This individual smoothly integrated a Nissan GT-R front end onto a Stagea wagon, and it looks effective.

      Tofu Auto Works via YouTube

      The R35 era of the Nissan GT-R has concluded, but the Godzilla lineage continues. There’s still a lot of enjoyment to be had with the Skyline and other models, as well as new tales to tell. One such story involves a meticulous yet perfect GT-R front fascia swap onto a Nissan Stagea.

      The Stagea was a station wagon exclusive to the JDM market that Nissan manufactured from 1996 until 2007. Throughout its two generations, the earlier models featured engines from the Nissan RB inline-six family, the same engines used in ’90s Skylines. The second-generation Stagea came with the VQ-series V6, which we’re more familiar with from the 350Z and Infiniti G35. Fitting GT-R and Nismo parts here wouldn’t be unusual.

      This leads us back to the detailed GT-R front-end conversion of a Stagea, along with various other modifications. Chris, from the New Zealand-based custom shop Tofu Auto Works, dedicated two years to this Nissan GT-R wagon project, and the entire process is captured in a 38-episode YouTube series.

      The project car is a 2007 Stagea Autech Axis model. Under the hood is a 3.5-liter V6 engine producing 276 horsepower from the factory, as many of these cars did. This four-wheel-drive wagon comes with a five-speed automatic transmission. Although it’s a wagon favored by enthusiasts, JDMBUYSELL notes that automatics are more prevalent than manuals due to its weight and suitability as a daily driver. Chris concurs, stating in the first build video that the Stagea “is by far the most practical vehicle I’ve ever owned.”

      There are no shortcuts taken in these videos. You won’t find any exaggerated speeches or random tangents here. The Tofu Auto Works videos focus exclusively on the build process, delivering peak vehicle-tinkering ASMR with subtitled explanations. If you seek voiceovers, this isn’t the place. However, if you want a historical record and complete behind-the-scenes access to a sleeper performance wagon build, feel free to stay awhile.

      For those of you who are eager, you can view the finished build reveal at the 59:16 mark of episode 38. What are your thoughts? Interested in creating your own? Tofu Auto Works is selling an 11-piece conversion kit with worldwide shipping available. The starting price is $6,500 NZD, approximately $3,736 USD at the current exchange rate.

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