Am I right in thinking that there are basically 2 camps here - those that want to mod the car as much as they can afford to get the most out of it, and those that think the car as stock is hardly worth tinkering with because it took so much development that any 'tinkering/modding' will probably lead to problems/changes which you wouldn't suspect/envisage/want ?

 

MY standpoint is probably somewhere in the middle of these exteme views.

 

Be interested to hear people's thoughts...

I am staying completely stock I can't aford the higher insurance premiums

 

CheerZ,

 

Andy

me iether I have not modded it and its bone stock and always will be

it would be sacrilidge to alter wot is a sublime shape and equally why would you try to better nissans finest engineers how can one man tinker and make it better.........

Yes the standard Z32 is a superb techno feat but as we all know Nissan had to fulfill their obligations to Japanese transport regs, Japanese manufaturers agreements, UK and US DOT regulations. There are things that they did to the original designs that reduced the cars performance and these are the areas that some of us address. Even some of the people who say that their cars are stock have replaced parts of the induction or exhaust systems, even type of spark plugs, etc, so not everyones "stock" car is still

"original"! Whatever floats your boat is good on a 300, it caters for all tastes and isn't exactly slow in standard form. Just my opinion from someone who was keeping it standard and look where I am now. Love it or hate it it is still difficult to find something else that is as good for this sort of money.

 

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Z first and anything else is secondary!

John Newcomb (NukeEm)

www.geocities.com/jn300zxtt

Look at it this way - someone fits something as simple as an air filter, then what happens? They manage to double 300zx.co.uk bandwidth rattling on about goosehonk LMAO So then you need BOVs. You get an exhaust but while you're at it, remove the decats. Bye bye turbos. You fit a turbo timer, what happens? You can't set your alarm...

 

So, as you can see - its best to stay stock

You wouldn't even catch me filling mine with a none stock petrol like Optimax!

When I get mine it will be my first modding project as there is some great stuff available for z's. In the past I have had un-moddable cars (micra, almera) so it will be a good project.

 

Ivan

 

I think it is every ZX owners duty to get the full potential out of the car safely.

 

There is one way of looking at it.

I have an induction and exhaust.

Induction cost me £125 and will last for a very long time. The stock filters cost £15 each from nissan and we need 2 so thats £30 every 6,000 miles. I know you can leace them in longer, but mine where always filthy after 6,000 miles. So after 4 changes of stock air filter, I would have saved money with the induction which will still be going.

 

I have a Mongoose Exhaust which is Stainless Steel which in theory wont rust. Before the Mongoose, looking at the history, my Z has had 3 exhausts put on and then the Mongoose. That means on average the stock Nissan exhausts lasted about 2 years. The Mongoose has lasted that long and now the down pipe is blowing. So the extra £100 for the Mongoose exhaust saves me money becuase they will last a lot longer than a stock one.

 

And every one knows that the Stock ECU keeps burning out with the Nissan stock chip So thats why that needs changing, and the only thing that the boot space is useful for is to store a few gas cylnders in there. It cant hold anything else. I dont scooba dive so I may as well put Nitrus Oxide in there.

And these stock tyres keep blowing because of the accient Eygption 245 curse

 

Well the first two things where true.

 

Stuart

I believe up to stage III (nearly 400hp at the crank) its ok. Beyond that then too much money.

 

Point is when you start modifying your car you want more and more power all the time.

You are stage I then u think about stage II,

then stage III and it goes on and on. Its like a drug

 

If you are not mad about speeding then stay stock.

 

Heroin, Coke, Modding?

Just say no kids!!!

Stock Z's look shite! Wheels are too small, zorst is like a pea shooter and what about the price of a stock zorst??? Hmmmm!

 

Bigger wheels mean better handling.

 

Increase the power, yeah they come with 280bhp but when Audi and VW are making diesel turbos with more poke than the average hot hatch you need to stay ahead! LOL

 

 

 

------------------

"At my lemonade stand I used to give the first glass away free

and charge five dollars for the second glass. The refill contained

the antidote."

Emo Philips

If you're into Mods you should buy a Vespa !

IMHO - some mods like the exhaust and air filter make economical sense, and should not cause any problems. Some features of the car were down to costs/regulations and not for reasons of performance - so if they don't affect other things then it is OK to change them.

 

Serious engine mods need serious thought and expert advice IMHO., but there is no getting away from the fact that more power = less reliability, no matter how well you mod the car and how good the parts/mechanic are you use. It's an inescapable fact that (other things being equal) the more you demand from an engine, the greater is the chance of something going wrong. Many think of the 300ZX as an unreliable car, but my belief is that considering its complexity it is pretty reliable. It's easy to forget that the car is a very high spec.. Most people can only compare them with 'ordinary' cars, and naturally hear regular stories of people here who have problems, but these may be due to...

