Ok, I'm not new to forums so I'll try and not ask questions that are copy/paste but here's the deal.

I want to work on my own car (learn to do, do it, learn more about doing it if something messes up lol) but there's one problem. I'm not a veteran (auto) mechanic, I worked on fighter jets. I know my way around tools and have common knowledge with motors(hate saying that knowing how uncommon it is for people to even know how to change their own oil), but I really know nothing about modifications and how changing of one part benefits from the other.

Like for example, I know what intake and exhaust cams are and what they do, but I don't exactly know what going from a "stage1 two-seventy-whatever degree cam to a blah blah blah cam" means or does. What I'm trying to say is I understand the basic concepts of how a motor works and what parts are what, but I don't really know exactly how.

So to stop rambling and get the help needed:
I have an '06 350z 6spd (assuming RevUp VQ35DE from what I've read) and from what I can tell it's bone stock. I really have no idea as I bought it off a friend who got it used from some dealership. Not many people around here have a 350 so I really have nothing to base it off of, BUT under the hood she looks completely stock, it has 19" after market wheels, and looks like it may be lowered (not sure though)

If starting from completely stock, wanting to build on the car (nothing too extreme, not going for a track car). It's hard to explain what I'm looking for... Basically, I know what exhaust, headers, and intake I want, but don't know what I should do to the motor, and with all mods, what to get first. The reasoning is I'm the common poor person so saving up for some of these mods takes a long time and I would like to have a checklist goal if you will. Like what mods I should get and in what order. Something like this

1. intake
2. ehaust and headers at the same time (why not change both while you're doing the work)
3. pistons and rods
4. cams
5. injectors
6. so on and so on

If a write up like this already exist can someone please link me. I have already searched for "what mods should I get first", "what to mod first", and "initial mods" and it's just page after page of these track car builds and I don't want to waste time and money purchase unnecessary parts that are more than needed, if you catch my drift. Thanks in advance!

 

I think a plan on what you want the car to be,how it will be used is important.
You have already partially addressed this.Also,what is your budget?Like,how much per month would you have to spend?It is great that you are compiling a list of what you want to do.The biggie if you will,is what RESULTS you expe t to gain from your list and dollars paid.There are many threads on this.If you are doing bolt ons on a N/A engine,
the results will be marginal.THe car will be more responsive,feel "lighter".But so will your wallet.If you want real tire smokin performance,plan on FI.If this is your goal,building the engine is important.However,it will be expensive.If you as you state,a common poor person,you want the best bang for the buck.Can the headers idea.Do a good catback exhaust with test pipes or,HFC's.Drop some K&N's in the stock air box.Get a good tune.Go from there.

 

Great info man, thanks. I intend on keeping it N/A as I don't think I will ever be able to afford either side of F/I from what I've seen. As for the budget, like I said, I don't make enough to be able to budget it in. Sometimes I will have money to put back for it, sometimes I won't. To set this thread on a more directed approach, I'll go with the bolt-on N/A side. To clarify how I'm looking for the list to be ordered is what to do first to ensure the others function properly. I'll reference audio components as an example. If I wanted to put a system in my car, I wouldn't buy a box or amplifier until I already had a sub (or was certain on the one I wanted) so I was sure I purchased the proper amp with enough watts to get the most out of the sub without over doing it or the proper box so I was sure that it had proper dimensions to reach the desire levels. So, in a sense, what I'm wondering is (aside from what I don't know to do) where should I start, exhaust? intake? tune (I'm assuming should be last to get the most out of all the mods?)? then what? cams? heads? As far as goal (like hp goal) I don't really have one. Like I said I'm not looking to make a track car but I remember when I was around 16, I got to ride in the new (at the time) Pontiac GTO and remember it slamming me into the back seat and hitting 145mph in 5th (6spd) and that's where I'm looking. Just that good ole 'body pulling' feel that the stock Z doesn't produce. It feels like a quick (at best) stock import, not a sports car. Maybe it's just me but it doesn't have the feel I want in my car. Other than that I love the car, love the design, the handling, everything, just wish it was a little more torquey (and I'm not looking to go with nitrous oxide either, maybe later for drag racing but for now no).

Hope this helps, and thanks for the mature response and not the juvenile flame I was expecting lol, really man, appreciate it