The Nissan Skyline GT-R R33 is a fast sports car that many people love. It's known for its powerful engine and cool design, making it popular at car shows and festivals.
J-Spec cars are vehicles made for the Japanese market, which can have different rules and features compared to cars made for other countries. They might look or perform differently because of these specific requirements.
The Volvo 240 is a sturdy car that was made for many years, and it's known for being very safe and reliable. People often talk about it because it has a unique boxy shape and is loved by those who appreciate older cars that last a long time.
A built head is a part of the engine that has been improved to help it run better and faster. It usually has bigger openings for air and fuel to get in, which helps the engine perform well.
A single turbo conversion means adding one big turbocharger to an engine to make it more powerful. It helps the engine breathe better and produce more speed.
A turbo kit helps make a car faster by adding a turbocharger, which pushes more air into the engine. This means the engine can burn more fuel and produce more power.
Tuning is like fine-tuning a musical instrument, but for a car's engine. It helps the engine run better and perform well by adjusting how it uses fuel and air.
Countersteering is what you do when your car starts to slide sideways. You turn the wheel the other way to help straighten the car out and keep it from spinning.
The Nissan GT-R is a fast sports car that many people love for racing and driving. It's known for being very powerful and has a lot of cool technology in it.
JDM means cars made for Japan, which can be different from the same models sold in other countries. They often have special features that you won't find elsewhere.
The GTR festival is a big event for fans of the Nissan GT-R car. People come together to show off their cars and enjoy activities related to this popular sports car.
Coilovers are special parts of a car's suspension that help control how the car rides and handles. They can be adjusted to change how high or low the car sits, which can improve performance.
HKS is a company that makes parts to help cars go faster and perform better. They are especially popular among car enthusiasts who like to modify their vehicles.
A parade lap is when cars drive slowly around a racetrack, usually to show them off or help drivers learn the track. It's not a race, so everyone goes at a safe speed.
All-wheel drive means that all four wheels of a car get power from the engine at the same time. This helps the car grip the road better, especially in bad weather or when going fast.
A torque converter helps your car's engine work with the transmission. It lets the engine keep running even when the car is stopped and helps the car speed up faster when you press the gas pedal.
The Nissan Silvia S15 is a sports car that many people love for its speed and ability to be customized. It's popular in car culture, especially for racing and drifting.
Tariffs are extra fees that the government charges on products brought in from other countries. This can make cars and parts more expensive for buyers.
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Hey, and welcome back to the next episode of the right hand drive guys podcast the podcast for guys who like right hand drives
I'm Bobby. This is Aaron. Yo, and this is episode 162 and
Okay, so like we had mentioned if we didn't get any guests at GTR festival, which we did
but if we didn't we would hand out our little cards. Yes, we would give them out and
And so we saw this guy's car and I was like, you know, there there wasn't like an insane amount of 33s at
At the at GTR festival. There was some but like, you know
And this one stood out to me, of course because it's white like mine. So I'm like, oh dude check this out
Yeah, come around the front is like bow like the motor is neon green. Yeah, the engine bay
Yeah, it was a good presentation for sure. Yeah, I remember being like pretty well put together and had some cool colors that
Definitely was
I don't know not the common. Yeah, for sure unique. Yeah, and so he was at like the J spec booth or something like that
Yeah, and yeah, so, you know, we'll ask him all about the car
We'll figure out like because there was lighting accents that I was just like dude, where is this even coming from?
This is so cool. So and so this week's guest is Ben Norris a.k.a
Let's get to it episode 162. All right, and we're back with Ben. What's up, man?
What's going on guys?
