theDreamer's Z
 

My current list of things to do or doing:

On order:



Want to order:
-Whiteline Front & Rear Diff Bushings: Link
-Nismo front bumper (with black tongue)
-Nismo side skirts
-Zspeed Nismo Aluminum undertray
-Hotchkys sways: Link
-SPL Endlinks: Link
-Greddy oil pan
-Bride Stradia (Driver side)
-Radiator fan upgrade (SPAL fans & shroud)
-Oil catch cans
-Power steering & radiator resevors


Work in progress:
-Install 1.5 upgrade kit
-Flex fuel upgrade & tune
-Re-tune
-Custom iPod dock
-Nismo Wing


Complete:
Performance
~GTM Supercharger
~GTM Oil Cooler (25 Row)
~B&M Short shifter
~SRP Pedals: Grid
~Uprev tune
~Fast Intentions Exhaust (12" resonators & SS mufflers)
~Volk RE-30 Wheels 19x10 +22 & 19x11 +25
~Bridgestone Potenza RE-11 Front: 265/35-19 Rear: 305/30-19
~Test Pipes
~Black thermal coat intercooler & intake piping
~South Bend DXD Clutch Stage 3 Daily Clutch
~South Bend DXD Steel Flywheel
~ZSpeed Heavy Duty Concentric Slave CSC Kit with Stainless Fluid Lines
~OEM Clutch Master Cylinder

Suspension & Brakes
~TEIN Monoflex with EDFC
~SPC Camber Kit (Rear)
~Stoptech Pads
~Z1 Premium SS Lines
~Z1 15MM Spacers (Stud replacement)
~Motul RBF 600 Fluid
~Stillen J-hook Rotors

Exterior
~OEM Nismo Rear
~Seibon TS Hood
~EVO-R Z emblems

Style
~HKS Camp II
~TWM Big Type-R shift knob
~Illuminated kick-plates
~LED Lights for: License plate, hatch area, dome lights
~Engine cover
~Password JDM
~Mishimoto Hoses
~Blacked out headlights
~Z1 Hood Struts

Audio
~Kenwood DNX6980
~Custom Upper Cubby Screen
~Polk DB6501 Component System

Random
~Fun stuff
~Car cover
~Three switches for center console: Website to order
~GoPro Hero with Wifi Bacpac

Safety


Removed:
~Stillen front license plate holder
~Intake - Takeda Short Ram Intake
~Hood struts - Fitment issues: Do not buy unless you are up to modifying per Modshack's DIY.
~Stillen Gen 3 Intakes
~Berk Tech Cat-Back Exhaust
~Fast Intentions Long Tube Headers
~Pioneer Z110-BT
~Rear fog light
~Fairlady Z emblem
~Hardwire V1

Best picture (currently):
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-e...710A670BC0.JPG

GTM Stage 1 supercharger kit
-GTM Oil Cooler
-Rotrex C38-61 supercharger
-GTM compressor housing
-GTM Supercharger Billet aluminum brackets
-GTM billet aluminum SC pulley
-GTM supercharger cooler kit
-Rotrex Supercharger Traction fluid
-4-Ply High Resistance Nomex Silicon couplers
-Stainless Steel T-Bolt clamps
-2.5 x 10 x 24 Bar and Plate Core Intercooler Rated @ 700hp
-Polished aluminum IC Piping
-GTM oil Filter Relocation Kit
-Cold Air Intake System (K&N RC-9350)
-Bosch Bypass valve
-Pre-made steel braided oil and P.S Supply & Return lines
-All Necessary Hardware and Installation Instructions
-GTM Basic fuel system with Denso 600cc Injectors and - Walbro 255 Fuel Pump .
-GTM Custom Drive belt by Bando 7PK2640
-GTM Heavy duty Belt idlers

I thought I would put my car up for a few pictures, I will not be going crazy right now, but will slowly be adding a few things here and there. My first item up is just a car cover, which came in just in time. I will be gone for a week and very glad to see I will get to use it a few days before I leave to make sure it fits and will survive while I am gone.

