Few names carry the same weight in the world of Japanese performance as Nissan’s GT-R. From the sacred R32 to the boundary-pushing R34, the GT-R bloodline has always lived at the intersection of engineering and mythology. For Pete Falcone, a longtime customer of Bulletproof Automotive, it was more than a dream; it was a mission. After years of watching from the sidelines, he picked up a brand-new 2012 GT-R Black Edition in Deep Blue Pearl from O’Neil Nissan with just 40 miles on the clock. The car marked the beginning of what would become a 13-year evolution into a rare, carbon-clad, 1,000+ WHP circuit weapon built with obsessive attention to detail.
What made the timing right wasn’t just the second-gen DBA chassis improvements but the release of Deep Blue Pearl (RAY), a color that stopped him in his tracks. The car had just 40 miles when it entered Pete’s garage, and like many R35 GT-R owners, he initially believed the stock 520 horsepower would be more than enough. That feeling didn’t last. As Pete put it, “I thought to myself, ‘This car has enough power; who needs more than 520?’ That was a mistake.”
Over the next 13 years, the car evolved but never strayed from its purpose. “I wanted elements of a racecar, carbon panels, big power, real aero, but still something you can enjoy on the street,” Pete explains. His build philosophy became a blend of street civility and track brutality, wrapped in an aesthetic he calls “quality in subtlety.” No loud wraps or oversized widebodies here. Instead, Pete sought a cleaner, OEM+ look using the best materials and parts available, regardless of cost or effort.
Early in the build, Pete discovered Nordring, a boutique Japanese company founded by former GT-R test driver Toshio Suzuki. Nordring (available here through Bulletproof Automotive) parts are produced by Challenge Japan, the same factory behind the OEM Nismo carbon and components for the Shinkansen bullet train. This level of quality meant perfect weave alignment, dry carbon construction, and proper fitment throughout. Pete didn’t just buy the hood or wing; he went all in. His GT-R now wears Nordring’s dry carbon hood, trunk, side skirts with door sills, diffuser, wing, valence, engine cover, and various engine bay shrouds. Combined with an OEM Nismo dry carbon roof, acquired through back-channel connections, plus N-Attack package dry carbon fenders and rare Overtake GT3 mirrors, the carbon content alone is valued at over $80,000.
“I didn’t want the car to be like every other R35 with cheap Chinese wet carbon,” Pete says. “I wanted the best of the best.” Even the GTR badges are dry carbon, CNC machined by Overtake. The bumpers and fenders feature a half-painted, half-exposed finish, a design risk executed flawlessly by Abushi in Queens, NY. Inside the cabin, the custom suede headliner was tailored to show off the exposed weave of the Nismo roof while hiding curtain airbags, and the Nordring carbon trim surrounds the center console, gate finisher, and paddle shifters.
The mechanical side of the build began after a short stint with Alpha 7 bolt-ons. The itch for more quickly spiraled into a full Alpha 10X kit from AMS Performance. Pete turned to Sean Ivey at Ivey Technologies, who built a track-capable, 1,081 WHP, 837 WTQ beast running on E85. The VR38DETT was fortified with Manley Extreme rods and pistons, a Ferrea valvetrain, Total Seal rings, and ARP hardware. Compression is a conservative 9.5:1, and cooling is handled by AMS and Ivey’s large-capacity oiling upgrades. The turbo setup uses twin Garrett-based 3076 turbos from the Alpha 10X kit, feeding an AMS Race intercooler and exhaling through one of the rarest pieces in the build, a 94mm titanium prototype exhaust from GReddy’s original R35 demo car, personally sold to Pete by Kenji Sumino after a memorable (and admittedly intoxicated) night in Tokyo during a DSPORT Auto Salon tour.
With fueling handled by dual Omega brushless pumps, AMS rails, and ID1700cc injectors, the car has proven to be as reliable as it is powerful. “I couldn’t have asked for a more reliable car than the one Ivey Technologies built me,” Pete says. “30,000 miles at 1,000 WHP, and the engine hasn’t been opened once. Just regular maintenance.”
Transferring that power efficiently meant addressing the GR6 transmission, often a pain point in high-output GT-Rs. Pete’s solution was a complete Ivey-built setup with Albins 1–6 gearsets, custom drop gears, and a Dodson 9-plate clutch and flywheel combo. Even with this reinforced setup, the brutal forces of repeated track use took their toll. “No build is bulletproof. Even built gearsets can only take so many heat cycles before succumbing to the stress,” he explains, referencing the time 4th and 5th gear both failed during HPDE sessions.
But this GT-R drivetrain’s capability has been proven time and again. Whether it’s high-speed pulls at Slipstream events or hammering out laps during open track days, the car keeps delivering. Pete managed a 2:04.03 lap at Watkins Glen on stock suspension, and the car has only improved since then. It now runs Aragosta Type-SA coilovers that retain OEM switch control, paired with a DSC Sport controller for dynamic adjustment between track and street settings. Whiteline sway bars and a full complement of Nismo arms round out the suspension, while DriveShaft Shop axles and Endless 007 pads on Overtake carbon ceramic rotors provide the stopping power needed for repeated laps.
Pete’s favorite achievement? Not trophies or records, but track time. “There’s my 179 mph pass at Slipstream at Pocono Raceway, but not much else,” he says. “The car doesn’t really do ‘hard parking,’ so I just enjoy it during HPDE days.” For him, the thrill isn’t in being seen; it’s in shaving tenths and pushing limits.
“Falcone’s build and story are illustrative of not just having a dream and then realizing it, but also fully living it,” DSport wrote in their feature. “With every high-horsepower build, there are bound to be ups and downs. Luckily, the reliability of this build has far exceeded my expectations.”
And while Pete acknowledges the turbo setup may be overkill for most tracks, especially without a stroker or extreme aero, he doesn’t regret the choices made. “If I could go back in time, I might’ve stayed at FBO. But I built this to be finished and to be mine.”
With nearly every panel replaced in carbon and the car honed for the circuit, Pete’s vision is close to complete. “It’s just the doors and rear quarters left. If I replace those, I’d probably add a full weld-in cage. But at that point, it might no longer be a streetcar, and I’m not sure I’m ready to give that up.”
Until then, he’s content to keep pushing it harder, refining, tweaking, and lapping with purpose. It’s a car that turns heads not with flash, but with restraint. Real carbon, real power, and a level of execution most builds can’t match.
Falcone’s R35 GT-R is what happens when obsession meets execution. Bulletproof Automotive’s signature Advan GTs in “Frozen Carbon,” Nordring’s ultra-rare carbon aero, a battle-tested Ivey powertrain, and a build ethos that prizes detail over drama, it’s a car that doesn’t just stand out in the crowd; it stands alone.
In an era of viral builds and rented clout, Pete Falcone’s GT-R isn’t chasing attention. It’s chasing apexes.
If you’ve purchased parts from Bulletproof Automotive or are running a build featuring our components, we want to see it. Whether it’s carbon, aero, wheels, or full conversions, your car has a story worth sharing. Reach out to us directly to discuss feature opportunities, and let’s see what we can create together.
