New 350Z owners, read this before doing any modifications to your Z.
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Joined: Jun 2004
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From: Vancouver, BC, Canada
Thanks Jeff for the great info! Here in Vancouver we have a huge import craze here and finding someone with a Z now isn't very hard to do. But finding one that has different wheels and tires, different spoilers, and small engine mods is not as common, unless your Asian and daddy is rich(not a racist remark, just reality). I will be buying my Z very soon! Just waiting for my bonus this August and I'll have one in my driveway. I will be using your advice on the wheel and tire fitement.
Thanks again, from Vancouver!!
Thanks again, from Vancouver!!
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From: Cape Coral, FL
Re: Re: My current set-up
Originally posted by Phatmitzu
Out of curiosity, what does it do?
Out of curiosity, what does it do?
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From: Buckeye, AZ
Originally posted by zland
Sorry guys, in Asia until end of aug thus not checking website too often, busy surfing on small islands.
Sorry guys, in Asia until end of aug thus not checking website too often, busy surfing on small islands.
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Joined: Aug 2004
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From: Atlanta Georgia
Hey,
Your article, New 350Z owners, read this before doing any modifications to your Z, is perhaps the BEST I've ever read regarding Z-Cars. Keep up the good work @ your new job with SportZ.
I'm sorry about omitting the adjective "BEST" from the original posting.
Your article, New 350Z owners, read this before doing any modifications to your Z, is perhaps the BEST I've ever read regarding Z-Cars. Keep up the good work @ your new job with SportZ.
I'm sorry about omitting the adjective "BEST" from the original posting.
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From: Oceanside Ca
Originally posted by AudioPat
You are reffering to 'Web Surfing' right Jeff
You are reffering to 'Web Surfing' right Jeff
Larry:
Thanks for the feedback! I already submitted two articles to SportZ and hope to see them published within the fall and winter editions. The "read this before doing any modifications..." article was general in nature. The up coming articles will be much more detailed.
Jeff - zland
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From: Roadcourses of SoCal
3.9 final drive ratio (ring & pinion)
I'm about to install the 350EVO 3.9 final drive ratio (ring & pinion). I have very high hopes for this mod. I will post a review in about 2 weeks, after I have had a chance to drive it.
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From: In g-d's country....
thanks for post.
Thanks for post, jeff!
A lot of useful info, and things I will consider upon my choice of mods.
Hey - i am trying to get a group together in SO CAL.... chrismcagle and others from my area are so far very interested. I have 3 personal z owner friends, plus i have gotten 7 responses with definite interest...
This thus/fri. aug 19/20 You up for it?
A lot of useful info, and things I will consider upon my choice of mods.
Hey - i am trying to get a group together in SO CAL.... chrismcagle and others from my area are so far very interested. I have 3 personal z owner friends, plus i have gotten 7 responses with definite interest...
This thus/fri. aug 19/20 You up for it?
Originally posted by zland
9. Other drive train modifications: After adding 100hp by FI to your motor, you will most likely be forced to replace the clutch to be able to accommodate that power. In addition, some like a lighter flywheel instead of stock. The bottom line is your 350Z was designed to accommodate 287 crank hp. The more hp you add, the greater strain you are adding to your entire drive train. The fact is, the weakest link breaks thus if you are putting out additional 100 hp and rev your motor to 3000rpm and drop the clutch, something might break since it was not designed to handle that power.
I hope this helps you. I tried to be specific enough to give you a basic idea of options you have in modifying your 350Z. Of course, I did not get too specific assuming you need to do some research on your own.
I know there are many experienced individuals that have more experience in modifying cars on this website than myself. They can add suggestions to this post and even disagree if they like with portions of what I have written. The intent was to provide a new 350Z owner with a basic understanding of what can be done to modify their 350Z with the hope of doing so without regret in their decisions. This thread was not written to debate with experienced 350Z owners over fine details of modifications. The other threads within my350z.com cover those issues better.
The best answer I have read regarding why you should modify your 350Z is because you are enjoying doing so. There will always be a faster car than a 350Z be it a M3, Vette, Viper, or a number of supercars on the market. I always wanted a 300TT Z but could not afford it at the time. Now, I can afford a Z so I am doing what I dreamed of doing years ago. Z06 Vettes and 911TT are awesome but that is not my dream. Maybe the cost of those cars new is just more than I want to expend? If I can build a 350Z and it performs close to the performance of those cars, I will be happy. The more I modify my Z, the more it reflects my personality and tastes. Some guys like blonds, others redheads. I guess some guys are muscle car types and me, I am a Z type guy. It is all personal taste. That is why some of us have CS, SS, while others have brickyards. Is one better than the other? To me no, but one is better for someones personal taste.
I have been recently been hired by SportZ magazine (months after I first posted this thread). With this new postion come the opportunity to provide articles that will give Z owners another source for information in selecting aftermarket products through comparing products in tests that measure their performance. I am sure these comparisions will not show clear "winners" all the time since selecting a product must be defined by what you personallly want it to do. When selecting an exhaust, are you looking for sound quality, hp gains, torque gains, warranty, or appearance? If warranty is your top objective, a certain exhaust might be the winner in your opinion as compared to hp gain or even weight of the exhaust.
The brief overview I gave on this thread cannot replace your own research. If I am able, I will do my best to influence SportZ magazine to create more comparsions much like the exhaust shoot out they wrote.
I am done, now you know briefly the basics I have learned from hours spent on my350z.com .
