This is my first Nissan but I’m familiar with and love the Japanese Cars, I’ve had 2 Scion tC’s, 2008 5MT wreaked and replaced by 2010 6MT but sold for new car, a Scion FRS (2013 6MT). I’m mechanically savvy, did everything on my old cars from oil changes, clutch installations, high-end sound systems, rebuilt engines, turbo charged my FRS, and was wide bodying it before I wrecked it L. I should also add I am a 23 year old Mechanical Engineering Student (so I know my ****) but work full time as a bartender to pay for college and fun car stuffs. I have almost every tool I could need including my quick jacks but most are in a storage unit 200 miles away because I just moved to live with family for savings after wrecking my daily FRS.

My plans for this 350z are a lot but I promise are happening despite options on certain things being worth or not (i.e. wide bodying or putting a giant spoiler on):

• Oil catch and cooler
• Chassis Mounted Wing for hotboi status (1850mm hopefully or 1700mm)
• Rocket Bunny wide body kit (rep kit unless a used one pops up for sale)
• BC Coil overs with true coil overs in the rear (then Bagged when Wide Body is install)
• Suspension upgrades with the Coil overs
• Wider Tires (Then proper spacers for Wide body)
• Air Intake (For the noise it’ll make)
• Front and Rear Bash Bars with Jacking points
• Interior refresh (bucket seats, flocking the dash, and panel recoloring)
• Sub frame polyurethane bushings (Maybe engine if the old VQs last long enough)
• I have two AEM oil/water temp gauges and sensors and a Wideband gauge and sensor from old project FRS I might install for extra info
• Aftermarket LSD (idk what it has now but don’t like welded for daily driving)
• Recolor (Wrap or dip depending on available space to DIY either
• Eventually Cage (Bolt-in since I’m not trying to Drift or track a lot more showy daily driver)
• CD009 or CD008 transmission swap whichever is more available at time
• Improving this meh sound system
• End Goal is an ENGINE SWAP!! Either:
  • Built Single turbo, not massive 2JZ, (stock twins if VQ blows earlier than planned but I’d still do single turbo eventually)
  • LS swap if total cost to build makes large difference or my friend’s 2006 GTO persuades me when he makes it force induction

P.S. I have budgeted all of this out with a desired timeline so I think I can afford almost everything I want in a timely manner for a project car!

The new 350z was the old owner’s project car, he bought it with a blown engine and with a bad 3rd gear synchro in the transmission (150,XXX miles). All he got to do on it was APPARENTLY swapping the engine and transmission from a 2005 350z (115, XXX miles) but I haven't Checked VINs to confirm as of yet. He didn’t know much about what was done to the car before him (think he bought it at auction), but the swap looked like it was done, no codes, only issues were cosmetic, belts squeaking, and ac not working.
My experienced mechanic and car-enthusiast friend and I went to check it out and both felt it was worth the asking price of $5,000 but we talked him down for obvious work needed (i.e. Ugly black paint on quarter panels - Audi r8 like, needs rotors, needs AC fixed, and so on with small things) but drove smooth for being lowered on unknown coil overs and shifts were smooth!

He was a utility construction worker and welder (laying underground piping wiring for new building if I remember right), However he worked with machinery, power tools, welded for a living, and his uncle was a "mechanic" (didn't confirm by meeting the uncle) so I trusted that an engine and transmission swap was a do-able thing for him.
He was selling it because he found a 370z he wanted to start modding and already owned 2 350z and a G35 in the past, so he wanted something newer. This car also wasn't his daily, he drove it for fun on his free time which I guess was limited.
He seemed honest because he mentioned that the radio head unit was included but wasn’t installed (now installed and sounds okay for getting it with the z all for cost of my last system lol) and that the sound system was wired, belts were squeaky (replaced), the AC system needs a drier and lower line (not checked out yet but need to do still), it has a vibrant exhaust (not sure what parts but it sounds loud with stock looking y-pipe, and lastly the body damage (minor scratches, black paint on sides, and chipped paint on front bumper).
He checked in with me after a few hours afterwards to see if it made it back and I still approved of it. Additionally he even offered his "mechanic" uncle and himself as help for dropping the transmission for $300 if I bought the parts we needed be thought it was just the throw out bearing at first... lol so wrong!... However he was just too far when I had access to a lift 15 minutes away.
[Sales Listing] Can Kind of see UGLY AF R8 stripe (Matte Black Crappy Paint) on rear quarter panel and door
[Sales Listing] Can Kind of see chipped paint on bumper near driver side headlight

Currently odometer reads 155,XXX miles (so Engine and Transmission should have around 120,XXX miles) I drove it 75 miles home fine no problems the day of purchase (03/18/2018) but as I was pulling into my driveway it stalled and died on me. Icouldn't diagnose at first because it wouldn't start up until 15 or so minutes later with a few tries but squeaking got louder and stalled out the car with clutch depressed as well as smoke would come from underneath in the engine bay. Basically ended up being the throw-out bearing, took it to my friend's shop to fix and we replaced the clutch which was destroyed including pressure plate blowing up and throw-out bearing locking up and ruining collar.
Pressure Plate With Blown-off Teeth
Old vs New Throw Out Bearing

Put a new LUK replacement clutch kit ( ) in, OEM throw-out bearing collar from local Nissan Dealer, new battery, and replaced the belts. During this we noticed that its lowered on some no name coil overs (we knew it was lowered just not on what), the lugs were completely wrong for the rims, it has 2 non hub centric spacers (5mm total) on the rear with possible extended lug bolts (longer then fronts), and a set of 15mm or 20mm hub centric spacers with lug bolts, and that it was jacked up at one point by its oil pan
[pictures of all these problems coming when car goes back on lift for new lug nuts]

So we’re waiting on the rest of the lug nuts to come in (only have 10 of the 20 needed). But we couldn’t fit the spacers from the front on the rear (with the old lug nuts before getting new ones) to make the tires seat properly because the rear studs come too far out of the 15/20mm spacers.
[pictures of studs coming]