Another discovery....Toby's car is paint code B17, an electric type Blue. I had another customer with same paint code bring his Z by yesterday, B17. The cars are different colors. To some, it may look close, but to me, it is a completely different color. With the cars side by side, to me it is very evident. The customer said he couldn't really tell, but maybe he was in denail. his body kit was EXACTLY the color of Toby's car, and looked very out of place on his car, which was darker in color. Some pieces I had painted for Toby's car came out EXACTLY the color of this other customer's car.

There are variations in paint color right from Nissan's factory. They're not usually this differnet though. Usually a variation in color will be distinguished in the factory paint code, because same models are painted in different parts of the world, thus slightly off (for whatever reason). The paint code for these Z's didn't have any type of identification for that.......so B17 could be any of 2 or 3 different colors. Different paint systems will call for hueing the paint either darker, duller, or both in this specific color's case.

It was a bit of a revelation for me because I was very confused and my painter had never painted a piece the wrong color before.

 

So whats 100% compleat and whats left to do at this point? And about the paint I didnt notice a diffrence the first time it was painted. So that just goes to show what kind of installer steve is "most be perfect!"

I wonder how many shops out there would just patch things up and send you out the door with a 95% install? dosent seem vertex does that.

 

variation can occur from different brands of paint though?

so.. let's see some pics with them straight up?

 

FINALLYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY. Even after I got the door to go fully vertical, then I had to deal with the fiberglass door panel clearing as well. #UCKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKk. It does now.









Yes, the door lines up perfectly once again.

I wrote something about the bracket having to get shaved. It has to get shaved A LOT. More than I said before. The arm doesn't have to get messed anymore.

Toby, I mounted the other bracket to the door and already have my angles for welding. I wanted to make sure for sure before I welded it. I will weld it and have the other side functional today as well. I am going to send the door panels back to the painter for the 3rd time (with your bumper) tomorrow or monday...as soon as I have the other side welded and fit with panel as well. Thank you for your patience.

edit: the fender looks off in the 4th picture only because there are only 2 bolts holding it in place. It is not misaligned.

 

You know I was having one hell of a bad day up to this point but things are looking up now.

 

U Rock

 

I have to say something about this process. I was worryed because of the time involved and steve taking on a install that he never did before. then after the welding of the hinge in the worng spot I was like what is going to happen to my car now? what have I done? But after thinking things over and having patience I know now there would be no way in hell I would ever let another installer but vertex work on my car. I would bet my pink slip on it that 90% of the shops might have been done by now but I would have to come back and get things fixed that wasnt done right the first time. Vertex "steve" is't one of those shops

Steve I told you from the start bro take as much time as you need to get this perfect! I live to far away to drive back LOL but then again next time I show up with my car steve might not open the door it might just bring back nightmares. LOL

 

That's ok man..He called me Satan because my Foglights were giving him fits when I showed up to pick up my car, but worked better before I got there.

I'll echo your sentiment about the work Steve does though....very top notch, and the level of expertise we're seeing out of this install is amazing.

 

I agree kelly. Hey what I dont understand is why so many people have to hat on this mod? I posted a pic on another side and pretty much got bashed.

 

props for going the extra mile and providing Pumped an awesome car..

but for $1600 labor + the cost of the kit and the time/effort/loss of sleep... to me, i dunno if it really worth it.... it will be, however, really unique..

 

My comparison of the GTF v VDC:

VDC: Comparitively, the VDC kit is very easy to install. Straight out of the box with the instructions they DON'T give you, it's not a direct bolt on. Modifications have to be made to make the bracket work properly. However, the mods are just baby mods compared to the mods needed to be done for the GTF. Custom washers, bolts, nuts; custom torque specs for those corresponding bolts and nuts; grinding/reaming of bracket holes....small things like that.

The reliability/sturdiness of the VDC kit is dependent upon use and maintenance. If the shock base is lubricated probably once a year, that should keep it from freezing up. EnthuZiast (Steve from VA Tech) has had his kit for maybe 1.5 years, and it didn't seem like it needed lube. Other similar "bolt-on" kits have needed it though, like Decah and whatever the other ones are called. The base height adjustment screw on the VDC kits have a nylock nut that keeps it from ever moving. The Decah kits have a similar adjusting stud, but with no washer. Decah kits suck ***. Their material (what they call high strength steel) sucks too. It rusts and doesn't seem that stable.

The VDC kit only goes up about 45%...standard in the lambo-style door world.

