Logan Weber’s Story: Building My Dream 1998 Nissan Skyline R34

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Logan Weber’s 1998 Nissan Skyline R34

Instagram: @RDIRTY4

Photographer: Jeremy Rogers

Instagram: @Twin.lakes.design

Facebook @Twin.lakes.design

Performance Stats: 450 Whp, 400 TQ

Listen To Logan Weber’s Journey to the Skyline R34: An Inspiring Audio Book

From an early age, It was me and my mother, a single mom and only child. We didn't have much but it was enough. Mom made do with the things and time we had on our hands and the multiple jobs she tried holding to make ends meet. So, from house to house, apartment to apartment, we made it work. I, as a kid, didn't have much to speak for growing up in the form of toys, but one thing that I could look forward to was getting a single Hot Wheels car from the store anytime we went. 

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Humble Beginnings and My Love for Cars

Mom always seemed to make room to get me a $1 hot wheel from the store. I got to a point where the only toys I had Were toy cars, from little micro machines to match boxes to even muscle machines and cheap dollar store no-brand cars; it didn't matter. It was a car. I remember to this day, under my bed, I had a tub filled with Hot Wheels l collected over the years.  Those were my childhood nights. As I started getting older, my wants grew bigger. Mom saved up the money and bought me a NES I instantly fell in love with video games as much of my generation did. 

Now did we have a lot of vehicle-based games during that time? No, but it solidified video games into my life. About this time, Fast and Furious came out and was the most exhilarating movie I had watched still being so young.  And at this time Playstation 2 came out. And video games took a huge increase in popularity and the way games were made. So many car video games were being made that it was my NEED to have a PS2 and experience these games. But mom couldn't afford it.  That Christmas, she ended up getting me a Playstation One portable! She couldn't afford the new PS2 but got me a used PS1 with a screen built right into it.  The most technological advancement I could ever believe would be possible. I still have it today, and still am amazed at this work of art and how it brings so much serotonin to me every time I look at it. 

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Falling in Love with the R34

The 2 Fast, 2 Furious came out shortly after, and Brian emerged from the garage with that blue and silver R34 with blue under glow, and I fell in love with this beautiful car. Those sharp lines and the aggressive look of the car were just ingrained into my head. I couldn't help but watch this movie over and over again, reenacting the scene where hundreds of cars race out of the garage, scrambling from the police with my hot wheels. A few years later, Mom got me the PS2. finally, a long time coming, but dammit, did all of those games just ignite more fuel to my fire. Need for Speed Underground, Need for Speed Most Wanted, Midnight Club, Crazy Taxi, Twisted Metal, ATV Offroad, Burnout, Cars, Stuntman, Driver, and countless games that I can't even remember all of them, but was I hooked! I felt my blood pumping so hard every time I would start the PS2 up. So you could say I've had a 'car-tastic' childhood.  

My First Car: From a Honda Civic to the Q50

Fast forward to me driving. Mom gave me her 2001 Honda Civic.  And, like a lot of us, I made some stupid teenage decision to put a muffler on that thing. Tint, seat covers the interior lights and the whole aisle 7 from Autozone. But luckily, I grew out of that fast and saved enough money for my very first actual sports car. A 2004 Nissan 350z. It wasn't the prettiest girl but it was mine. Hard earned saved up for almost 2 years from Radio Shack to fixing phones. I saved my own money, and so the rabbit hole began. I'm dumping my money into this car, making it mine. Understanding nothing and soaking it all up. It was frightening and rewarding every time I did any little thing with her. This car was becoming a part of me and I understood everything that these car owners felt. 

The passion, the deep instant connection, and the unwavering dedication to our cars were unmatched. You can only understand this feeling if you live it.  For over 7 years, I had this car and finally saved enough money to start building my 350z, and it was time to turbo it.....or was it? Instead, I ended up taking advice and getting an Infiniti Q50. I was only a Nissan fan, as it's what I knew.  I wasn't keen on the fact of getting an Infiniti but was told it's still made by Nissan and is a baby GTR twin turbo v6 engine with so much capability of tuning, and in Japan, it's called a Nissan Skyline. "SOLD," I said. And so the building journey began. 

