Jp606 Posted September 1, 2013 Share Posted September 1, 2013 (edited) Thought I'd start one of these to keep track of what I've done to my Z. It won't be as exciting as some of the other threads in here but hopefully it will interesting. I like to keep things fairly OEM looks wise, so there won't be any crazy body kits etc. It took a lot of searching to find the right one and eventually I found a brilliant example up in Leicester, 150 miles from me. I went up, test drove it and put a deposit on it and collected it a few days later. So here is the Z the day I put a deposit down on it at the end of May: Standard 2007 HR with GT pack. First thing that was done to it was before I'd even got it, not really a mod but one less thing for me to do. It had the usual scratches all over the drivers side window switch trim, which was kindly resprayed by the dealer it came from (Stratstone Leicester - brilliant service from them). Before: After: So now I had ownership of the car and being a detailing nut the first thing I did was give it a 3 stage detail. I continue to keep the paintwork in very good condition by following a strict cleaning routine once a week (sometimes twice!) and regularly waxing. I thought to myself that I'd keep the car standard and enjoy it how it was, but that didn't last long at all! So first up was a stubby aerial, then I bought some bonnet lifters from Redline Styling which were really easy to fit and look good: Next up were HKS panel filters. The stock ones were filthy and looked as though they hadn't been changed for a long time. Also got a boot net whilst I was there, to stop my shopping bags from emptying themselves all over my boot!: Not long after this, my exhaust started to sound terrible. Got under the car and noticed it had split in the normal place, at the midpipe to backbox joint. Decided on a Cobra resonated backbox and mid pipe connected to my stock y-pipe. Abbey Motorsport are localish to me and seemed like the best guys to use. Fortunately Scott from Abbey Motorsport (parts manager) lives local to me and offered to collect my car and drive it in to Abbey to have the exhaust fitted and return it at the end of the day. Couldn't have asked for a better service, and they will be getting all my custom for anything that needs doing that I can't do myself Exhaust: Went with the TP34 tips. The sound is incredible, it's easily the best thing I've bought for the car so far. So after recovering the dent in my wallet it was time for some cheaper styling mods. I replaced both number plates with nice shiny new ones and stuck them on with sticky pads instead of the horrible big screws they come with. I took the front holder off, but ended up putting it back on as I didn't like the way it looked! Also changed the numberplate bulbs and sidelights to white LEDs and also the interior dome light and boot light to LEDs too: Much prefer the clean crisp look of these Headlights needed a bit of a cleanup so I bought one of the Meguiars restoration kits. It's basically PlastX with a rotary buffer that fits into a standard drill. Also comes with some sheets of fine grit sand paper for headlights that are is worse condition, I didn't need to use these so can't comment on how good they are. They were pretty cloudy, especially at the top: Buffer on drill: Before and after: Bit difficult to see in pics, but produced brilliant results Next up was upgrading the brakes. They didn't really need replacing yet (the fronts were brand new on the car when I got it) but I felt the stock ones weren't as good as they could be. Cougar Store sorted me out front and rear Black Diamond grooved disks and the matching Black Diamond Predator pads. Very very easy to fit and look really good! But most importantly work very well, once bedded in they felt a lot sharper than OEM and don't seem to suffer from fade, the bite from cold is good too: Next was the Bose aux in hack, should have done this the day I got it but I was worried about taking the centre dash apart due to it scratching so bloody easily! Works really well and was actually pretty straight forward to do. It will do until I put a decent double din HU in there: So that's where I'm up to now. I'm going to get a track day booked in for October or November, but before that it needs a good service as there's no evidence of a P3 in my logbook. So ZMANALEX is supplying me with Denso iridum spark plugs, gearbox fluid and Molyslip additive and rear diff fluid. Just looking at my options for engine oil and filter and need to add coolant to my order too. Also before the track day I will be hopefully fitting HEL braided brake lines and changing fluid to Motul RBF 600 to complement my new brakes and discs, probably new tyres too as the current rears are getting low on tread! Got a big list of things I want to mod, the next major thing will be completing the exhaust off with a Cobra y-pipe then that's all the breathing mods done, so it will be going in to Abbey for a remap. Will probably be next year by the time I get to do that. To finish my first post of here is a couple of nice pics from a drive round Ashdown Forest a few weeks ago. Very local to me so I quite often go for a drive through there: I'm off to Gloucestershire for a few days and then South Wales for a day to do a bit of scenic driving with the other half at the end of the month so should have some good pics from then. Edited January 11, 2015 by Jp606 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wmr1980 Posted September 4, 2013 Share Posted September 4, 2013 Nice subtle mods... I fear when I start I shall need to lock up the wallet and unmemorise my credit card details! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattross1313 Posted September 4, 2013 Share Posted September 4, 2013 Great progress matey 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jp606 Posted September 4, 2013 Author Share Posted September 4, 2013 Thanks guys Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ogman Posted September 8, 2013 Share Posted September 8, 2013 Perfect 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jp606 Posted September 8, 2013 Author Share Posted September 8, 2013 Got an order coming for some HEL brake lines, Motul RBF 600 brake fluid, Motul 8100 engine oil + filter, gearbox fluid + molyslip, LSD fluid, coolant and Denso Iridium spark plugs courtesy of ZMANALEX (apart from brake lines). Also impulse bought some gold D1 Spec wheel nuts from a member in the trading section yesterday. Should keep me busy for a little while. Also got a track day booked in for 9th November at Goodwood 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jp606 Posted September 13, 2013 Author Share Posted September 13, 2013 Should keep me busy tomorrow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jp606 Posted September 15, 2013 Author Share Posted September 15, 2013 (edited) Service done. The Z is such a lovely car to work on, everything seems to have been thought about (apart from the crappy plastic undertray and the screws made from cheese - metal undertray from Tarmac is high up on the list of mods) Drives like a new car. Gearbox is silky smooth and the car pulls away much smoother thanks to the new plugs. 