2010 370Z NISMO Twin Turbo build courtesy of GTM

stormcrow · 05-02-2010, 05:44 PM

Some of you may know me; some of you may not. Some of you may agree with what I have posted on this forum; some of you may not. But, I will wager that we all have one thing in common – the desire to modify our beloved imports.

This being the fifth ‘project’ car that I have modified in the past 3.5 years, I wanted to balance cost with performance; a task that has, so far, been very elusive and has taken me a while to figure out. I admit that over the past few years I have bought into a lot of the hype and spent a lot of unnecessary money in the process. Some monies spent were good ‘insurance’ while others were an utter waste. But, this time, I vowed to have the safest build possible while being the most fiscally conservative. Luckily, advances in technology of the VQ platform and some well thought out planning will allow me to reach my goal.

In the past I have turned to tuner shops and the forums to give me the answers that I seek. While these resources have been good, I have found that there is a lot of misinformation floating around and that the almighty dollar is what the modification game is mostly about. These days I tend to build off of my own past experiences as well as (and most importantly) the experiences of others.

So where to start? How does one come to decide on what type of Forced Induction to purchase? Should I go turbo? Supercharger? Which kit? What support mods do I need? Who should do the install/tune? (if not myself as a DIY project) As usual, these are the top tier questions that I struggled with. For me, due to my past experiences, some of the questions were easily answered. Twin turbo is the only way for me. I have purchased two supercharger kits in the past and have been disappointed with both. The linear torque of the supercharger is just too mild for my tastes. I have tried both centrifugal and roots types. Neither produced the torque or power I desired.

Ok, so twin turbo it is. Now, which kit? There are currently three competing kits. One has been out on the market for a short period of time and is only sold in-house (AAM), one has been out for a bit longer and has a bit more press (GTM) and one has just recently been released (GReddy). All of these kits look very promising and are from reputable manufacturers. All seem to be scalable and perform the same when simply bolted on. Comparing apples to apples, I chose the GTM kit over the AAM and GReddy. Why? Here are my reasons:

1. GOALS - I set my power goals at a maximum of 450-475 to the wheel. Though the GTM kit is scalable from 400 to over 1000whp with the Stage 2 through Stage 6 kits, I have found that anything over 450-500whp is a pure waste on the street. Traction issues keep the car slower out of the hole and cause drivability issues that I no longer want. As the street is where I do 100% of my driving, I have no need for anything more than a Stage 2 setup and 475whp. The GTM kit easily met my power goals.

2. QUALITY – There is no doubt that all three kits are of great quality. Some more so than others, of course, but nonetheless, they will all get the job done. The GTM and GReddy kits are both spectacularly designed with what surely looks to be a lot of thought and engineering behind them. The only concern I had with the GTM kit was the spacing of the power train that has to happen. But, I have researched and put my concerns to rest over this issue as it is a moot point and does not affect drivability or functionality of the car in any form or fashion. The down-side to the GReddy kit is the known issue of manifolds cracking which can be a great headache to repair. That and the lesser quality turbos. (IHI vs. Garrett)

3. OPTIONS – As trivial as this might be, for me, I prefer having options for detail items when purchasing a kit. Over the past few years I have learned that unless a manufacturer can cater to my anal-retentiveness and provide a “one stop shop” for all that I need, I will look elsewhere. The fact that I have options with the GTM kit such as black couplers, choice of polished or powder coated piping, choice of polished or thermo-coated intercooler, and optional ceramicoated manifolds and turbo exhaust housings, all at a reasonable cost, was just one more small detail that led me to choose the GTM kit.

