Hi All,

 

I mentioned in various previous posts that I would start a thread about my new and first 300zx. I’ve copy and pasted an introduction that I posted in the newbie section a while back (with some updates) so you can get an overview of the car;

 

Almost two months ago at the spur of the moment I went and bought a lovely Jap spec blue 300zx TT Manual LWB with 98k miles.

 

An over view of the cars spec is;

- 390bhp tuned by ProTuner

- stock turbos and internals

- 800cc injectors, selin twin maf conversion

- Kakimoto mid and rear section exhausts

- aftermarket turbo elbows, downpipes, front pipes etc.

- 98 spec fairly new manual gearbox

- K Sport big front brakes, stock rears

- Veilside Andrews racing split rim wheels in gunmetal grey

- two tone grey/black leather seats, hicas lock out, fairly new polybushed rear end and BC Racing shocks. List goes on but that's some key bits from memory.

- 98k miles

- Has been very well maintained with a lever arch of service history from the previous owners.

 

I've got plenty of plans consisting of refreshing the car including modernising where possible to create an OEM+ look (no cheap chav bits don't worry).

 

The Zed was booked into the bodyshop 23rd March but sadly due to the coronavirus lockdown, these works are now postponed. The works were to fit;

 

- 99 spec front bumper

- Respray to bonnet, both front arches to get rid of peeling lacquer, drivers door, rear bumper and getting rid of surface rust to around rear lights/boot

- Replace side indicators with genuine Nismo clear indicators as existing clears ones seals have fallen apart

- Fit new trims that were missing between boot and rear lights

 

I’ll have all this done as soon as the lockdown is over and the bodyshop is back open.

 

I’ve got on the to do list the following;

 

- Source a 2nd hand AC compressor and get it reconditioned and then installed as the previous item exploded under the last owners ownership

- Full leather retrim as existing leather is cracking up/poor quality.

- Get a double din music system trim kit so I can fit a nice double din screen unit with modern features such as bluetooth etc. and also change all speakers

- Paint the stock rear Z32 brakes in black to match the K Sport fronts

- Sills need re-doing as they have rusted in areas from where its been jacked up in the wrong location!! Paint has obviously been damaged and flaked off leaving the bare metal to rust so will get this sorted

- Fit Michellin PS4 tyres when the current tyres have worn out

- Probably go for more power in about a years time maybe but for now coming from a 2 tonne 270bhp 4x4, 390bhp is more than enough to make me giggle.

 

I’ll start a new post with what I’ve done so far with photos of course!

 

Pics of the car when I bought it;

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Well i for one have a good idea how much your spending but what a build that will be when  she’s finished [emoji106]
Jim (powezed) is completely right with  he’s advise on parts required and a build like this should never be compromised 
once your tuner has done his magic if mines anything to go by you won’t  be disappointed with it. [emoji106]
ps the one thing i left of mine that should of been fitted was a parachute [emoji15]

Haha parachute [emoji23] - probably needs it!! How does the traction control feel? Is it too intrusive or does it work well?

Jims knowledge and experience of parts is invaluable. I CANNOT WAIT to have the beast back for summer, especially after seeing the type of figures your car made.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

10 hours ago, Raja93 said:

Haha parachute - probably needs it!! How does the traction control feel? Is it too intrusive or does it work well?

Jims knowledge and experience of parts is invaluable. I CANNOT WAIT to have the beast back for summer, especially after seeing the type of figures your car made.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

*ahem* roadtrip *ahem*.....?

On 11/01/2022 at 21:07, Raja93 said:

Haha parachute - probably needs it!! How does the traction control feel? Is it too intrusive or does it work well?

Jims knowledge and experience of parts is invaluable. I CANNOT WAIT to have the beast back for summer, especially after seeing the type of figures your car made.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 Traction works well I’ve only drove it in wet or damp conditions up to now ffs ?‍♂️  it definitely needs it, this thing has that much torque she still breaks away at speeds over 100 when you hit the loud pedal the few that’s been in it only knows how insane this thing is,I always wanted to go backwards in a ball of flames through them pearly gates ? 

you won’t be disappointed 

Edited January 12, 20223 yr by gray

14 hours ago, TheRealNips said:

*ahem* roadtrip *ahem*.....?

Haha what I meant to say was I cannot wait to have the beast back for the road trip! 

The heart has been ripped out! 

Parts are arriving and we're moving forward. Hopefully Anil at the bodyshop can collect her in the next week or two. 

Updates to follow, as we crack on  ?.

10 hours ago, Raja93 said:

The heart has been ripped out! 

Parts are arriving and we're moving forward. Hopefully Anil at the bodyshop can collect her in the next week or two. 

Updates to follow, as we crack on  ?.

Can I have this post reported for pornography please? No one needs to see that at 08:10 in the morning.....

I have just spent a couple of hours reading your build story. Absolutely fascinating!! You have shown a level of obsession to obtain as close to perfection as possible that it makes me feel like I’m actually quite ‘normal’ after all ? I look after 300 but this is next level! Or possibly next again level! ?

good luck with the rest of the build - I will be continuing to follow . 

