Ok, so then when you look in the rearview mirror, you only see above the bar? Wow, that doesn't seem like much viewing area. Sounds kinda dangerous, I'm thinking I'm not a fan of that bar either. I was thinking the bar was more in the middle of the rearview.

 

The view from the rear view window is framed on the bottom by the brace. That is, the top of the brace is the bottom border of your view.

 

No offense to all the other posters, but this is the best post I've ever seen here. At last, the car is no longer vaporware. Anyway, I also am not a fan of the rear support, did you see whether the rear support is bolted in. I plan on taking my Z to the track and would like the rear support then, but driving around down, I can live without it and would like to be able to take it out Any idea how easy it will be to do this?

 

I plan on taking my Z to the track and would like the rear support then, but driving around down, I can live without it and would like to be able to take it out Any idea how easy it will be to do this?

Thats exactly what I was thinking. I looked at the brace conection to the floor of the hatch, but could not discern how it was attached. I would like to have a detachable center section of the brace, or have a quick release to remove the entire brace. Wouldn't it be nice to be able to carry a box of something at a moments notice !!!

 

That would definitely be nice, but I doubt it will happen on the '03 model. If the production one looks like the fairlady on the auto show tour, then it absolutely can't be removed. I took a good look at it, and it's basically one big piece, with no discernable connectors. If I understand it correctly, the brace is one big piece from strut to strut, with the black plastic covering in the hatch. They'd have to make the brace in different parts to do it. Oh well...

 

Wow, so you're basically looking through the hole under the bridge that the brace makes? That seems kinda weird. You must really sit low in this car.

 

i think what he was saying is that your line of sight goes between the top of the brace and the ceiling of the car, not below the brace.

 

I agree that for high performance driving the rear support is useful. But I am also planning on using the Z as my day-to-day car, and since I won't be doing much high performance driving on my way back from the grocerty store, I wish I could remove the support so I could fit some groceries back there.

 

ITA that the brace is a functional part of the car, but this is also my daily driver. It will be the only car I own. So I think it would be cool if on occaision I could remove the bar for more storage. That's all. If you think that's lame, then you would never have to take yours off. I'd just like the option.

 

We haven't look at how the brace is secured to the car, so we can't really assume anything. Maybe the brace is secure to the car by 4 bolts, which bolts to the struct tower. If that's the case, then we can just simply remove the brace by unbolt it. But if it is welded to the frame/tower, then we are out of luck.

The brace does take up almost half of the cargo area. You can put a lot more stuff back there if it was removed. For me, it will be nice if I have the space for 12" sub box. Now it looks like I can only fit 1 - 10" and still have some left over.

 

i think what he was saying is that your line of sight goes between the top of the brace and the ceiling of the car, not below the brace.

Pekkle is correct

 

Sorry, rented eyeballs, real ones were still in the shop! I went back and reread what he said and it was perfectly clear. You look over the top of the brace......gotcha.

Oh and by the way, that was the second time someone has referred to me as Dr. "BRONZE". It's actually BONZ as in bones but with a Z........get it...........I fix bones........I'm an orthopedic surgeon and I fix........Oh nevermind, it was kinda funny when I first made it up.

I'm really not very bronze at all....more of a pale flesh-like color. I'd like to be Bronze but as they like to say......Go for the GOLD!

OK I'll stop now.

 

So for those of you whe want to add subs in the back, does this mean you think they will integrate OK with the 160-Watt Bose system? Or are you planning on re-doing the entire stereo?

 

You'd probably just need a new amp.

BTW, I dont think the 160watt system is Bose. The 240watts system is.

 

yeah, the 160 is not the bose, the bose one is 240

 

6K,

Thanks for all these goodies!!! I ordered the Frost interior. One question: What is the color of door panel and carpet? Is it the same color as the interior picture at Nissandriven.com, one with the Burnt Orange leather seat. I wish for a medium grey instead of near black. Thanks in advance.

 

I know you've been barraged with questions but I have another.

I'm going MT, but I am really curious about [i]how[i] the "manual mode" on the Automatic worked. Different companys have a different way they implement this so I'm wonderif if you noticed.

thanks for the awesome write up.

 

Although this is only a guess... the stabilizer bar probably weighs quite a bit, thus allowing the car to have it's 52/48 weight distribution. So feel free to remove it and fish tail some more.

The instruction manual for my 87 BMW 325 actually recommends placing weights in the trunk for that additional back wheel traction. (Poor man's traction control) ;-)