Nissan 370Z Forum - Exciting New Nissan 370Z NISMO Team

UPDATE 2/5/11

At the beginning of this thread we wanted to introduce A.M. Performance to the forum, and get some pictures up on what has been happening at the shop. In this update we asked them to tell us why they chose the 370z as their car to compete in, as well as, what they have so far done to improve the cars.

From Mike Sweeney,

We chose the 370 because we think it's a good package that can be made competitive. Our goal is to win races and championships in order to build our brand. In addition, Brian has a good relationship with the Nissan people from his time running the GT-R Time Attack car with Cobb Tuning last year. We also know that Grand Am wants new manufacturers in their series, and finally, we want to build a brand with A.M. Performance, offering parts and services for people who want real, effective, properly engineered, and motorsports proven performance parts for their cars. We saw a big opportunity in the Nissan community, as there just isn't that type of support out there for this brand.

We also think the 370's will look and sound badass, which is important, because race cars have to look and sound cool!

http://a6.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot..._4474627_n.jpg

We have so far stripped two of the cars down completely (as in not a single nut or bolt left on the chassis) to get sandblasted, and seam welded every seam on the cars! (The factory only spot welds, and there is significant rigidity to be found in seam welding) The third we stripped to a point where it can still be used to mock up parts, such as headers, exhaust, and suspension components.

Waiting to be marked for sandblasting.

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The red spray paint is used as a guide for sandblasting.

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The car on the rotisserie we built for it.

http://a3.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot..._8223752_n.jpg

The car is now prepared for welding.

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Aerial view of welding the bottom of the car.

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Seam welding in progress.

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Close up of a new weld.

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Completed seam welds in the front.

http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot..._3159934_n.jpg

The bottom and front completely seam welded.

http://a5.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot..._4732755_n.jpg

We will also be developing and producing multiple suspension pieces for the car. The lower control arms and most of the links in the rear suspension will be included in this, and the pieces we make will be available to our customers. We will be running AST 5200 series dampers, as we think they are a better choice than the KONI 2800s, also allowed by Grand Am (those are the only two approved dampers). We plan on changing the springs from track to track and session to session, due to varying conditions. For braking, we plan on using Brembo front calipers and Nissan rear calipers, working with a Tevis racing ABS system. Finally, we are going to run the extremely sexy 18" Nissan Motorsport Volk Special wheels to fit the 245 front and 275 rear Continental slicks.
(Test fitting shown below)

http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot..._2002766_n.jpg

Keep checking for regularly posted updates.

Other Cool Pictures of the cars and shop

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http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot..._6292203_n.jpg

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UPDATE 2/11/11

We have had requests asking for a complete listing of everything that has been taken off the cars, what is going to be fabricated, and what will be put on the cars. Regarding what has been removed, Literally Everything! The cars have been stripped down to the frame and ever part that can come off has. As far as what is going to be fabricated and put on the cars, we regretfully are not able to provide that information right now, besides the obvious. A.M. Performances is currently working with GRAND-AM regarding this and once it has gotten the O.K., A.M. Performance will send us the list to get to you.

The team was kind enough to answer a couple of posts that came up this past week, and the answers provide a little insightful information on what the team is doing to the cars. Here are the questions and response:

-What are the parts you took off to save weight and if you can, the modifications you will or have done to meet your goal of 400rwhp?-

A.M. Performance,
“There is an astonishing amount of wiring, comfort, and interior equipment that is superfluous to our cause here. Much of the saved weight is purely in the removal of everything that keeps the car comfortable, safe, and quiet on the street. Also, stripping all the undercoating and tar insulation saves a lot of weight. Finally, all the little brackets and doodads that we aren't using add up, and we have cut all of those off the car. Any of the parts we replace will be replaced with a better, stronger part that is as light as it can possibly be.”

-What’s the idea behind the sandblasting, is it just to ready the surface for welding?-

A.M. Performance,
“It preps the car for seam welding quite nicely, and makes for a clean, blank canvas to work with. In addition, it saves a bunch of weight by getting probably about 40 pounds of undercoating and seam sealer off the car.”

Regarding this weeks update: The team has been busy at work seam welding the second car, installing the cage on the first car, and designing the new parts that will be added to the cars.

We have a bunch of great photos for you, so check them out below.

Pile of brackets, etc. we are removing for weight savings.

http://a5.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot..._5650053_n.jpg

Chassis #2 being welded on the rotisserie

http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot..._5148611_n.jpg

Chassis #1 ready for cage!

http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot..._5368254_n.jpg

The Machine shop ready to prototype parts

http://a2.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot..._4463683_n.jpg

The NISMO bodywork

http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot...0_648335_n.jpg

http://a5.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot..._3495526_n.jpg

The shop GT-R, which A.M. Performance will use as a test mule to make parts for Nissan's other sports car.

http://a3.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot..._7923317_n.jpg

Racetech Seat in car to figure out mounting

http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot..._6430682_n.jpg

First bends for the main hoop

http://a5.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot..._2151753_n.jpg

Three mains!

http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot..._2454793_n.jpg

Racetech belts showed up today, with their super-slick new style adjusters.

http://a3.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot..._1649654_n.jpg

http://a5.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot..._6289518_n.jpg

Andrew (right) and Drew hard at work drawing awesome new parts with green lines

http://a5.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot..._6525363_n.jpg

TIG welding the first cage

http://a3.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot..._3295370_n.jpg

Working on the halo bar

http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot..._4900887_n.jpg

Future updates will be posted as replies from now to keep the initial thread length reasonable.
So keep an eye out.