STH Multi-Step Build Plan/Thread
 

So I've been rabidly consuming content on this forum for a while now. I'm making my way through Spoolers build thread and Elmo370z's as well. Soaking in all the knowledge and videos. Watching lots of Motive and Real st performance. Learning what I can about this platform.

I got my Solid Red BASE model 370z in June of 2020. It's the first car i'd ever bought, and the only car I've ever driven for more than a few hours (driver lessons)

I took it up to Shannonville Motorsports park in the summer for BRACK drivers institute training. We did laps on the track and a session on the skid pad. I'm certainly no race car driver. I don't think I even broke traction on my 225/245 stock tires (Michelin PS4).

So for anyone looking to come into this thread and see a flurry of new purchases and updates sorry I may disappoint.

I did want to put the plan that's been forming in my head down on e-paper. And maybe have it scrutinized by the folks here far more knowledgable than myself.

Being in Canada (Ontario) I'm also looking for any connections to make, or ways of getting things on my car without paying the duty tax. And local alternatives.
Shipping from Z1 is crazy too. I get hit so hard by UPS brokerage fees. I need to ask them if they will consider shipping via USPS. OR Handling brokerage and duties at point of sale. Or I may need to learn how to declare and import things myself, which will be annoying.

So the way I see it my build plan is going to have several stages and last likely many years. Currently I would say I'm in "Stage 0" as I haven't done anything of consequence to the car yet. I did buy a polisher and spend several months learning about paint correction and coating tho so I have been doing SOMETHING since I bought it. I'm just slowly easing into this money pit.

There's also to consider: This is my only car (tho I don't have to drive for work/social/groceries) I have no garage/tools/driveway. I've never worked on a car before (or owned one) BUT I do live next to one of the strips in midtown Toronto with like 10 Auto shops on it. As for Z specific shops we have Whitehead performance not too far away. And OnPoint dyno is close by as well (Sasha Anis, you may have heard about his hybrid 350z)

I'm going to list out possible stages that I have floating around in my head. And I may come back and add predicted pricing for each stage to help me budget better. Who knows maybe it can be useful information to someone else.

EDIT:

Sold my 2016 base for a 2018 sport model. Yay synchro rev match and zero accident car.

Legend:

• ordered
• purchased and in hand
• installed

Gadgets!:

• Neutrino Aurora + PDM (for managing power to gadgets)
• Apex Pro logging system (or Garmin Catalyst not sure)
• Stilo DG 10 Comms
• Possible accessory rail on the dash for device mounting
• Extra 12v cigarette sockets installed for powering my go pro behind me.
• Z-tech YAW switch cutoff controller

Stage 0: Mostly superficial

• Nismo Carbon fiber mirror caps
• Nismo Carbon Kick Plates
• Nismo Carbon B Pillar Finishers
• Nismo Floormats (because)
• Nismo Oil filler cap
• Cusco Red Anodized Swivel Tow Hook
• wheels spacers (20mm, 25mm Z1 spacer kit)
• Dry Carbon center console
• Brainiac Tablet kit + Douk audio usb/spdif interfance, carlink wireless carplay
• Password JDM Carbon fiber Radiator Cover and Battery/Brake cover ($450CAD)
  
• Gtr red start button
• Morimoto headlights
• Morimoto tail lights

Stage AUDIO 1: Subwoofer

• Stillen Grounding kit
• Knuconceptz ultimate positive and negative battery terminals
• Knuconceptz top post adaptor
• 2 x Singer 300amp circuit breakers
• Power Distribution Block
  
• Big 3 wiring upgrade
• 1/0 gauge Koloussus Fleks Cable power wire
• Nwaterproof 0awg buklhead connector
• JL audio subwoofer
• trunk sub enclosure to replace spare tire area.

Stage AUDIO 2: Active speakers

• JL audio VX800/8i
• JL audio tweeter x2
• JL audio woofer x2
• 4 channels run in active mode, using DSP controlled preout to the previously installed subwoofer

Stage AUDIO 3: Mid Speakers

• Jl audio mid speakers, either in the bose rear speaker location or in some kind of beauty panel behind the trunk brace bar.

