birdmanx1's Nismo Journal ...
 

Hey guys, I've gone over some very nice and interesting members gallery and I figured that I might as well start one. I wanted another Z after an 18 wheeler truck sent me spinning across 4 lanes by exit 13 on I695 in Baltimore, totaling the old 300ZX in the process. I wanted a pearl white nismo and zeroed in on one in CT; flew in the day the dealer posted the car online :p

No photoshoot yet... - Done

Current Mods
*** Exterior ***
* Headlights/Taillights tint
* Clearbra Shield all around
* Windows tint all around
* H&R DRS spacers
* Dynamat
* Roof painted black with cool light effects
* Swift Springs
* SPC Full Camber kit

*** Interior ***
* Kenwood HU & Bluetooth unit
* Kenwood CMOS200 camera
* Alpine Type R sub
* Polk db speakers & tweeters
* Illuminated Z kickplates
* Zenclosure sub box
* Proclip Mount & Adapter
* Gentex Homelink + Compass Rear view mirror
* Valentine V1 Detector & Rear view mirror mount

*** Other ***
* NST pulley kit + Belt
* K&N Filters
* Berk HFC
* Fast intention SS catback
* Zuperman Manifold Intake M370

*** Upcoming ***
* HPS Post MAF tubes (Being treated prior to install)
* UpRev Tuning
* Powder Coated Rims or Professional Paint job (Color choice still up in the air)
* Powder Coated Calipers

Then done forever... I hope :rolleyes:

Purchase Date: 11/5/2010
Here are some stock pics shortly after picking up the car
http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/...s/IMG_0202.jpg
http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/...s/IMG_0221.jpg

11/20/2010
3M Clearbra shield installed on both bumpers/hood/rear view mirrors/sides/wheel areas and tint applied all around. The work was done at D&L tinting in White Marsh.
http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/...t/IMG_0086.jpg
http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/...t/IMG_0090.jpg
http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/...t/IMG_0095.jpg

01/07/2011
Headlights/Taillights work done at D&L Tinting.
Before
http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/...s/IMG_0096.jpg
After
http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/...s/IMG_0111.jpg
Before
http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/...s/IMG_0009.jpg
After
http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/...s/IMG_0117.jpg
http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/...s/IMG_0126.jpg

01/21/2011
AV install performed by our fun, friendly and highly knowledgeable Matt (bigaudiofanat). Matt did the install in the coldest day of the year and knocked everything down like the super duper pro he is!
http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/...l/IMG_0158.jpg
http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/...l/IMG_0617.jpg

02/28/2011
Berk HFCs installed by Frank (Hill's Garage in Baltimore) - nice combination with Nismo Catback

03/10/2011
Roof painted with cool light effects, work performed by Frank (Wilson's Autobody in Baltimore) Extremely pleased with the work.

Before:
http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/...1/IMG_0625.jpg

After:
http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/...1/IMG_0631.jpg
http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/...1/IMG_0646.jpg
http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/...1/IMG_0650.jpg
http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/...1/IMG_0654.jpg
http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/...1/IMG_0661.jpg
http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/...1/IMG_0692.jpg

3/15/2011
Spacers installed
Spacers
http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/...s/IMG_0691.jpg

rarwz wired up radar detector
http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/...s/IMG_0676.jpg

3/17/2011
Windshield tint back on, couple of random shots...
http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/...1/IMG_0003.jpg
http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/...1/IMG_0002.jpg

Hey, how much did you spend on getting ur tail light painted ?? and also your roof ?? looks real nice !!

SWEET... Nice to see you finally have a journal dude..!! :tup:

35% tint front? :icon14: no issues?

Hey Tony, thanks man, it looks great. I PMed you the info you requested :tiphat:

Thanks TROOPER, I had to follow your lead man; you were my inspiration :ughdance:

Hey wheee! no issues whatsoever man ... so far. If you are referring to issues with tickets, it's not a daily driver and I tend to stay back when I see the popo :tiphat:

:wtf2: :supergay:

LOL I want to be just like you... "The Best of British" :roflpuke2: How does one get to be like you man :)

You may want to re-think tinting your front headlights bro, doing so will eventually crack your headlights

It will bro? how? :eek:

By tinting, it keeps the heat from the headlight from escaping and can slowly cause "spider cracks" to form

Really? I wouldn't think you'd get any more of a greenhouse effect than before, perhaps less since you're blocking light on the way in as well.





car looks sick bro.

