Classic Nissan Skyline With Dodge NASCAR V-8 Swap Lights Up Tokyo Auto Salon

What would you do with a perfectly fine example of Nissan’s iconic Hakosuka Skyline? If you’re drift legend Daigo Saito, you’d tear it apart, hack up the factory fenders, rip out its carbureted heart, and make room for a Dodge V-8 engine, right?

USDM x JDM

That’s right, Saito has been hard at work on a client’s old school Skyline and it appears to be a blank check affair. The peculiar engine choice is in fact a NASCAR-derived Dodge R5P7 that’s good for around 800 hp and is naturally aspirated. Highlighted with individual throttle bodies that reach for the sky with velocity stacks jutting well above the factory hood, the sound is as glorious as you’d expect from a high-compression, ITB-equipped V-8 built for race duty.

An RTS GForce four-speed transmission is employed and to make room for it under the cabin, a custom aluminum tunnel was created in addition to a one-off roll cage complete with door bars. The original dash is still in place, at least, though it’s been modified to allow the steering column to be braced to the roll cage and a pod in the center added to house a digital dash. Just behind the shifter surround is a keypad for power, ignition, etc., and a high-rise hand brake is incorporated.

Candy Coated

On the outside, the original drab orange paint has been updated in a candy orange hue highlighted by black accents—and the factory fenders were dramatically cut. But it’s not the hack job hidden by an aftermarket flare that you might’ve seen before. In this instance, Saito made precision cuts and stitched welded the new openings before huge (and we mean HUGE) flares were set in place both front and rear.

The new flares are painted piano black, and the fronts flow right into a Rocket Bunny front lip and lower splitter. The remainder of the exterior is factory issue, except for the openings cut under each door to allow the exhaust to exit, and the nicely trimmed opening in the trunklid that allows the remote-mounted radiator to breathe. Just next to the radiator is a Sikky-Winters quick-change rear end. Like we said, no expense spared.

Big Shoes To Fill

The oversized wheel wells now house custom black and machined Work wheels wrapped in Advan race rubber. The stepped lips are a mile long and Saito certainly did his homework, as the fitment is spot on. Excessive camber on the front wheels suggests this Skyline might see some drift sessions. If that’s not convincing enough, Saito’s IG shows some extreme angle available via fully custom suspension arms used throughout the chassis.

No stranger to swaps, Saito was one of the very first to shoehorn a 2JZ-GTE into the MkV Supra chassis, and he has already spent time drifting his NASCAR V-8-powered Toyota Altezza (Lexus IS300), and also had a 2JZ-swapped GR 86 on display at the Tokyo Auto Salon.

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