1973model Nissan Skyline GT-R KPGC110 (Kenmeri GT-R)

A collection of classic and vintage bikes is lined up in an impressive garage warehouse, complete with underground pits, resembling a private museum that overwhelms me as I step inside… In this garage, there lies a truly miraculous super car…! A rare red Kenmeri GT-R, of which only seven units were produced in early 1973, remains in full original condition, albeit needing a complete restoration…!

Is it a twist of fate…? Due to the oil shock that coincided with its 1973 release and the tightening of exhaust gas regulations, the Kenmeri GT-R was sold for only three months, from January to April, resulting in just 195 units sold. Including two prototype vehicles for racing models, the total production is said to be a mere 197 units of the ultra-rare KPGC110 Kenmeri GT-R… Even though there was no original color lineup available at the time, the KPGC110 GT-R was produced in a deep crimson as a third body color, with only seven units made. According to some reports, only four of these remain today, making it an incredibly rare existence… While it requires meticulous restoration to display its heroic form on public roads again, the aura emanating from this precious model, which still exists in full original condition, is astonishing…

After achieving success in business, the owner constructed this facility resembling a private museum… Surrounded by numerous vintage collections, the owner passionately shares their thoughts about this car, much like a curator… There have been many instances when Nissan dealers have visited this garage to negotiate a transfer, with the assumption of a full restoration, but the owner has been hesitant each time… The primary purpose of their collection, which includes numerous vintage bikes that have shaped the history of domestic motorization, including the GT-R, is to “pass on these precious models to the next generation…” This heartfelt sentiment drives their passion…

The owner, who has been surrounded by now-elusive domestic classic cars since their youth, thoroughly enjoyed GT-R-spec KGC10 Hakosuka and, inevitably, began searching for the “ultimate rare model.” Among many, they concluded that the most rare car in domestic old car history was “a fully original red Kenmeri GT-R…”

From that point on, they searched high and low, relying on bits of information and word of mouth, and after about four years, they finally uncovered precious information about the “red Kenmeri GT-R” that had been resting in a warehouse for approximately 30 years… Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, they couldn’t resist and flew to confirm the vehicle’s condition, deciding on the spot, “This opportunity won’t come again; I have to buy it!”

As you can see in the opening video and the 50 photos at the end, this is an incredibly precious example that remains in unaltered, fully original condition… The owner, who desires to “enjoy riding it after a full restoration,” also wishes to “collect and preserve this rare model for the future…” They envision keeping the original paint and maintaining its state as much as possible for future generations…

During the process of aiming for its revival, the owner entrusted it to a renowned specialty shop in Aichi Prefecture, where it was diagnosed that the engine could be made to run with a carburetor overhaul… Having owned it for about five years, the owner has gathered valuable parts, which are shown in the last photo. These include two rear quarter windows and door panels, as well as a new cowl panel, which were originally non-retail items that Nissan had stored for racing vehicles back in ’73! A group of parts that should have been discarded after racing ended somehow survived in a container, and this is one of them! This remarkable history will accompany the vehicle…

Additionally, the engine hood has been replaced with a very rare original deadstock part. Other than consumables like rubber parts, the currently missing components appear to be two side windows, a navigator seat, interior trim, and a muffler…

Peering under the floor from the pit set up in the garage, I confirmed the floor’s condition during photo shoots… The only cowl panel that the owner has prepared as new is deteriorating, but there is no rust or decay elsewhere, making it a good condition for restoration for its era… “I want to preserve the original as much as possible to recreate the era…” If there is someone who can inherit such a passion… I believe this will be the greatest project of the century…