I ordered my cover from CarCoverUSA on May 2nd and received it about May 8th. I ordered: 2009 NISSAN 370Z Coupe (2 Door)/With Spoiler/2 Mirror Pockets/ Size G2 2 Mirror Pockets - Evolution (Technalon) - Gray, part number: C17117GK. The cover I purchased as three exterior colors to choose from, I just went with a simple grey as it seemed nice. First fitment has been very solid so far, it took me two tries actually because it says front on one end of the cover but it actually is for the back. :confused: The cover is designed for outdoor use by the website, and it should rain tonight which will be a good first test. Overall I am very happy, and will feel much better leaving my Z for a week. The cover is still a bit stiff and has some flex left in it, but I am hoping as time goes on it forms a little better to the car. Now onto pictures:

http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r...z/IMG_0326.jpg
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r...z/IMG_0321.jpg
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r...z/IMG_0323.jpg
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r...z/IMG_0324.jpg

Ghost car. Now you know how to dress it up for Halloween. :)

I'll eventually be looking for a cover so let us know what you think after some weather.

Bashful Z ?

She needs a good cleaning, has been naughty and got a little dirty. ;)
I will try to get some after I clean her this weekend and put the cover on for the week. Plus it was dark when I put the cover on so they would have been horrible pictures.

Just got back from my trip and a few things were waiting for me. :D
Got in:
~Stillen license plate bracket
~Floormats
~Sun shade

Also, by the looks of it I should be ordering the B&M short shifter this week which should give me some weekend fun. No pictures yet as my camera battery is dead from my trip, plus I need to wash & clean the car.

One week old car cover review:
~The car cover was on my car all week while I was gone, it rained last night so I got a chance to see how it did against the rain. Water still leaks through a bit so it will not stay 100% dry, a little sad here but not a huge loss. No dirt, bird poo, or anything got underneath the cover which was the main purpose of it. Glad to come home and see the only dirt on the car was what was there when I left plus some water that seeps through from the rain.

First up is the Stillen license plate holder. The car has not been washed in over two weeks, one week I was out of town, so sorry for any dirt left on as I do not have time to clean her until later this week(end).

Enjoy

http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r...z/IMG_0331.jpg
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r...z/IMG_0330.jpg
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r...z/IMG_0328.jpg

Thanks for posting pics of the Stillen license plate holder. I was looking around the net to see what it looked like.
I'm not sure I want to get it after seeing how it mounts now... Aren't you worried that its blocking airflow to the radiator (or if you got an aftermarket oil cooler it'd be blocking airflow to that)?

Enjoy your car!

Yes it does have me thinking, the main reason I even am using a front plate (though we are required in Texas) is because I drive through a part of Houston where they will give a ticket for anything. Though, not tested yet, I will see how hard it is to take off and on without having to get out the screwdriver and such. If I am able to just twist the main bolt which goes into the tow hook and get it on/off easily then I will do that.

You should be fine just spinning the thing off of the towhook socket, I would suspect, unless the license plate goes in deep enough that it would hit the bumper when trying to spin it all off as a unit.

Tried taking it off last night but my hands were a bit wet so they kept slipping, it looks like it can clear it is just being able to grab the pole that screws into the two hook. It is two separate pieces, tow hook pole & metal bracket, and if you try to twist from the metal bracket you just loosen that bolt so you have to grab the tow hook pole.

No offense, but I'm not sure I dig the off center mount. No front plate is the way to go. I would do it, but like I said before, I live in a Nazi state. I would have a ticket in about 5 minutes.

I have now taken it off, it bugs me to much really. On the note of taking it off, I was easily able to reach down (without tools) and unscrew the holder. I drive through a very strict area, but I think my plan now is to leave the Stillen holder in the car somewhere and if I get pulled over just say it came loose and I was fixing it.

Here is mine, edited and unedited, I love the Fairlady Z badge but mine just feels...off.

http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r...z/IMAG0028.jpg
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r...z/IMAG0027.jpg

Another update:

Last night was spent installing a new shifter, thanks to Stillen for a great price on the B&M short throw shifter. The instructions in the DIY are pretty much spot on which is what we followed for this install. I picked up a Razo white shift knob, but ended up going back to the stock shift knob. The Razo was very small and had no way of keeping the shift boot down which became more of a bother when shifting. I was able to snap a few pictures so enjoy.

Removal of the stock shift knob was a pain but was able to do it without destroying it at all, which is good since I am using it again.

http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r...z/IMAG0029.jpg
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r...z/IMAG0030.jpg
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r...z/IMAG0031.jpg
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r...z/IMAG0032.jpg

I plan to reuse the stock shifter knob, what did you use to remove the stock shifter? Any recommendations?

Thanks,

One interesting thing to think about this car cover is that if it allows a little water in, it allows a little water out. The problem with covers that don't allow any water through is exactly that, they will keep whatever humidity was in from getting out, and that might not be a good thing.

Large set of channel locks and a shop rag, grabbed around the largest part of the shift knob up high. Was just very careful when twisting it off.

Good to note, thanks.

