Paul Walker in an R32 GT-R before Fast and Furious
Paul Walker was a car enthusiast, that happened to be an actor. His job as an actor gave him a chance to explore his enthusiasm for cars more than most people. I first met Paul during one of the casting calls for cars. My good friend Victor(Import Beat), said that Universal was having a casting call for import cars, and Craig Lieberman had asked him if he knew anyone. We (MotoRex) had a couple of R32 GT-R, and an R33 GT-R that we took to the event. A lot of people would not know what the GT-R was, if it wasn't for MotoRex. OK all you ex-military, and Gran Turismo nerds, I didn't say everyone. The top picture, and picture below, I honestly don't remember. I remember taking someone for a ride in the silver GT-R, but I really didn't remember that it was Paul. The producers and directors liked the R33 GT-R, not the R32 GT-R, but we didn't have enough R33 GT-R available to do much more than it did. Just the single car, that we would eventually call Big Bird. This isn't about all those cars, rather the cars that Paul owned/drove mostly outside of the movie. Some of this information may be slightly incorrect due to memory and 20 years, but I will do my best. I didn't really know Paul that well, we met a number of times, we knew each other, but we were nothing approaching friends.
I think it was after the movie was shot, but before it was released, Paul and Craig came to the shop to talk about buying two R34 GT-R's. Honestly I thought they were just stroking us. Lots of people talk, but actually buying cars, not as many. I remember talking to Paul about the cars, and he was pretty sure he wanted an R34. MotoRex had a silver R34, that was undergoing the legalization process, and when it got finished, it was sold to Paul. He drove the car for a short while, even taking it to a NIRA event. Best I can figure, it was a NIRA event in October 2001. I actually drove the car with Paul at the event. He was having a hard time getting it off the line, so I got it gave it some revs, and did a decent pass in it at the drag strip at Palmdale- LACR. His next passes were much better. Sometime later, he had a friend tell him that it looked like the car had been painted. Nissan's paint isn't that great, and I also don't trust Hiro that much, so in the end, Paul ended up giving this car back to MotoRex. There was a video where Paul mentions this car, but I can't find it again. People even probably have some pictures of it at NIRA back in 2001. Would be interesting to dig up.
Paul Walker taking his grandfather for a ride in his R34 Nissan Skyline GT-R
Craig Lieberman and Paul Walker in his silver R34 GT-R at a NIRA event.
Pauls first silver car, a TV2 car, and Blackbird with the Meister Wheels on it. This is behind the shop on Western
MotoRex then sold the car to a customer they had in Hawaii. The car was seized as part of an investigation, and sold at a federal auction, to a customer on the mainland. We recently purchased this car, and it will be up for sale soon.
After the car went to Hawaii, it got a number of upgrades including a full C West Body kit and wing. A Blackbird clone.
After Paul gave back the silver car, MotoRex was going to get him another car. I am not exactly sure of the whole deal between him and Hiro, but at a point he borrowed the Blackbird. He actually did a video with Blackbird, but it wasn't his car. This was the car that Craig Lieberman eventually bought, around the time he was selling his Supra.
Blackbird R34 GT-R
Brand new Vspec II
Brand new Vspec II
So if then things aren't strange enough, we had a customer that purchased a brand new white R34 Vspec II, and it was imported and undergoing compliance. Nissan had released information on the Vspec II Nur, and this customer decided that they wanted to have the Nur, more than the Vspec II. Some sort of deal was struck, and the Vspec II ended up being Pauls final actual owned R34.
Vspec II and Vspec II Nur at MotoRex
Vspec II Nur : This was not Pauls.
Pauls R34 GT-R Vspec II This is on set of Fast and Furious 4
After Paul passed, the R34 was not in a running condition. I went to help out, get it running and driving. My friend John Wiser took this picture of me and the car.
Besides the actual Nissan Skyline GT-R's that Paul owned, his character in the Fast and Furious movies, was also involved with several cars. From the silver R34 GT-R in the 2nd movie, to the Blue R34 in the 4th.
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