Z32 MintZ32's OEM+ Resto Journal

Discussion in 'Member's Garage' started by MintZ32, Sep 17, 2020.

  1. MintZ32

    MintZ32 Active Member

    So after being on a JDM Hiatus for quote some time & with the prices of everything 90's+ JDM RWD turbo rapidly inflating, I figured I better get back into a one of my childhood fanboy cars before it was too late.

    Back in 2003 I bought my bone stock R33 and feverishly went on a Nismo / Period correct JDM modification build ending up with a RB25/30DET running a GT35R on an APEX'i with low mount cast manifold. (I wont go into all the other mods)
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    Eventually the 33 was sold and I went through a few other not so notable cars until several months ago picked up my 2+2 5sp TT Z32
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    The timing was right, and the car ticked the boxes I needed as having a young family I wanted to be able to at least put a child in the back seat if needed.

    The other important thing to me was the car was almost totally stock, and what had been added had only been done so by the previous owner a few months before I bought the car off him with those mods being:
    • Stainless Cat back exhaust
    • BC Coilovers
    • Envizio RS1 18x9 & 18x10 Wheels (Replica SSR Professor SP1's)
    • Nismo Side Markers
    • 2k Spec Tail lights
    • Nardi Steering Wheel
    • HKS Style replica intake
    • Z1 Red Silicone Boost hoses
    • Z1 Hicas Delete
    • A fairly rudimentary stereo install.
    • Underglow Neons :eek:
    The bonus was the car was totally accident free without any body modifications, clean jacking points, no significant rust etc and what had been done that didn't suit my tastes (like the underglows :p) could easily be removed.

    The next job was to get it ready for RWC, and the annoyingly the pre-inspection meant restoring the HICAS back to factory.
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    On the other hand, it also gave me a good opportunity to get the car up on the hoist and get to know what I had bought much better.

    Luckily my boss is also appreciates cars and I had access to a shed, workshop and a spare set of hands to help swap over the things that needed to be.

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    And next came the parts.
    • Replacement Centre Bearing
    • Hardrace Castor Bushes
    • Genuine Nissan Hicas tierod end bush
    • Hicas rack (from wrecker)
    • OEM steering wheel (from 300ZX FB Group)
    • Lots of random interior bits
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    Over the next couple of weekends, the old bits came of the car and were replaced with the new bits to pass rego.

    Future plans for the car, slowly restore it back to its former glory with a fairly mild, Period style JDM/OEM theme. Will try to keep this thread updated to document this ;)
     
  2. EvZ

    EvZ 1BAD300

    Nice to read something with punctuation and some interesting detail. I'm watching this thread so please keep us updated. :)
     
    MintZ32 likes this.
  3. MintZ32

    MintZ32 Active Member

    So, after hoarding my initial purchase of Z32 parts and getting it back on the road (no photos of the bush, bearing, Hicas Reinstatement etc) it was high time to get started on the tidy up jobs.

    Before:
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    After
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    Before:
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    After:

    Black Silicone Samco boost hoses...
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    Hicas Reinstatement also revealed some other hidden goodies:
    [​IMG]

    Pretty happy with how it's all rounding out. Fairly minor details for now.... I have a heap of future goodies enroute from overseas that seem to be taking forever thanks to COVID and will update as those become available :)
     
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  4. MintZ32

    MintZ32 Active Member

    Well after about 2 months of waiting for my next part to arrive from Cyprus today I finally got a notification to say it had been delivered.

    Suprising where you need to search for well priced JDM parts these days :D, but considering it was about a third of the price of what they're going for on yahoo auctions or eBay it was worth the wait.
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    Everything was zeroed out before buying and I'm Just hoping the needles zero out when powered on :rolleyes:.
     
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  5. jellybeans

    jellybeans Active Member

    looks better than the stock gauges but is it just me that thinks the dash in a 300zx looks much more Pulsar than Porsche? why so cheap and nasty? i just want to replace the whole thing.
     
