Alix V comes from Salinas, CA and we first met him in 2014. With 4,641 miles on the clock he brought his 2012 370z in to have us correct several items from a dealership that tried to install a GTM Twin-Turbo kit.

 

We installed a Z1 25-row oil cooler, resolved the turbo kit installation issues and got it running well.  Over time the GTM exhaust manifold started to crack. With GTM going away we had to wait for the new company Gamma Motorsports to release a V2 of the manifold.

  

They changed the metallurgy with a new updated design as well and gave Alix a set for us to install. Although power levels stayed about the same (383whp/371tq), boost was no longer able to escape from an exhaust leak so we were able to make more area under the curve:

  

 

We also installed new Whiteline diff bushings:

  

Finally, the PLX Devices is a great product that is perfect for any owner with a forced induction setup on their 370z. We all know the clock is the clock.  No need to keep time when driving your Zed, just need the vitals:  coolant temp, air intake temp, and of course A/F ratio:

  

Enjoy The Boost, Alix!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rasheed B has been testing his 2015 NISMO 370z at the track since the addition of a twin-turbo kit (full report soon) and sent us a few pics from Thunderhill Raceway. We’ve been battling high engine bay temps and the vented hood dramatically lowered them. A summer testing session is next.

 

 

Several Sacramento Z/GT-R guys also attended the track day and it is really awesome to see a bunch of cars we worked on (Eric T and Ruben G) with their owners enjoying them!

Thanks Rasheed, Z You At The Track!

 

 

Jason D has been enjoying his G35 coupe since we finished installation of a Momentum single turbo in late 2011. With over 500whp and 315-width Michelins he started breaking the drive axles and came back for some traction upgrades.  We started by installing 900hp-rated axles to replace the 500hp-rated units:

 

 

A common failure that is exacerbated with high horsepower is found in the rear crossmember and differential bushings. All were replaced with Whiteline units:

 

On the power side we installed JWT C8 cams w/springs:

The cams transformed the car and UPREV tuning yielded sweet results on the dyno:

Jason’s G now makes 523whp/432tq…peak gains of 26hp and 54tq! Despite a slight trade-off of power below 3500rpm when boost hits both curves jump with as much as 50-70hp/tq until redline.

Enjoy The Ride, Jason!

 

In 2012 Jack W was visiting the SF Bay Area on his way down from Canada. He heard about Z Car Garage and stopped by for UPREV tuning on his Z34 Roadster. We also discussed the possibility of force-induction via GTM’s newly developed (at the time) TD05 16g twin-turbo kit. The following year Jack crossed the border once more to visit ZCG and make the commitment to boost! We installed a GTM Stage 2  TT kit with their supporting parts including a 25-row engine oil cooler, automatic transmission cooler and valve body upgrade.

GTM manifold details:

Final installation looks ultra clean and very subtle:

On the dyno the GTM Stage 2 kit produced 434hp/360tq to the wheels:

 

Jack’s Z was one of our first cars to receive the PLX Devices gauges which became popular on later builds.

 

We mounted the PLX DM-100 in the factory clock gauge-pod location:

 

We installed camber arms to complement existing coil-overs and after we performed 50 miles of test driving Jack flew down to SJC and drove back to Canada in his boosted beauty.

13k miles later we are happy to report that Jack’s GTM-powered 370z has been running flawlessly. He came back to ZCG to do a full inspection, oil change and a re-tune:

 

With 455hp/379tq to the wheels Jack Enjoyed The Roadtrip back to Canada, another happy ZCG international customer!

 

John P is a new Z car owner and found this Z32TT in the Pacific NW.  When we first met John his Z had 110k miles on the clock and he decided it was time to modify…so we gave him the works! Before the go-fast goodies were installed we addressed all of the car’s issues John discussed with us and ended up with a beautifully clean, well-rounded 300zx.  Our first order of business was in engine bay, correcting the PCV system which had been bypassed/cobbled together:

 

Next, we found an injector problem and performed the common late-style conversion. The 1990-1994 Z32TT’s have fuel injector problems because Nissan used a wet coil design. This left the injector coil wire prone to oxidation over time and eventual shorting. The solution? Convert to later style injectors using the early fuel rail. There are several adaptor kits on the market to achieve this, making servicing/removal a breeze without the need for removing the manifolds. For John’s Z we wanted to run 740cc injectors which is only available in the new style:

 

More engine work including full timing belt services along with valve cover removal/refinishing:

 

Driveline was upgraded with a JWT HD clutch and flywheel. Keen observers may note that the exhaust has changed too!

 

Larger downpipes greatly improve flow over the stock manifolds. The best downpipes for your Z32TT (in our opinion) can be found at SpecialtyZ. These are 3″ units:

 

The Z was treated to a chassis steam clean, making a clean grime-free backdrop for the new exhaust system!  The downpipes were mated to 3-2.5″ midpipes:

 

With wiring and general cleaning the engine bay looks much better!

 

A few chassis upgrades included SPL T/C rods and bushings as well fresh rear brakes:

 

With the mechanicals sorted John added a few lighting improvements to the interior. The dim stock displays benefitted from new LED sources. Check out the difference:

Even the climate control display is improved:

 

More LED upgrades throughout the cabin:

 

All of the work above was completed on John’s first visit. On the dyno the new exhaust clearly makes a noticeable improvement in power. We picked up 31hp/33tq to the wheels:

 

John visited ZCG for the second time for upgrades!  We installed more parts from our friends at SpecialtyZ  like their Selin dual MAF.  To improve breathing we also installed larger Stillen intercoolers and charge plumbing from Ash-spec:

 

Finally, low-profile engine mounts from BDE offer more turbo inlet clearance:

 

With larger ICs, plumbing and dual MAF’s we tuned John’s Z and it now makes 372hp/360tq to the wheels:

 

Enjoy The Ride, John!