SO on the long and boring drive to Little Rock I've decided to do an engine build and hold off the turbo system. I'm going to ask around town to see if anyone can do the 4.5 conversion on the 370. If so then check to see if it will be cheaper to have someone local do it compared to what GTM charges. I know they charge $16k+ and that doesn't include you shipping them your block. So probably around $18k+ to have GTM do the build.:confused:

Good luck finding somone who can do it at a decent price. It is not a nissan town.

For me, it was a PITA to take out the door handles. What should have taken but 5-10 mins to remove took like an hour. There is a electronic wire that runs that is for the button that locks/unlocks your car, however, the harness for it is tucked inside the door frame. I have such over sized hands that disconnecting that thing took the whole hour since I can barely get my hands down in there. I was able to get my wife to come out and do the passenger side since she can get her hand down in there more easily. The other way of removing that wire is to unscrew 2 screws behind the door handle to remove that button all together, but the they are on there with loctite so I was stripping the screws long before they would even budge a 1/4 turn.

On the door handle removal thread, some ppl got it out with ease (5 mins), some ppl just gave up all together, but I was determined to get mine color matched.

thanks for the heads up! think Ima just let my body shop do that lol

I took the buttons out. Mine came out fairly easy, but I had to put a death grip on the handle and the screw driver to keep them from rounding off.
Only other problem I had was dropping the bolts inside the door and having to pull the door panel to get them.

Honestly, it's definitely something you can do on your own if you don't want to leave your car at the dealership while they are doing it. Follow the DIY and use a magnetized screw driver and you should be good. Should save ya some money.

Also, fwiw I had the Nissan dealer paint mine. Quoted $120, when I went to pick them up he said the painter was worried the paint wouldn't stick and wouldn't let me pay for them. I tried my damndest, telling them it had been done hundreds of times, but in the end they wouldn't let me pay.

so are u going to do the engine build with the standard low comp pistons that the gtm kit comes with to plan for fi in the future? or just do an na build and maybe have them swap some high compression ones? would be badass if u could stay NA and make 400whp

I painted my door handles 3 times. twice due to wear and once the handle broke so i had to replace.

Lasts little less than 2 years. the was they stick out catches debris and will eventually chip off. not bad for spray paint on something you grab million times.

professional painter wouldn't guarantee and quoted $200.

oh and Sherwin William's auto paint store can make your color in rattle can for $20.

dont forget to wet sand and polish!!!

i think the painted handels will look badass

Oh you know me. FI all the way. I figure it's going to take about a year per upgrade but I'll get there. I'm hoping someone around town will be able to do it for less than what GTM is changing for the 4.5 engine.

Ive had alot of pm's from people but nobodys jumped on anything........ and I really don't want to ship this stuff........ soooooo pa pa pa please dont make me trade this car in with these modssss...... sooooo let me help u help me by giving u a good deal lol

http://www.the370z.com/parts-sale-pr...ings-more.html

i think i'm in for the stl meet. we should get a big ol group to cannonball over there and maybe next time they would wanna head this way

Agree. Has anything been said about another dyno dash in KC?

not yet. although it is about that time of year. maybe see if we can get that planning going. i have digi's trophy from last year ready to be passed on

Damn and me without a turbo on the car..:driving:

lets do it !!! cause not gunna lie, could be last hoorah in my z

pretty sure gunna be putting my z up for sale :confused:

starting talking with a 510 guy on west coast and has a 2 door body work done, waiting for a new owner to pick color to paint. could build it exactly as I want.

also has a completely finished turn key one with a ka motor in it.

im just afraid my z will turn into huge money pit in next five years. deprecation of value , parts breaking, not to mention constantly modding, which adds zero value.