Dude, thank you for coming on for sure
So like we could tell the story real quick, right? Yeah, basically we
noticed Ben's car at GTR festival and
we had a select number of cards that we were giving out to cars that we really like and
his happened to be one of them and
We noticed what the sticker on the back
I mean, I noticed like the engine bay. Well. Yeah. Yeah, of course. Of course. Yeah. Yeah, you can't you know
You can't not notice that which
Props to you man because that doesn't work for everyone like that does you know, you've seen it done, dude
And it's like oh, but that was done that was done legit and if you don't know what we're talking about
Check out Ben's Instagram, and you'll notice it notice it immediately for sure
He has the most. I don't know what what color is that like you must know what color it is
It's it's literally neon yellow from prismatic powders
Wow straight up just neon yellow and it does it like it like radiates in there. It's crazy
And we it pops even more because at nighttime
You know, I was like I discovered it on accident
So when I got the finished with the build I was checking
AC as I put dye in it when I recharged it just to make sure I didn't have any leaks and because we're using a black light so I
accidentally like
Hit the black light on the valve cover and it just like lit up
That's sick. So
So yeah, I bought these two little flush mount UV lights and drilled holes in the hood and so it shines it on a night
Yeah, we for you we for sure notice that like it because it has that kind of purplish tint
To it, you know, and it looks like that glow to it. Yeah, it's yeah looks really good
Which we can we should we'll definitely get into your setup in a bit, but yeah, man
Like that that was cool
That's something that you don't see a lot of guys put effort into is that just little attention to detail that you know
It's cool. It's okay to have a fast car that still has these
Unique attributes like this, you know what I mean? I feel like sometimes in in the culture
It's kind of like oh, that's like all show, you know, I mean, well, it's like right now
Do I just prefer to to have the presentation as well as the horsepower, right?
Exactly, exactly dude. So how'd you get into these type of cars? Like what's what's it? Well first? Where are you from?
Sorry, my bad. So I'm from
Around Montgomery, Alabama. So middle middle, Alabama, South of Birmingham
I
Started off my first car was a prelude
And you know and then grew into moved into 240s had nice four or five 240s
and then obviously when
Skylines came legal. I was like, it's gotta be the next best thing. So
Sold my truck at the time to buy the car and you know history from there
So real quick, right? You just said truck. Are you are you also or were you a truck guy?
So I've kind of dabbled around. I've had
Jeeps lifted trucks
So it's but I've always come back to the cars because the lights in the hood
That's kind of like when I first saw it it immediately reminded me of something that they would do in like the
The truck game, right? Like they always do little rock lights and you know that thing
So it kind of reminded me of that. So I'm not sure if you took inspiration from it or not
But like that's a cool crossover
Yeah, yeah, it kind of sort of you know, look at Jeep things. They have the rock lights, too
so it kind of came from that and
funny enough I
Actually every March, there's a show down in Gulf Shores, Alabama
Oh, and it's called Beach Invasion and it's a truck show and I take my car to it every year and
Last year, it's usually like I think they cap out the entries at like 500 and
Actually got a top 100 award last year at a truck show
That is cool actually, you know, they're like, oh look at this guy coming in then he walks out with a top
100, right? Gosh, it's funny. I mean the car gets more attention than half the trucks there. So that's pretty cool. And so
What year'd you get the 33?
So I got it October of 20 October of 20. That's like
Did so did was it already stateside? Did you have an input like what was your buying experience? Yeah?
It was already stateside. I
Found the car. I was actually looking at another car and
Fortunately, that one didn't work out and this was my backup. I
Got the car. Well, I booked my flight to Virginia flew up to Virginia with all
Intentions on flying back home with no car because I was you know, if the car wasn't perfect then I wasn't gonna buy it
Got there the guy picked me up from the airport in the car
He drove it back to the place. I drove it around check the car out and everything was good in my book
So I bought it and then drove 10 and a half hours back home in the car. That's who made it. No problems
That's cool. I love those types of stories. I did this kind of the same thing with my r32. I picked it up in
Right outside of Philadelphia and then drove it all the way back to Maine, which is about six hours
So yeah, you love it when you can actually pull in the driveway and like everything's intact and like running good
And you're right. Dang. All right. Maybe I did actually like I'm good, you know, like, you know
And so was there any hidden surprises or was it it it was good? No, it was smooth sailing the whole the whole way
Dang good for you, man. That's awesome that and and so that was 20 20
It's 20 20. Yeah
So you're you're what you're a little over five years deep in the ownership of the car
Yeah, dude, just break down for us like how what was the what was the path to today?
You know, like so was it all stock when you bought it?
So it had a set of work emotions on it. I think they were like xd-9s
And a blitz
Exhaust on it. That was the only thing that I had
Immediately bought a set of different wheels for it because there were 17s got some 18s
CR 28 rays
Road with the robot like that for a little while change the exhaust here and there and then probably
Was it 20
I think 22 beginning of 22
Was like I want to change the car. So took a perfectly good running car stripped it all down
Took the engine out
Bear bones got Bay painted engine, you know, it freshened up still stock block. It's got a built head
did the single turbo conversion and you know
kind of
It only meant to be so much
but it's like you do something and then
You're like start to put it back together and you like put old bolts back on there
And you're like man, everything else is nice and shiny and you put old bolts. So
One thing goes off to be resinked
Yeah, yeah, and it's just it's it's snowball and you just got to come to a point. It's like, okay
I got to stop
I don't want to make the car too nice to where I don't want to drive it
But I'm definitely happy with how I turned out. Yeah, for sure. I mean, it's it's it's a sick car
Yeah, it's always the might as well is it like, you know might as well do this might as well do that while I'm there
Might as well get a divorce
After all of this that's what's gonna happen. Yeah, yeah, for sure
Yeah, man, I feel that pain like so who did you do the work or did you?