Yea I don't recommend tinting headlights. The heat from the sun and from the HIDs can eventually cake the tint onto the headlight and it will start to crack. I painted my headlights black and they look great. Its just more of a pain in the a** to have it done, but it looks better and holds up much better over time.

Car looks great so far though. I like what you did with the roof. Unique and cleaver!

hmm your point makes sense man but it would be prone to happen over a really long run besides I don't do driving at night that much for the spider cracks issue to speed up :tup: You learn something new on this great forum every day man.

Thanks bro, it turned out great, anxious to see how it'll turn out with the springs and exhaust :icon17:

Hey SeeYaBud, your car looks hot. Thanks, the roof looks awesome indeed :) I didn't want to go with the painting of the headlights because it would have been a pain to deal with if I got a ticket to fix it. I am not too worried about the tint on the headlights as I don't do much driving at night and car is parked in garage during the day :tiphat: Great car you got once again man.

Nice updated pics :tup: It looks very sharp!:yum:

Clean! I love PW nismos.

:iagree:

Thanks Sophia, enjoying how it's turning out so far :)

to 98intrigue, nice rims bro.

:tiphat:

Are wheels in your future or are you sticking with the classy OEMs?

I like your car, birdman. Very clean and "subtle" changes that make the car look awesome.

You ever considered painting the wheels black? I think it compliments with the black very well. :tup:

Well done birdmanx1. Killer mods! Any sound clip with Berk HFC + Nismo CBE?

I was actually going to get the wheels powder coated gun metal last week but held off last minute, still very much in love with the chrome finish of the rims at this point.

Thanks 370zlove3, pretty glad at how things are turning out. I would probably get the wheels powder coated rather than painted once I am over the chrome finish or unless I get my hands on 98intrigue's rims :tup:

bro I'll get that video uploaded and posted first thing in morning ;)

Car l0oks gud!!:tup::tup:

Berk HFC + Nismo catback exhaust Vids
 

Here are some vids of the Berk HFC + Nismo Catback Exhaust setup. Kept the revs under 4.5k RPM. Nice setup and a screamer once you get in the upper mids to high end RPMs.

i'm digging every mod on this car, very well done sir! :tup:

Thanks a lot man. It looks great though. Tailights look great too. :tup:

Much appreciated HKYStormFront, not much is needed to make these cars stand out :tiphat:

indeed a nice ride you got man especially your rims man, might have to look in that direction once I'm over the stockers :tup:

Hoping to the Swift Springs installed this upcoming week. Will post the pics once I get the car back ;)

Only took 2 windshields :happydance:

:icon18: man, the good thing that transpired out of that situation is that I realized that after that many years with GEICO, they were not as awesome as I thought they were. I'll be dropping their coverage soon enough and go with a better insurance company :happydance:

LOL Don't blame your insurance company, blame the friend that broke your window :stirthepot:

:wtf2:

There you go stirring the pot again Darren :roflpuke2: it's easier blaming the insurance company than blaming a friend. Hell it was GEICO's fault that I had to pay for another windshield...somehow :icon14:

Thanks for uploading the videos. Did you feel any power increase from your HFC install?
Any issues or negative side effect from installing HFC on you stock Nismo exhaust?

Anytime man, there was quite an obvious gain in power right after installing the HFCs. I can now tell how restrictive the stock cats are in comparison to the Berk cats. The car pulls stronger and exhaust now sounds throatier; it was way too quiet for my taste prior to the HFCs now things are where they should have been stock.

No issues or negatives to be reported whatsoever, the installer did a fantastic and sealed the joints to prevent funny noises. Once you get the cats installed, there might be a very low pitch hissing noise when taking your foot off the gas and with a cold engine. Mine went away once the cats were past their break in period. Dynamat in trunk & doors would eliminate any worries with noise. This is indeed one mod you won't regret my friend :tiphat:

Those are some great attributes... Yeah for my next mod I was contemplating on a HFCs or exhaust to add some power + throatier sound out of my Nismo. yeah stock is waaaay to quiet. Thanks for your quick review and your input :tiphat:

Anytime man, I'm sure you'll enjoy the new exhaust note. You mentioned that you might go with a new exhaust as well, if so, the Fast Intentions exhausts are a huge hit on the forum. They sound mean and look great. I ordered one from Tony (Fast Intentions owner, great guy) and will be installing it in May (will post up update when it's on if you want to change your nismo catback then). :tiphat:

Hey how do you like those k&n drop-in filters?