Did you stabilize the shaft of the shifter while unscrewing the knob?

We popped off the area around the shifter at first to look at a few things and then just used the channel locks and went at it. Nothing else holding the shifter.

awesome post and nice pics

So I guess you don't feel the torque applied during removal of the knob will have any adverse affect on the shifter, transmission, etc.

We only tried to loosen it a little at a time, just trying to break the lock tight seal on the shifter. Kept an eye on the lower half and did not see much movement which would cause problems.

damn it, texas requires front license plates??

Also, nice car.

When I removed the shifter knob (thats me under Dreamer's car! :ughdance:) it did take a decent amount of effort, however I seriously doubt you are going to hurt the shifter linkage by removing the knob so I wasn't worried about it and wouldn't worry about hurting anything. The install was super easy I didn't have to move the center console at all. The only tedious part was filing the bottom of the shifter cup so that it would allow the short throw to engage reverse. One word of advice tho is the boot underneath that covers the linkage is tricky to get on and the lip it sits in is a machined lip that is very sharp and I cut myself a couple times getting it back on there.

All in all it was easy and really improved the driving experience. The shifts are more distinct and there isn't a rubber feel to them anymore.

How do you like your car cover? I'm in desperate need of one - birds have found my car to be a target, it seems.

The few times I have used it I have liked the results after I take it off. I really should have used it this weekend and am pissed now, I washed the car on Saturday and did not drive this weekend and come out Monday morning and it is covered in dirt (tree, bugs, etc.).

New 10' x 20' Car Port Driveway Garage Canopy Kit 37927 - eBay (item 200336829859 end time Jun-27-09 12:30:44 PDT)

http://www.farmprotractors.com/thumb...27&b=350&c=350

Not bad, though I really wish I could get rid of the three classic cars in the garage which are owned by my father because then I would get a spot in the garage. We have three cars, pick up (cannot fit), SUV (might fit), and my Z (definitely will fit).

I live in Public, unassigned parking sadly. Nowhere to pop that unless I moved it every time, and even then, I have to park on the street, on occasion.

Get some police tape and mark off a spot for yourself, no one will bother it. ;)

Well seeing as I live on a military base...I think they might haha.

A few new things.

On order:
~New shift knob - Still looking for that one shift knob, this is a TWM Big Type-R shift knob
~Intake - Takeda Short Ram Intake

Thinking of doing a dyno run for a before and after test to see how the Takeda do, will have to find a good shop in Houston. Also hoping to find a good photographer or maybe get a friend with a good camera and do some nice photos of the car in the next week. Since my thread seems to lack some nice quality pictures. :)

Any reason for choosing the short ram over the Stillen G3 setup?

I bet the short ram does ok all things considered, and you don't have to cut the car's plastic to install them so that's a plus. What would really be sweet though would be to pair it up with some cold air tubes like Modshack did. I have flanges and tubing in my garage right now to play with, but I'm going to be working on running the air to the Gen III filter location with some shopvac heads.

Solid gains (not proven other than by manufacture), sound is nice, and less work all around for install and later. It may come out to be **** and it may not, but my car is not 100% about power, not yet at least. ;)

I would be interested to see if that made much difference, I like some of the ideas people came up with the ducts in the front of the car that pushed the air downward (?). Though the modshack idea is very good, and might work even better with a short ram intake.

I have a dyno time today at 5PM at Engine Logics, it is a Dyno Dynamics which wstar has used before and gave it a thumbs up. Will get some baseline numbers and hopefully next week go back and get some after numbers when my intake arrives.

What is the most optimal gear for our 6 speed manual to run the dyno in?

5th is what I've been hearing from the other 6MT guys, as it's the 1:1 gear ratio in our cars. On stock tires/wheels you'll just barely make it through the dyno run in 5th without hitting the ECU speed limiter. 5th is also the 1:1 on the 7AT, but we can't dyno with it because we hit the ECU speed limiter well before the redline due to a different rear-end ratio.

Edit: But if you bring up gearing with the EL guy, he'll tell you it doesn't matter. He says because the Dyno Dynamics works differently than, say, DynoJet does, the gearing doesn't really affect its ability to measure torque. I'm inclined to think he's right about that, but then again it may also be the case that you see less drivetrain loss at the transmission in 5th too, which would affect any dyno by some small amount.

Very true wstar, well I am home and have scanned my in the images.

Temperature of run: 99.1°
Humidity: 33%
Max HP: 245.4
Torque: 203.5

http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r...370z/HP-TQ.jpg
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r...370z/HP-AF.jpg