Old Lady to Young Lady Part 7

Previously when I had my Momo steering wheel on my Nissan Fairlady Z installed at Redsun, there was a gap and would cause unnecessary honk when I touch the bottom of the wheel. Instead of sending the car back to Redsun, I decided to get some tools and apply some elbow grease to do it myself. First I had to get a Torx key set for the screws holding the horn and airbag assembly. I realized that the horn is always not in the center. I suspected it could be the spring holding the airbag was not strong anymore. So, I opened up some more parts to swap the top and bottom springs but it is the same as before. It could be that the design is like that. I then put everything back together and instead adjusted the position with the 2 screws. Somehow I manage to lock it correctly and now it would not horn even if I pressed the bottom of the steering wheel but there is still a gap at the horn.

 

During the same visit to Redsun, I also had them remove my gear knob as I wanted to change it. It was difficult to remove and also the new STI gear knob I bought would not fit. It would be a waste to throw the beautiful gear knob I bought and buy another one. So, I went to my friend and asked him to help me make an adapter to fit the gear knob. The adapter must have a screw hole for the shift shaft (10 mm) and a screw bolt for the gear knob (12 mm). It took a week to have it done and he attached the gear knob to the adapter. It was well done and fit like a glove with the STI gear knob. When I screw it on the shift stick it was so tall that it have the same height as the original gear knob. However, the shape of the STI is better to grip and shifting feels much better. I love how it looks way cooler than the original one. You can also notice that the shift boot has fallen, revealing a bit of the shift shaft. There is a plastic at the end of the shift boot that supposedly hold on to the original gear knob so it would not fall. I planned to have that modify so it could cover the adapter.

I also bought two Nismo parts for the engine bay of my 350Z. These Nismo parts were the engine oil cap and radiator cap which were bought new from Japan. I asked my friend who works there to buy and bring back to me. It was a small and an easy change from the stock ones to the Nismo one but it makes a whole lot different. The stock engine oil cap is a regular plastic like any ordinary car while the Nismo has a silver finish and has a quick lock style that only requires one full turn to lock. I was worried about the pressure produced by stock radiator cap because it is 15 years old and would be a good time to change a new one. These are usually one of the first mod any enthusiast would have done and I am no exception to this. 

Both Nismo parts in action.

Originally the petrol cap is tied to the body of the car by a plastic cable. However, the cable on my 350Z is broken and every time I pump petrol, I had to find a place to put the petrol cap. When I found a cheap petrol cap still attached to the cable, I had to buy it all the way from Japan. I have received it but I do not have the time to change it myself. That will be a task for next year.

SuperCircuit

I roughly got the idea of the condition or the work that is needed to be done to my Nissan Fairlady Z after the first check up. I also noticed the brand of the exhaust that is currently used by the 350Z and I think I know its location. So, I gave the place a call and booked a time to visit. I mentioned to the shop regarding my situation and they said they would take a look at the whole exhaust system. When I arrived, I realized that not only does Supercircuit makes exhaust systems, they are also the sales representative of bucket seats maker, Recaro. Straightaway I knew I am going to learn more about my 350Z and maybe more from this visit.

As usual the car was loaded on the ram and raised, so it could be inspected and I had to wait in the waiting room. After around 20 minutes, I was asked to look at the car together with the technician. The exhaust manifold could be their product but he is not so sure. The De-cat and Y-pipe is definitely from them. Meanwhile, the connecting pipe with the resonator and the titanium muffler is not from them. So, the first problem the technician noticed is the way the Y-pipe and connecting pipe is joined. It is being held together with engine gasket glue instead of the right way. I was told that, when it gets hot, the glue will evaporate into a poisonous gas and I asked is there anything I can do about it. He said he could clear the glue and reconnect the pipes using the proper way but it would be too difficult with the amount of glue and since it does not affect the car's performance, I should leave it as it is.

