Nissan 350Z Gran Turismo 4 [2005]
Discussion
Hey!
First, some history:
2014 - First car: 2004 Ford KA
2016 - Second car: 2012 Ford Fiesta Zetec S (this car was a beauty)
2019 - Third car: I no longer required a car for commuting to or using for work purposes. I'm now a little bit older so I thought it was time for something stupid! 350Z!
I actually wanted one of these for a long time, but was too young to get insured on one. This is a 2005 Gran Turismo 4 model 160 of 176. I bought it with 83k on the clock, with a huge stack of paperwork. For anyone who's not familiar with the GT4 - it came with the VQ35DE Rev-UP engine, a bit more power over the standard VQ at the time, and a slightly higher redline, you got different alloys, these became standard on the later HR models in the USA but not UK IIRC. You also got a PS2 and a copy of GT4 included (sadly i didn't get this, but I already have it anyway
)
Only modifications at this point were a Cobra cat back system, and a Kenwood head unit. Told myself I wasn't gonna mod this one, what a thing to say!!!
So one month later - I wasn't liking the fitment of the wheels. I fitted spacers all round, 20mm on the front, 25mm on the back.
Before:
After:
Ok first mod done so there's no stopping now: Next mod was a christmas present: Eibach Pro 30mm lowering springs:
Before:
After:
For anyone wanting to lower their 350, I would definitely recommend the Eibachs, but there's no way I would go any lower, it scrapes on pretty much everything and I've actually got stuck once (no I'm not gonna talk about it!!!)
Next isn't a mod, but a fix. The 350 had quite a bad oil leak, left a puddle on the undertray, and you could smell it burning while driving. I actually replaced the dipstick because I thought it was leaking from there, and it was bent (the dipstick is a sore subject for any DE 350 owner) but that didn't help. I used some UV die, and that led me to the right hand rocker cover. I didn't think to look there because it had already been changed the year before. I read you needed to use RTV and I dont think there was any used previously. So, I spent a day or so removing the rocker cover and re sealing it.
Very easy job, just very fiddly, and so time consuming. at this time, we were in our first week of lockdown, so time was plentiful!
After that, I had some more time to kill, so I polished the Cobra pipes, these are now 10 years old and were in quite rough shape. No before pic unfortunately!
I also refurbed the three wiper arms:
Okay so now we're at April: I noticed my exhaust was now blowing, I traced this to be coming from the (original) Y pipe. It was rusted to hell and looked like it was going to be a massive pain to replace. What did I do? Of course I ripped off the Y pipe and cats and replaced the lot:
This is what I was going to be dealing with:
Take a good look and times that by 6, that's what we were looking at - I ended up cutting off all of the Y pipe bolts with a Dremel, the cats came undone relatively easily, just very awkward (thanks Plus Gas!)
Stock cats and Y pipe removed:
Berk HFC's and Milltek Y pipe installed:
It took me a whole day to remove the old pipes, and about half a day to install.
Next mod! A nice easy one this time - a South Bench Clutch gear knob.
Old knob:
New knob!
Couple of cheap ones!
Interior door handles refurbed:
Also restored all of the exterior plastics with some Gtechniq C4 trim restorer. If you've never used this stuff before, please do yourself a favour and get some!! It's expensive, but lasts.
Before:
After:
Almost 3 months later, it still looks the same. It is supposed to last 2 years.
That's all I have in terms of mods for now! I will update this post if there are any more (there will be hehehe)
How she looks as of today:
Cheers guys!
First, some history:
2014 - First car: 2004 Ford KA
2016 - Second car: 2012 Ford Fiesta Zetec S (this car was a beauty)
2019 - Third car: I no longer required a car for commuting to or using for work purposes. I'm now a little bit older so I thought it was time for something stupid! 350Z!
I actually wanted one of these for a long time, but was too young to get insured on one. This is a 2005 Gran Turismo 4 model 160 of 176. I bought it with 83k on the clock, with a huge stack of paperwork. For anyone who's not familiar with the GT4 - it came with the VQ35DE Rev-UP engine, a bit more power over the standard VQ at the time, and a slightly higher redline, you got different alloys, these became standard on the later HR models in the USA but not UK IIRC. You also got a PS2 and a copy of GT4 included (sadly i didn't get this, but I already have it anyway
)Only modifications at this point were a Cobra cat back system, and a Kenwood head unit. Told myself I wasn't gonna mod this one, what a thing to say!!!
So one month later - I wasn't liking the fitment of the wheels. I fitted spacers all round, 20mm on the front, 25mm on the back.
Before:
After:
Ok first mod done so there's no stopping now: Next mod was a christmas present: Eibach Pro 30mm lowering springs:
Before:
After:
For anyone wanting to lower their 350, I would definitely recommend the Eibachs, but there's no way I would go any lower, it scrapes on pretty much everything and I've actually got stuck once (no I'm not gonna talk about it!!!)
