Coffee table discussions regarding exotic automobiles usually include Rolls Royce, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Saleen and Porsche. Enter the import arena and more often than not, the word Skyline will crop up. Manufactured by Nissan Motor Co., the vehicle was once sold only in Japan, but for many years it has been one of the most sought-after vehicles in the U.S., especially within the import scene. Making dreams come true, Motorex Inc. in Gardena, CA, began importing the Skyline and doing all the work from A to Z to make it street legal.
Having seen the Skyline at exhibition runs, Mark Palines aspired to own one. After test-driving a few, he landed a deal with Motorex as one of only two sponsored Motorex Skylines in the U.S. Upon the vehicle's arrival, Palines made some minor modifications, figured out the whole right-hand-drive thing and hit the show circuit. Next up, he wanted to elevate his game with extensive interior and audio system modifications. Since that's not his forte, he brought the Skyline to Matt Figliola at AI Design in Tuckahoe, NY. The two immediately hit it off and discussed several options. The plan was two-fold: to update the outdated and anemic interior to match the exterior's timeless lines and to use exotic materials in the process. Impressed by Palines' passion, Figliola offered him a job. Palines is now the head technician at AI Design.
Take It All Off
Work on the interior commenced by stripping everything out of the vehicle. With weight being a consideration, sound-deadening material was applied only in necessary areas. Next, the audio wire, fusing and distribution by JL Audio were laid down, and to avoid excess, RCA cables were custom-made to length. With the dash out, the AI Design team had the freedom to modify. It now features a black leather base with heavy-gauge red French topstitching and the AI Design logo embossed into the airbag cover.
The original instrument bancal was extended 10" to flow down the left side of the dash instead of the right. This created a hood for three Defi gauges. Black Ultrasuede with the same stitching as on the dash covers the bancal. Since the original instrument panel lacked the space for the additional electronics, a new panel was fabricated from ABS plastic. In addition, the climate controls were relocated into the glove box that was trimmed in red Ultrasuede. Directly below the Defi gauges, a Kenwood LZ-800W 8-inch touch-screen monitor was molded into the dash for a clean appearance. Here, Palines can view and input all navigation functions from the Kenwood KNA-DV3100 DVD-based navigation system or watch a DVD movie loaded into the Kenwood 6-disc DVD changer. Below the monitor, a Kenwood KDC-X969 3D mask receiver handles the audio. Directly below the head unit, a GReddy PRofec B-spec boost controller and turbo timer were molded into the dash and the finished panel was painted red.
Wrapping Galore
Using the stock door panel as a base, both panels were wrapped in black leather with red topstitching. Bride seat fabric was specially wrapped overseas at Bride and used as inserts. Palines went as far as sending his son's baby seat over for treatment as well. A pair of JL Audio XR 650-CSi 6 1/2" 2-way components were installed in the door. Those along with the rear speakers are powered by a JL Audio 300/4 amplifier. The tweeter was massaged into the sail panel, while the midrange was fitted into the factory location at the bottom of the door. The doors' new perforated steel mesh grilles sport an AI Design logo. In the factory openings on the rear parcel shelf, JL Audio XR 650-CX 2-way speakers reside underneath a new panel made out of 1/8" plywood and ABS. The panel is separated into three sections: two perforated steel inserts on the sides with the speakers below and the middle portion, wrapped in diamond-quilted Alcantara suede to match the headliner. The satellite antennas can be found underneath.
Avoiding the Law
With over 600 horses under the hood, going over the speed limit is all too easy. To keep the cops at bay, a Valentine V1 radar detector was disassembled and the display, mounted in the rearview mirror. While this has been done before, AI Design went an extra step by engraving the mirror instead of just using a 2-way one. Mated to the Valentine are K40 laser diffusers front and rear. Visual notification for the diffusers is made from the front and rear arrows in the mirror. For kicks, two sets of Whelen 4-head strobe kits were installed, one in the headlights and another in the taillights.
Pop the Trunk
Directly below the rear deck in the trunk is the Skyline's main battery. It sounds odd, but that is the factory location, because the 2.6-liter, dual-overhead cam, 24-valve, twin-turbocharged and intercooled RB26DETT engine leaves little room under the hood. The aluminum trunk walls were shaped by hand using slip rollers, perforated with a hydraulic punch and flare tool, and fitted with flush SS socket head screws. The wood, ABS and foam floor was sprayed with poly primer and painted white to match the exterior. It consists of two halves fitted together around the JL Audio 12W6 12" subwoofer that is pushed by a 500-watt JL Audio 500/1 amp. The grille was fabricated in the same fashion as the walls. The fiberglass enclosure with a 1" baffle board has a volume of 1ft3, utilizing every nook and cranny in the space for the spare tire.
An aesthetically pleasing panel replaces the bare metal factory trunk lid. The black portion is glass, the trim is white-painted fiberglass and the center is sculpted casting foam covered in red Alcantara suede. Dead center is the AI Design logo custom machined from billet aluminum. Hand-applied water-clear red casting acrylic sits behind the hand-polished and buffed aluminum logo.
Palines and his Skyline continue to dominate the show circuit throughout the northeastern U.S. There's definitely more in store, but you'll have to get out to an event to see what else has been done to this Japanese exotic.
Driver Profile
Thirty-year-old Mark Palines has been obsessed with the import scene since 1994. He taught himself everything about motors, particularly how to get the most out of a little four-cylinder, and heavily modified his two Honda Civic hatchbacks in the motor department. Although the most recent vehicle was stolen in 2001, the incident became a turning point for him. Palines thanks those who helped get the Skyline to this stage: his girlfriend Tara Schoenstein and their son; his family and the Schoenstein family; the AI Design Team; Kevin Stelling of LKM Marketing; Jose Colon of JBA Marketing; Hiro, Ken and Clay at Morex Inc.; RPM NYC staff; John Wallace at HRE; Jamie at Race Technologies; Richard Winchester at Michelin North America; Allen at Tee's USA (Bride); and his fellow team members at Tuningwerks Competition.
Tech
· GReddy Stage 4 intercooler and piping upgrade, oil cooler with steel braided lines, PRofec B-spec boost controller, turbo timer and race blow-off valve
· HKS dual air filters, 4" Super Dragger cat back exhaust, Stage 4 port and polish headwork and metal head gasket
· Tommi Stage 3 cams, head studs, titanium springs and shims, stainless-steel valves and upgraded fuel pump
· Nismo dual clutch and intercooler air ducts
· Tein RS coil-overs
· 19" HRE 441R in black powder coat
· BFGoodrich KDW's 275/30-19