Makes › Prince › Skyline › Skyline Sport (BLRA-3) · Rare production · 1962–1963 Extremely Rare
Prince
Skyline Sport (BLRA-3)
Michelotti-designed coupé and convertible on Skyline/Gloria mechanicals with bodies hand-made by Italian craftsmen; Nissan states about 60 were built.
Still being researched: full specifications. Everything shown is checked against the cited sources. Know more? Send us a source.
Photo: TTTNIS · CC0 1.0
Contents
01Overview
At a glance
- Built
- 60 Built
- Years
- 1962–1963
- Engine
- inline 4-cylinder OHV, front-mounted, rear-wheel drive · 1,900 cc / 1.9 LFactory: 1.9 L
- Power
- 69.1 kW / 94 PSFactory: 94 PS
- Top speed
- 150 km/hFactory: 93 mph · converted
- Body
- Not yet verified
- Designer
- Giovanni Michelotti
- In this archive
- Not yet verified
- Surviving
- Not yet verified
Sources and any conflicting figures are in the sections below.
Why it matters
The Skyline Sport was the first Japanese car styled by an Italian designer and an early sign of Japanese makers looking to Europe for design. Its bodies were handcrafted by artisans brought over from Italy, and only about 60 were made.
How rare is it?
Six separate kinds of rarity – never combined into one number.
Each kind of rarity is rated separately and never combined.
Photos
Exterior, interior and detail photos with their licences.
02Production & history
Production
Every figure says what it counts.
| What is counted | Figure | Basis | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total model productionSkyline Sport coupés and convertibles built (Nissan: "about 60 units") | 601 | Factory production | Independently researched |
Independent counts (e.g. engine and colour) are never combined into a calculated figure. Surviving examples are never presented as original production.
History
Giovanni Michelotti designed the car for Prince, and it was shown at the Turin Motor Show in 1960 before going on sale in Japan in April 1962. It used the mechanical components of the Prince Gloria, including its 1.9-litre four-cylinder engine.
At about 1,850,000 yen for the coupé and 1,950,000 yen for the convertible it was extremely expensive, and production ended after about 60 cars.
Variants
How each version differs from the standard Skyline Sport (BLRA-3).
No variants documented yet. Have a source? Contribute it.
03Specifications
Technical specifications
Engine
| Engine family | Not yet verified |
|---|---|
| Engine code | GB-30 / GB42,3 DisputedSources differ on the engine name and rating: earlydatsun gives GB-30, OHV, 83 hp; JB Skyline gives GB4, OHC, 94 hp. |
| Layout | inline 4-cylinder OHV, front-mounted, rear-wheel drive4 |
| Cylinders | 42,3 Independently researched |
| Displacement | 1,900 cc / 1.9 LFactory: 1.9 L4Nissan text gives the Gloria 1900 engine (1,900 cc, 94 PS); its spec table shows 1,189 cc/55 PS, which conflicts and appears to be a template error. |
| Bore | Not yet verified |
| Stroke | Not yet verified |
| Compression ratio | Not yet verified |
| Fuel system | Not yet verified |
| Power | 69.1 kW / 94 PSFactory: 94 PS5 |
| Power at | Not yet verified |
| Torque | Not yet verified |
Transmission & drivetrain
| Gearbox | Not yet verified |
|---|---|
| Gears | Not yet verified |
| Driven wheels | Not yet verified |
Chassis, body & dimensions
| Chassis | Not yet verified |
|---|---|
| Front suspension | Not yet verified |
| Rear suspension | Not yet verified |
| Brakes | Not yet verified |
| Steering | Not yet verified |
| Body construction | Not yet verified |
| Wheelbase | 2,280 mmFactory: 2,280 mm5 |
| Length | 3,915 mmFactory: 3,915 mm5Dimensions from the Nissan Heritage spec table, which also contains a conflicting engine entry. |
| Width | Not yet verified |
| Height | Not yet verified |
| Front track | Not yet verified |
| Rear track | Not yet verified |
| Kerb weight | 1,350 kgFactory: 2,980 lb · converted4 Independently researched |
| Dry weight | Not yet verified |
Performance
| Maximum speed | 150 km/hFactory: 93 mph · converted4 Independently researched |
|---|---|
| 0–100 km/h | Not yet verified |
| Fuel tank | Not yet verified |
“Not yet verified” means no source has been checked for that value yet. Nothing is estimated to fill a gap.
04Colours & options
Factory colours & interiors
Original paint and trim, with the number of cars in each where a source gives it.
Not yet documented. Have a source? Contribute it.
Factory options & codes
Codes are shown exactly as written by the manufacturer.
Not yet documented. Have a source? Contribute it.
05Individual cars
Chassis register
Every documented car, with its colours, history and where it is now. Open a row for the full record. Known chassis are not automatically authenticated originals.
Not yet documented. Have a source? Contribute it.
Competition history
Every race result of the individual cars, in date order. Click a chassis number to open its full record in the register.
Not yet documented. Have a source? Contribute it.
Auction & sale history
Documented public sales of the individual cars. Click a chassis number to open its full record in the register.
Not yet documented. Have a source? Contribute it.
See one in person
Museums where an example of this car can be seen.
No example is documented on public display yet. Have a source? Contribute it.
06Reference
Identification guide
How to tell an original from a replica or later conversion.
Chassis type BLRA-3; offered as a coupé and as a convertible. The body is hand-formed and differs from any other Skyline of the period, with slanted four-headlamp front.
Sources
Each number links to the exact facts it supports.
-
1
Prince Skyline Sport (1963: BLRA-3) – Nissan Heritage Collection No. 302 Level A
- 60 Skyline Sport coupés and convertibles built (Nissan: "about 60 units")
-
2
Prince model guide (Skyline Sport BLRA-3) Level D earlydatsun.com (web archive copy)
- 1862cc 83hp OHV GB-30 engine
- powered by the 1862cc 83hp OHV GB-30 engine
-
3
Skyline history, 1st generation (BLRA-3 series by Michelotti) Level D JB Skyline history pages (web archive copy)
- powered by the GB4 engine
- 1862ccm OHC 4 cylinder
-
4
The Prince Skyline Sport is an unsung legend of Japan's motoring history Level C Japanese Nostalgic Car
- 1.9-liter inline-four
- 2,980-pound curb weight
- capable of 93 mph
-
5
Prince Skyline Sport (1963: BLRA-3) – Nissan Heritage Collection No. 302 Level A Nissan Motor Co.
- 1,900 cc and 94 PS
- Wheelbase: 2,280 mm
- 3,915 / 1,496 / 1,470 mm
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