A 350z From The Southwest - New Mexico

[Juztin]

Hey there folks,

I came along as I have an 2007 350z that seems to have more in common with a 370z than a 06 or earlier 350z. Also technically the new built motor my buddy is building for the Z has a VQ37VHR crank in the 35HR block and measures out to 3.7L, so a quasi 370z in motor if you will

I've owned 3 350z's and boosted all of them and sold the previous 2 during young dumb phases. The Z is unfortunately becoming very difficult to mod, or more accurately, trying to find competent shops to mod especially in the Southwest (not inclined to DIY). So this is my last foray in the Z's, in the future will just end up with a boosted Corvette as domestics wise there are plenty of shops around where I live compared to imports.

But I certainly intend to keep the Z with no intention of getting rid of it (intend to eventually give it to my daughter when she's old enough hah!). The car is not stock at all and is in the middle of a motor build as I floated the valves on it from a most likely bad tune on it I got in ABQ with a crap shop that also botched my built motor project.

Before the built motor the car was at 505/496 here in New Mexico which is pretty similar to Denver altitude. But of course that also includes sea level CF so mid-4's or so actual is more realistic. Either way the car was very fast and ate up everything on the street that I could encounter on a normal day. People around this area seem to think all Z's are only ever NA lol.

New motor specs:
*3.7L (VQ37VHR crank) and usual forged bits
*GTM Stage 2 turbo cam (272 deg) - I ordered the cams through them when they became a crap shop and it took ages to get the cams out of them
*GTM Stage 2 TT kit - Got the GTM kit before the shop was crap so didn't have issues at that time
*Custom return fuel system, Z1 motorsports slave cylinder elimination kit, Southbend Stage 5 clutch kit
*Koyo radiator, Z1 oil cooler kit and thermal coatings (relevant heat removal and retaining coatings) all turbo kit components that needed it - all black coating
*Ricer Seibon vented hood for added cooling
*GTM true dual 3" exhaust that I am having my buddy modify to replace mufflers with some other options to waken up the tone a bit more. The current tone is pretty quiet except for boost where it wakes up.
*GTM external waste gate conversion kit - I am having a field day trying to get this kit out of GTM at the moment (no surprise there) but went through CZP so they can deal with all the BS GTM makes you go thru aside from insane wait times

Anyhow, just figured I'd join as some of our car components overlap and some of the my350z folks I collaborated with over the many years (was a member since it's inception and had ordered and received my first Z in March 2003), some have kind of come here so I intend to stick around here as another way to keep in touch of the people needed or vendors as well.

Anyhow hope I can coexist with the 370z crew and catch you guys around

Before aesthetic mods:


Dirty shop pics:

( Click to show/hide )

[6MT]

Hi

[Pie]

Hi how are you?

[Juztin]

Hi and hi!

Good, the motor for the first time in literally 2 years looked to be back together in one piece long block wise:



The build has been about as much drama as I'll ever tolerate building a car in my lifetime.

Latest updates for the month of august was having issues with the valves and pistons making contact when my builder was trying to rotate the motor after assembly. Turns out it was a combination of the timing chains not seated properly/slipping from the OEM assembly steps and also the upper chain tensioners were missing springs. My builder in CO inherited a disaster from a previous shop in NM and is having to correct all their f-ups. Also finding lots of lost parts during motor assembly which also end up having to be ordered from Nissan Japan so have been hit with a lot of delays waiting on just parts to arrive.

Got that all mostly figured out and the motor now rotates freely without contact. Although just waiting on putting in the springs in the chain tensioners as those just came in this last Friday. My builder has a day job so doing work pretty much on weekends so probably wont see too much progress soon, but at this point this is the most success the motor has had since literally being in pieces the last 2 years in shop limbo between the disaster shop in NM, and a shop that went out of business in CO, to my presenter builder (3rd times a charm thing). It's still weird seeing that pic of the motor together although shortly after the timing chain covers had to come off as the springs need to be installed in the tensioners.

Other Updates:

*(CZP recently cancelled order for GTM external waste-gate conversion kit as we waited 5 months for GTM to produce it with no results -_- might have my builder fab up his own conversion kit)

I'm so done having Nissan's modified after this project disaster is done and back on the road. Will just buy a dang Z06 and call it done eventually hahah.