Cam install and a tune.

[abecx]

After the next body shop....

Looks like something Forrest would do

[abecx]

Well, the led dash lights all came in, but the guy didnt do my DIC ( the computer in the gauge console ). We had a miscommunication on that. Going to send it back to him. Sucks because I cant use the car without it.

[abecx]

Was pretty bummed for a good month, but went to a few car shows and I'm fired up to get this finished up. I pulled out a shit load of dynamat before realizing I should use some gloves ( cuts! ). Cleaned the floor pan, replaced the dynamat, put the carpet in and continued from there. Interior partially done, still a few pieces to put back in. Want to get it tuned before the end of the month and try and hit up cars and coffee next month. The LED interior change is pretty bad ass, the lights are all Pontiac red sans the gauge cluster and stereo. The guy that does that work is out of the country till next month, will have him do those when he gets back.

edit: lmao i linked the wrong video

[Craizie]

I can respect the work and money put into it, but I'm not digging it.

[abecx]

Bet you thought this thread was done. The 300 is in shop getting fixed, one of the rear coil overs popped, not sure why. The engine is still not tuned ( relax ), fixing some issues where one bank is fouling plugs, maybe exhaust leak or fuel injector/rail. Once that is done can FINALLY get this thing tuned. Paint took almost 3 months and it took me nearly 2 months to do all the interior stuff because of the paint issues. I have a brand new interior that is all black though which didnt come factory in my car. Was a pain to get all the random brackets and shit because of the interior differences.

When the engine is tuned, I'm still not sure what to do with the paint, and to be honest the car makes me really sad because of the paint issues, everything was perfect before that. However, every time I see it at BSP, I get more excited because Brandon Piper does incredible work. While it makes him frustrated at times, he does care about my car as much as I do which is a rare and great commodity to find. I can not give him enough props.

I did sell the Camaro for asking price which was much to my chagrin. I didn't expect to sell it for $21k and was starting to get excited about keeping it and getting the 370z whenever that came around. When I was in Switzerland, I came across a nismo for sale in Houston, had a friend go test drive it and wire transferred the money while working with a beautiful view of Lake Zurich. Felt like a baller.

I just bought a stroker kit to bump it to 4L, billet crank, some forged pistons etc etc. I am hoping to get it to 800 whp with a big single turbo kit. I may try and do some of the work myself, a long time friend of mine said I could do some work at his shop. I've only pulled one motor and I was there mostly to help lift it out more so than to do the actual work. I've dropped a transmission before on my own to replace the rear main seal, did some rear axle swaps, but thats really about it aside from normal routine shit. So, this should be interesting if I go that route.

Thanks for reading my long ass diary, some of the insight I have gotten from messages and on this post have helped me drastically with direction.

ps. I was in Switzerland when the Dallas shootings went down, I was very upset about that crap. We had this meeting with a company showing us one of their news aggregation tools, and they used Dallas shooting as an example ( all these people are from Europe ). It really hit me hard when they did that, seeing Chief Browns name, the officers shot, I wanted to be back here so bad. I love this city and had to hold back my tears more than once being overseas.

[Craizie]

You picked the best color Z. Looks great.


Can you add the wow movie since I like the Z? :P

[abecx]

You picked the best color Z. Looks great.
Can you add the wow movie since I like the Z? :P

I want to get the Amuse body kit for it after I get all the engine stuff squared away. Its going to look so gaudy and back it up with power. Should be just as different as the 300 will be at car shows since I rarely see people with 370z's to begin with.

I'm waiting for the movie to come out on bluray, i still haven't seen it, probably early October since thats when Xmen Apocalypse comes out.

[Craizie]

I want to get the Amuse body kit for it after I get all the engine stuff squared away. Its going to look so gaudy and back it up with power. Should be just as different as the 300 will be at car shows since I rarely see people with 370z's to begin with.