Yeah, so I the only thing I didn't do was paint the bay
I had a guy at my work paint it and then
Do all the engine assembly
everything else as far as
Putting the whole thing together. That was all me. Dang. That's legit, dude
Like you that's a that's like a form of pride like, you know, I yeah, like my I have a white 33 as well
It's like up on the lift over here, but I
Did not take that route. I paid a company to do it and now in hindsight, you know, like I'm like, dang
Like I probably should have just done that because I mean it I got it back messed up
So like it would have it couldn't have been worse necessarily. Yeah, you could have messed it up for free. Yeah
Yeah, exactly and not paid. So yeah
Yeah, so props to you man for like, you know getting your hands dirty and and so right and I wanted I wanted to make sure if like
If something went wrong with the car I
Did it so, you know, I know where everything is what I did where so I could easily, you know
Potentially fix it rather quick. So yeah, that makes sense, right?
There's no better way to understand what's wrong than to have done it, right?
And what so what like are you a mechanic by trade or you just?
No, so I mean I grew up kind of doing it. My father was a mechanic by trade growing up
So kind of, you know, helped him out around his he owned his own repair shop
So kind of helped him out here and there and then
You know with my own stuff over the years. It's just really done all everything that that I could nice
Dang that. Yeah, that's legit like self-taught just like got into it, right?
You had to yeah, you know, you kind of have to do that unless you're gonna go the career route
You kind of got to get the the on-the-job training almost but you're the one paying the bills if you mess it up
What turbos on there
So the turbo kit the whole kit is a spectrum motorsports out of Canada. Oh cool. It's their in-house
Built turbo. It's the their SR 61
So it's 61 mil equivalent ball bearing. Yeah, that's cool
Like what what was the performance like like what did you put down?
So it made
603 to the wheels on ethanol good for you. What do you use for tuning?
So countersteer out of Canton, Georgia. Yeah
He's actually the one Dylan. He's the one to put the engine together for me
I took it over to him. He did all that picked it back up
And then once I got everything back together a car running
Took it over there for him to tune it. Cool. Nice. That's cool. So you still you know, you got
the benefits of somebody like a
Professional putting your motor together and then the benefits of a professional
Tuning the car so the two big things right like, you know
The the the two main parts that you could really mess up like you took to a professional and so for the rest of it
You know that that kind of makes it not easier, but like your confidence is strong in in the main parts of it
So that's legit exactly. Yep. That's cool, man. So
So you're in Alabama, so what?
Did you drive you didn't drive the car you must have trailer the car over to Texas? No, yeah
I trailer the car to GTR festival
Mainly because I had the wife and kids with me
So, you know, they want the comforts of the truck. So yeah, I get it for sure. Yeah
No, it's the the 33. I mean, none of them are really
Backseat like long trip cars like you you sit in that backseat for a long trip and someone's real pissed when you get to wherever
You're going for sure. Yeah. Oh, yeah. So was that your first GTR festival?
No, so I went last year. Oh cool
Yeah, and were you in like this showcase last year as well?
Yeah, so the booth that I was in Jspec
They're actually like a group out of Florida
They've kind of you know, I've gone to Florida for some shows and kind of take took me in as a you know
Out of town or for their cool for their group. So so yeah, anytime, you know, they come here
I go down there, you know, always rep with them. So
so
It's like what is Jay like explain like what is it? Is it just like kind of like a car club or like a
It's I wouldn't necessarily call it a club
It's more like so it they originally started as like a group of veterans that got together and hung out
And then it kind of turned into what it is now, you know selling shirts and and
Merchant, you know
Still the you know hanging out going to meets and everything. Oh, that's pretty cool. That's legit. Are you a veteran?
No, I see so wow, they they did take you in huh? That's pretty sweet. Yeah. Yeah
And so what what are those guys like what type of cars do they drive?
So there's a few so did you see the?