Good luck and enjoy your 350Z be it stock or modded.
Jeff - zland
9. Other drive train modifications: After adding 100hp by FI to your motor, you will most likely be forced to replace the clutch to be able to accommodate that power. In addition, some like a lighter flywheel instead of stock. The bottom line is your 350Z was designed to accommodate 287 crank hp. The more hp you add, the greater strain you are adding to your entire drive train. The fact is, the weakest link breaks thus if you are putting out additional 100 hp and rev your motor to 3000rpm and drop the clutch, something might break since it was not designed to handle that power.
I hope this helps you. I tried to be specific enough to give you a basic idea of options you have in modifying your 350Z. Of course, I did not get too specific assuming you need to do some research on your own.
I know there are many experienced individuals that have more experience in modifying cars on this website than myself. They can add suggestions to this post and even disagree if they like with portions of what I have written. The intent was to provide a new 350Z owner with a basic understanding of what can be done to modify their 350Z with the hope of doing so without regret in their decisions. This thread was not written to debate with experienced 350Z owners over fine details of modifications. The other threads within my350z.com cover those issues better.
The best answer I have read regarding why you should modify your 350Z is because you are enjoying doing so. There will always be a faster car than a 350Z be it a M3, Vette, Viper, or a number of supercars on the market. I always wanted a 300TT Z but could not afford it at the time. Now, I can afford a Z so I am doing what I dreamed of doing years ago. Z06 Vettes and 911TT are awesome but that is not my dream. Maybe the cost of those cars new is just more than I want to expend? If I can build a 350Z and it performs close to the performance of those cars, I will be happy. The more I modify my Z, the more it reflects my personality and tastes. Some guys like blonds, others redheads. I guess some guys are muscle car types and me, I am a Z type guy. It is all personal taste. That is why some of us have CS, SS, while others have brickyards. Is one better than the other? To me no, but one is better for someones personal taste.
I have been recently been hired by SportZ magazine (months after I first posted this thread). With this new postion come the opportunity to provide articles that will give Z owners another source for information in selecting aftermarket products through comparing products in tests that measure their performance. I am sure these comparisions will not show clear "winners" all the time since selecting a product must be defined by what you personallly want it to do. When selecting an exhaust, are you looking for sound quality, hp gains, torque gains, warranty, or appearance? If warranty is your top objective, a certain exhaust might be the winner in your opinion as compared to hp gain or even weight of the exhaust.
The brief overview I gave on this thread cannot replace your own research. If I am able, I will do my best to influence SportZ magazine to create more comparsions much like the exhaust shoot out they wrote.
I am done, now you know briefly the basics I have learned from hours spent on my350z.com .
Good luck and enjoy your 350Z be it stock or modded.
Jeff - zland
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From: Washington DC
Thanks Jeff, as an individual who just picked up his first ever non-truck (a 2004 triple black touring roadster) this thread was a great first read.
I have done many midifications to trucks, my last was a '96 tahoe with the vortech SC, headers, flowmasters, chip, MSD digital ignition, 9 inches of lift and 36"x14.5" tires, but never to a car. I actually got 9 miles per gallon and that was a good day.
Anyhow, I have actually made the decision not to do any modifications other than replace the airfilter (not a CAI, just a cotton gauze filter). This comes along the lines of people needing to learn to extract the full abilities from the Z before going for 500hp.
This was greatly evidenced this past weekend when I went to a track with a friend and his father (a race instructor for porshe). His father took (at 62 years of age) took a mazda miata with upgraded suspension and tires and worked through a field of cars that had huge numbers and price tags. If he can trash a 2003 Z06 with a miata, I don't think I need a supercharger.
Thanks again for the write up.
Adam
I have done many midifications to trucks, my last was a '96 tahoe with the vortech SC, headers, flowmasters, chip, MSD digital ignition, 9 inches of lift and 36"x14.5" tires, but never to a car. I actually got 9 miles per gallon and that was a good day.
Anyhow, I have actually made the decision not to do any modifications other than replace the airfilter (not a CAI, just a cotton gauze filter). This comes along the lines of people needing to learn to extract the full abilities from the Z before going for 500hp.
This was greatly evidenced this past weekend when I went to a track with a friend and his father (a race instructor for porshe). His father took (at 62 years of age) took a mazda miata with upgraded suspension and tires and worked through a field of cars that had huge numbers and price tags. If he can trash a 2003 Z06 with a miata, I don't think I need a supercharger.
Thanks again for the write up.
Adam
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From: Oceanside Ca
Re: thanks for post.
Originally posted by lopchild
Thanks for post, jeff!
A lot of useful info, and things I will consider upon my choice of mods.
Hey - i am trying to get a group together in SO CAL.... chrismcagle and others from my area are so far very interested. I have 3 personal z owner friends, plus i have gotten 7 responses with definite interest...
This thus/fri. aug 19/20 You up for it?
Thanks for post, jeff!
A lot of useful info, and things I will consider upon my choice of mods.
Hey - i am trying to get a group together in SO CAL.... chrismcagle and others from my area are so far very interested. I have 3 personal z owner friends, plus i have gotten 7 responses with definite interest...
This thus/fri. aug 19/20 You up for it?
Jeff
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From: Irvine
thats right, horsepower for your suspension hehehhehe, tires, imagine a z with all out handling mods only, it would doo more damage then a z with all power mods on the track, in fact woa, that is a good idea, hehe.
