The short answer
A Liberty Walk GT-R build means permanently cutting the factory fenders and riveting composite flares through the body, then specifying wheels, tires, ride height and alignment to suit the new width. Done properly it takes weeks of mock-up before the first cut, corrosion-proof hardware, and a suspension setup that still works on real roads. Done in a hurry it ruins a six-figure car.
What the kit actually is
Liberty Walk’s LB-Works kit for the R35 is the design that made the exposed-rivet widebody look famous: cut-fender flares front and rear, a flat front splitter with canards, side skirts, a rear diffuser and usually a wing. Unlike bolt-over kits, it is designed to be fitted after the factory fender lips are cut away, so the car is committed the moment the saw touches metal.
The order of operations
- Decide wheels, tires and ride height first. The flares exist to cover them.
- Mock up every panel with the wheels on and measure at full lock and full compression.
- Mark cut lines, check symmetry against fixed body points, and mark them again.
- Cut, treat and seal the bare metal edges so they do not rust from the inside.
- Drill and rivet the flares with titanium or stainless hardware, never plated steel.
- Fit splitter, skirts and diffuser so the corners meet the flares cleanly.
- Corner-balance and align the car at its final height, then road-test before paint or film.
Keeping it a GT-R
An R35 is heavy and fast, and its all-wheel-drive system is sensitive to tire diameter differences front to rear. Wheel and tire choices on a widebody GT-R have to respect that, or the car will complain in a way a rear-drive Z never would. Brakes, cooling and ride quality should come out of the build at least as good as they went in.
We are building ours to drive home from Las Vegas and through a Manitoba summer, not to live on a trailer. That changes the suspension choices, the ground clearance targets and how much of the kit gets protected with film.
How to follow or commission one
The Garage 46 GT-R is being documented on its build page as parts are confirmed and fitted. If you own an R35, or any car you want a Liberty Walk or similar kit on, start with a consultation: bring the car, your wheel ideas and how you intend to use it, and we will plan the build in the order above.