At the shop we love to install performance parts but we too can appreciate aesthetic improvements as well. Tim D came in for a rear fog light install. As most 370z owners know, all non-US spec Zs came with a functional, red fog light just below the rear license plate area. US-spec cars however have a “blank” piece in place here but thanks to the aftermarket there are kits available to restore this item.
After proper wiring this “smoked” rear lamp is now functional!
The neat part about this kit is that the light can be tied into the brake, flasher, and turn signals with or without a switch. Got a cosmetic part that needs installation? Let us know if we can help!
Matt found Z Car Garage by referral from a local car wash. He had installed a few bolt-ons and needed a tune so we UPREV’d his 370z. Baseline numbers were 294hp/238tq and after tuning 309hp/253tq:
The dyno shows significant gains in hp and tq throughout the entire rev range. We are big fans of UPREV tuning and it consistently works well when optimizing individual mods. We will have more examples this week on both NA and FI cars so stay tuned!
Gilbert W wanted a CARB-legal solution for more power on his daily driven G37 sedan. We’ve had great success with our past Stillen Supercharger builds and this forced-induction kit would be ideal for Gilbert’s needs.
Installation of the Stillen kit is straightforward. We use one-step colder GT-R spark plugs and a 19-row oil cooler:
Better breathing on the exhaust side courtesy of a full Fast Intentions exhaust system:
Gilbert wanted improved handling without unnecessary harshness. The TEIN mono flex coil-over system with active EDFC allows on-board and speed-sensitive dampening adjustments! We installed a similar setup on Tetsuya’s 350z earlier this year. SPC F/R control arms were installed followed by a full alignment:
A relatively new item for Z/G owners is this trick adjustable clutch pedal box from RJM Performance. It offers improved driveability in terms of clutch-pedal engagement and that annoying shudder we’ve all experienced in Nissan’s Z/G manual transmissions:
The PLX Devices multi-gauges are becoming a popular method for monitoring engine vitals. Gilbert is using their Bluetooth “Kiwi” interface allowing display through smart phones. We did a neat install of this unit in Steve’s Vortech G35:
With the supercharger and exhaust in place we dyno tuned Gilbert’s G37. Baseline numbers were 283hp/241tq and it is now making 417hp/319tq to the wheels. This is a gain of +134hp/78tq which once again shows how consistent power output has been with these kits!
When you build a car with us sometimes it’s contagious. Doug W is the best friend of Z33 owner Craig K and he couldn’t resist visiting us for a boost upgrade on his sweet 2012 Shelby GT500. Equipped from the factory with a Eaton supercharger, a common way to increase boost is to use a smaller diameter pulley. Shown here (right) is a 2.5″ supercharger pulley designed to look like the stock 3″ unit. To make up for the slack due to the smaller pulley, a larger 90mm idler (left) was used:
Installation was straightforward:
The smaller pulley is designed to give 3-4lbs more boost. Using an SCT tuner we gained 16hp/37tq for a total of 530hp/519tq to the wheels. The power gains are everywhere!
Lou S is a long-time friend and customer of Z Car Garage. He is also an avid sports car fan with a interesting collection including a 3.2L FairladyZ, FD RX-7, Mazda RX-4, and Dodge Viper GTS. Adding to this stable is his 2nd RHD vehicle, a 1992 Nissan Skyline GT-R. For most fans of Japanese sports cars this “R32” supercar is highly regarded and quite popular. Not familiar with this model? Find out what makes it special over at JNC.
Lou acquired this Skyline from previous owner David C who had extensive suspension and engine work performed at ZCG. Lou wanted to make it his own so he visited us for some upgrades and tuning! Wheel aficionados will immediately notice the VOLK TE37SL wheels, sized 18×9.5 and finished in high-metal bronze. We think the TE’s are easily one of the best looking wheels for the R32, good taste Lou!
Perfectly framed by the TE’s spokes are Stoptech calipers/rotors at all four corners. The Ray’s valve stems color-matched to the “TE37SL” sticker is also a nice detail:
Adding to the list of choice parts is a full titanium exhaust system from Tomei. This includes downpipes, test pipe and the Expreme Ti muffler:
The quality and detail of this exhaust system is impressive, please click on the pics for larger views. We think it adds a little sportiness to the car’s rather understated (by today’s standards) aesthetic. It also sounds sublime.
The R32 was much louder than I anticipated. At idle it has a loveley burble and part throttle acceleration produces a semi-truck like turbo hiss…very audible from outside but never obnoxious. Under full throttle however, there is an absolute orchestra of sounds from the exhaust and turbo…it screams and reminds us how unmistakable the RB is!
With the new exhaust we re-tuned the Haltech to a healthy 412hp/311tq to the wheels:
I personally love this car. A few more pictures…
Lou is having a blast driving his R32 and recently attended Cars and Coffee at Canepa. We love how he chose to take Skyline/HWY 9 as opposed to the freeway. Enjoy the Ride Lou!