11 hours ago, ThomasTWM said:

I have just spent a couple of hours reading your build story. Absolutely fascinating!! You have shown a level of obsession to obtain as close to perfection as possible that it makes me feel like I’m actually quite ‘normal’ after all ? I look after 300 but this is next level! Or possibly next again level! ?

good luck with the rest of the build - I will be continuing to follow . 

Thanks mate, appreciate the love and yes I am a self diagnosed car OCD sufferer ?. Don't worry, you, me and all the 300zx owners club members are of the same kind!!

You've hit the nail on the head really - I'm trying to make mine perfect, as quick as possible so I can then relax and enjoy it whenever I want. A lot of owners or car enthusiasts generally, enjoy the modifying process, which to a degree can be good fun, but I'm mainly looking forward to enjoying it when she's complete ?.

Hope to see some updates and photos of your Zed. 

She has arrived at the bodyshop a few days ago. Ignore the Instagram filter of the zed on the trailer - definitely doesn’t look that good! Take a look at the owners R32 GTR, which is one of his many brilliant cars. Then there’s the engine bay... That engine bay itself tells you that you’ve come to the right place [emoji7].


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

You never realise just how many parts you have until they're all laid out. Rear spoiler not in the pic and some old parts like the nose panel is in there. I have an excel document with a breakdown of all the parts and different part numbers, just to keep a track of it all, which I gave to the bodyshop. Took a fair amount of research to compile all that info and find the best prices etc. 

Strip down has commenced - hurrah. Funny as I was typing this update saying strip down is due to commence now, and the bodyshop sent through the below pictures! Excellent timing ?. All getting very real now...

They care for their customers cars like their own. Interior panels all being packaged up to protect them during the works, which I very much appreciate since my interior is in great condition. Upon completion, they'll fully clean the interior and engine bay to leave spotless, as I left her before the works started. 

Edited February 6, 20223 yr by Raja93

7 minutes ago, Raja93 said:

 

Looks very much to me that they're selling your stuff and it's all packaged ready for the Monday courier ?.

5 minutes ago, phutumsch said:

Looks very much to me that they're selling your stuff and it's all packaged ready for the Monday courier ?.

Bloody hope not!! I prefer to see it as attention to detail rather than theft in plain sight ?.

9 hours ago, phutumsch said:

Looks very much to me that they're selling your stuff and it's all packaged ready for the Monday courier ?.

I've already bank transferred the £850 for the HID headlights... Delivery expected on Tuesday.... So excited!

1 hour ago, TheRealNips said:

I've already bank transferred the £850 for the HID headlights... Delivery expected on Tuesday.... So excited!

Haha good thing I know where you live, so I’ll be waiting there Tuesday to take them right back ?. You can claim insurance with the courier, so that way everybody’s a winner. 

Progress has really started now, super exciting times woohoo ? Front end is being stripped and bare metalled, then covered in an epoxy primer immediately before corrosion starts.

I can't help thinking it looks like a DeLorean now!!

A bit of rust was found under the stone chip on one arch but was repaired and cleaned up. 

Look at the state of my bonnet - that's how it's been since last summer. He said when the lacquer has completely gone, it looks exactly like that. I've been covering it in layers and layers of wax to keep it just about presentable. 

Epoxy applied to the front end panels ready for repairs I.e ensuring everything is perfectly straight and any pin dents etc pulled. They also block and rework the metal in the doors (and generally the whole body), which if you look at an angle, you can see all the ripples in the door metal on most Zeds.

This is to be followed by another primer named Sikkens colour build. Sikkens is the brand of primer/build up and lacquer that Anil (the owner) raves about, and is part of his magical recipe for perfection. 

Panels have just been placed in their positions to keep them safe. Next doors are on the hit list and windows out. 

For those keen eyes, yes the front panel, rad support, where headlights sit and turret tops will all be repainted so that surface rust you see in headlight position, will be removed. Hoping to paint the firewall/bulkhead also, but let’s see on that one. 

Edited February 23, 20223 yr by Raja93

They started on the doors and found some rust under where the pin strip usually goes. It’s all salvageable though - phew! They’ve sent me various videos showing how quick the lacquer is stripping off, which indicates the cheap respray job it had before - had a £1500 full respray in 2007/08. If I had painted over this paint, it would have looked terrible in sunlight etc. I had a feeling that painting over this naff paint job would never produce a high quality finish, so I’m glad I stuck to my gut feel.

Lovely attention to detail and prep - gonna be a goodie!

Delorean you say......sorry......just why are you bothering with paint? ?

On 24/02/2022 at 09:42, AndrewG said:

Lovely attention to detail and prep - gonna be a goodie!

Seconded.....!!!

Rear quarter windows have been removed. Front and rear windscreens being removed this weekend - was due to be completed last weekend but the glass remover ran out of time! As you can see, rear quarter panels now stripped right down.

Small bit of surface rust on the sills, the drivers side rear bumper support panel and two small sections in the engine bay which will all be sorted. All areas that I was aware of rust presence, so no surprises thankfully. Overall they said the shell is very clean, which I expected to be honest, due to the previous owners.

As mentioned before, I'd happily clear coat it now and leave it looking like a DeLorean ?.

Don't know if anyone on here's into older BMW's, but I love that E39 M5 ?. Ultimate daily right there.