Enhancement Detail - Nissan Skyline R34 GT-R V Spec Nismo S1

No matter whether we're in the factory, handling customer service, working in the packing department, or part of senior management, everyone at Auto Finesse shares a passion for detailing cars. It's this shared enthusiasm that drives the effectiveness of our products – they’re made by detailers, for detailers.

While our Academy sees detailing happening every day, it’s not often we get to bring the entire team together for one big project. That’s exactly what our new Sessions Series is all about, kicking off right here, right now.

Through our Sessions videos, you’ll get an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the Auto Finesse Detailing Academy and witness the fun and excitement when the whole crew comes together for something truly special.

The Japanese Icon

It's safe to say we know a thing or two about detailing special cars here, but this particular Skyline stands out even among the rest. In fact, we can’t think of a better way to kick off this new series than with the legendary R34 GT-R Nismo S1.

What makes this car so rare is that it was built by Nismo at their Omori factory. They took a limited number of stock R34 GT-R V Specs and upgraded them with a range of exclusive Nismo parts. What we’re looking at is a car modified directly by Nissan’s tuning arm, right from the factory. The forged RB26DETT engine alone was tuned to around 400bhp (though official figures were never released), with upgraded internals, turbos, and more. One of the most striking, and desirable, features are the fully-forged Nismo LMGT4 wheels – a truly epic finishing touch.

With a price tag of over £140k, it was clear this freshly imported example deserved a detail to match its iconic status. But for our team, that was never going to be an issue…

Key Stages

A full decontamination process was a must, using Iron Out and ObliTARate, along with Glide and our Clay Pads, to eliminate any built-up contaminants that may have been picked up during transit or before import. But first, a thorough pre-wash with Citrus Power and Avalanche Snow Foam, followed by a supreme contact wash with Lather Car Shampoo, was necessary to remove the bulk of the grime and ensure the car was fully prepared for the crucial decon wash stages.

Decontamination is a crucial step before any effective paint correction can be done. Even if your car looks clean, hidden contaminants and stubborn residues often remain after a contact wash, especially if the car hasn’t been protected with a good LSP. While this Skyline appeared relatively clean on the surface, it was surprising just how much metal contamination was revealed and dissolved using Iron Out Contaminant Remover. Next, we used ObliTARate Tar and Glue Remover to tackle any tar residues, followed by a thorough clay treatment to leave the paint silky smooth and free from contaminants. After these simple steps, you can truly feel the difference.

For more details on safe washing and decontaminating your paintwork, check out our guide: "How to Safely Decontaminate Your Paintwork".

After another contact wash to neutralize any remaining decontamination product residues, we rinsed and dried the car before bringing it inside for masking. Masking the rubbers and trim is an essential step to add protection, ensuring no damage occurs during the machine polishing process.

With all rubbers and trim properly masked, the first task is always to assess the paintwork. This step is crucial, especially when the vehicle's history is unknown, and needs to be performed on every panel to check for variations in paint condition, thickness, and defect levels.

As expected, the R34 had been well cared for, and aside from a few minor swirl marks and some light marring under close inspection, the original Nissan paint was in great condition. However, that doesn’t mean it couldn’t benefit from an all-over enhancement using Tripple All In One Polish.

The beauty of Tripple is its versatility—it can be applied by hand or machine, making it perfect for both larger panels and more challenging areas like recesses, door jambs, and under the bonnet. It's also highly effective on painted wheels, and these Nismo rims certainly deserved some attention.

Using medium Revitalise Pads and DPX Dual Action Polishers, we got to work, reserving the hand polishing for the final touches.

To finish and protect the paint, we chose our Illusion Show Wax for that deep, dripping wet look. There were two main reasons for this: first, since the car was going up for sale, the new owner may prefer not to have a ceramic coating—after all, this collector's item is unlikely to be used as a daily driver.

The second reason is simple—when this product levels out, the optical finish is nothing short of stunning! Just take a look at the final result...

And The Rest!

The detail doesn’t end with the paintwork. We also gave the interior a thorough clean and finish using Total Interior Cleaner and Spritz Interior Quick Detailer. The glass was treated to a streak-free shine with Crystal Glass Cleaner, while the engine bay was cleaned and refined with Finale Quick Detailer and Tripple. You can catch all these extra touches in the full video here.