From a stock sedan family car to an aggressively fully built sport car pushing 650 whp. A beast it was. I made this car faster than GTRs, Hellcats, Z06s, etc. I was happy and earned my built, not bought, badge. I have always felt the need to build my car to exact way I wanted it. That's where the connection is built. But still, I wanted more. I always told myself that I would get myself a Nissan Skyline R34 GTR in 2024 for my birthday the moment they were legal, but after realizing the price, it was far out of my budget. I lost hope as the years got closer and closer. Now it's 2023, and I'm playing around looking at auctions, and I see realizing GTRs aren't the only R34s. 

Achieving the Dream: Owning an R34

There are Sedans, coupes, wagons, turbo, non-turbo, all-wheel drive, and rear-wheel drive.  Wait, you're telling me, Nissan, thought about ordinary people like myself? Is this doable? I spent the next year searching and searching for something that I could manage and call mine.  I started to lose hope thinking that nothing would come my way. Damn, those Japanese guys used these cars. I didn't think my car was there anymore maybe I couldn't get my girl. 1 month before my birthday, I was just scrolling through Japanese sites and found a Liberty Walk-owned R34, and for giggles, I clicked on their website, just wanting to admire the work and the car. And lo and behold it's for sale.  Intrigued, I started frantically searching for the price "Could it be"? I call my exporter instantly and I jump on it. Telling him to get ahold of an Inspector now and drive to Aichi, Japan, to go straight to Liberty Walk themselves. After weeks and weeks of back-and-forth inspections, logistics failed translations...I get an Invoice. It's.....done? I own an R34, THE LIBERTY WALK R34, MY-R-DIRTY-4 MINE. 

Now the journey has restarted once again. With my very own R34 Restarting the journey with my dream car something I could only dream of. Something I didn't think would be possible. Yes, it's not a GTR yes it's not the fastest thing in the world. But does it have to be? Can't it just be what it is the dream that ingrained the image I've had since a kid? That kid would come to me now begging to take a picture begging to sit in this car begging to take a ride. He would be proud I hope I'm making my younger self happy. But I do have to say it that one person who put all of this into fruition, The Buster.  

A Tribute To Paul Walker

It's only fitting that this man helped establish this undying flame inside of me. He honestly is my idol someone I always looked up to wanted to be. How could one live such a badass lifestyle?  The Buster, Brain O'Conner, Paul Walker. This is for him God Rest His Soul. You know I cried that day I mean who didn't? All things must come to an end but live it without regret until then. Chase every dream you have until it's accomplished otherwise what are you fighting for? What are you living for? 

There's an end goal to achieve it keep striving for it there's so much possibility in life and there's no reason not to drive towards it. And that's just it he showed me what it is to live fiction and non he lived his life a quarter mile at a time. Living in the moment, the now. Understanding life is too short to not enjoy the beautiful things we have. Every second every hour every day is a golden opportunity to LIVE. So I do what I think Paul did. "Doing the best I can with every 24 hours I get" - Tyrese Gibson

Why the 1998 Nissan Skyline R34

Why this car? Well, it's easy it's the first girl I fell in love with. Everything led to this point. Every car I've built and dedicated my time, money, sweat and bloody knuckles to have led to this very moment.  Everything I've learned on the way and all the tastes I've acquired led me straight to here. I may be cliche in many ways and I may be corny to some but it's my style and it ought to be that way. I have to dedicate a little part of myself to the people who paved the way and to the heritage of the community.  We might call it rice but I call it culture. You may call it hotboy or tacky but I call it inspiration. From The Carbon Fiber Hood to the Under glow, it's a relationship with the 90s that brings me closer to home. Liberty Walk themselves added this widebody kit. URAS's wide body kit throughout the entire car gives her that aggressive stance that is so desired. 

