I can't believe it, it is finally done! I just got back from Virginia with my baby, and let me tell you every one of those 800 miles flew by. Before I even get to my car, let me take some time out to try to explain how great Mr. Dave Shiroma is. Dave Shiroma, as some of you may know, was the general manager at AAM for some time, and left to now open his high-end performance Z shop, Function Tuned, in Virginia. Not only did he do the usual, sit and answer hundreds of questions for months before he ever saw my car, but the level of customer service that Dave provides is above and beyond anything I could possibly expect. Dave installed my kit, and tuned my car to perfection...that's usually where it stops with a shop. Not Dave. Before I left my car with Dave, I mentioned some things that were wrong with my car and completely not boost related...when i picked the car up, all of these things were done or fixed. Dave called me almost every day to let me know how everyhting was progressing. Dave sent me emails with pictures updating me on the progress of the install. Dave street tuned AND dyno tuned my car, in fact he wrote me 5 UTEC maps!!!! Dave found that the stock wastegates were not holding higher boost levels at high RPMs, because we decided to use UTEC and not Unichip with an HKS EVC II boost controller, which left us slightly short of our power goal, so he said if I wanted to buy aftermarket actuators he would fly down to Florida to re-tune my car!!!!! There's so much more I can't even list everything! This guy is top notch, if you want your car done right, if you want the best tune(s) possible for your car, this is the guy to take it to. Push you car, drive it, ship it, w/e, Dave is the VQ man, and I will never trust my car with anyone else...and don't think FL to VA was the shortest drive for me either...

So now to the car! As you may have guessed, I switched from the GReddy kit to the APS kit last second. I dumped Unichip in favor of the more powerful UTEC engine management, as well as Tuner PRO, and map selector switch. I'm also using an AEM wideband, so I'm running 2 wideband O2 sensors. I went with Defi Blue Racer gauges, EGT and Boost, an also an HKS EVC II boost controller. NGK one step colder plugs were also added.
For the time being on this car, I wanted to go for a super sleeper set up. If you're coming up on my car in your Ferrari, I don't want you to think I have so much as a CAI added to the engine. This presents a problem, as stock exhaust is obviously no good for FI. So, for exhaust, I bought some test pipes and QTP exhaust cut outs. Dave cut my test pipes up and welded the cut outs in. This allows me to control the sound and power of the car. Exhaust dumps closed, it sounds like a stock Z. With the flip or a toggle switch, the dumps open and the exhaust poors straight out of the massive APS downpipes, producing a DEEP, rumbling exhaust sound, enough to scare any V8 out of its pants. This is obviously pretty much the most efficient set up possible, and added 40+ WHP! The front grill remains on to hide the intercooler as best possible, and the gauges are difficult to see with my blacked out windows. When I got home, my dad did not notice a sinigle thing different about my car.
For tuning, I have 5 maps.
1-low boost, dumps closed
2-high boost, dumps closed
3-low boost, dumps open
4-high boost, dumps open*
5-pretty much number 1, reduced timing--UBER safe.

I'm mostly cruising town in map 1, I drove home in map 5 and got awesome gas mileage!

I already have 1000 miles on the set up, and everything is PERFECT!!!

And OMFG, did I mention it is FAST AS ****!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I scared my GF half to death!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The RMPs go up so fast, the tires spin so fast you can't feel them spin, 4th gear is the first timme you can start to get solid traction, the blow off valve is, well, beautiful...the sounds my car makes now are ORGASMIC! My GF even turned off the music to listen to the engine....I don't listen to music any more. The turbo's sound like a jet when they're spooling, and the blow off valve...WOW.

I want to sincerely thank Dave Shiroma for making this dream of mine come true, I don't think there's anyone in the world who could enjoy this more than I. I am more excited about this then I was when I got the car...I've been losing sleep for a long time now... Also, (ninja) Lee for introducing me to Dave, without whom this would not have happened. Gus at Westpak helped me get all my parts together, he and Sharif have been helping me and answering questions for the last year. Props to these guys, also great tuners, and thanks for all your help!!! Finally, Darren at Intense for taking my frantic calls for random parts and over-nighting everything that I needed!!!

This whole project came together FLAWLESSLY. The kit, the install, the tune, the set up is PERFECT. This is the culmonation of 2 years of research, questions, research, part buying, research, money saving, sleepless nights, research, over 4000 miles, and did I mention research? This is a dream come true for me, and I can't even begin to express how exstatic I am! So now that everything in finally done, I'm realizing it's only just beggining. Next on the table is a clutch and sleeved block, but for now I am just enjoying this so supremely, I don't even know what to say.

"Tuned...Function Tuned!"

 

 

...I obviously don't post on this site very often, but I have a few friends over here, just thought I'd show off my "new" car to everyone...I'm very proud of it : )

 

 

Congrats *****!

Dave took care of you...I expected nothing less.

Enjoy!

 

Congrats, I am sickly jealous! I totally understand your excitement, if I ever get the extra money I can't wait to go TT, and I can only imagine how excited I will be.

Glad you got such a great set up and install.

 

Lol, ya he was great... UTEC look farmiliar? : )

...I ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO GET A LITTLE TASTE OF FUNCTION TUNED!!! http://www.myspace.com/functiontuned


...with Dave's level of customer service, he's gonna have a waiting list a year long...

 

Wow! Sounds amazing, congrats on the car. Sounds like an awesome job Dave.

 

Z33 TT Virtual tour w/ ***** : )

http://s81.photobucket.com/albums/j2...gAnch=imgAnch2

 

Exhaust expanation---*CLIPS!!!*

http://s81.photobucket.com/albums/j2...gAnch=imgAnch1

 

congrats looks good but do you armoral you intrior? It looks way too shiny

 

lol, ya, it was still wet when I took the pic...lol...I'm just going crazy about getting her clean...I clay barred, swirl remover, gloss, 2 coats of NXT wax, 1 paste, 1 liquid, and then spray detailled this weekend...I'm gonna go vaccum her out now : )

 

I'm conflicted by your "super sleeper" statement and the fact that you have visible gauges on your A-Pillar...isn't that a little oxy-moronic? Mine are all going to be in either stock position or hidden from the exterior.

Fantastic car, by the way...

 

your explanation is kinda funny... seems like you anticipate some controversy

 

not to mention the big sticker on the wind shield

congrats nonetheless

 

I skimmed the book and I didnt see any numbers, besides the map numbers. And that you gained 40+ hp from the dumps.

Congrats on the car *****. You sound like a kid in a candy store. Don't know what say/look/tell next... Congrats.

Be safe with her.

 

Agree, not totally sleeper, but not full out body kit giganto wing, blang blang, with some boom boom

 

Well... He did say they were behind tinted glass. I was thinking the same thing, but not for gauges, for that huge reflective TUNED sticker on the front window.

Nice car man. Great story and good to hear about another tuner we can count on!

 

congrats on da new setup. good to hear you're enjoying it.

 

very nice, glad its finally done..i might have missed it but what were the dyno numbers?