even the center console and steering wheel.
For those who aren’t yet aware, Overtake doesn’t just make high quality carbon fiber panels. The Overtake engineering expertise is present throughout. The differential is a combined effort of Drexler and Overtake. The carbon ceramic brakes behind the Carbon Revolution CR-9 carbon fiber wheels are Overtake branded. The lexan glass replacement for the windows is Overtake. Even the specialty coilovers are a collaborative effort by Overtake and SACHS, in the form of Nur GT300-spec 3-way adjustable coilovers. Even the titanium intake manifold and piping in the engine bay is from Overtake.
The engine bay isn’t just an average dressed-up VR38DETT, either. With 400 pounds taken off the weight of the bulky GT-R, Kay wanted to bridge the gap in power to weight ratio even further. In addition to the Overtake components,GReddy throttle bodies and an intercooler bolster airflow, and Injector Dynamics 1050x injectors combined with Radium fuel pumps allow the fuel delivery to match it. Managed by an EcuTek Accessport, power is turned up to a respectable 709 whp and 630 lb-ft of torque, making the car an even more potent track weapon.
Kay’s original intentions with the car were to build a badass street and show car that could dominate at the track. With the car’s track capability well taken care of, street comfort and show capability meant adding some audio equipment. Not wanting to undo some of his weight loss progress, he opted for some of the lightest high-quality audio equipment available, courtesy of Focal in the form of their component speakers and subwoofers. The subs sit inside a custom carbon fiber subwoofer enclosure made by Bulletproof, and the whole ensemble is powered by a pair of JL Audio amplifiers. No matter where you look at this car first, every part of it is incredibly well put together and balanced, while still being purpose-driven. The true essence of the R35 GT-R!
Photography by Jacob Grimes (@astral.photo)
ESSENTIALS
Owner: Cole Kay
2016 Nissan GT-R Nismo
Location: Mississauga, ON
Engine: Nissan VR38DETT 3.8L Twin-turbocharged V6
Horsepower: 709 whp
Torque: 630 lb-ft
Club: GTA GT-R Club / Battalion30Five
SOCIAL
Facebook: /KillaKreationz
Instagram: @killa_kreationz
ENGINE
- Overtake (titanium intake manifold, Amuse titanium piping set, Amuse titanium intake pipe)
- GReddy (throttle bodies, intercooler)
- Injector Dynamics 1050x injectors
- Radium (fuel pumps, filter kit)
- Omni Power 4-bar PNP SD harness
- Ecutek accessport
- Alpha AMS air/oil separator
- Rampage Fab titanium upper rad line
- Titanium Works (radiator cap, power steering cap, oil cap)
EXHAUST
- Overtake titanium 100mm valvetronic exhaust
DRIVETRAIN
- Overtake x Drexler Nismo high-power rear differential
- GReddy DCT cooler
- T1Race upper and lower transmission braces
WHEELS / TIRES / BRAKES
- Carbon Revolution CR-9 carbon fiber wheels - 20x10.5 (f/r)
- Michelin Pilot Sport 4 tires - 295/35/20 (f/r)
- ARP wheel studs
- Overtake carbon ceramic brakes
- Import Racing brake master cylinder stopper
CHASSIS / SUSPENSION
- Overtake x Sachs Nur GT300-spec 3-way adjustable coilovers
- SPL (Pro front upper arms, rear camber links titanium rear toe links, titanium rear traction links, eccentric lockout kit, titanium bump steer tie rod ends)
EXTERIOR
- Bulletproof (refinished Nismo front and rear bumpers, custom turn signals, custom carbon fiber door handles, custom carbon fiber door handle surrounds)
- Overtake carbon fiber (trunk, doors, roof, quarter panels, front fenders, hood, A-pillars, mirrors, fender vents, fender emblems, front emblem, rear emblem)
- Overtake lexan glass replacement set
- Bulletproof/brandRR chromoly bumper bars
- Full window tint
INTERIOR
- Bulletproof (custom Alcantara interior reupholstery, red seat belts, custom carbon fiber steering wheel, custom carbon fiber switch plate, custom carbon fiber steering wheel bucket, custom carbon fiber steering column, custom carbon fiber gauge cluster, custom carbon fiber gauge cluster lid, custom carbon fiber dash vents, custom carbon fiber door panels, custom carbon fiber door locks, custom carbon fiber door pulls, custom carbon fiber shift knob, custom carbon fiber shifter console, custom carbon fiber navigation unit bezel and radio face plate, custom carbon fiber center console, custom carbon fiber speaker surround, custom carbon fiber rear shelf, custom carbon fiber window switch covers, custom carbon fiber door sills, custom carbon fiber cup holder ring, custom carbon fiber parking brake, custom carbon fiber rear view mirror, custom carbon fiber rear armrest, custom carbon fiber map light, custom carbon fiber climate control knobs)
- JCR paddle shifters
AUDIO / MOBILE ELECTRONICS
- Focal (component speakers, subwoofers)
- JL Audio amplifiers
- Bulletproof custom carbon fiber subwoofer enclosure
- AL Priority radar detector
PHOTO GALLERY
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