TwinTurbo.NET: Nissan 300ZX forum - My goal was reached :)
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Subject My goal was reached :)
     
Posted by Jason300zxTT on September 30, 2015 at 2:00 PM
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Message Few years ago, I started a project I have dreamed about since I was 18. Bernie could even vouch for that. My goal was to one day build a 500 wheel horsepower Z32. 12 almost 13 years later and 2 cars later, I finally reached the goal with the help of Harry (Ztuner) tuning and parts from Harry, Ash, Bernie and Specialty Z and Z1 and a lot of good friends helping turn wrenches.

The current car was located in Tampa Florida in 2007 from a company called Z Docs. It was everything I was looking for at the time. Right price, Right color, Right transmission. Paint needed a little help but, The car ran perfectly and had paperwork to show from the dealership. After a compression test the Z was bought and shipped up to VA.






The car came home and immediately modifying began. A trip to Bernies where it received a pop charger, subframe spacers and steering rack bushings, JWT ECU, and B&B Catback (Bernie has stock in the company I swear! lol) Shortly after it received a DXD Southbend clutch and down pipes and test pipes and UR crank and overdrive pullies with 60k.




The car was a fun car and ran very well. However, It wasn't everything I wanted. I wanted more power. I wanted it to be faster then my previous black emerald 94. So what did I do? Immediately picked up the phone after two failed injectors and the car was brought back to Bernie's for a set of Nismo 740's and 300 degree rails and Stillen intercoolers and HKS blow off valves. At the time I caught a lot of slack for going 740's as not many had done them at the time let alone, I was on stock turbos. The comments were such as "Thats over kill" touche however, The goal long term was 500hp and bigger turbos.


The car ran great. It was faster then my black emerald. I was able to pull a 7.7 8th mile (good for 11.9-12.0) at a local 8th mile strip and dyno 354whp at around 14lbs of boost at a local "Follow the 370z" meet with my buddy Kevin on a cold, damp day. But hey, I won most horsepower of the day and won a copy of the current edition of Need for speed for xbox that day.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fPQg96HPCZU


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jAT4RZB5NCE



From there, Life got in the way of the project and the Z pretty much hit the back burner. I became a proud husband, a super excited dad, a home owner and even changed my profession.

I got tired of seeing the Z in the garage and never driven. I began to wonder if my goal was even possible. One day I made a phone call to my buddy Kevin and told him my plans. I wanted to change the turbos on the car and would need help removing the engine. Few phone calls later I had a few good friends drive an hour west to help me start wrenching. Mike and Peter and Kevin all chipped in and spent hours upon hours working on the car. After many pizzas and beers the engine was removed and parts ordered. Timing belt, JWT .64 Sport 700 turbos, SZ oil lines, MSP manifolds, SZ 3' down pipes, SZ 3-2.5" test pipes, Koyo rad, AEM Wideband, all new hoses/gaskets, items sent to be powder coated ect ect...

After that, I found out an old friend of mine had moved about 15 minutes from where I moved. It was an awesome Z guy and good friend of mine who knows the z32 and z31 platform really well. Steven and I got the engine back in and fired up. It was a great day to hear the Z live again and spooling a new set of turbos. It was super cold out but that didn't stop us. She was alive again.. :)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YLnhckrzgGo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=biyU9-nE_Os


Once the turbos were broken in, I wanted address the body work and paint. Buddy of mine Dave introduced me to a now good friend of mine, James. James was willing to take on the project of my Z. I wanted all the rock guards shaved all the small dings removed and repainted in factory TK3 with a nice shine :) The car was dropped off at his house where he began the body work in his spare time. Right before it went to James house Steven and I ended up installing Nistune, Twin mafs, selin translator another set of wheels, Enkei rfp1's and a 99 fascia and twinz intercooler ducts with a 90 badgeless nose, Ashspec V3 massives and z1 2.5 intercooler piping.






After the body work was completed. I knew it was time to start making power. A long time ago I had a few Honda's and have kept in touch with the tuner who tuned those cars. Ive watched him tune RB swapped cars, LSx cars, Sr20 cars ect ect not just Honda's. I started talking to Matt on PM and arranged a date to have my Z tuned. James was nice enough to tow the car to Richmond area to have it tuned. The car ended up making 471 whp at 17.8 psi. It was respectable and very safely tuned. He did a good job. However, I wanted more still. So what was next? I didnt want to go internally into the motor and change things such as cams, rebuilding motor just yet. I wanted a STOCK motor making 500hp.


Few weeks later, The plug and play Haltech came out and I saw Rob posting about his throttle bodies on our group (z32 drivers on facebook) and Z1 just had released the 3" race ready PG exhaust that Jon was posting on our group about. I was sold after a few PM's and phone calls to other vendors. I ordered a set of 54.5 throttle bodies from Rob, Haltech, AIT sensor, Widebands, 4 bar map sensor, two boost solenoids from Jonathan at Specialty Z, Ordered a Z1 PG exhaust with 3" test pipes to match with a Twinz diffuser from Jon at Z1. I thought, This is it. This should be everything I need to meet my goal.



Steven and I spent a few weekends working on the car and getting it ready. After the Haltech and other items were installed it was time to plan tuning. Harry was posting very solid numbers on TT Net and Z32 drivers and I kept notice. Ive watched over the years multiple cars go to him and make awesome numbers and swear by his tuning. I began emailing and PM'ing and calling him and discussing items with the car. He was backed up at the time and we planned two months later to have the car sent to him. Thankfully my buddy Wes ships cars for a living. The car was shipped back to Florida to Harry's to have some work completed and car tuned.






It started out as a plan to tune on pump gas and race gas and change rod bearings for safety and reliability as the motor was at 100k.

Well, That idea went out the window pretty fast. E85 decided to take the place of race gas. The bigger project began. Rod bearings were replaced, PCV rerouted, BDE top fed rails ordered and installed with ID 1300cc injectors, walboro 485 fuel pump, Fragola carbon lined PTFE lines and fittings, Aeromotive regulator and filter, modified upper and lower plenum and balance bar, 120k service, and all the goodies from Haltech. Iobox, e85 sensor/gauge, flying lead harness, mini canbus hub ect ect ect..









It was dyno time.... Yesterday while doing the tune Harry was able to accomplish my dream. He broke 500hp. He made 476 wheel horse power at 14lbs of boost and 520 wheel horse power at 17lbs of boost. He isnt done yet. He is cleaning up the pump gas tune and thinks car will end up around 525-530 on 93 oct pump fuel. From there E85 is up next. Were not looking to max out the stock motor but end up around 600.

From yesterday.


I really want to thank everyone involved who has helped and assisted making my dream come true. A HUGE special thanks goes to the following people.

Steven
Harry
Bernie
Jonathan, Seb, Greg at SZ
Jon at z1
Rob
Mike
Peter
Kevin

and of course my wife Stephanie for allowing me to spend countless hours in the garage and putting up with me and my Z addiction.

Also the biggest thanks goes to my mom who passed away in 1999. I always told her one day I would own a 300zx twin turbo as it was my dream car. Now my dream of owning a 300zx twin turbo and a Z32 making 500hp has come true.

Thanks to everyone I might of missed along the way, Im super excited to what this car has to offer and cant wait to finally put some miles on it. After all since ive owned the car I have only put 8k miles on it. I think its time to enjoy it :)

2006 Chevy Cobalt SS super charged (Daily driver/Gas saver)
1994 Nissan 300zx sport 700 Twin Turbo (Weekend car)

     
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