Time for some Exterior Mods - Need Advice

[BC416]

So with tax time approaching and my annual bonus incentive coming up, this is the usual time of year I get to do some modding. I've already decided the major mod is going to be a set of custom headlights from 180* here in the tri-state area. A few locals have them and I've been lusting after a pair since I saw them in person.

Reason for posting is I want to do a few other minor mods to go along with the headlights. I've always been pretty clueless when it comes to exterior mods so I'm coming here for some suggestions. Little background on my tastes first: Car is my daily and my goals exterior wise aren't crazy. No body kits, staying away from aftermarket rims for now (unless I find a good deal on pre-15 Nismo rims), not a fan of carbon fiber. The car currently has a F.I. CBE, tinted side/rear windows, and the roof/fangs/section above exhaust tips are all blacked out.

I really like the black satin emblems from the Z Store however if I were to get the front/back/370z emblem it would be near $250. Thats a lot for some emblems! I did some research into plasti dip but it's not for me. Anyone know of any alternates to these?

Motorsport! OEM Front Emblem, Black Pearl, 03-15 350Z-370Z - The Z Store! Nissan-Datsun 240Z 260Z 280Z 280ZX 300ZX ( Z31 Z32 ) 350Z 370Z Parts

Second, I was thinking about possibly powdercoating the Sport Rays. I know I'm going with black accents but I'd rather do something different with the wheels. Thinking of having them coated similar to the 40th Anniversary wheels. My research into the paint code for the wheels has given me 2 answers. It's either KAV or it's never been released by Nissan and it's just going to have to be matched.

Feel free to make any other suggestions. Any thoughts are greatly appreciated.

[birdman71]

I would definitely look into those headlights from 180. Those are nice and they do great work! just expect some down time for the Z. You won't be able to drive without headlights. Unless you are going to buy a pair and send those over there.

As for the emblems I usually get them from EVO-R. Everyone says buying from them is a crap shoot, but I've never missed a shipment and they are there at my place within 5-7 days max.
EVO-R INC. Nissan 370Z Z34 Z Emblem Front and Rear

They aren't the Nissan Hamburger emblem, but there is the nice Black on Black Z emblems or the no back black Z emblem.

The 40th color code is KAV. It is very hard to match Pearl White, Monterey Blue, and the 40th color because they are all 3 step paints. You have to have a shop that really knows what they are doing with paint matching.

[1LIFE]

Originally Posted by birdman71

I would definitely look into those headlights from 180. Those are nice and they do great work! just expect some down time for the Z. You won't be able to drive without headlights. Unless you are going to buy a pair and send those over there.

As for the emblems I usually get them from EVO-R. Everyone says buying from them is a crap shoot, but I've never missed a shipment and they are there at my place within 5-7 days max.
EVO-R INC. Nissan 370Z Z34 Z Emblem Front and Rear

They aren't the Nissan Hamburger emblem, but there is the nice Black on Black Z emblems or the no back black Z emblem.

The 40th color code is KAV. It is very hard to match Pearl White, Monterey Blue, and the 40th color because they are all 3 step paints. You have to have a shop that really knows what they are doing with paint matching.

I can 2nd this also.. Oneighty does great work and my purchases from evo-r have all been good.

[Chuck33079]

Originally Posted by 1LIFE

I can 2nd this also.. Oneighty does great work and my purchases from evo-r have all been good.

That's better than my experience. I cancelled 3 out of 4 orders with evo r for missing shipping estimates by months. Vendors here have had to cancel group buys of his products due to products never showing up. If you have to buy his stuff, buy it from the z store so you can get a refund. Evo r likes to string people along long enough for PayPal to close the case. Hell, he got banned as a vendor for a while for not shipping products and never refunding money. Buyer beware.