Next isn't a mod, but a fix. The 350 had quite a bad oil leak, left a puddle on the undertray, and you could smell it burning while driving. I actually replaced the dipstick because I thought it was leaking from there, and it was bent (the dipstick is a sore subject for any DE 350 owner) but that didn't help. I used some UV die, and that led me to the right hand rocker cover. I didn't think to look there because it had already been changed the year before. I read you needed to use RTV and I dont think there was any used previously. So, I spent a day or so removing the rocker cover and re sealing it.
Very easy job, just very fiddly, and so time consuming. at this time, we were in our first week of lockdown, so time was plentiful!
After that, I had some more time to kill, so I polished the Cobra pipes, these are now 10 years old and were in quite rough shape. No before pic unfortunately!
I also refurbed the three wiper arms:
Okay so now we're at April: I noticed my exhaust was now blowing, I traced this to be coming from the (original) Y pipe. It was rusted to hell and looked like it was going to be a massive pain to replace. What did I do? Of course I ripped off the Y pipe and cats and replaced the lot:
This is what I was going to be dealing with:
Take a good look and times that by 6, that's what we were looking at - I ended up cutting off all of the Y pipe bolts with a Dremel, the cats came undone relatively easily, just very awkward (thanks Plus Gas!)
Stock cats and Y pipe removed:
Berk HFC's and Milltek Y pipe installed:
It took me a whole day to remove the old pipes, and about half a day to install.
Next mod! A nice easy one this time - a South Bench Clutch gear knob.
Old knob:
New knob!
Couple of cheap ones!
Interior door handles refurbed:
Also restored all of the exterior plastics with some Gtechniq C4 trim restorer. If you've never used this stuff before, please do yourself a favour and get some!! It's expensive, but lasts.
Before:
After:
Almost 3 months later, it still looks the same. It is supposed to last 2 years.
That's all I have in terms of mods for now! I will update this post if there are any more (there will be hehehe)
How she looks as of today:
Cheers guys!
Another 350Z! Finally.
Looks great! You’ve done some nice, tasteful mods. Looking good for 83k too.
Check closely for rust around the rear arches, particularly at the front of the wheels. There is a little bit of plastic trim that sits at the bottom of the arch where it meets the sills. Lose it as it is a crap trap. I can almost guarantee that there’ll be the better part of an inch of caked in dirt there.
Gratuitous pic time:
Looks great! You’ve done some nice, tasteful mods. Looking good for 83k too.
Check closely for rust around the rear arches, particularly at the front of the wheels. There is a little bit of plastic trim that sits at the bottom of the arch where it meets the sills. Lose it as it is a crap trap. I can almost guarantee that there’ll be the better part of an inch of caked in dirt there.
Gratuitous pic time:
Alias218 said:
Another 350Z! Finally.
Looks great! You’ve done some nice, tasteful mods. Looking good for 83k too.
Check closely for rust around the rear arches, particularly at the front of the wheels. There is a little bit of plastic trim that sits at the bottom of the arch where it meets the sills. Lose it as it is a crap trap. I can almost guarantee that there’ll be the better part of an inch of caked in dirt there.
Gratuitous pic time:
Oh thanks! I will check that, not heard about that before.Looks great! You’ve done some nice, tasteful mods. Looking good for 83k too.
Check closely for rust around the rear arches, particularly at the front of the wheels. There is a little bit of plastic trim that sits at the bottom of the arch where it meets the sills. Lose it as it is a crap trap. I can almost guarantee that there’ll be the better part of an inch of caked in dirt there.
Gratuitous pic time:
I am planning on getting it up in the air over the next month or so to give it a thorough clean, and treat any rust if there is any. Going to keep her off the road this winter I think.
Cheers,
ben_strange said:
3K wow! That's cheap!! Look so good in yellow too.
Aside from the new clutch is everything else ok with it?
It's got a very rusty V (is it V or U? I'm used to BMW's) brace but everything else seems good. It's on 140k miles but was definitely a motorway cruiser and reasonably well kept. We put a straight through on and I can hear him 2 miles away from my house which was hilarious. Drives nicely. The last owners gave him a sealed PS2 and GT4. As he's only 20, I saved him opening it and showed it to him on my old set up which I had at the time. Pays off being old sometime. Aside from the new clutch is everything else ok with it?
I showed him your car and he loves the spacers! I think his next plan is to do that along with new coilovers and anti roll bars.
obscene said:
I showed him your car and he loves the spacers! I think his next plan is to do that along with new coilovers and anti roll bars.
I have 25mm spacers front and rear on my 370Z, and for something so little it does make a really big difference for sure. The wheels really sit in the arches as standard. Gassing Station | Readers' Cars | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff