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The Dachshund-Like S54
After its crushing defeat at the 1st Japan Grand Prix, Prince began a plan to fit the Gloria's G7 six-cylinder engine into the Skyline 1500 in order to win the 2nd Grand Prix the following year. Katsutoshi Shimada's job was the suspension. To squeeze in the long six-cylinder, the body was cut just in front of the engine-room firewall and extended by 20 cm, and the wheelbase was also lengthened by 20 cm. The S54, which people said looked "just like a dachshund," was completely out of balance when driven, and the body twisted every time the steering wheel was turned. Reinforcements were put in like sticking-plasters to secure rigidity, and torque rods were added to tame the unruly rear axle, until it finally turned properly. The plan's request-for-approval documents were reportedly marked "Race" in red pencil, and with that mark, money was released with top priority. The completed S54 was named the "Skyline GT."
