-blade- Posted September 19, 2016 Share Posted September 19, 2016 (edited) So i'm new to Z ownership and to the forum (thanks for all the welcomes) and entered my 350 time with minimal to mediocre research. Ive owned just about everything over the last 24 years or so, RS turbos, GTEs, skylines, SUVs, M3s, Imprezas, EVOs etc etc but now i find myself in my first 2 seater! (bar a mk1 MR2 i had for a week way back in 2004). So i test drove a HKS S/C a mate (trader) had for sale. I really enjoyed it right away handling and driving wise, but a few other factors of the deal made me think twice.....but i came away from thinking 'why haven't i owned one of these?!?' 72 hours and 5 350z viewings later and i decide to view the mysterious Stillen S/C unknown brickyard 'down sowf'. After much inspections and tracing the real story and history behind it, investigating the few potentially bad news signs on it, and cash saving negotiations and bantering later i end up driving home a 2004 Z GT, brembos, Stillen S/C with unknown other mods, shitty springs, broken drivers window motor, dirty engine bay, minimally swirled paint job, on standard blacked out rims with stupidly low splitter home. In the the first 48 hours it underwent a clean - 2 purposes: find out what all is on it, what else may be broken, and to remove any paint issues. Cleanse, machine buff, polish layers, wax on then a first pass of the engine bay with steamer, plus some other clean ups reveals the suspected powerflow exhaust is actually a full Stillen, the S/C install is actually stage 3/4 with additional injector, box, nismo bumper/splitter/skirts, alloy full width intercooler, exedy, etc etc Post machine polish: bay before: bay after 1st pass: So this week saw upgraded boot struts fitted, interior cleaned, engine bay first couple passes, leather conditioner applied, fluids change, and this even a full strip and recondition of drivers window regulator motor (all now working perfect!!! soooo pleased) Next and imminent: MeisterR coilovers are apparently in the post HKS intake enroute from Tarmac Gear knob from MopedMark ordered New rims are being decided upon Double din head unit being decided upon Edited September 19, 2016 by -blade- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DoogyRev Posted September 19, 2016 Share Posted September 19, 2016 Nice colour, very rare in the UK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-blade- Posted September 19, 2016 Author Share Posted September 19, 2016 Nice colour, very rare in the UK Yep, it is and i like it a lot, BUT, the wheels dilemma!!!!!! do i go black, chrome, bronze, gold, silver....sigh........ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DoogyRev Posted September 19, 2016 Share Posted September 19, 2016 Nice colour, very rare in the UK Yep, it is and i like it a lot, BUT, the wheels dilemma!!!!!! do i go black, chrome, bronze, gold, silver....sigh........ Gold . . its not a subaru Black . . do dark Silver or a lighter colour would be my choice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy_Muxlow Posted September 20, 2016 Share Posted September 20, 2016 Great colour blade very nice 👠Sent from my iPhone using hammer and chisel! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
modo Posted September 20, 2016 Share Posted September 20, 2016 Nice need I say more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chippychip123 Posted September 20, 2016 Share Posted September 20, 2016 Nice purchase! I personally thick this colour suits dark bronze, silver or Matt black, but just get decent size and fitment Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JetSet Posted September 20, 2016 Share Posted September 20, 2016 Nice colour, very rare in the UK I don't know of any others. There are a few of the similar Interlagos Fire models about though. I would suspect this is a respray or a one off as Brickyard Red was a U.S colour only. Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-blade- Posted September 20, 2016 Author Share Posted September 20, 2016 Nice colour, very rare in the UK I don't know of any others. There are a few of the similar Interlagos Fire models about though. I would suspect this is a respray or a one off as Brickyard Red was a U.S colour only. Pete Yes Pete its a respray, but a top notch one (staggering invoice im glad i didnt pay :-p ), not a fault to be found anywhere, including behind door shuts, rubbers etc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mopedmark Posted September 20, 2016 Share Posted September 20, 2016 nice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattross1313 Posted September 20, 2016 Share Posted September 20, 2016 Oh now that's a lovely colour!! Really nice work mate For wheels, maybe a dirty bronze / Volk colour. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-G- Posted September 21, 2016 Share Posted September 21, 2016 You didn't have this on the road a few days ago did you? Wellington Road, about 1830? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