Stage 0.1: Required Upgrades

• RJM Pedal Assembly (tilton)
• z1 full diff Wavetrac Differential
• Bell Raceworks Diff Brace
• Dual disc clutch upgrade. Thinking cmak kit but with https://osgikenusa.com/products/ns112-bj6 (should come with stainless lines)
• Motul RBF660

Stage 0.5: Minor/Minimum Upgrades

• Z1 Premium Braded Brake Lines
  
• Aluminum pedals
• GT3 Brake Ducts
• Coolerworx Short Shifter
• Z1 370z Alu Subframe Bushing collars (possible solid ones instead?)
• Z1 undershroud

Stage 1.1: Handling

• Vibra Technics Transmission Mount
• Z1 urethane motor mounts
• Hotchkis Front sway bar
• Z1 Subframe Collars
• Z1 Urethane Diff Bushings
• SPL Front sway bar end links
  
• Hotchkis Heavy Duty Billet Sway bar bushing brackets
• Tein Monoflex Coilovers
• SPL rear sway bar end links
• SPL Billet rear camber arms
• SPL Billet rear toe arms
• SPL Titanium Rear Traction Links
• SPL Front upper control arms
• SPL Eccentric lockout kit
• Full SPL bushing kit

Stage 1.2: NA Power (GOAL: 345WHP)

• Invidia Gemini Catback
• Z1 Intakes
• PPE Engineering Long tube headers ($1660USD) (Black coating, spike)
• Ecutek tune

Stage 1.3: Cooling

• CSF triple pass radiator with AC
• Fast Intentions 34 row Oil cooler kit, thermo
• Z1 baffled oil pan
• Z1 Power steering cooler upgrade ($208USD)

Stage 1.4: Wheels

• ARP extended studs
• Fender Rolling
• Volk ZE40 19 inch,
• Mich PS4S 275/35R19, 305/30R19

Stage 1.5: Brakes

• Racing Brake 2 piece rotors

Stage 1.6: Rigidity/Other stuff

• Soul performance Front Fender Braces
• Soul performance 4 Point front d-brace
• Soul performance Rear lower M Brace (maybe?)
• Soul performance Rear Tie Bar

Stage 1.7: Aero/Cosmetics

• V1 Nismo Body Kit Full Conversion and Wing
• INGS+1 Super Taikyu Bonnet

Stage 2.0: Fuel

• CJM New Twin pump and return system

Stage 2.1: Booooooooost (Goal 650WHP)

• OSG triple disk clutch
• Topgunz Rotrex super charger kit
• Retune

Stage 2.2: ????

Stage 3: CAMS???

Obviously this is all me putting down a method to the madness that's in my head currently. Subject to change/improvement. Probably won't see boost for a little while. But I may try SC and then TURBO in stage 4/5. who knows. Maybe I'll get Motec in stage 6? We shall see.

reserved

reserved 2

Engine and transmission mounts?

SPL bushings for front lower control arms and rear knuckles?

You will want brake cooking ducts for front at some point.

Probably wanna add ZSpeed CMAK (eliminate stock CSC that will eventually fail).

Toronto doesn’t have crazy hot summer, I assume that’s why you went with 25 instead of 34 row oil coolers?

Happy modding :driving:

I was thinking with the upgraded rad that has shown to lower oil temps already, perhaps I wouldnt need a 34 row. But I'm open to that as well.

Yeah I was eyeing the CJM motor mounts posted in some other threads.
Bushing were something I was looking at too, but I don't understand what I need. Or if I should get them all /shrug.

I was thinking doing the JWT heavy duty csc. when i upgrade my clutch, and replace the master cylinder as well at the same time

Definitely need to put Everything on paper; looking like you have things lined up in stages- as going Turbo...you wouldn’t need some of the preliminary parts mentioned :tiphat:

Yeah i think it might be a stretch for me to go straight to turbo. I kind of want to see how the car feels NA, which means buying an NA exhaust setup. Which really lends itself well into putting on a supercharger IMO since I can do an easier bolt on off of the NA setup than I would removing everything and doing a turbo.

That being said I think turbo is rather interesting as well. I've been looking at those Turbosmart electronically controlled butterfly wastegates. building a turbo setup to use that would be interesting for sure! For sure the ecutek doesn't have the current capability on the boost control pins to drive them but there was talk about making some kind of bridge to allow control via low current PWM signal. I'm definitely getting ahead of myself tho thinking about customizing a turbo setup at this stage in the plan haha.