I complained that the sound of my exhaust is not consistent. Sometime there is a flapping sound. Sometime it is louder than usual. He found there was a leak located just after where the connecting pipe and muffler meets. Then, I was given a lesson in the difference between a titanium exhaust and a stainless steel exhaust. The main detail is the thickness of the material. The titanium used is much thinner than its steel counterpart and that is the reason why it leaks often. Also because of the thinner material, the sound of the exhaust is louder than steel. This could be the reason why many car owners prefer titanium pipes over steel pipes. Even many famous parts maker in Japan produce titanium mufflers and it was a huge trend back in the early 2000s. Having realized the cons of titanium pipes, Supercircuit stopped production of titanium parts since a few years ago. Now, the question is, can the leak be fixed ? Certainly, it is possible with a little bit of welding but there seems to have some difficulties. Titanium bits are expensive and requires a lot of it to weld a small hole. In summary, it will be expensive, requires some working hours and a lot of elbow grease. All which the technician is unwilling to do and told me there would not be a problem if I continue driving. Only the sound will not be consistent and will be loud. 

Now that the exhaust part is done, I wanted to ask the technician more about the Nismo seats in my 350Z and the Recaro SR6 I have in my room.  In my mind, I wanted to see if the Nismo seat bracket is compatible with the SR6. I prefer the SR6 due to my experience with my Toyota Celica because the seating position is much lower and sportier. The technician checked on the seats and told me he had good news and bad news. The good news is the seats are authentic Nismo seats and its value is around RM 10,000 per seat. While the bad news is the design of the chair is the seat is welded to the bracket and cannot be separated. So, if I really wanna put the SR6 in my 350Z, I would have to buy a bracket. However, since my goal is to make the seating position lower, the technician advised me not to use the SR6. He explained to me, the SR6's bottom cushion is 2 layered that makes the position higher. Meanwhile, the Nismo seat is based on Recaro's protoype design where the bottom cushion is only one layer and that is also why the bracket is welded together. The Nismo seat maybe lower but as it is, it is still pretty high. According to him, there is only one seat that could lower the 350Z's seating postion and that is the Recaro Sportster which is very expensive.

Recaro SR6 (left), Nismo Seat (Center), Recaro Sportster (Right)

The technician, although was very blunt and some might find him arrogant, once you show him you want to know more about cars, he could teach you a lot. I like him and really thank him for teaching me. On the side note, I found a cool function of the 350Z cluster meter. I noticed the word REV is located under the needle on the tachometer. I read the manual and found out it is actually a rev indicator where you can set a value to prevent over-revving. Just for fun, I set the value to 2300 rpm because that is where I usually shift gears and it would be cool to see the light come on. The light will blink at 2000 rpm and will stay till when it is 2300 rpm or higher. That is a really sporty feature.

Eternal Waiting

Finally the wait is over and it was time to go and collect the Nissan Fairlady Z. It has actually been 3 weeks since I got the car by the time this entry is posted. I have been busy with work and did not drive the 350Z often. So, sorry for the delay. Now, before I give you the review of my drive home, here is a summary of the time line. I had to wait a total of 2 months and 13 days to finally own the 350Z.

Nismo Ver2. bumper and Top Secret Carbon Hood 

Date - Description                                                                                                                                     
14/1 - Drove 540 km to view car in Perlis and back.
17/1 - Confirmed buying and paid RM 3000 down-payment to the seller.
20/2 - Bought a new Car Plate for RM 2300.
07/3 - Received documents from seller and send to process for transfer of car plates.
17/3 - Documents returned and completed transfer.
20/3 - Sent said documents back to seller in Perlis.
22/3 - Seller finished car inspection and is ready for transfer of ownership.
27/3 - Went to Perlis by train and did transfer of ownership. Drove 540 km back home with the 350Z.

Nismo Semi Bucket seats. Soon will replace with my Recaro SR6

I entered my new car and did the usual, adjusting of mirror and getting the right seating position on the Nismo seats. I realized that the 350Z lacks storage places and I did not even have a place for my mobile phone (later I found that there is only 1 cup holder, which is weird). Then as I started to leave the seller's premise, I was hoping that there will be petrol in the tank and thank god, he left me with half a tank. I was still in town and there were many traffic lights and so, I only shifted up to 3rd gear and I was trying to get use to moving from a standstill in 1st gear. It was only when I drove on the high way and found difficulty when engaging the 4th gear from the 3rd gear. My first change ended with some gears grinding and I thought it was due to me not used to the clutch but sometimes I could engage with ease. It felt weird but I carried on home. After driving for around 110 km, I stopped to refill petrol and I noticed that the brake pads are quite thin and there is a slight scratch on the rotor. The seller could have warned me or better yet, changed for me but after knowing it, I drove with more care and did engine braking instead of using the actual brakes.

