I just want to share this thread I posted back in August of 2011 over at the Z33 page. I started to miss this car more than usual these past few days so I figured I'd post this here. The following shows the subtle transformation of my 1996 Sapphire Blue 300ZX Turbo 2+2.
It all started in April of 2010 when I saw these pictures on a Japanese website. It was love all over again.
I was finally in a position to own my favorite car as a child. Fast forward a few months, and my Z32 finally arrived in Germany. It was mostly stock with 105K kilometers on the VG30DETT motor. It came equipped with Greddy BOVs, OEM wing, and Gracer front bumper with side pieces.
The car was in great shape, but definitely needed some attention. For starters, the tires had to be replaced to pass German inspection so I decided to use my OEM 350Z V2 Touring wheels for the moment.
That didn't look bad at all so I kept them mounted. However, the car definitely needed a drop (and some spacers).
It was an enjoyable car no doubt, but I intended on selling it. Let's face it, though the car received more attention than my 350Z, it wasn't exactly a Nurburgring track star. Then one sunny day in Luxembourg, a BMW 328 attempted to to reconfigure my Greddy front end. It was a sad day indeed
.
After weeks of deliberation, I decided to repair it, restore it back to original, and keep it for good. The left fender and countless seals and mouldings were replaced. Thanks to Concept Z, Z1 Motorsports, and Nissan Autohaus Dambach, Germany, everything was readily available. The work began very shortly, and Autohaus Dambach did an amazing job prepping the vehicle and executing the job.
The 300ZX was finally complete in April of 2011. Sure, a few other seals still have to be replaced, but all that can wait. The Z32 is now sporting the OEM bumper, Eibach springs, Tokico Blues, and 10mm Z1 spacers all around. I also removed the Gracer sides and OEM wing for a cleaner look. Finally, I purchased a Stillen lip but have yet to install it.
A few more pictures with my 350Z.
The car is currently in storage in Germany. It will remain there until I return to Europe or when it turns 25 years old, whichever comes first. Maybe I miss it more because in the back of my head, I know that the practical thing to do is to sell it. We'll see what happens.