I think it would be especially fun to nerd out over Motec control over boost via these. You could tune boost control very accurately it seems without all the pressure lines and solenoids (2 per wastegate if you wanted to do solenoid on top and bottom of the WG) As a stretch goal I would love to use Motec for traction control via boost pressure. Changing the boost pressure based on factors such as: user input (rotary switch), current gear, current rpm. But i'm geeking out over over engineering things rather than being practical.


One thing I'd be interested in is more in depth information on the fast intentions system

Do people watercool the wastegates? Would it be better to use Tial MV-S-A if not? (do those even fit, they are taller tho)

Could i use those turbosmart electronically controlled wastegates on the fast intentions kit. Probably wont fit? Maybe I could tweak the wastegate pipe to use the butterfly valve. Lot's of things to consider. What could I even use to control them. Are there many piggyback ECU's available that can work with signals from ecutek? Or do I need a full stand alone. I have years to figure this out I suppose. But it's fun to think about.

Stuff like this is the most interesting to me. TC_TsReduceReq and how you map that to different outputs like timing/spark/boost-pressure

watching this makes me want to go with darton sleeves with an and receiver groove for SS o-rings. Seems like theres quite a bit of added safety there at higher boost pressure. To get to that boost pressure without detonation I guess I'll have to figure out how to run higher octane fuel in ontario. Apparently there are concentrated race gas octane boosters that can be added to your tank of pump Ultra 94 octane. At least that's what Sasha Anis was using at one point.

Or maybe the Vulcan Cut Ring head gasket HMMMMMM very interesting stuff

There’s a few Mazworx VQ’s about to be completed pretty soon & mine will most likely be the last to be tuned :wtf2:
Whole bunch of stuff to do & only gonna be working on weekends with it.
Spooler’s thread has a lotta great information packed into it & knowing Mazworx’s reputation & having the proper machines to install the Darton sleeves properly, I went that way myself.
Lotta goodies & extras they do on a built engine :tup:

But you can safely go 500-525’ish safely on a stock block w/seasoned tuner.
But going 7,8,900+ Definitely build it :iagree:
But be prepared to purchase so quality barrels of fuel :ugh2:

Barrels of fuel is an impossibility as I essentially live in and apartment with no storage. Octane booster is really the only option. I can’t find any flex fuel systems that will work on anything but ethanol however. Though I only did a quick search. It really must be automated for a street car imo. And since we have no ethanol I’m a bit at a loss for how I can increase octane and have the car respond properly. Welcoming any and all ideas.

As for building the engine. That will be a post initial boost endeavour. I will stay at low 500s probably for a while, learning the car. The when the time has come to increase horsepower (and I’ve acquired a second vehicle) the car will hopefully make its way to mazworks. Or I’ll do what spoiler did and build a secondary engine.

Unless you purchase 5 gallon pails & mix your own :ugh2:
Ignite does make e98 & a lotta folks tune on e40,e50,e60,etc.....I’ll be running the ignite red e90 :driving:

Now you are learning. My Mazworx engine has some of these tricks. Darton MID sleeves have to be installed via a 3 or 4 axes CNC. The tolerances are extremely tight. They have to be perfect. The block is then step deck cut where just the sleeve cylinder is above the deck by several thousands. Mark uses a special headgasket with exactly like what is stated in the video. The MLS gasket folds back upon itself at the cylinder to increase clamp load. The advantages for a street car are this. If you blow the headgasket it can be repaired very easily. New gasket, deck the head and re-install. If you use a copper headgasket and O-rings everything will need to be redone. It is more costly and time consuming. There is a video that covers this in my thread. What SOHO has done is also covered in the video. Keep watching and researching. You are getting it.

I need to talk about one more thing. Our blocks are aluminum. So, when you cut a receiver groove in the block what will happen is the groove will dull and not be sharp. This will cause issues on how the copper headgasket is pushed into the groove. it won't be as sharp as say a Darton MID sleeve. This can cause sealing issues over time.

yeah i was more thinking about cutting the groove into the darton sleeve