54k on those plugs.. Nissan workshop manual says they are good for 105k! Also can't believe how small the oil filter is, it's tiny! Fitted the gold D1 Spec wheel nuts to one of my wheels and they came off straight away I'm not really a fan of the way they look, a bit too bling for me, I think they are much more suited to aftermarket wheels. They will be going back up for sale soon. HEL brake lines not arrived yet so that will probably be next weekend. Modified a spare brake master cylinder cap (thanks ZMANALEX) so I can use my Eezibleed pressure bleeder to make things easier. Edited September 15, 2013 by Jp606 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jp606 Posted September 24, 2013 Author Share Posted September 24, 2013 (edited) HELs finally arrived after a two week delay due to a part of the line being out of stock (bought directly from HEL, made to order): Was expecting 4 banjo attachments, but the front lines are different and have a better attachment: Also some new rear rubber: Will have the new tyres and lines + Motul fluid in before my track day. Should also have one of the 380RS accelerator pedals to improve heel toe and I've seen those CG Locks for the seat belt which look really good and highly rated on here Will be looking at handling and suspension mods after the track day I think, probably starting with polyurethane bushes and the ARB drop links as I have a slight squeak over bumps when the car is cold. (any excuse to mod!!) Edited September 24, 2013 by Jp606 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jp606 Posted October 12, 2013 Author Share Posted October 12, 2013 Lines fitted last week and fluid replaced with Motul RBF 600. Extremely easy to fit and bleed and a great noticeable upgrade over the stock rubber lines, really impressed with them. Braking is sharper and more precise now, less sponge at end of travel now too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jp606 Posted October 12, 2013 Author Share Posted October 12, 2013 (edited) Also a nice pic from my Wales road trip: Did a 160 mile circuit round the Brecon Beacons area and back to Gloucestershire where we were staying, this was taken on the A4069 in the Black Mountains which I believe became famous due to Top Gear. Fantastic roads in Wales Edited October 12, 2013 by Jp606 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jez @ H-Dev Posted October 12, 2013 Share Posted October 12, 2013 (edited) I think thats the same spot I stopped at a while ago during a Wales trip with mates: How many goes did you have on the hairpin Edited October 12, 2013 by Jez Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jp606 Posted October 12, 2013 Author Share Posted October 12, 2013 That looks like it! Just the one go I had my other half with me so couldn't go too mad! Luckily the entire road was empty with no cars in front of me so I got a really good drive of it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jez @ H-Dev Posted October 12, 2013 Share Posted October 12, 2013 We had a great time when we went - was very quiet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jp606 Posted October 12, 2013 Author Share Posted October 12, 2013 I live in Horsham in Sussex, where does Horsham Developments get their name from, is there any relation? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jez @ H-Dev Posted October 12, 2013 Share Posted October 12, 2013 (edited) Not from the town I'm afraid, its my surname - we're based near Newbury in Berkshire. Edited October 12, 2013 by Jez Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jp606 Posted October 12, 2013 Author Share Posted October 12, 2013 (edited) Ah that's interesting, always wondered where it came from! You don't have any family history with the town? Edited October 12, 2013 by Jp606 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jez @ H-Dev Posted October 12, 2013 Share Posted October 12, 2013 Not that I know of - not really looked into it to be honest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suits Posted October 12, 2013 Share Posted October 12, 2013 Cool thread - subscribed. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jp606 Posted October 19, 2013 Author Share Posted October 19, 2013 (edited) Today I added a shiny Nismo gear knob: Surprised at the improvement with gear shifts actually, feels a lot nicer than OEM and should be a must do mod along with the stubby aerial for every Z owner. And a 380RS accelerator pedal for easier heel/toe shifting. Before: After: Thanks to Redline Styling on here for these Gave her a quick clean and managed to squeeze in a quick layer of Dodo Juice Supernatural wax before it rained, love the deep shine this gives: Lastly, received one of these CG Locks that I've seen people rave about on here for track days or just day to day use to improve posture when driving. Installed it but haven't driven with it yet but seems a good idea: Edited October 19, 2013 by Jp606 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Payco Posted October 21, 2013 Share Posted October 21, 2013 Car looks great mate, where are you actually based ?. Payco Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jp606 Posted October 21, 2013 Author Share Posted October 21, 2013 Mainly in East Grinstead Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JordanHill Posted October 21, 2013 Share Posted October 21, 2013 Great progress matee! Awsome work with the lights Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stutopia Posted October 21, 2013 Share Posted October 21, 2013 Nice work, Zed looks Intrigued to see what you make of the CG lock. I tend to slouch a bit so tempted to try one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jp606 Posted October 21, 2013 Author Share Posted October 21, 2013 Me too, one of the reasons I got one. It works really well, it makes the belt sit over your pelvis rather than your stomach so shoves your bum into the seat and stops you sliding down over time. I was only going to put it on for track days but I think I'll actually leave it on all the time now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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