Tamura Arc: Blog Entry 2 – A ride in Tamura’s GT-R R32, a visit to an old Club member, and a surprise visit at Top Secret
I met Hiroshi Tamura at an event hosted by our friends at GT-R East Japan. Somehow, I managed to arrange an interview with him – though it wouldn’t take place for a few more months.
But Tamura-san had an idea to make the article I’d write about him stand out from the many others: he offered something more personal.
If you haven’t yet, take a look at TAMURA ARC: BLOG ENTRY 1 – HOW THE FATHER OF THE GT-R, HIROSHI TAMURA, ACCEPTED MY INTERVIEW to get the full backstory.
Riding Shotgun in Tamura’s Immaculate GT-R R32
The day of our Pentroof visit had finally arrived. As if that weren’t exciting enough, we’d be heading there in Tamura’s pristine Nissan GT-R R32.
The dark gray Godzilla rolled through the Seven-Eleven parking lot where I was waiting. As it inched closer with a low, thunderous growl, a faded Midnight Club silver sticker on the window caught the sunlight – and my attention.
We jumped in and headed to Pentroof, a shop with a legendary reputation. I was instantly struck by how well-preserved Tamura’s R32 was. (You can see it in all its details in my YouTube video.) The interior was spotless, completely original, even the steering wheel.
The only modern addition was hidden inside the glove compartment: a discreet panel displaying all the car’s indicators and gauges.
“Minimum information, maximum data,” Tamura-san called it.
Of course, I had to ask about the history of the car.
“This car launched in August 1989,” he said. “But it had already been announced in May. At the time, Nissan employees couldn’t order the GT-R because customers had to come first. Customer-first policy. This was done to make them happy.”
“For some reason, one of my senpai canceled his order. So the manager from that dealership told me I HAD to take it. HAD to. I thought, ‘Oh my god, I need to come up with the money!’”
“So, the customer you introduced canceled their order?” I asked.
“Yeah,” he replied. “The plant had already produced the car. That made it a canceled car, and customers don’t usually like canceled cars.”
“Do you consider that to be luck?”
“I can only be thankful! I got to learn from real-world experience. That connection with a Skyline GT-R at that stage helped me think about its emotional potential… its future.”
The Philosophy behind the rb26
Right on cue, he dropped a gear, the RB26 letting out a beautiful snarl.
“RB26,” he said simply. “I didn’t increase the displacement because of the sound. The stroke of the RB26 is so nice, so emotional.”
We kept chatting as we drove through Tokyo toward our destination. Check out the YouTube video to really feel the vibe (we captured it all).
“The Father of the GT-R?”
I asked Tamura-san a question that might seem a bit cliché:
“How do you feel about being called the Father or Godfather of the GT-R?”
Without missing a beat, he answered:
“It’s up to the customers. If they want to call me that, it’s okay – thank you – but I’m really just one of the players. No one can develop a car alone. So many people are involved; they charge the project with their energy.”
35,000 km in 35 Years
I was curious: what other GT-Rs did Tamura-san own besides the R35 (sort of) and this iconic R32?
“I don’t have a 33,” he said. “I used to have a 34 for a long time, but I sold it.”
That’s when I learned something shocking. His R32 had just 35,000 km on the odometer. That’s about 1,000 km a year.
I drive more than that in a week.
It hit me then; I was sitting in a true piece of history and even more rare than I’d thought.
The engine, now making around 600 horsepower, had been tuned and maintained by Pentroof for years.
“How did you find Pentroof?” I asked.
“He’s my younger brother,” Tamura replied, referring to his senpai–kohai bond with Kitabayashi-san, the founder. “We were in the same team. Team members.”
(Do you know what team he’s talking about?)
The First Car
“What was your first car?” I asked.
“A Kenmeri Skyline,” Tamura-san said. “Probably 1973 or 1974. Used car, of course. I tuned it to 2.9 liters, 3.0, and even 3.1 at one point. Inline-six. Triple carburator.”
We continued talking about tuning philosophy and engine balance. Tamura explained that he prefers to keep street cars within the 600 HP range – enough for serious performance without sacrificing drivability or reliability.
a midnight club moment
A few moments later, we entered a tunnel.
I still can’t properly describe what happened next, and even the video fails to fully capture it, but it became one of the most exciting moments of my life.. It felt like stepping back in time, blasting through the Wangan in a true Midnight Club car.
Feedback, Criticism, and Growth
“When developing a car, do you sometimes make choices you personally wouldn’t, just because the customers might like them?” I asked.
“Case by case,” he replied. “Some people complain. But their complaints also give me energy and ideas. It’s necessary for the next steps.”
He smiled. “Of course, heavy criticism makes me feel bad sometimes – I’m human. But the opposite is true too. Seeing people happy is the best.”
Visiting Pentroof
We arrived at Pentroof, a low-key but very cool garage run by Kitabayashi-san, one of the true OGs of the Japanese tuning scene.
Tamura explained that Kitabayashi used to run on the Wangan and he knows how to build a car not just for looks, but for true performance.
Under the hood, Tamura’s 32 still looked mostly stock. But a few subtle details revealed otherwise (many of which later made their way into the GT-R R33 and GT-R R34).
“Everything starts from here,” Tamura said, holding his hand over the engine.
He praised Kitabayashi for listening to his input during the build process, unlike other tuners who do what they want.
“Why?” I asked.
He laughed. “Well, I’m his senpai. Back then, he didn’t really have a choice.”
“I Don’t Own a GT-R R35.”
“So now that we’ve reached the end of the R35 era, what’s next?” I asked.
“I don’t know,” Tamura said. “It’s not my turn. It’s up to the young Nissan team to build the next GT-R and form their own emotional bond with it.”
He added,
“I must stay quiet. That’s my stance. If they ask for advice, of course. But they should lead.”
“Did your seniors do the same for you when you were starting out?” I asked.
“Same behavior,” he said. “They laid back. Ito-san, who created the R32, said nothing when I pitched the R35 concept.”
An Unexpected Stop at top secret
After the visit to Pentroof and a thousand photos by Mattia, it was time to drive Tamura-san to his hotel.
During the drive, we talked about life, sacrifices, and what motivated him to give me this opportunity in the first place.
At one point, we realized we are both what the Japanese would call a “tuna” – someone who can never stop moving or they perish.. I found that like me, Tamura san is in constant pursuit of something, ready to head forward, willing to make calculated sacrifices and hard choices.
Before wrapping up, we made one last stop.
Tamura asked me to pull off the highway.
That’s when I saw it: a massive sign reading Top Secret.
Next to the shop sat a lone GT-R R35 NISMO, fully kitted with Top Secret parts. Inside was a man who needs no introduction: Smoky Nagata.
Mattia and I were barely holding it together.
Tamura stepped out to greet his friend. Until that moment, I had no idea we were stopping there, and even after seeing the sign, I still struggled to believe it.
I had met Smokey before at shows and events but never like this.
We chatted, laughed about how “Tamura always does this,” and took a group photo before heading out.
That would not be the last time I saw Smokey, and he never remembered who I was. Until one day at Daikoku…
But that stor is for another day.
Final Moments
I drove Tamura-san to the airport and headed back to Tokyo to shoot a video, knowing I’d just experienced something that would stay with me forever.
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