4. ENGINEERING – One key factor for me is longevity of the kit that I purchase. A lot of parts are static and do not wear, so with every kit I have researched, these items are seemingly equal when it comes to predicted life-span. But, the major components – the turbos – are what interested me the most and certainly, in this regard, not all are created equal. The GTM kit uses Garrett ball-bearing, water-cooled turbos while the GReddy kit uses journal bearing, oil-cooled turbos. Given that the 370Z is plagued by oil temperature issues, one would think that the oil-cooled turbos would not be a considerable option. GReddy seemingly addresses this with a larger capacity oil pan and optional oil cooler, but I was (am) not convinced this would alleviate the faster degradation of the turbos that will certainly happen without these items.

So now that I had decided what type and which kit, I needed to decide what support mods to purchase. In the past I went all out and bought the best of everything because A) I was told it was what I needed and B) I fell for the hype over particular brands and parts. This time, I decided to approach things a bit differently. I wanted to see what I could actually achieve safely while being cost conscious. So, I spoke with quite a number of tuners/shop owners/vendors/manufacturers and came to the general consensus that for my goals I didn’t need to get fancy. An oil-cooler for the hot GA days, a nice open exhaust including test pipes, larger injectors, an upgraded fuel pump and some colder plugs were all that I needed. I opted to add an AFR gauge, boost gauge, powder-coated piping, thermo-coated intercooler and ceramicoated exhaust manifolds and hot side turbine housings/flanges.

This leads me to the ‘who’ and ‘where’ portion of my decision. In the past I have relied on one company to do all of my work. Over the years I have trusted the shop owner’s advice implicitly. But after a few conversations with him and feeling that I was being steered towards an option that I didn’t feel comfortable with (GReddy kit), I decided to venture out and directly to the source of the kit I had chosen.

After speaking with Sam I came away with the impression that he really knows his stuff and that my car would be in excellent hands. All of my questions, concerns and thoughts were addressed in a thorough and detailed manner. I could tell that he is a busy guy as we were constantly interrupted by his workers asking him questions or clients walking in the door, but never once did he lose train of thought or overlook any of my inquiries. This made me very comfortable as I am an extreme stickler for detail and I could see the same in Sam, even while under duress. He was also very open and took no offense to my probing questions. His level of transparency satisfied my need to know exactly what I was getting myself into and who I would be spending my hard-earned money with.

So this will be my official “build thread”. Any and all questions are welcome. Here are a few pictures to start as well as a video of the first tuning session. For those of you who want to see more of GTM and the shop, click on the second video link. Enjoy!

Notice 479whp on 7psi springs! 8.6psi yielded 518whp which is well over my goal of 450-475whp!

JB-370z · 05-02-2010, 06:04 PM

All I can say is wow! I cannot wait to get mine to Sam, crossing my fingers for early July....Stage 2. Your car is RE-DIC-U-LOS..!!!!

Black370ZTT · 05-02-2010, 06:05 PM

Sex...congrats

theDreamer · 05-02-2010, 06:11 PM

Looks like a great build and very clean.

RCZ · 05-02-2010, 06:14 PM

Wow very nice man, very very nice car.

Congrats, looks like its making great power.

Dr.Awkward · 05-02-2010, 06:15 PM

I don't mean to pry into your finances but just so the rest of us know, how much money are we looking at to get our cars to where you are at?

#452-LE · 05-02-2010, 06:18 PM

Very nice work.

JB-370z · 05-02-2010, 06:20 PM

At least 15K....

theDreamer · 05-02-2010, 06:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JB-370z

At least 15K....

Sounds about right, I think the kit is around 10, then you have install and some supporting mods.

stormcrow · 05-02-2010, 06:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr.Awkward

I don't mean to pry into your finances but just so the rest of us know, how much money are we looking at to get our cars to where you are at?

If you follow my exact path with the GReddy TI-C TT exhaust, Defi AFR gauge, Innovate wideband, GTM 2.5" test pipes, HKS EVC6, and other incidentals (powdercoating, thermocoating, etc.) you will walk away with around 18k invested. It can go up or down depending on what you desire.

jperez84 · 05-02-2010, 06:42 PM

Congrats, car looks awesome. Mine is there now and hopefully it will be completed soon. I can't wait to get it back.