Ray's Volk Racing GTS 19" rims with Brembo brakes

Brake pad

Normally when I cross borders, I would drive around 160 km/h in my Mazda 6 but I told myself I would drive slowly in the 350Z because I am still not used to its handling and the fact that it is a RWD. To make things worst, it rained for 80% of my trip back home and as it is, I did not get much chance to actually try things out. However, having said that, I did get some insights about this 350Z. First thing is the sound. It has titanium mufflers but I have no idea how intensive the modification is on the exhaust system and I do not know which brand it is. Moving around the city under 2000 rpm, it is louder than how stock would be but with just the right amount of sportiness and bass. It only gets noisy when it is above 3000 rpm and at 6th gear, that would translate to around 130 km/h. That is when you need to increase the volume of the audio system and it becomes difficult to talk in. The fastest that I have driven was 150 km/h and I really could not stand the sound anymore. This 350Z's handling was good too with the adjustable Tein coilovers and tires seem to be grippy. The clearance for this car is one and a half finger, which is quite high for a sports car and the stiffness is acceptable (not as stiff as my Celica was). I was surprised when I was able to cross speed bumps near my home with ease and straight on because 350Z is famous for having long wheelbase and the bottom will always hit.

Nismo 300 km/h cluster meter

Hard to read with mph and km/h together. Driven 1015.9 km.

Additional meter. Usually I read speed from this digital meter.

The thing that makes me feel good driving the 350Z is definitely the engine's characteristics. The power delivery is really smooth and linear. Biggest surprise is the lack of lag. While I was cruising at 5th gear, I expect that if I want a great acceleration, I would need to downshift but all I had to do was step on the accelerator. Of course the acceleration would not be like when V-TEC kicks in, where your head will be touching the headrest but the 350Z will move. Before I bought the car, my friend told me because of how well it is built, it does not feel as fast as what your speedometer tells you. You could be driving at 130 km/h but it feels like it is only 100 km/h and with the Nismo semi bucket seats, it is like you are not moving at all . The advantage would be easier to control the car and you would not panic but the downside is it could feel boring after a while. When it gets boring, it would be time to dig deep into your pocket to modify the 350Z and my friend already asked me to look for a supercharger kit. That would be the last thing on my mind because now, I am more interested to restore the car instead especially the transmission. First will be mechanical restoration, then aesthetic modification and lastly, maybe some power mod but it is a big maybe. This 350Z project/purchase is entirely from my pocket and having a not so deep pocket, the scale will be slow and small. Meanwhile, I will be enjoying its stock power of 280 bhp and 363 Nm of torque which is very, very sufficient for me. I am grateful to have a JDM in my life again.

Happy Chinese New Year

Happy Chinese New Year to all my readers who are celebrating it. May you have a great celebration and a prosperous year ahead.

It has been weeks since I viewed the Nissan Fairlady Z or 350Z in Perlis. The update is I bought the 350Z and already paid a deposit on her. You might think that I am very happy but the fact is I am not. Supposedly it would only take a week for all the procedures and I could drive home with the 350Z and make it before the Chinese New Year holidays and my birthday. However, due to issues regarding the new car plate, I would have to wait longer. This, unfortunately is quite the norm for me every time I get a new car and this is the 4th time. It began with Toyota Celica, Hyundai Tucson, Mazda 6 and now, the 350Z. Some how, every time I get a new car, the number that I want is extremely difficult to get or expensive to buy. So, I have no choice but to wait and as my father's friend mentioned, I am not in a hurry to get the car so let us just wait. That is true and the seller is more anxious to get rid of the 350Z. I will let him worry about that and enjoy my new year celebration.

