Hell yeah! mine are flaking also pretty normal in Florida's inferno

 

$130 shipped for both brand-new is pretty good IMHO, but then again I didn't check any of the infiniti-oem dealers online.

 

Finally got my FilterWears water socks on the filters.





Also may have found the issue with the alignment.

 

Finally, after a 2 month wait, got the rear spoiler in the mail. Not attached in these pics, just sat in place. Need to get the silver trunk finisher wrapped first.

 

Added some parts to the pile to go on the car. Black Friday deal at Z1.

 

Nice! What, no rear rotors?

 

After much musing and accounting ribaldry, I decided that standard slotted rotors v the 2-piece would be more cost effective from a dollars-to-stops perspective. And those, sadly, weren't on sale - so I don't need them quite yet.

 

Understood. Believe me, it wasn't an easy rationale getting the rears. Very expensive for 5 lbs each and good looks.

Drop-dead gorgeous brakes, though. Can't deny it.

 

More injurious to my upgrade plans, I discovered that Z1 makes adapters to use the giant R35 GT-R calipers on our cars...

Edited to add link in case anyone is curious. GTR front calipers seem to go for about $1800 a set used.

 

So I'd been waiting for it to not be joint-achingly damp and cold to do some work on the car, including patching a flat on the rear. While I had the car up, I thought I'd check to see if the rears were different (coupe v convertible) which would explain the weirdness in alignment. Nope, they're the same.

Ah well. Checked both sides for setback from the edge of the bodywork to the wheel hub, those are the same too, so it isn't the car. Looked underneath, the various suspension arms are all evenly the same. Oh yeah - I bought Hotchkiss bars some time ago - where's that rear bar?




That's the ticket. Started with the middle hole. Rear sway endlinks were rigid end to end, but rotated a little too freely for me - there's some wear there. That's the next thing I guess. Instructions were a little unclear on torque values (they say to "torque those to 40 foot pounds as well" for the end links, without giving a torque spec for the bracket bolts so I used 4o ft/lbs there too. Definitely in the germanic gutentaut specification range.

Tomorrow I'll knock off work early, clean and paint the rear calipers to match the fronts, see if the patched tire is holding air, and maybe have some time to work on the reverse lights.

 

Tire's holding air and the sway bar fully installed. I *could* put the car back down and take it for a spin... oooooorrrrrr....

Taking care of some missed details.


I know it looks patchy, this stuff takes multiple coats.

Also pulled off the rear undertray to scratch my head about building a trailer hitch (at least strong enough for a bike rack). Found my first two rusted bolts - one on the crossbar support (easy enough to remove and vice-grip out) and one on the front of the cover - that one I think I'll have to drill out, darn it. A pound of gravel, and the charcoal cannister in there - forgot I should do the TSB for gas tank fill problems. Have to see if Nissan has that part tomorrow.

I think the goal is to finish the brake calipers tomorrow and get the wheels back on, then lift the front and do the front swaybar - which is supposed to go quicker than the rear.

 

I used generic PCV 90deg adapters from OTC universal PCV ($2-$3) with a hose, this decreases the kink you have to introduce as you move the hose where you want it. The reason why I have not incorporated a separator is that I dont see ANY oil loss between oil changes.

 

Have red nismo 370 springs for the whole car and spacers for the rear. Need to install those and the front swaybar, and I guess I'm taking it to Infiniti for an alignment since everyone else has been useless.

Not much work-on-car time of late. Actual work is taking a toll and my kid is getting frustrated with virtual school so I'm spending more time remonstrating with her. As best I can tell, SC outside our house is deadly infectious and after my heart issues I'm super high risk... so sigh.

I need a climate controlled garage that's big enough to put the car in. Would be much easier if I didn't have to reassemble (ish) every time I stop work to not worry about the county code *****.

 

Forgot to mention - scored a Q50 outside mirror to figure out how to convert. Initial analysis is that it is NOT plug and play, not even a little, which aligns with what I've read elsewhere here. But I do not think it is impossible. I'll start getting some pics of the mounting differences - either I think I can swap the base (where it bolts to the door) with a G37 mirror or modify the Q50 mirror base. Have dremel, will modify LOL.

 

On the car. Heh heh.