Jack’s Nissan Skyline R32 GTR

Throughout childhood, we've all heard the mantra, 'money doesn’t grow on trees.' As we grow up, we realise just how true that statement really is. But it's not just money that's hard to come by—owning and building one of the most popular and highest rated modified cars on the Island of Ireland is no easy task either. Take Jack’s Nissan Skyline R32 GTR, for instance. It didn't just appear out of thin air; it's a testament to what happens when determination meets passion.

During the show season of 2023, Jack and his R32 picked up many awards, the biggest one being Top 10 at the LZ World Tour at Mondello Park. While watching the awards come in, and the countless amounts of people sticking their head in the engine bay while smiling, I couldn’t help but think about the hard work that goes on behind the scenes during the previous Winter.

I first met Jack through a mutual friend, and within the first hour he was already laying out the ambitious plans he had for his “Datsun.” At that point, the car was stripped bare on his ramp—nothing more than a shell—with a growing catalogue of like-new parts stacked neatly around it. It was clear he wasn’t just dreaming; he was already deep in the execution phase.

He quickly invited me and the Street Release team up to his workshop to show us the progress and give us a behind-the-scenes look to later share in this article. I’ve been around my fair share of modified cars and home garages, but there was something different about this one—something that felt more focused, more intentional.

What stood out wasn’t just the scale of the rebuild—it was the confidence in his vision. Jack wasn’t just refreshing a few tired components or tidying things up for show season. This was a ground-up transformation, with an obsessive level of detail poured into every stage. He built the entire front subframe and engine assembly outside of the car, piece by piece, torquing every bolt to spec and ensuring nothing was left to chance. Then, on the final night before first start-up, we raised the whole unit into the shell from underneath as a team—a late-night effort that none of us will forget any time soon.

Under the bonnet, the heart of the build beats with something truly rare: an HKS V-Cam system, a piece of kit that separates this RB26 from nearly anything else on the island. Unlike the traditional solid cam setup, the V-Cam adds variable timing to the intake side, improving throttle response and drivability—especially in the lower RPM range where the RB can sometimes feel sluggish. It's a solution only a handful of tuners even attempt, and Jack’s execution was flawless. Combined with a single turbo conversion and modern engine management, it makes for a package that’s as sharp on the street as it is explosive on track.

The hours that went into plumbing the AN lines, routing the wiring, and setting up the supporting mods don’t show up in trophies or Instagram likes—but they’re felt in the way the car responds under load, in the clean idle, and in the reliability that Jack has built into every corner of the bay. It’s not just a show car. It’s a race car in disguise.

The final stages of the build took time, with a noticeable gap between the engine going in and the car finally hitting the streets. I gave Jack a few months to gather his thoughts, iron out the details, and get everything dialled in. When I caught up with him again during the 2023 show season, it was clear that the hard work had paid off. Everywhere the car went, an award seemed to follow. Even before reaching its "final form" (for now), Jack was picking up trophies and turning heads—earning recognition from some of the biggest names in the online car scene.

One standout moment came after the LZ World Tour at Mondello Park, when none other than Jimmy Oakes stopped by to admire the build. As someone who’s no stranger to RB-powered cars, his interest and genuine conversation with Jack was a reminder of how a well-built machine can cross borders and bring people together. The respect was mutual—and well earned.

Now, in 2025, Jack hasn’t slowed down one bit. The R32 has moved beyond just being a showstopper—it's a serious contender. He’s taken it to rounds of the NI Sprint Championship, proving that the car isn’t just built to look good, but to perform. It’s been a regular fixture at major car shows across Ireland, continuing to rack up attention, respect, and silverware. With every tweak and outing, Jack has managed to push the build further, making it the best it’s ever been. What started as a bare shell on a ramp has become one of the most complete and well-rounded GTRs on the island—a true reflection of passion, patience, and relentless drive.

I can’t thank Jack enough for welcoming us into his world and giving us access to his garage, his process, and his passion. Being part of this journey, even in a small way, has been a real privilege. I’ve learned so much—not just about the technical side of building a high-end car, but about the mindset, patience, and sheer dedication it takes to see something like this through.

It’s easy to admire a finished build from behind a camera lens or at a show, but seeing what goes on behind the scenes changes everything. It shows you that these machines aren’t just built with money—they’re built with late nights, sacrifice, and relentless drive. As mentioned at the start: money doesn’t grow on trees. But determination? Passion? That kind of currency runs deep in people like Jack—and it’s what truly sets builds like this apart.

Like all modified cars, this build will never be finished. To see the entire process, from the day Jack bought it to the current day and even into the future, you can follow Jack on his Instagram - @jmgtr32