🛠️ Behind the Build: The Unicorn31 Gets a Serious Upgrade

The 2026 Drift the Dream Tour is creeping up fast — and while the Unicorn31 has already seen a heap of upgrades over the past year, it’s time to focus on the stuff that really matters: reliability, consistency, and longevity.

No crazy new power goals this time.
This round is all about making sure the car can handle every event I throw at it without skipping a beat.

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🔧 What’s on the To-Do List

To get the Skyline ready for a full year of seat time and travel, the next few months are all about the fundamentals:

• Pulling the motor and gearbox for a full health check — making sure everything’s still tight and solid after the last few seasons.
• Gearbox rebuild (outsourced to the pros) — I’ll let someone with the right tools and setup get it dialled in properly.
• Installing a full Haltech ECU setup — wired, mounted, and tuned in-house to bring the car into modern reliability territory.
• Upgrading the fuel system to be fully E85-compatible, including lines, filters, and fittings for higher flow and cleaner delivery.
• Replacing worn hoses, wiring, and connectors — anything that looks tired gets swapped. Cheap insurance for a big season ahead.
• Dual caliper rear brakes + standalone hydro handbrake — freshly installed and working perfectly.
• Upgrading the brake master cylinder and booster to R32 GT-ST units for firmer pedal feel and more consistent braking under heat.
• Engine bay cleanup and refresh — while everything’s out, the plan is to strip, paint, and tidy the bay for a clean look and easier maintenance.

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🔩 Doing It Right

Most of this work is being done in my own shed — just me, the tools, and a playlist on repeat.
The goal is to keep it as DIY as possible, learning as I go and showing every step through video and photos.

It’s easy to get caught chasing shiny mods, but real reliability comes from the small stuff — proper crimps, clean wiring, fresh seals, and keeping everything torqued down right.

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🎯 The End Goal

By the time the Unicorn31 fires back up, I’ll have a car that’s ready to travel, ready to drive hard, and ready to last.
With fewer breakdowns and more drive time, I can spend 2026 focusing on the fun stuff — sending it at events, meeting new people, and capturing it all for the channel.

In and upcoming post, I will dive into the Haltech install and fuel system upgrade, so keep an eye out for that one — and if you want to follow the full rebuild process, I’ll be uploading behind-the-scenes clips as we go.