1964 Prince Skyline GT S54A-1 Homologation Programme

Before GT-R became the famous badge, Prince stretched a Skyline to fit a six-cylinder engine and entered the 1964 Japan Grand Prix. The S54A-1 belongs at the beginning of that competition story. This profile follows the 1964 homologation and race-development programme, distinguishing the actual race specification from the later S54B-2 catalogue car. Nissan's restored demonstration vehicle is useful evidence of the design, but its No.39 presentation is not treated here as an unbroken chassis history.

A longer Skyline built for a particular race

Nissan identifies the S54A-1 as Prince's response to the second Japan Grand Prix GT-II race on 3 May 1964. Its wheelbase was extended by 200 mm to accept the Gloria-derived G7 six. The car appeared on 1 May to obtain entry qualification. That short interval is central to its identity: this was a targeted competition development, not a styling edition devised after the Skyline already had a racing reputation.

Nissan Heritage: 1964 Prince Skyline GT

Road qualification and race equipment

The cars prepared for racing used sports options including triple Weber carburettors, a close-ratio five-speed transmission and a limited-slip differential. Nissan's collection table describes that competition configuration, including a 1,988 cc six and 150 PS. Those figures should not be assigned indiscriminately to every road-going Skyline GT. Homologation describes the relationship that allowed a car to compete; it does not make showroom specification and race preparation identical.

The result that mattered

The Porsche 904 won the event, while Skyline GTs occupied second through sixth. That result matters without being rewritten as an outright Prince victory. It established that the modified saloon could compete credibly against a dedicated sports car. The tension between ordinary body shape and purposeful engineering became part of Skyline's lasting appeal. The historical achievement is stronger when the actual finishing order is preserved rather than simplified into a promotional legend.

Nissan Heritage: 1964 Prince Skyline GT

A restored interpretation of No.39

Nissan's entry says the car was restored by its Restoration Club for Suzuka's fiftieth anniversary in 2012, using the specification of Yoshikazu Sunako's second-place No.39. That wording supports a restored specification reference. It does not independently establish that every visible component is the same one used in May 1964. The profile therefore covers the programme, while any individual chassis claim would require the restoration and competition records to be linked explicitly.

Nissan: The beginning of the Skyline legend

Separating S54A-1 from the later GT-B

Customer demand after the race led to the S54B-2 catalogue model in February 1965, with a quoted 125 PS. It is related to the 1964 effort but is not another name for the same dated specification. Searching by complete model code is more reliable than relying on GT or GT-B alone. A collection record should identify road or race configuration, date and restoration state before attaching engine output or race results to an individual example.

Specifications and identity reference

Rarity and production scope

Verified 1964 homologation/competition identity. The inventory's 100-car figure is not promoted to an audited completed total by the selected primary entry. The restored No.39-specification collection car illustrates the programme; it is not counted as an additional production edition.

This is an Archive record. Concepts, restored heritage vehicles, works cars and competition programmes are not added to customer road-production totals. A programme profile does not establish how many physical chassis were made, and repeated exhibition appearances do not create additional vehicles.

What the photograph represents

Restored 1964 Prince Skyline GT race-specification display car at Suzuka in 2022. It illustrates the S54 programme and does not establish an unbroken No.39 chassis history.

Related Nissan heritage profiles

• 1966 Prince R380A-I Japan Grand Prix Winner
• 1969 Nissan Skyline 2000GT-R Sedan

Frequently asked questions

Is the 1964 S54A-1 the later GT-B?

The programme preceded the S54B-2 catalogue model introduced in February 1965. Their dates and specifications should remain separate.

Did the Skyline win outright at Suzuka?

No. Nissan records second through sixth behind the winning Porsche 904.

What is the production-count boundary for this profile?

Verified 1964 homologation/competition identity. The inventory's 100-car figure is not promoted to an audited completed total by the selected primary entry. The restored No.39-specification collection car illustrates the programme; it is not counted as an additional production edition.

Sources and further reading

1. Nissan Heritage: 1964 Prince Skyline GT
2. Nissan: The beginning of the Skyline legend

Research checked 16 October 2026. Manufacturer records support identity and the specifically attributed historical figures. Photographic descriptions identify the illustrated subject. Design analysis and suggested authentication steps are editorial interpretation.