 

1. Cars are old. Probably driven hard by previous owners. May not have been serviced sufficiently.

 

2. Servicing may be neglected somewhat by present owners who don't appreciate how much care they need.

 

3. Modified engines not modified correctly.

 

4. Owners who boot them all the time.

 

5. There are few other cars of very high BHP's which are used as daily drivers in the same numbers that there are of 300ZX's.

 

6. A twin turbo should be less reliable than

a normally aspirated (and probably a single turbo as well) car of similar power (bigger engine, higher tuning), because it's more complicated and more is demanded of the engine.

 

Remember also that we only tend to hear when things go wrong from many members - and with over 1100 that's a lot of stories !

 

The cars are capable of very high tuning as proven by the 260mph JUN record car. At really high BHP's reliability is bound to be poor. I'm not saying there are not more reliable high performance cars, but I think the 300ZX is pretty good, and better than many here seem to perceive.

 

Does de-cating really damage the turbos ?

Personally I like suttle modifications, the things where the average joe on the street will take a glance and not know the difference,

 

Persoanlly as far as i am prepared to go with this zed is an exhaust and induction kit, new rear wing (my one manky) and posibly a suttle body kit.

 

In the future I wouldn't mind getting an import with low milage and modding that to the max.

Yes, the ideal situation would be to have 2 zeds - one mostly stock as a daily driver, the other modded to buggery for fun at the weekend !

Its like everything in life,

 

you don't build 2 stories on top of a house without verifying and upgrading your foundations. Perhaps modders should get planning permission from the council

 

If you decrease the backpressure with a new exhaust i believe it makes it easier for rear turbo seals to blow.

 

Personally I don't boot my car all the time, I will rarely take it able 5k most days.

I hear you all. I may not agree with you but I hear you. Why buy a supercar and tooodle around in it? It was designed using a Cray computer and what a waste of the desingers time it would be if no one was out there making use of the enormous power that it is possible to get from the 300zx. As I keep saying I spent a lot of money getting the car modified and until it blows up and stops dead it will continue to be run hard. If I was at least a little sane I would not be doing it, and my bank manager would not be having fits about my monthly repayments. Any if it blows up I will get a Tuscan until that blows up too, which considering the relaibility of TVR's that will take less time than I've had the 300.

 

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Z first and anything else is secondary!

John Newcomb (NukeEm)

www.geocities.com/jn300zxtt

Originally posted by jvnewcomb1961:

It was designed using a Cray computer...

 

LMFAO

 

Most cars are designed using Supercomputers mate but where did Ronnie and Reggie figure in it all???

 

 

 

------------------

"At my lemonade stand I used to give the first glass away free

and charge five dollars for the second glass. The refill contained

the antidote."

Emo Philips

Originally posted by jvnewcomb1961:

It was designed using a Cray computer and what a waste of the desingers time it would be if no one was out there making use of the enormous power that it is possible to get from the 300zx.

 

According to the book - 2 Crays!

 

Mods are an interesting point. I love the Jun speed record holder but wouldn't want to have that as my only form of transport. Nukem's is a serious piece of kit but could I commute to London in it?

 

I could have bought a (spit) Escort or even a 240Z and spent the same in mods as I spend on my Zed keeping it mainly stock.

 

But I think a stock Zed beats any modded car of the same expense anyday.

 

And to those of you who have enough money / patience / experience to buy a Zed and then mod it - much respect. Brave boys the lot of you.

What you need to remember unless you are very strong willed is that once you start modding it is (well i found it) VERY hard to stop. The bills just mount up and although the mods are very pleaseing and can be a lot of fun you will never really see the money again ie. reflection of value on your car etc.

 

Hmmm thats what i think anyway maybe im just talking krud!

 

LUKE DUKESTER

 

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NOPE, I still disagree Staying stock is best, and to prove it, take a look at how I've kept my engine completely stock during repair:-

http://www.300zx.co.uk/rides/andyduff/page.html

 

notice the stock turbos, hell I even made sure the colours and textures were stock I left the AIVs in too. That EGR is SUCH a good idea that stayed. Heat wrap is sh1t so I didn't use that either. Oh and newer cambelts are much stiffer so I left the old one on for less resistance

 

CheerZ,

 

Andy

I have nothing against keeping 300's stock, i just prefer it a little on the wild side. I use mine everyday to commute 80 miles round trip to work in Leicester and it makes the journey in stop/start M1 congestion a lot less boring, also the main reason for having it stay an automatic.

 

------------------

Z first and anything else is secondary!

John Newcomb (NukeEm)

www.geocities.com/jn300zxtt

Andy it's looking pukka mate. Full rezpect!

 

 

 

------------------

"At my lemonade stand I used to give the first glass away free

and charge five dollars for the second glass. The refill contained

the antidote."

Emo Philips

I think it's cool to have a really fast Automatic, as it's one in the eye for manual stick-in-the muds who think auto's must be slow.

Originally posted by Nelson MainFella:

I think it's cool to have a really fast Automatic, as it's one in the eye for manual stick-in-the muds who think auto's must be slow.

 

BUT what about against a modded manual???