The custom exhaust they made to the little LBWK accents around the car just give it that Japanese Vibe. It's a blast from the past and it's frozen in time,  I have to add things that only make sense. I want the car to speak for itself so I hide behind a wall of black tint so dark you can't see me. Yes I'm the owner it's my car but for others, it's their dream car too. So let me take myself out of the picture. And allow them to envision themselves in that driver's seat. I did it for so long that it's their turn.  

The custom-made turbo kit is just the boy in me that giggles every time I hear that turbo flutter. Making 450 whp is just a humble number but damn is it fun. That linear power band and exhilarating pull with that turbo whistle just scream down-the-street nostalgia. The being pushed back into the seat, the spooling and straight turbo dump, the way it seamlessly manoeuvres in and around traffic on the highway like it's what the car was born to do. It's the exact scene from Fast and Furious where Brian was cutting through traffic on the highway.    

The original 90s TE37V Mark-ii The very first TE37s just fit this work of art perfectly. Lastly, the bucket seats just to give it that perfect aggressiveness to jump into an aggressive spirited ride and feel one with the car down to notch short shifter every single shift just fills my spine with tingles. This car is just......spectacular. 

What do you think makes your car Unique

Unique is hard because it's the most iconic car in the world so there's that. But this one is different. It's of course from Japan but it's from liberty walk. Now I know they didn't custom make a widebody kit but to say Liberty Walk themselves owned this car and put time into this car tells me that it wasn't just a car it was a project of numerous individuals who set to a goal to finish. A vision was made in that building. 

Who knows who worked on it and inspired the build and that is the great mystery with this car. But she was cared for she was meticulously maintained she was loved. And I stumbled upon her. Not only that but this car shows what can be done from a basic everyday car to a one-of-a-kind monster.  It shows the possibilities the ability to create something from something so lost and forgotten. It's not a highly sought-after car. But I had my eye on her. And in my opinion, it's a 1 in a Million. 

Building MYRDIRTY4

The journey of modifying my R34 is personal to me. Here’s the build list that makes it uniquely mine:

• RB25DET FULL CUSTOM TURBO KIT 

• PULSAR 3076 TURBO

• AEM FUEL PUMPS

• HALTECH ECU 

• BRAUM BUCKET SEATS 

• ORIGINAL 90S TE37V MARK-II WHEELZ

• BLITZ COIL OVERS 

• STOCK BIG PISTON BRAKES 

• Plazaman Intercooler 

• 6Boost exhaust manifold

• Pro tunerz Intake manifold. 

The car’s setup brings me back to the Fast & Furious scenes that first got me hooked on cars. With 450 hp, every drive in the R34 fills me with joy. I love the sound of the turbo flutter, the pull of the linear power band, and the way it seamlessly maneuvers through traffic. It’s like reliving my childhood dreams in real life.

Tribute to Paul Walker and the Car Community

The one person who sparked my passion is The Buster, Paul Walker. His character and lifestyle inspired me to pursue my dreams. When he passed, it felt like losing a friend. He lived life fully, and his story reminds me to do the same. This R34 isn’t just a car—it’s a tribute to everyone who helped me along the way, to the culture, and to Paul Walker’s legacy.

The Build and My Community

The R34 wouldn’t have been possible without the car community’s help. The Shop Houston assisted with turbo fabrication, and Hussain and the team at Racebox Tuning brought her to life. A huge thanks to Hajime, Kaina, and the entire Racebox team for treating my car with care and patience.

What’s Next for MYRDIRTY4?

Looking ahead, I’m considering a built engine for durability and maybe a little more power. A Nismo Z-Tune bumper and hood are on the wishlist, along with a possible color change. Black is sleek, but a fresh color might give it a new look.

Useful Links:

• Stance Works - A website dedicated to the JDM car scene and stance culture.

• Fast and Furious Wiki - Explore the history and lore of the Fast and Furious franchise.

• How to Build a Nissan Skyline - A resource for enthusiasts interested in modifying their own Skylines.

• Paul Walker Foundation - Support the foundation established in Paul Walker's memory.

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