Although I do not know when I will be able to retrieve the 350Z but it did not stop me from planning what to do with the car once I get my hands on her. Not only did I came up with a list of restoration and mod needed, I actually started to purchase parts for her. I ordered 2 parts, just in time for my buddy to bring back from Japan as he was coming back for the holidays. The first part is for the Recaro SR6 seats that I have sitting in my room. Readers who read about my Toyota Celica would know that the SR6 came along with Celica and was removed when I sold the Celica. It was kept in my room and finally with the 350Z, I will be able to use the SR6 again. If you have a car with semi bucket seats, you would know the extra hassle the seats have with seat belts. So, I bought a custom made seat belt guide for the SR6. It allows easy access to the seat belt and I feel like it should have been a mod when I was driving the Celica but better late than never. It is leather on the outside with blue stitching (red is too mainstream) and a special strap for the seat belt. Since it was custom made, it fits like a glove.

Recaro SR6

Custom Leather Seat Belt Guide

Installed and fits like a glove

The second part was a simple yet much need part. This will the first manual car I drive and I have always want to buy a shift pattern plate. Most of the time, the shift pattern will be on the gear knob but not all gear knob has the pattern. That is when this plate is very important. So, I had my buddy buy one of this Nismo 6 speed Shift pattern plate which does not cost a lot but sure hell is a cool thing to have. On the web page, it seems nice but when I see it, I was not expecting this. This is because it is too thin, almost like a sticker. I can't wait to put this in the car. It will certainly increase the cool factor of my 350Z interior.

Test Drive: Nissan Fairlady Z, The 1000 km Drive

It started with a spontaneous idea and soon I was cruising in my Mazda 6 heading north with my friend, just to go view the Nismo 350Z. The journey was long and tiring, spanning over 5 states. Luckily, I was travelling in the Mazda 6 which provides some comfort and I decided to sleep a night before viewing the car. 10 am next morning, I found myself waiting at the meeting place anxiously for the seller to appear with the 350Z. I waited for more than 30 minutes and finally the owner texted me but I could not see a 350Z. Then a guy waved at me from a Toyota sports sedan and asked me to follow him. After 5 minutes, I drove into a housing area and I saw the 350Z right in front of me. The moment of truth is upon me. I parked my car and took out a list that I prepared. Yes, I prepared a list for all the mods or problem that I find and make a record of it.

So I started looking around from the rear for the titanium exhaust. I could not see much because of how low the car is but I manage to have an idea how the muffler is. The rear boot's absorber has already given away which is expected given the age of the car. Next I went over to the engine bay to take a look and found the titanium intake pipe and ARC Super Induction Box. It looks great but the engine bay is really dirty. Could use a good wash. I could see the coilovers are Tein but wihout a pillow ball mount. The carbon hood is a good addition but without proper latch, I worried it might fly off. The rims are 2 piece 19" Volks Racing rims but I am not sure of the model and size of tires used.
The biggest issue I have with the car is actually the interior. Most of the silver plastics are scratched or faded but again expected.

Stock Engine

Arc Super Induction Box

Now that I am done inspecting, it is time for an important question. Can I test drive ? It is really important to have a test because engine and transmission condition cannot be known by just looking at it. Since I drove all the way here for 500 km just to see the car, if he does not let me drive it, I would have hurt him real bad. Luckily not only did he let me test the car, he did not even get into the car when I tested it. Being the gentleman that I am, I did not drive it out on the open road. Instead I just drove around the housing area a few times. Before driving, I stepped on the clutch while gear is in neutral and find out that the clutch is quite hard. So, when I reversed the car, I tried not to rev and to my surprise I could drive easily. Once the gear is in, it does not feel hard at all. However, I realized the original Japanese screen has cracked and could not access the reverse camera.

Manual Interior with Nismo 300 km/h Meter

Nismo Semi Bucket

During the test, I loved the semi bucket seat. When I hit the accelerator, the sound from exhaust could be heard but it was not that loud. I could also feel the great torque from the engine and coupled with the exhaust note, I thought I was revving high but when I looked at the meter, it was only 3,000 rpm. The car is definitely in good condition and powerful. There is a sense of familiarity but at the same time something new. I definitely was grinning but I had to hide it from the seller. After all that, I returned the keys to the seller and told him I will contact him later.

Carbon Hood