GTFactory Diablo door kit: Obviously, this kit is a major pain to install. There are no instructions besides pictures. When you call for support, they will give you "hints" IF you ask the right questions. If you don't know to ask a specific question, they will not know to help you. Basically, a near impossible install.

Fit and finish/quality of materials/shocks....excellent. One of the best I've seen yet. Very high grade nickel-plated stainless steel. Hinge construction is very sturdy. This kit goes up about 86 or 87 degrees on the 350z. I installed the bracket so it COULD go up a full 90 or even more, but I set it a little lower so it wouldn't ever have issues hitting the hood when it is opened.

This kit is excellent to use if you never intend on taking them off and use the car as a daily driver. The weld in requirements, although a pain, offers the highest level of sturdiness. The kit opens up the same way everytime, with door sway seemingly completely eliminated. This kit is the only one I've seen that deals with door sway FULLY. Other companies put something in there to HELP the effects of the door swaying in the wind....GTF fully addresses it with a piece unseen on other kits.


Being that I am an installer/shop owner....which one would I pick for my own Z? (even though I don't have one)

I would pick the GTF kit. My second choice would be LSD. LSD quality is the same as GTF, although the guage steel isn't quite as thick. LSD installation is similar to VDC. I would not consider anything else for my own vehicle. After seeing it for myself and the response from passers by, the ability to go 90 is cooler than I suspected. I would be willing to go through the required hell to put the GTF kit on my car.


LONG STORY SHORT: If you HAVE to have a truly vertical door, GTF is your only option. If you don't want to spend the money, you can't have it. If you don't mind your doors not going all the way up, get an LSD or VDC kit...and save yourself a couple thousand along the way.

I believe this kit was designed in Japan for the ultra-rich....Mercedes, Porsches, Soarers, etc. I think those Japanese dudes know what a pain it is, and I think they charge a shitload too. It is an ultra-luxury item.

 

BTW.....Good news Uncle Toby! Your dual door shocks, although super skinny, are SUPER STRONG. I think you're gonna have to be careful opening them things up....they want to jump up all by themselves.

Also, I looked at the SECOND best GTF install on a 350z, the one from the main GTF distributors in Cali, and their kit does not go up as far as your car. Their kit goes up approximately 75 or 80 degrees, whereas yours goes up the aforementioned 86 or 87 (because of the hood in it's open position). I found a couple extra millimeters of clearance when welding your kit in order to get the best chance of going vertical. GTF's installation instructions and guidance don't incorporate this additional modification and thus will NEVER open up as far as your car. I think they conveniently left the 350z out of some of their ads because their car doesn't go all the way up.


Hey, and people hate on this mod because they probably have never seen one in real life that worked properly. 99% of lambo-style kits don't work perfectly....because they have to be custom modified. I think if those bashers saw Cobean's, Steve's, or your car, they would shut the hell up. You will see for yourself what will happen to an already awesome looking car. You will spend more time answering questions and wiping all that nut off your car after people see it.

 

Hey NO NUTS on the paint LOL

Also real quick about the paint. I was thinking last night and remember rob the guy I got the paint from for my bodykit told me I had to use dupont base along with dupont paint mixed 1/1 and something about matching the VIN to the paint cod with a dupont cromamaster sestem or something like that. anyway I got the paint out of FL and had everything painted off car and delivered to my house so the painter didnt have my car to match things up. paint as you can see came out perfect and rob told me that paint would be a 99% match.

If you want to call him and see what he has to say this is his # 321 720-7383

might help

 

Rob did some painting on my car, and it came out perfect. The local shop that installed my body kit had to repaint when the color match was unsatisfactory. They called in the Dupont rep, who told them there were TWO B17s. They used the darker, which is the color on the major parts of the car.

We old farts that pre-ordered back in early 2002 remember some of the DBs having a different color gas cap....and some rear ends were lighter also. I had all of that repainted with the darker B17 when I had my kit installed.

 

yea my gas cap is lighter than my car.

 

lets see some pics of the door panels

 

Outstanding work man, I admire people who take pride in their work, its rare to find someone to work on cars these days that has a love for the cars they work on not just the money they bring in.

 

Keep up the awesome work ethic Steve!

 

update? parts make it to paint ?

 

Sorry so long guys, I didn't know the Z's had common door regulator/motor problems, and got stuck trying to fix one that couldn't get fixed. Toby informed me he had them replaced before, and after replacing a motor again, works like butter. I'll post a bunch of pictures this weekend. The car is done awaiting paint on the welded/filled areas and front bumper.