32 they got unveiled
Yeah, those wheels are insane
Yeah, yeah, so that's Jonathan. He's in that group. There's a couple of 33s in there
35s. Oh, so he's just you know, basically a bunch of JDM cars. Oh, yeah, that's cool
So what like what's your overall take on GTR festival like what do you like about it?
So I like
And I tell my wife and friends this is like you think that in your town you got the coolest car
You go to GTR festival and it's like
You're like your car is normal because there's so much nice stuff there
Sure and
You know getting to see the different styles of people and cars from you know really across the US that come is pretty cool
Yeah, I agree. It's it is interesting even like you said even the people that build the cars and then their style as it comes out
You know through the car is is so unique, right?
Like it's pretty crazy to see like there was one guy who had like a Mohawk in like a yellow 32 and like his
Style was completely different than anyone parked around him. You know, but it was cool. Yeah
Yeah, it was so that was on bags and everything
Yeah, and
What's your suspension setup like?
So it's just HKS coils cool. Yeah, and it's got SPL high-cost delete. That's it's really all it is
Have you ever gotten to take it on the track?
so not
Full blown I guess you would say
We have a track a little about an hour north of bus barber motorsports
And they did like a event there and I was able to do
You can't go full blown because it was like a parade lap I see so we got to do like four laps
Couldn't like go balls to the wall on it, but you still
Could take the corner, you know back up away from traffic and you know get in it
Yeah, yeah, enjoy it a little bit without really risking the car and all the work that you've put into it
Right for sure. I could see that and I'm sure yeah
I'm sure 600 all-wheel-drive coming out of the corners. It's fun
Yeah, yeah
For sure. Did you see where you did you get to see the drags when the RHM?
34 was doing its poles
Yes, I saw a few of them. I saw his sweat seven nine that he ran. Yeah
and then his last few were
Looked like he was about to hit the wall. Yeah, it seemed like he was having a hard time like at the end
I was like dang dude like we waited and waited to see him and then yeah
He couldn't even he had to pull out because he just couldn't keep it. Yeah, which I'm sure it's tough. I can't imagine
Yeah
It was it was kind of like that last year with June 2
You know during testin they messed their transmission
They messed the torque converter up in their car and then they had someone from I don't even remember what state drive over and bring
Them one
But they kept they kept fighting that car the whole weekend couldn't get a clean clean pass with that car
Yeah, that stinks because I mean imagine, you know, these guys have traveled
I don't know where that's from but they've traveled there regardless
They're putting in all this time and money and then it just goes sideways like yeah, that's tough
Biggest differences between
GTR Festival year one in year two in your opinion
Definitely
More people for sure
Or cars I
Wish
So last year
They had June 2 they came from Australia and then Andrew's car
He brought it over
This year. They only had the one car. So I was hoping to see see more cars from over there come but
But yeah, I mean, it's it's really the the quality of cars from last year and this year were we're definitely
You know
Yeah, that's cool. And do you see it continuing to go like do you see it continuing to climb like based on what you've experienced?
Absolutely
Yeah, that'll be cool because like I don't know
I mean, it's one of those events that I feel like has a lot more room to grow even though it
There's a ton of skylines there like there's definitely room in that facility where like it could be packed out like as
Oh, yeah, so I think it's cool that they're doing it. I hope it still keeps coming back
Yeah, for sure. Yeah, no, I mean Texas motorplex the venue itself is like pretty big dude
Like like dude night to this guy was
Complaining about his legs and I'm like, what do you mean? I was like we did so much walk so much, you know and and
So yeah, I could see them. Did they have kangaroos last year?
Do they have what kangaroos last year? Yeah, so they only had one
Dang
Yeah, they hope the whole fleet this time
That's sweet. So
Do you have any future plans with the 33?
Yeah, so I want to kind of focus on
Interior stuff. Mm-hmm
I want to redo interior get some seats
Hood just kind of you know basic stuff nothing nothing real major probably go through and and
Update suspension stuff
Yeah, what type of seats would you run?