veilside z Posted September 21, 2016 Share Posted September 21, 2016 Welcome along. Beautiful car Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flex Posted September 21, 2016 Share Posted September 21, 2016 Awesome colour. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ebized Posted September 21, 2016 Share Posted September 21, 2016 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuggerz Posted September 21, 2016 Share Posted September 21, 2016 Welcome is this the zed with One indicator side buld missing by the door? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keyser Posted September 21, 2016 Share Posted September 21, 2016 Looking very nice now mate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-blade- Posted September 21, 2016 Author Share Posted September 21, 2016 Welcome is this the zed with One indicator side buld missing by the door? Yeah.... not any more though :-) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-blade- Posted September 21, 2016 Author Share Posted September 21, 2016 The postman came 'a knockin' today Any free time tomorrow is now accounted for! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-blade- Posted September 22, 2016 Author Share Posted September 22, 2016 So today everything strangely went to plan with no hiccups! Aim of the day was to get the Meister R's fitted in basic form, ie an inch higher than current and be level to let me over the mountain speedbump on my street, all in preparation for the bigger wheels to be fitted along with full alignment and then matching ride height to suit the new wheels. Of course this quickly led to mission 2 of the day......... First up - get the Meister's on: Now to do something with the rear damper adjuster extenders: So while getting the thing at reasonable temporary height with the standard rims, Mission 3 of the day arrived via Mr. Postie from Mr Moped 'Shiney Knob' Mark! After a pain of a time getting the original knob off it was time to return to Mission 1 final phase - do something with the rear damper adjustment extenders, which..... you guessed it, led to Mission 2 of the day....... Which was to do 'something' with the rear brace thingy in general, since i wasn't feeling the silver standard finish, so, from this: to this: Car is a bit dirty but now i can get over speedbumps, and be able to get the bigger wheels on in the next few weeks to let me tinker further with ride height at that point. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZEUS Posted September 22, 2016 Share Posted September 22, 2016 It really is a beautiful colour. That last pic shows it off well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-blade- Posted October 7, 2016 Author Share Posted October 7, 2016 (edited) So, i returned to UK today and straight into the Z. Todays mission was to get the HKS Premium Induction kit from Tarmac to actually fit, given i have the problems of the stillen and oversized radiator.... SO, after discovering theres no way the HKS pipe would fit with the OEM airbox (even with it sliced to a million bits) i decided thats no problem as ill just stick a cone filter on the end of the pipe so all is good. Ordered a Pop charger kit while i was away and got Mr & Mrs Tarmac to arrange for it to arrive the day i returned (perfect delivery by the way! :-) ) so, i wanted this: BUUUUUUT..... after some bad words, minor rage, head scratching, and more bad words, i ended up with this: Why? because the darned strut brace cant clear the air meter plug/socket!!!! Issue being a combination of the stillen inlet being obviously higher than stock, the angle of the air meter on the HKS pipe, and the fact the HKS pipe is all one single part (nice) but limits movement and angle it can sit at.... So, its in a working for now on the stock piping until i either: A ) dump the HKS pipe and get another brand B ) get a custom fab pipe C ) cut the HKS in half and get some silicone hose to join at an interesting angle D ) get some insane custom strutbrace E ) turn into a ball of flame rage and get twin turbos instead Answers on blingless thread post..... Edited October 7, 2016 by -blade- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-blade- Posted October 8, 2016 Author Share Posted October 8, 2016 Big mission of this weekend was to replace those stock rims. So, mission successful and she now sits on Flow Forged ZF2's. 10.5x19 rear, 9.5x19 fronts, 25mm offset all round, no spacers. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ralosc Posted October 8, 2016 Share Posted October 8, 2016 I like the colour Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-blade- Posted October 13, 2016 Author Share Posted October 13, 2016 I think one slight negative of the Z is cabin noise. For sure not the loudest around, but i figured id see about refining it a little. So to compliment a boot divider that's on its way from 14N i decided to do a bit of Dynamat Extreme. Which led me to think id better put something better in the double din slot, not that im big on ICE these days, but hey, why not. Now to decide what to do speaker wise though im thinking a simple upgrade to the rears and a straight swap 10" sub with small amp, then do the fronts with some two piece things. Spare wheel and tools wont be going back in either Not a big project but may take me a little while as i also have some plans for the rest of the interior since itll all be ripped out in any case..................... 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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