Red370 · 05-02-2010, 06:53 PM

great build, what are your street driving impressions?

nuTinmuch · 05-02-2010, 07:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stormcrow

If you follow my exact path with the GReddy TI-C TT exhaust, Defi AFR gauge, Innovate wideband, GTM 2.5" test pipes, HKS EVC6, and other incidentals (powdercoating, thermocoating, etc.) you will walk away with around 18k invested. It can go up or down depending on what you desire.

I remember reading in another thread that you owned the GT-R in your avatar. Was the TT Nismo your plan all along? That and how does it compare? Obviously two different beasts, but I'm still curious.

Also I don't have $18,000 -- but I do have $18 -- good enough for a ride?

ArtVandaleigh · 05-02-2010, 07:08 PM

Awesome setup!

DannyGT · 05-02-2010, 07:30 PM

Storm, great job man! Do NOT touch a thing on that car. As it stands - thats my favorite car out here so far. The stance, the power, the blacked out parts, it just flows to well! Congrats man!

05-02-2010, 05:44 PM	#1 (permalink)
stormcrow Enthusiast Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Alpharetta, GA Posts: 267 Drives: 2010 370Z Nismo TT Rep Power: 15	2010 370Z NISMO Twin Turbo build courtesy of GTM Some of you may know me; some of you may not. Some of you may agree with what I have posted on this forum; some of you may not. But, I will wager that we all have one thing in common – the desire to modify our beloved imports. This being the fifth ‘project’ car that I have modified in the past 3.5 years, I wanted to balance cost with performance; a task that has, so far, been very elusive and has taken me a while to figure out. I admit that over the past few years I have bought into a lot of the hype and spent a lot of unnecessary money in the process. Some monies spent were good ‘insurance’ while others were an utter waste. But, this time, I vowed to have the safest build possible while being the most fiscally conservative. Luckily, advances in technology of the VQ platform and some well thought out planning will allow me to reach my goal. In the past I have turned to tuner shops and the forums to give me the answers that I seek. While these resources have been good, I have found that there is a lot of misinformation floating around and that the almighty dollar is what the modification game is mostly about. These days I tend to build off of my own past experiences as well as (and most importantly) the experiences of others. So where to start? How does one come to decide on what type of Forced Induction to purchase? Should I go turbo? Supercharger? Which kit? What support mods do I need? Who should do the install/tune? (if not myself as a DIY project) As usual, these are the top tier questions that I struggled with. For me, due to my past experiences, some of the questions were easily answered. Twin turbo is the only way for me. I have purchased two supercharger kits in the past and have been disappointed with both. The linear torque of the supercharger is just too mild for my tastes. I have tried both centrifugal and roots types. Neither produced the torque or power I desired. Ok, so twin turbo it is. Now, which kit? There are currently three competing kits. One has been out on the market for a short period of time and is only sold in-house (AAM), one has been out for a bit longer and has a bit more press (GTM) and one has just recently been released (GReddy). All of these kits look very promising and are from reputable manufacturers. All seem to be scalable and perform the same when simply bolted on. Comparing apples to apples, I chose the GTM kit over the AAM and GReddy. Why? Here are my reasons: 1. GOALS - I set my power goals at a maximum of 450-475 to the wheel. Though the GTM kit is scalable from 400 to over 1000whp with the Stage 2 through Stage 6 kits, I have found that anything over 450-500whp is a pure waste on the street. Traction issues keep the car slower out of the hole and cause drivability issues that I no longer want. As the street is where I do 100% of my driving, I have no need for anything more than a Stage 2 setup and 475whp. The GTM kit easily met my power goals. 