Living the thrill

Lexi Kozak x Nissan Skyline

When Lexi Kozak was 20 years old, she met the love of her life. Standing at the edge of the Pacific Ocean at a port in Vancouver, she was brought to tears as she was introduced for the first time to what would be, as she describes, her lifelong passion. It was a 1993 Nissan Skyline.

“It was a pivotal moment, because, from then forward, it's just become like such a big, passionate part of my life,” she says. “It was a really, really exciting day, and I still feel the same way when I get in it in the spring after it's been parked all winter.”

That was eight years ago. And to most people, Lexi, a dental hygienist in Kelowna, BC, may not be your typical Skyline owner, nor is she someone most people would think turns her own wrenches and keeps her classic Nissan supercar in order. But she is indeed, and her love of cars runs in the family.

“When I was younger, my dad always had classic American muscle cars that he would build and work on. So I was exposed to a lot of that when I was younger. And I think I just really became more interested in it over time.

“And then when I got my first car and something would break on it, I'd be really interested in helping my dad fix it or learn more about the vehicle.”

Photos courtesy of @tyler.schick

“I like to call it my permanent project car because I'm always doing something on it,” she says.

"I'm always kind of, you know, messing with it. I have aYouTube channel so I'm always filming stuff and doing small upgrades here and there. And I want to pull the engine this summer and do a bunch of stuff. So it is drivable, when it's together. But there'll be periods throughout the summer when it's in pieces, and I'm just filming something or upgrading something.”

The Skyline obviously attracts plenty of interest from auto enthusiasts wherever she goes. But Lexi has had to deal with another type of reaction throughout her life when it comes to her automotive interests. Playing in a traditionally male-dominated field – and even owning her own classic supercar – has brought some unwanted backlash.

“Before I was a dental hygienist, I actually went to school to be an electrician. I know, cars and the electrician thing are both very male dominated. So I've kind of been dealing with the fact that I'm a woman in those areas for a long time and dealt with the issues that come up with that.

“Even to this day, driving my car around, I often have men say to me, ‘Oh, is that your boyfriend's car?’ It's more believable for it to be owned by a male in my family rather than it be mine. So I have no problem telling people, ‘No, actually, it's mine’. And it’s not about putting people in their place, but just standing up for myself.

“But I actually like being an example for other women who are wanting to get into cars or do something that's typically male dominated — it shouldn't stop people from trying to pursue their dreams. So whenever I see girls that are trying to pursue a trade, I always encourage them to try and stick with it and just push through all the sexism.”

Lexi’s wish list would include a brand-new Nissan GT-R, theSkyline’s descendant, in her driveway, but not as a replacement. In fact, she’ll be moving to Australia in the fall for a few years of living abroad, but she’ll keep the Skyline in her grandmother’s garage for when she returns.

After all, you can never forget your first love.

That was eight years ago.

And to most people, Lexi, a dental hygienist in Kelowna, BC, may not be your typical Skyline owner, nor is she someone most people would think turns her own wrenches and keeps her classic Nissan supercar in order. But she is indeed, and she comes across it honestly, as her love of cars runs in the family.

“When I was younger, my dad always had classic American muscle cars that he would build and work on. So I was exposed to a lot of that when I was younger. And I think I just really became more interested in it over time.

“And then when I got my first car and something would break on it, I'd be really interested in helping my dad fix it or learn more about the vehicle.”

As Lexi got older, her knowledge of cars opened up beyond the North American market. “A buddy of mine actually had a Skyline in high school. And I just remember it was like the coolest thing I'd ever seen. It was right-hand drive, and it actually spit flames out the exhaust. I was like, oh my god, this is so cool. And so after high school, I imported my own Skyline from Japan. And the rest is history.” A brief conversation with her will confirm to anyone that she knows her car. She talks about how she had to solve the engine gremlins that were plaguing her Skyline when she picked it up, and then goes on to describe upgrading the fuel pump and fuel regulator, adding an external turbocharger waste gate and changing the clutch, among other jobs. But she’s not done yet.

“I like to call it my permanent project car because I'm always doing something on it,” she says. I'm always kind of, you know, messing with it. I have a YouTube channel so I'm always filming stuff and doing small upgrades here and there. And I want to pull the engine this summer and do a bunch of stuff. So it is drivable, when it's together. But there'll be periods throughout the summer when it's in pieces, and I'm just filming something or upgrading something.”

The Skyline obviously attracts plenty of interest from auto enthusiasts wherever she goes. But Lexi has had to deal with another type of reaction throughout her life when it comes to her automotive interests. Playing in a traditionally male-dominated field – and even owning her own classic supercar – has brought some unwanted backlash.

“Before I was a dental hygienist, I actually went to school to be an electrician. I know, cars and the electrician thing are both very male dominated. So I've kind of been dealing with the fact that I'm a woman in those areas for a long time and dealt with the issues that come up with that.

“Even to this day, driving my car around, I often have men say to me, ‘Oh, is that your boyfriend's car?’ It's more believable for it to be owned by a male in my family rather than it be mine. So I have no problem telling people, ‘No, actually, it's mine’. And it’s not about putting people in their place, but just standing up for myself.

“But I actually like being an example for other women who are wanting to get into cars or do something that's typically male dominated, it shouldn't stop people from trying to pursue their dreams. So whenever I see girls that are trying to pursue a trade, I always encourage them to try and stick with it and just push through all the sexism.”

Lexi’s wish list would include a brand-new Nissan GT-R, the Skyline’s descendant, in her driveway, but not as a replacement. In fact, she’ll be moving to Australia in the fall for a few years of living abroad, but she’ll keep the Skyline in her grandmother’s garage for when she returns. After all, you can never forget your first love.

Built to Thrill.

For over 60 years, Nissan Canada has engineered excitement with a thrilling lineup.

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Built to Thrill.
For over 60 years, Nissan Canada has engineered excitement with a thrilling lineup.

Learn More

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