[Meulen]

Originally Posted by Chuck33079

That's better than my experience. I cancelled 3 out of 4 orders with evo r for missing shipping estimates by months. Vendors here have had to cancel group buys of his products due to products never showing up. If you have to buy his stuff, buy it from the z store so you can get a refund. Evo r likes to string people along long enough for PayPal to close the case. Hell, he got banned as a vendor for a while for not shipping products and never refunding money. Buyer beware.

3 out of 4 on my EVO-R purchases as well...

[birdman71]

Originally Posted by Chuck33079

That's better than my experience. I cancelled 3 out of 4 orders with evo r for missing shipping estimates by months. Vendors here have had to cancel group buys of his products due to products never showing up. If you have to buy his stuff, buy it from the z store so you can get a refund. Evo r likes to string people along long enough for PayPal to close the case. Hell, he got banned as a vendor for a while for not shipping products and never refunding money. Buyer beware.

I know Jay has been sketchy in the past, but whatever they're doing in the last year has been working.
I also never order anything unless it says "in stock" from EVO-R, some of the same stuff you can get from Zstore and they are a lot more reliable, yes, they just don't have the same type of emblems options, from what I remember, as Evo-r does.

[Chuck33079]

It's a shame, since he's got a lot of products I'd like to have. But the fact he took a lot of money for products that never showed up and then vanished when people wanted refunds until the mods banned him means he'll never see another dime of my money. I'll buy it secondhand from someone here who took that risk.

Not to mention that he has never offered any explanation or apology for his shady *** business practices. He ignored threads where people were asking for help at the same time he was posting threads with new products for people to buy.

[BC416]

Originally Posted by birdman71

I would definitely look into those headlights from 180. Those are nice and they do great work! just expect some down time for the Z. You won't be able to drive without headlights. Unless you are going to buy a pair and send those over there.

As for the emblems I usually get them from EVO-R. Everyone says buying from them is a crap shoot, but I've never missed a shipment and they are there at my place within 5-7 days max.
EVO-R INC. Nissan 370Z Z34 Z Emblem Front and Rear

They aren't the Nissan Hamburger emblem, but there is the nice Black on Black Z emblems or the no back black Z emblem.

The 40th color code is KAV. It is very hard to match Pearl White, Monterey Blue, and the 40th color because they are all 3 step paints. You have to have a shop that really knows what they are doing with paint matching.

Thanks Birdman. I'm a short drive from Brooklyn so I plan on dropping my car off for a day or 2 to get the headlights done.

I'm not really a fan of the "Z" emblems. Wanted to keep it OEM looking with the Hamburgers, just a darker color. I might just bite the bullet and order the expensive ones from The Z Store.

Also, is KAV the 40th wheel color? That's what I'm looking to get my stock Rays powdercoated.

[Nick M]

I agree

It makes me cringe when Z owners for some reason feel the need to have "Z" in 15 different places, on every fender, front and rear. Looks really cheap.

[BC416]

Originally Posted by Nick M

I agree

It makes me cringe when Z owners for some reason feel the need to have "Z" in 15 different places, on every fender, front and rear. Looks really cheap.

Yeah, the fender emblems are enough. Although my rear license plate frame is the Nissan "Z" one. I think that's the only non-OEM Z on my car.

[Nick M]

Originally Posted by BC416

Yeah, the fender emblems are enough. Although my rear license plate frame is the Nissan "Z" one. I think that's the only non-OEM Z on my car.

My personal favorite is on a NISMO, the nismo badge on the rear decklid and then a a tacky shiny license plate frame with NISMO on it. Makes me crazy. Glad i'm not the only one.

[birdman71]

Originally Posted by Nick M

I agree

It makes me cringe when Z owners for some reason feel the need to have "Z" in 15 different places, on every fender, front and rear. Looks really cheap.

I can agree too; I went with the Carbon Fiber RS1 Vented fenders which doesn't have the side markers. So I only have the Z on the front and back emblem plus the 370z on the left side of its asss. that's all and probably why I can pull it off at that point. With the side markers is a bit too much.