2. QUALITY – There is no doubt that all three kits are of great quality. Some more so than others, of course, but nonetheless, they will all get the job done. The GTM and GReddy kits are both spectacularly designed with what surely looks to be a lot of thought and engineering behind them. The only concern I had with the GTM kit was the spacing of the power train that has to happen. But, I have researched and put my concerns to rest over this issue as it is a moot point and does not affect drivability or functionality of the car in any form or fashion. The down-side to the GReddy kit is the known issue of manifolds cracking which can be a great headache to repair. That and the lesser quality turbos. (IHI vs. Garrett) 3. OPTIONS – As trivial as this might be, for me, I prefer having options for detail items when purchasing a kit. Over the past few years I have learned that unless a manufacturer can cater to my anal-retentiveness and provide a “one stop shop” for all that I need, I will look elsewhere. The fact that I have options with the GTM kit such as black couplers, choice of polished or powder coated piping, choice of polished or thermo-coated intercooler, and optional ceramicoated manifolds and turbo exhaust housings, all at a reasonable cost, was just one more small detail that led me to choose the GTM kit. 4. ENGINEERING – One key factor for me is longevity of the kit that I purchase. A lot of parts are static and do not wear, so with every kit I have researched, these items are seemingly equal when it comes to predicted life-span. But, the major components – the turbos – are what interested me the most and certainly, in this regard, not all are created equal. The GTM kit uses Garrett ball-bearing, water-cooled turbos while the GReddy kit uses journal bearing, oil-cooled turbos. Given that the 370Z is plagued by oil temperature issues, one would think that the oil-cooled turbos would not be a considerable option. GReddy seemingly addresses this with a larger capacity oil pan and optional oil cooler, but I was (am) not convinced this would alleviate the faster degradation of the turbos that will certainly happen without these items. So now that I had decided what type and which kit, I needed to decide what support mods to purchase. In the past I went all out and bought the best of everything because A) I was told it was what I needed and B) I fell for the hype over particular brands and parts. This time, I decided to approach things a bit differently. I wanted to see what I could actually achieve safely while being cost conscious. So, I spoke with quite a number of tuners/shop owners/vendors/manufacturers and came to the general consensus that for my goals I didn’t need to get fancy. An oil-cooler for the hot GA days, a nice open exhaust including test pipes, larger injectors, an upgraded fuel pump and some colder plugs were all that I needed. I opted to add an AFR gauge, boost gauge, powder-coated piping, thermo-coated intercooler and ceramicoated exhaust manifolds and hot side turbine housings/flanges. This leads me to the ‘who’ and ‘where’ portion of my decision. In the past I have relied on one company to do all of my work. Over the years I have trusted the shop owner’s advice implicitly. But after a few conversations with him and feeling that I was being steered towards an option that I didn’t feel comfortable with (GReddy kit), I decided to venture out and directly to the source of the kit I had chosen. After speaking with Sam I came away with the impression that he really knows his stuff and that my car would be in excellent hands. All of my questions, concerns and thoughts were addressed in a thorough and detailed manner. I could tell that he is a busy guy as we were constantly interrupted by his workers asking him questions or clients walking in the door, but never once did he lose train of thought or overlook any of my inquiries. This made me very comfortable as I am an extreme stickler for detail and I could see the same in Sam, even while under duress. He was also very open and took no offense to my probing questions. His level of transparency satisfied my need to know exactly what I was getting myself into and who I would be spending my hard-earned money with. So this will be my official “build thread”. Any and all questions are welcome. Here are a few pictures to start as well as a video of the first tuning session. For those of you who want to see more of GTM and the shop, click on the second video link. Enjoy! Notice 479whp on 7psi springs! 8.6psi yielded 518whp which is well over my goal of 450-475whp! WI_Hedgehog likes this. Last edited by stormcrow; 05-02-2010 at 05:50 PM.