I'm depending on between recorros or Brits. So not really not really sure
Yeah, I'm sure it'll I'm sure it'll find you
That it always does, you know what? I mean like you're not even looking for it and you're like god damn it. It found me
For sure, yeah, you'll be scrolling on marketplace, right? They always pop up. Oh, yeah, they know what to feed you
So
Okay, well, what about any future additions to the fleet any plans for that? I
Mean I would I would love to add
Like a white spec RS 15, man, of course
Yeah, I hear you there, dude me too like my my thing is is the white ones as well
Like I'm right there with you like a white spec RS 15 like damn like I you know
I don't enter giveaways, but I would enter a giveaway for a white spec RS 15
Just it just to get myself riled up. You know what I mean for sure
Sure
It's crazy, I forgot to charge my phone
Yeah, it's crazy the the prices on s-15s lately. It seems like they're just like
Slowly gradually getting
Higher and higher and higher like dude, it's getting insane. Yeah, which is kind of sad
Yeah, for sure, but we can dream right
Exactly, yeah, exactly
A dream would be a 34 as well, but I mean prices of those are gotten so yeah plus tariffs, man, like
Tariffs are ridiculous
Like I have a white 34
It's about to come over like as we speak and they sent me the tariff bill and I was like yeah
He caught me it was crazy when I when I read the bill he caught me because I fainted, you know
It was so high dude like so high like 25 grand with shipping and everything. I'm like
Okay, well, I better start selling some of these parts in the corner because that's like a lot more than I had bargained for
You know, so yeah, you're smart on waiting, you know, you never know what will happen, but
Yeah, don't pay the tariffs if you don't have to that's for sure. Yeah
Ben where can the people find you on the internet?
So Instagram
Benzilla underscore 33. Oh, yeah, Benzilla kind of where I post try to post some, you know, as much as I can
Fluent on posting but yeah, it's hard right especially unless you're constantly like
Doing stuff to the car or with the car like it is tough, right? I'm guilty of that as well
I'm like, well, damn. I can't post another picture of it sitting here. Like, you know, you know, but I feel you for sure Benzilla
Dude in where we appreciate you coming on but we're looking forward to seeing you at the summer me at import alliance
We hope you make that that's our for sure our favorite event to go to
Aaron's originally from Nashville. So it's like a homecoming type thing. So we'll look forward to seeing you there for sure and
Dude, yeah, we'll have to get the white 33s together get a few flicks on the track
Awesome, dude, hopefully you enjoy your night, dude and looking forward to see you soon
Excellent. Appreciate it. All right, buddy. See ya
Peace
All right, Ben. Is he our first Bama boy? I think so. Yeah, I think so that's cool
We can fill it in on our map and highlighter like we did in Alabama guy. Heck. Yeah. Yeah, so I
liked how there was kind of a crossover with the whole like
Off-road lighting in his vehicle and it actually worked right right right?
He did it nice and like it was subtle and it it worked most of the time. It doesn't yeah, it looks awesome. It's not
I mean, it's not something you see dude shout out to him for driving 10,000 miles on the way home 10th
No, 10 hours
Yeah, I'm trying to give him a lot of credit because 10 hours feels like 10,000 miles
Yeah, which dude that's also sick because like I don't know if you buy a car kind of side unseen
and
You drive it that amount of distance home like it kind of like rips the band-aid off, right?
Yeah, like anything that could happen would happen on that 10 hour drive, right?
Dude, I bust in the door dude and I'm like told you
Because my old lady's waiting for me to come home with a tow truck and I will pull in with that thing dude
And it takes his last gasp in the driveway. I don't care, dude
It made it home and I can say I told you
right
Yeah, for sure super cool
But yeah, man shout out to ben for coming on and it's always cool and you know
You kind of cross paths somewhere, but you won't even cross paths, but then yeah, it all links up. So
Um, this is episode 162. You can find us at rhd GUIS on all the platforms
I'm bobby. This is Aaron. See ya. Peace
About this episode
Ben Norris joins the Right Hand Drive Guys to discuss his standout Nissan Skyline R33, which features a unique neon yellow engine bay and custom lighting. The conversation dives into his journey from owning a Prelude to Skylines, detailing his build process, including a single turbo conversion that produces 603 hp to the wheels. Ben shares insights from the GTR Festival, his experiences with car culture, and future plans for his vehicle. The episode highlights the blend of performance and aesthetics in car builds and the camaraderie within the car community.
In this episode of the Right Hand Drive Guys Podcast, we sit down with Ben Norris, an Alabama native and proud owner of an R33 GT-R we met at GT-R Festival 2025. Ben’s passion for RHD culture runs deep, and his story is a perfect blend of hustle, heart, and horsepower.
We talk about his journey into JDM cars, how he managed to get his hands on a Skyline, and what the right-hand-drive lifestyle means to him. From the early days of grinding to finally owning his dream car, Ben brings a refreshing, down-to-earth perspective on the community and the culture behind it.
🎙️ A Southern come-up, an R33 dream, and the passion that keeps the RHD world turning.