I'm waiting for the movie to come out on bluray, i still haven't seen it, probably early October since thats when Xmen Apocalypse comes out.

That kit is pretty cool. It's hard to match that pearl white paint, though.

[Stephen]

Car looks good Cruz! It was good catching up today!

[abecx]

Car looks good Cruz! It was good catching up today!

Thanks man, I wanted to hang out talk more, always good to see you. Your boy clearly a lady killer.

I am looking for a machine shop now to do the motor work. Dunce me didnt check the stroker kit I bought which comes with stock bore pistons. Hopefully the cylinder walls are not too scratched up, and if so I guess I could sleeve it. Hopefully I'm using the right terms.

I heard Watts in Lavon does motor work for T1 Racing Development, whom is a Skyline GTR shop now. They've done g37/370 work in the past, but they are overflowing with GTR work which makes way more money and turned me away. JoTech is most likely in the same boat, I would have to pay a premium right now to use either shop.

I like the shop I've been using regardless, so I'm going to continue going there, just wanted to make sure I shop my options as any good consumer should.

I also tried to call Arlington Machine Shop whom a friend of mine highly recommends, unfortunately they dont install the rotating assembly and thats outside of my expertise.

I'm also unsure of head work on these engines. There are no aftermarket heads and I am not sure if the gains are worth it ( I am going to assume so since I plan to run a lot of boost ). I will be keeping stock cams as I dont want to fuck with the drivability of the car. Would be nice if I found someone else locally to bounce ideas off of or could read a full build. The 370z forums I am on are very sparse with build information.

[abecx]

After a ton of research, planning and contacting shops around the US I've come to the realization that trying to get any sort of awesome power numbers out of the 370 is going to cost WAY too much. I didnt want to spend more than $20k on modifications and the bill is already at $30k which means it'll probably end up in the $40k mark. I tried to make it work, i really did. I was so motivated to make it work I already have a stroker kit sitting next to me. $13k for a built block including a GTR intake ( stock is plastic ), another $10k for just the turbo kit, then would have to upgrade all the other shit, fuel, transmission, rear.

I've decided to sell the Nismo, get a wrecked 370z and go this route. Oh and in regards to the 300, if a buddy of mind can find some time, he's going go try and swing me in this week.

[Stephen]

After a ton of research, planning and contacting shops around the US I've come to the realization that trying to get any sort of awesome power numbers out of the 370 is going to cost WAY too much. I didnt want to spend more than $20k on modifications and the bill is already at $30k which means it'll probably end up in the $40k mark. I tried to make it work, i really did. I was so motivated to make it work I already have a stroker kit sitting next to me. $13k for a built block including a GTR intake ( stock is plastic ), another $10k for just the turbo kit, then would have to upgrade all the other shit, fuel, transmission, rear.

I've decided to sell the Nismo, get a wrecked 370z and go this route. Oh and in regards to the 300, if a buddy of mind can find some time, he's going go try and swing me in this week.

Nothing wrong with that!

[jw33]

[abecx]

I won the auction on the busted 370z ( front end damage ). I'm really excited, it'll be a lot more fun to take apart a broken car than one that works.

Where are the best sites/fb groups around Texas to buy used LS parts? I am looking for an LS3 and wanting to get ~550whp out of it on e85. I am also looking for engine builds I can copy unless I find full motor for a great price.

I also need to find someone to make me a custom bash bumper, or maybe even going full tubular front end.

[Craizie]

I won the auction on the busted 370z ( front end damage ). I'm really excited, it'll be a lot more fun to take apart a broken car than one that works.

Where are the best sites/fb groups around Texas to buy used LS parts? I am looking for an LS3 and wanting to get ~550whp out of it on e85. I am also looking for engine builds I can copy unless I find full motor for a great price.

I also need to find someone to make me a custom bash bumper, or maybe even going full tubular front end.

Check out BH factory in fort worth. They have LS swapped shit loads of Z's and G's.