[HiGHFLYiN9]

Quote:

Originally Posted by 12thgear A friend of mine has a pretty nice 300ZX TT and found that one of the most respected gurus on twinturbo.net lived 30 minutes from us.

A friend of mine had a similar arrangement, there was a Ford Probe/Mazda MX6 specialist that lived about a half hour away. He came and did a Jspec engine swap right in my friend's garage for a very reasonable amount of money. I thought it was pretty impressive service

 

[electic]

K20. Nuff said.

 

[MD1032]

For $3000, couldn't you just drop a whole new engine in the thing?

 

[mbriant]

Quote:

Originally Posted by GSFerrari I have decided on the following: * Cold Air Intake / Exhaust * Rims and Tyres * Paint (because the current paint is scratched and one entire section on the left rear is down to the primer) * Stereo * Fresh interior (still deciding on specific jobs)

I think the above is your best bet. You can spend thousands of dollars on the engine of that car to eek out a few extra horsepower, but face it, it's never going to set any land speed records. That is a nice car, as engineered, so only spend on mechanical when it needs repairs. Spend your dough on making it look good. That's where you'll get your most pleasure for the dollar.

 

[gsferrari]

Good solid advice. I am going to focus on cosmetics and making the insides more comfortable. This puppy has only 62287 miles on it and I plan to double that in quick time.

Trouble is - I leave to florida on the 22nd of this month...whatever I do needs to be done before then

I can probably do the paint and the inner cosmetic work. Stripping the car in my cramped garage is more trouble than I imagined it would be...getting along slowly.

What is the recommended treatment for rust spots on the floor pans? Will the body shop knock it out and add another plate over it? I have an appointment with the body shop on Monday afternoon...I will be driving to work with one seat

LOL

 

[mjg]

Quote:

Originally Posted by gsferrari Good solid advice. I am going to focus on cosmetics and making the insides more comfortable. This puppy has only 62287 miles on it and I plan to double that in quick time. Trouble is - I leave to florida on the 22nd of this month...whatever I do needs to be done before then I can probably do the paint and the inner cosmetic work. Stripping the car in my cramped garage is more trouble than I imagined it would be...getting along slowly. What is the recommended treatment for rust spots on the floor pans? Will the body shop knock it out and add another plate over it? I have an appointment with the body shop on Monday afternoon...I will be driving to work with one seat LOL

You seem like a DIY guy..

how about learning about how to do some glass work and making your own custom interior ; ).

It doesn't have to be for a fancy stereo system, but hell, if you really want a project after all, it could always be fun (and potentially really dangerous to inhale hehe).

Apply damplifier/dynamat everywhere to reduce exterior noise, take the interior apart entirely shampoo the cartoons and maybe apply one of these alumiminum dash kits.

For rusting you can always start with wet sanding the area (depending on how bad it looks). You should claybar most of the exterior regardless..
If you want to polish your paint look into getting an orbital polisher, and some
nice acrylic polishes like medernza, klasse, or zaino...

 

[gsferrari]

On another note - I am noticing some serious power gains when using premium gasoline (93 octane). I moved back to 87 octane and the car feels really sluggish. I can tell the difference...it is HUGE!

Anyone else notice this difference? I will try 93 again in my next tank...luckily I only filled up 1/2 tank this last time...

 

[PinkFloyd]

Quote:

Originally Posted by gsferrari On another note - I am noticing some serious power gains when using premium gasoline (93 octane). I moved back to 87 octane and the car feels really sluggish. I can tell the difference...it is HUGE! Anyone else notice this difference? I will try 93 again in my next tank...luckily I only filled up 1/2 tank this last time...

Is your car designed for 87 octane Guru? You sure she ain't pinking on 87? May be a good idea to check the timing and fuel supply.

 

[gsferrari]

I dont know...

I reckon it was the road I was driving on (no other cars...beautiful back-roads). When there are other cars around...the car still feels like it goes like a stink.

Another thing I need to sort out are the pedals - brake and accellerator are closer than I would like...my feet are big and it is hard to HnT the way they are spaced right now.

The sound this exhaust makes is sweet...not too loud as to become annoying over long distances...not too quiet that it doesnt make an announcement every time you blip during downshifts...NICE!

 

[HD-5000]

Sorry, I had to do it.

Nice ride, by the way. I drive a 2000 Civic but I much prefer yours.

Swap in a K&N air filter for a quick tiny performance boost, unless you're going for a cold air intake soon.

Get the car cleaned inside and out very throughly, take it to a pro detailer if you have too. Coulda sworn it added 50HP to my car.

Treat the car right and maintain it well, it'll run forever.

 

[gsferrari]

JDM Body kits on the way

I am looking for a suitable shade of "Red"...Ferrari Red

I have also ordered a fixed glass panel to replace the sunroof. Windshield seals will be replaced at the same time...the glass itself is in superb condition and a light polish will give it the "sheen"

Most of the work will be done after the worst of winter...worried about collision damage due to icy conditions (a lot of driving ahead of me). I am focusing on the interior work for now - plugging the leaks, cosmetic touches, stereo upgrades etc.

Installed the Pioneer DEH-P6700MP head unit and I definitely need a speaker upgrade on the front end. Checking out crutchfield.com and reviews online for components...

 

[gsferrari]

Would it be effective if I just replaced the front end brakes with bigger performance brakes and left the rear end stock (with new rotors and pads)?

I will paint the callipers on the rear end to match those on the front end (red color).

??


I am also looking for solid rotors...dont believe in cross-drilled...

 

[12thgear]

Quote:

Originally Posted by gsferrari Would it be effective if I just replaced the front end brakes with bigger performance brakes and left the rear end stock (with new rotors and pads)? I will paint the callipers on the rear end to match those on the front end (red color). ?? I am also looking for solid rotors...dont believe in cross-drilled...

Unless you need new brakes (in which case I'd just try some Brembo OEM replacement rotors and whatever performance pads are recommended by Integra enthusiasts) focus on your tires first. Get some grippy meats first, then see if you really need a big brake kit.

A good brake kit is expensive, and usually the stopping distance improvements are minor. The biggest benefits are often pedal feel and fade resistance. You need to get bigger rims for a big brake kit too. So unless you're taking it to the track, you're better off spending that kind of money on other things. Like maybe some coilovers.

 

[mjg]

not to mention they'd never fit under those tiny rims... also i mean honestly, are you going to autocross or race thing thing? throw on big breaks on this tiny underpowered street car?

kinda rediculous.

 

[marvin]

When I upgraded the speakers in my car, I ended up fleabaying a bunch of Infinity Kappas. They're much cheaper there (about half price) than on Crutchfield. And they're not half bad if your car is decently sound insulated, e.g. they sound like ass in my '95 Civic, but a lot better in my '02 Maxima.

The only real reason for you to do brake upgrades is if you're running into brake fade issues. If you're not racing the thing and want better braking feel, I'd keep the changes to SS brake lines and better brake fluid, pads, and tires.