05-02-2010, 06:04 PM	#2 (permalink)
JB-370z A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Houston, Tx Posts: 1,859 Drives: Stage 2 Twin Turbos Rep Power: 19	All I can say is wow! I cannot wait to get mine to Sam, crossing my fingers for early July....Stage 2. Your car is RE-DIC-U-LOS..!!!! __________________ ll Baker Tuning ll GTM ll Powerhouse Amuse ll HKS ll Up-Rev ll iForged ll AP Racing ll Pioneer ll SPL ll Bride ll Top Secret ll OS Giken ll GTM Stage 2 Twin Turboed 370z (First in Texas, Thanks To Baker Tuning)

05-02-2010, 06:05 PM	#3 (permalink)
Black370ZTT Base Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Maryland Age: 34 Posts: 47 Drives: A TT,Nothing special Rep Power: 16	Sex...congrats __________________ AAM Twin Turbo Kit, 500hp/400TQ UPrev "America is all about speed. Big, nasty, bad a$$ speed." Roosevelt

05-02-2010, 06:11 PM	#4 (permalink)
theDreamer A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Texas Posts: 30,879 Drives: 370z Rep Power: 4210	Looks like a great build and very clean. __________________ theDreamer's Z // Fast Intentions // Uprev // GTM // HKS // TEIN theDreamer's Silvia // URAS // GREDDY Houston Zs // Facebook // Twitter // Instagram

05-02-2010, 06:15 PM	#6 (permalink)
Dr.Awkward Base Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Edmonton AB Posts: 39 Drives: 09 370z PW M6 Rep Power: 15	I don't mean to pry into your finances but just so the rest of us know, how much money are we looking at to get our cars to where you are at? __________________ Dr.Awkard

05-02-2010, 06:14 PM	#5 (permalink)
RCZ A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Miami Posts: 6,403 Drives: '09 370Z Rep Power: 1119	Wow very nice man, very very nice car. Congrats, looks like its making great power.

05-02-2010, 06:18 PM	#7 (permalink)
#452-LE Base Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Behind Dulles AP Posts: 117 Drives: '09 370Z 7AT-Stg2 TT Rep Power: 16	Very nice work.

05-02-2010, 06:20 PM	#8 (permalink)
JB-370z A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Houston, Tx Posts: 1,859 Drives: Stage 2 Twin Turbos Rep Power: 19	At least 15K.... __________________ ll Baker Tuning ll GTM ll Powerhouse Amuse ll HKS ll Up-Rev ll iForged ll AP Racing ll Pioneer ll SPL ll Bride ll Top Secret ll OS Giken ll GTM Stage 2 Twin Turboed 370z (First in Texas, Thanks To Baker Tuning)

05-02-2010, 06:42 PM	#11 (permalink)
jperez84 Base Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Centreville, VA Posts: 11 Drives: Nothing fun Rep Power: 15	Congrats, car looks awesome. Mine is there now and hopefully it will be completed soon. I can't wait to get it back.

05-02-2010, 06:53 PM	#12 (permalink)
Red370 A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Kaiserslautern, Germany Posts: 4,391 Drives: your mom to church Rep Power: 296	great build, what are your street driving impressions? __________________ 2011 Mustang 5.0 \| 3.55's \| Lethal Performance off road H-Pipe \| Magnaflow Muffler Delete \| JLT CAI/Bama tuned 417whp/ 404 ft/lbs

05-02-2010, 07:08 PM	#14 (permalink)
ArtVandaleigh Base Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: NE Ohio Posts: 227 Drives: 09 PW 370Z Rep Power: 675	Awesome setup!

05-02-2010, 07:30 PM	#15 (permalink)
DannyGT Track Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Jersey Posts: 919 Drives: 370Z (SOLD) Rep Power: 279	Storm, great job man! Do NOT touch a thing on that car. As it stands - thats my favorite car out here so far. The stance, the power, the blacked out parts, it just flows to well! Congrats man! __________________ Performance GTM Stage 1 SC, GTM Res.Test Pipes, Invidia Gemini Exhaust, GTM HD Oil Cooler Wheels & Suspension AME Tracer TM02's 19x9.5F 19x10.5R w/ 265x35F & 305x30R, Hotchkis Sways, BC (BR) Racing Coilovers (Car Sold)

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