  6. jellybeans

    jellybeans Active Member

    i hated the red silicon hoses, i hope you burnt them
     
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  7. MintZ32

    MintZ32 Active Member

    The stock Z32 cluster is not the best looking, but far from the worst! Typical early 90's Nissan or Mitsubishi / all other Japanese brands of the era I guess. You can dress it up with the dial rings or carbon overlays. My current cluster has a brushed aluminium overlay that I see regularly on yahoo auctions but won't fit the style I'm heading :)
     
  8. jellybeans

    jellybeans Active Member

    yes 90's interiors??? my 1986 hr31 skyline had a much more upmarket dash and interior.
    Great looking car you have. How many cars can wear an F40 wing? Its not my favourite wing but the 300zx is such a good design i think it actually works. Name 1 other car you could say that about? just makes you realise how much better it looks than the new 400z.
     
  9. MintZ32

    MintZ32 Active Member

    Thanks jellybeans! ;) yeah the F40 wing really only suits wedge shaped cars like our zeds in my view. The factory Honda NSX wing is similar to the F40 minus the integrated tail lights and works quite well too though.
     
  10. MintZ32

    MintZ32 Active Member

    Minor update.

    A week ago the clutch line screwed the pooch on the one day I decided to drive the Z32 to work :eek: Luckily I was able to take a work ute to the closest Autobarn and pick up some fluid and able to refill the master and prime well enough to get it back home.

    Ironically I was checking over the clutch system on the weekend prior and noticed it all looked pretty tired so already ordered a full new master, slave and reinforced clutch line parts plus balance tube o-rings along with a PWS high pressure line from AMS motorsport.

    The bits showed up today.

    [​IMG]
     
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  11. MintZ32

    MintZ32 Active Member

    The best days are the arrival of a new Yahoo Auction Purchase day :D:D

    Managed to pick up a pair of 90's era Nismo old logo horns for a great price to replace the ricey fake sti style supertone style horns that someone had fitted in the past.

    Far from an essential purchase, but should look a whole heap better than the current setup.

    Also can anyone tell me if there is supposed to be a mesh grille on the front bar?

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    All going well this weekend the car will be back on the road with the new clutch system as well :D
     
    Harts likes this.
  12. rob260

    rob260 Administrator Staff Member

    Cool cool - I’ve got a set too love to know what they actually sound like
     
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  13. MintZ32

    MintZ32 Active Member

    Horn sound:



    Anyone able to advise if I'm missing any mesh on the front bar?
     
  14. rob260

    rob260 Administrator Staff Member

    No mesh on the early series bumpers
     
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  15. MintZ32

    MintZ32 Active Member

    This weekend the entire hydraulic side of the clutch system was overhauled with the new master, slave and the short stainless line option from CZP. Aside from one rounded off flare nut below the turbo the whole job was not bad at all, including bleeding.

    Nismo old Logo Horns went on as well. A big improvement!

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    Harts likes this.
  16. MintZ32

    MintZ32 Active Member

    Matching old logo horn emblem to go with the new horns.

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  17. Harts

    Harts Active Member

    My car has the weakest sounding horn ever, is this a standard z32 thing?

    Can you share the secret sauce for the 300 km/h dash with me @MintZ32 . I'd like one, but not for $1000-1500 haha
     
  18. MintZ32

    MintZ32 Active Member

    Haha what you're seeing in the image above is the standard dash with some form of Aluminium overlay on-top. I'm holding off on the 300km cluster install as I'm waiting on a couple of other interior parts to arrive when changing it out so I don't have to pull it apart over and over again.

    Oh and by the way, I do have a second Nismo 300km cluster on the way I'll consider parting with :)
     
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  19. Harts

    Harts Active Member

    I don't like the ally one, I like the the one you posted above with the big numbers and 90's logo hahaha. Let me know how much you want for it, but it's the sort of thing I'd rather use the money for something that makes the car go faster as opposed to paying the big bucks for not much performance return :)

    If I found one for $500 or so I'd do it for the hell of it, probably similar to you!
     
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  20. MintZ32

    MintZ32 Active Member

    Another small JDM Parts haul and some time to fit my Nismo Cluster whilst my wife is spending time with the inlaw this morning :p

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    Pretty straight forward swap in of a new RHS Pod mount and the 300km cluster, however I should have sourced a LHS pod as well. Whilst it was in good condition prior to removal, 30years of dry plastic rot and ensuing britality meant that basic removal of screws left the inside of the pod in a pile of black plastic dust and almost impossible to reassemble.

    Looks like it will have to come apart again after I source a new LHS pod :(

    Happy with the end result however, and the Nismo theme continues... :D

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    Instantly faster lolz :D


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