I have been looking at all three of these and from the limited amount of information that I found, the only difference seems to be price. Anyone have any of these that could share impressions/pics?

TIA,

Rob

 

I have the Cusco strut tower bar. I'd say the only benifits are looks and less weight. Also, the stock bar allows you to set the preload, where this one just bolts on. I can't comment on the handling change, because I installed this strut bar and the Cusco sway bars all at the same time.

 

Cusco owns all... by the way we have them in stock...www.z1auto.com

 

That engine looks so nice...i dono why it just looks good. What kind of mods do you have on there?

 

Thanks for the compliment. Here are the mods that you can see from that picture:

Jim Wolf Technology Popcharger Intake
UTR Chrome Intake Tube
Polished OEM Plenum
Billet Oil Dipstick
KDP Performance Stainless Steel Radiator Cooling Plate
Cusco Strut Tower Brace
Cusco Oil Catch Can
Polished Stainless Steel Bolt Kit
Samco Coolant Hoses
Pi-Thon Hose Lock Kit
Pi-Thon Polished Fluid Covers
Nismo Oil Cap
Nismo Radiator Cap
Painted Chrome Silver Engine Cover, Brake Fluid Cover and Battery Cover

 

Why would a bar that has joints at both ends be any better than one where there are no flex points, is the bar and tightening just THAT much better than the stiffening of the stock bar?

btw, beautiful engine bay, and i don't usually like polish/shine

 

I just ordered the Cusco bar from another vendor but, the price was comparable. I really wanted the GTSpec bar but, nobody I called had them in stock. What engine dampener is this in the pic?

 

Thanks...In all honesty there is no performance advantage to the cusco over stock, at least none noticeable by me. The advantages to the cusco bar is that it looks better, allows for better hood clearance and it felt slightly lighter when i had each in one hand (but I could be wrong).

 

We could have gotten you the GT-Spec bar if you wanted. We happen to do a lot of business with those guys as they live in the next county over.

That engine damper is the 5Zigen. It costs about $340 and is a special order item from Japan. The install is no cake job either, you are looking at least 5 hrs not including the time we used to fabricate our own mounts because the ones included were useless. Adam has this in his own car, I personally have the stillen engine damper and I like it alot.

 

Looks is all that I am concerned about. I have been living without once for a year now since I have the Vortech kit and a Crawford plenum. I am getting the new Kinetix Intake Manifold in the first batch so, I wanted to have a strut bar to install at the same time. Thanks.

 

Will it fit that manifold?

 

Well, I think the ARC Titanum Bar looks pretty cool and it weighs 1.2 lbs.. The whole assembly can't be more than 3-4 lbs.. and it fits over the 1/4 plenum spacer without having to use the strut bar spacers..



--mike

 

It is also about $350 more than the Cusco bar.

 

GT Spec and Cusco are close...not identical, but close.

The Greddy by comparison looks like a POS....not nearly as wide, nor as polished and has a purplish color end cap.....it's ok when viewed alone but compared to the other 2 it's "cheaper" looking

As for that engine dampener - that is the 5Zigen as mentioned. It actually is not hard to install at all on a normal car, or a car without most coilovers. If you have a coilover with dampening adjustment up top (like my Cusco's), you will be making a new mounting plate as I did and relocating the orientation of the damper. Not hard, just took me a while to get it all right

 

The stock bar will so I am betting this one will. If not, then I guess someone will get a good deal on a used strut bar.

 

Thanks for the information. I'm glad that I didn't get the GReddy.

 

Beautiful engine bay! ARC owns!

 

Where is GT Spec products manufactured anyway? Are the products made in Japan or is kind of like a Cusco knockoff?
Thanks.

 

made in China, alongside lots of other JDM brands

 

Where dod you get those (polished??) caps for the fluids, like the wiper fluid?