We love the latest version of the Nismo 370z. In fact this is the aesthetic that should have been released from the start! Although the Nismo Z has improved cosmetically the drivetrain still summons the same 350 horses and 276 lb-ft of torque it has offered since the package first appeared in 2009(!).
Power junkies need not fear, Z Car Garage is here to help. With only 22k miles on the odometer, Rasheed B came to us with his stunning 2015 Nismo Z finished in Pearl White for a full Vortech supercharger kit.
Here are a few pictures of the Stillen Black Series supercharger kit installed:
Stillen 25-row oil cooler:
How does it perform?
Bone stock from the factory, the Z put down 295hp/242tq. The Stillen supercharger added 84hp/58tq to the wheels with the kit-supplied CAN tune:
Rob’s tuning yielded even more power with final numbers of 420hp/320tq, improvements of 125hp/78tq over baseline.
This Nismo 370z now has more power to back up those aggressive looks! Enjoy The Ride, Rasheed!
Danny K. owns this slick G35 coupe sitting on one of my favorite wheels, the Volk SF Challenge. He had a Vortech supercharger kit installed by a local performance shop and unfortunately the car wasn’t running right. We discovered a vacuum leak at the injector rail and fixed a few other items.
The G now runs as it should and the dyno reveals a healthy drivetrain. With 398hp/331tq to the wheels we are confident that Danny is happier now:)
Ken P has been a Datsun roadster owner and enthusiast since the early 90’s. He’s an original member of the Bay Area Datsun Roadster Owner’s Club (BADROC) and owns this highly modified 1969 2000 Datsun roadster, affectionately called “DATSTER”. Ken brought his car to ZCarGarage to get tuned, but let me share a little history with you since it has a special place in my roadster heart.
I met Ken at the Solvang Datsun Roadster Show back in 2001 and remember seeing all of his modifications for the first time. What really caught my eye was the paint and bodywork. Shaved door handles and side markers, no door or vent windows, and beautifully applied BMW Technoviolet paint really turned this into a hot rod. The interior was simple with no center console, re-uphostered seats, and a roll-bar. Over the years Ken kept adding his own touches and personality to the car including a trick hidden antenna and HID Xenon headlights adapted from a late-model BMW.
Under the hood lay Nissan’s mighty U20 drivetrain complete with several period go-fast parts like Mikuni-Solex side-draft carbs and a hotter camshaft. 14″ Panasports on sticky A032R tires and a full NISMO competition suspension made for a very fun little roadster.
I almost bought his car from him about 8 years ago but fate and the fact that Ken just can’t leave things alone led him to the next level of the DATSTER’s evolution. He removed and sold the U20 setup and with the funds(and money left to spare) purchased and installed a Nissan KA24DE drivetrain from a 240sx. Ken did the installation himself and added a few more custom touches like a metal dashboard color-matched to the body that houses the 240sx gauge cluster and S13 (of course!) seats.
Ken continued to drive and enjoy the new KA setup by doing fun runs, autocrosses, and even drag race events. He wasn’t done yet though and decided to add boost to the motor in a rather unorthodox way: supercharging! A supercharger setup was sourced from a race car and Ken made numerous modifications to make it work in his engine bay. The blower is mounted just above the frame rail but hidden under the intake runners. A custom throttle-body and pulley system were necessary.
Rob and the crew at ZCarGarage have worked on many roadsters, from bone stock to modified. Ken came to ZCG because he wanted to make sure his supercharged engine was tuned correctly for longevity and power. Baseline numbers were 159hp/156tq, and it was definitely in need of a proper tune. Rob and Clark Steppler tuned the roadster using a JWT ECU to safely boost at 8lbs and make some great power: 180hp/171tq at the wheels!!! The dyno plot reveals the beauty of a roots-style supercharger: a broad torque curve with over 150tq available from 2000rpm to 6000rpm! We think Ken is happier now 🙂
So with all of the ingenuity, modifications and big power is Ken finally “done”? Nope. He is currently engineering stronger brakes that will fit within those classy 14″ Panasports. Datsun owners are truly one of a kind!
Here are a few clips of Ken’s supercharged roadster in action and many more pictures in the gallery, enjoy!
