I have always loved the looks of the 1990 and beyond 300zx. The car was way ahead of its time in terms of styling and technology in my opinion, and still
is a timeless beauty. I purchased this Superwhite 300zx twin turbo from a gentleman in Portland back in 1997. The car had some mods on it,
but was in very nicely kept shape. We struck a deal and I drove it home to Klamath Falls. I left the car alone for a couple years, as it was
adequate for my wants and needs. One winter the OEM Bose stereo gave up, so I tore it out and replaced it all. I also replaced the OZ Monte
Carlo wheels with some 18" ADR Enigmas around the same time. A few years later, a compression check revealed low compression in one cylinder,
so research began on a new engine and upgrades.
During a two and a half year process, I purchased a rebuilt engine from SGP Racing (Houston TX), new turbos, all new exhaust, all new OEM
sensors, hoses, belts, and other wear items. I purchased everything I needed to fully upgrade the car, including new engine wiring harness,
radiator, upgraded eprom, clutch, driveshaft, and rear end gears. A friend of mine was the main mechanic on the project (Terry Chocktoot)
and he and I yanked the old engine and put in the new. The new engine and upgrades went in without too much problem, but we definitely took
our time making sure everything was right. The new exhaust was hung, as well as the tranny with new clutch, new OEM clutch slave, line, and
new rear end gears. The car was up on jack stands, and it fired up without any real problem the first time. If it wasn't for my negligence
in hooking up one fuel injector, it would have run smoothly and idled from the get-go. One minor coolant leak, and an oil leak up by the oil
cooler, was our only real issues with the install, which was amazing. I give Terry a ton of credit, as the guy is a very good mechanic,
bordering on magician! We removed the AIV system, EGR system, all of the boost control solenoids, and a lot of other unnecessary junk under
the hood during the build.
Fast forward to the fall of 2007.... the engine has been broken in, and during a long pull to 130+ mph, the engine goes down on power.
I think we have mushroomed some valves from hitting the rev limiter during a shift, or something. Terry and I will be tearing into the engine
bay once again to fix the issue, and possibly upgrade further! We have decided to have all the machine work done locally (Karl's Machine Shop
in Klamath Falls) and do the work ourselves. I am considering bigger injectors, and maybe some other upgrades. I still love the damn car after
all the work and heartache, and hope to get it all done for the spring!
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Under The Hood:
- SGP Built Longblock
- Arias pistons
- Eagle rods
- JWT Dual Pop Intake
- JWT ECU (555cc and dual pop program)
- JWT 530 Ball Bearing Turbos
- Greg Dupree Inconel exhaust manifolds
- Greg Dupree Super Split downpipes
- Greg Dupree flex section test pipes (2.5")
- Greddy SP cat back exhaust (2.5")
- Nismo 555cc injectors
- Stillen Intercoolers, guides
- Stillen Oil Cooler
- Stillen Radiator pipes and couplers
- Scott's Hard Pipes
- ASP Underdrive Pulley
Power Transfer:
- RPS Max Clutch, stock flywheel
- Powertrain Industries 1 piece driveshaft
- Leader rear end gears (4.10)
Handling and Grip:
- 18" Volk TE37 wheels in gunmetal
- Falken 451 front 235/40/18, Rear 275/35/18
- Eibach springs on oem adjustable struts
- Suspension Techniques sway bars
- Powertrix camber adjustment, front and rear
- Powertrix tension rods
- Specialty Z subframe spacers
- Stoptech Big Brake kit front, stock rear with Stillen pads
- Braided Steel Brake Lines
Styling:
- 99 OEM Clear Corner Lights
- 99 OEM Tailights and Gonzer illuminated center panel (blue)
- Kaixen HID low beams
- Chrome intake manifold, radiator guide
- Carbon fiber throttle cable cover, fan shroud
Inside the Car:
- Greddy boost, fuel pressure, EGT gauges
- Greddy Profec B, spec II
- Apexi SAFC II
- Alpine 7909 Receiver (30th Anniversary Model)
- Phoenix Gold EQ215
- Audiocontrol 24xs crossover
- (2) Rockford Fosgate Punch 100 amps
- Boston Acoustics Pro 5.2 Components
- JL Audio Stealthbox
- Stinger Wiring
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About JSM
