When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
BxG3?'s (Code_Blue_VQ) Coupe Build (The Ultimate Daily?)
Hey Everyone, surprised it took me so long to actually make a build thread but I figured its never too late to start. My social media is Code_Blue_VQ if anyone is interested in taking a gander on IG. Anyway, Ill give a little background on the car, how I ended up with it, and whats been done and where we go from here and in the future. In the end I hope the car will take on the final form of daily/track car and be the best an NA build can go, unrealistic perhaps but a healthy balance for me of both will suffice.
History: I ended up with my golden nugget back in December of 2018. I originally whipped around in my Mk1 Audi TT that had some tasteful engine mods and a massive FMIC . Unfortunately the timing belt broke right before the scheduled maintenance and bent the valves and that was the end of that. I immediately looked for something else and ended up with a 04 G35 coupe which was nice while I had it but was close to 200k miles. I was a little worried about how long a VQ could last (didnt know any better) and I had no idea how the maintenance history was prior. So I decided to sell it and look for something new(ish). I found my G at a salvage auction and decided to take a gamble on it. It was in the lovely B21 paint code, it was an 08 and had 46k miles on the clock and at the time was less than 1500, crashed in the front and the back but was repaired (not to my liking but everything was straight & besides salvage ) So I pulled the trigger and boy has it been a journey!
Good Ole MK1 TT and next to a friend, oh those smiley front ends :-D
At the time I lived in the Bronx (next to yankee stadium) so for 3 yrs she endured awful nyc traffic and mindlessness. She's been on long hauls to Maine & Ohio, quick runs up the Catskills, out west to Philly and out east to the Hamptons. I moved to the deep end of Long Island in the summer of 21 (avoiding the fomo of the real estate boom) and I have to say since then, the G has enjoyed her own parking spot and garage and also more space for more spirited and competitive driving. In the 5 years of ownership Ive managed to put on 30K miles where the clock currently sits just shy past 76k miles. The car has had meticulous care in terms of maintenance and hopefully I can continue to do so.
Mods: In terms of mods the car has had some things done over the years but there is more to do. Below they are listed in a chronological order but, I will leave out cosmetic mods for now lets focus on performance!
Invidia Gemini Catback Exhaust - Was already on the car when I purchased it and was part of the reason I got the car.
Hotchkins Sway Bars - early 2019 install, car felt floaty and need that gone!
Tein Flex Z Coils - early 2019 install, car felt high like a truck.
Fast Intentions Resonated Test Pipes - early 2019, those demon bolts were real.
PCV Delete - early 2019, easy install
Stillen Gen 3 LT Intakes - mid 2019 install, was unable to tune at the time and was unsure of 3in intakes.
Akebono Upgrade - mid 2019 install, picked from a junkyard in NJ. Did a full rebuild on them and repaint as ebay prices were not it.
Z1 Undershroud - mid 2019 install, general peace of mind with nyc roads
DC Sport Exhaust Manifold - late 2019 install, wanted LTH but settled on these (Bought on the classified right here!)
Fuel Port Access - mid 2020 install, wanted to have it for future reference.
Z1 Camber Arms an Toe Link Rear - mid 2021 install, bent the camber arms after bottoming out at work parking lot, wanted to upgrade it.
There are some mods I may be missing but here is a list of things in my garage/basement waiting to be put on.
Power Steering Cooler
Oil Cooler
Ported Uppper & Lower Plenums
76mm TB kit
Custom 3.5in Long Tube intakes
Oil Pressure Gauge
JWT Cams C2 Cams
One Piece Driveshaft from DSS
NIB 6spd JK41B from Nissan
Z1 Engine and trans Mounts
Konig Hypergrams 18x9.5 and 18x10.5 275/35 in front and 295/30 in rear on Federal 595 RS
Some things I would buy for future but have not as of yet...
GTR Injectors,
AEM/Walbro Fuel Pump
2 Piece Rotors Front and Back
EBC Yellow Stuff Pads
BC/Fortune Auto Coils?
Quaife or 1.5 LSD
Poly/Soild bushing all round
Koyorad/Mishimoto Radiator
Electronic Power Steering?
Cosmetics: In terms of cosmetic, the only things done were swapping to a CF wheel, installing paddle shifters, putting in a Q60 Shift ****, and adding a CF diffuser. Thats it. I do have an IPL front bumper NIB but still waiting to install it. I do plan to make more track focused, but I do love a good OEM/OEM+ look.
The All Important Dyno Sheet...
As of Now 2/2/23: The car was tuned on UPREV back in 2020 by RT Tuning with a whopping 324whp and 261wtq I was very happy with this. The car drives well and is currently in an evolutionary process. The original 5sp Auto had issues with the valve body and eventually the torque converter decided to exit stage right. I am currently in the middle of a trans swap from Auto to Manual its just been very cold to actually finish everything. When I am done I will do a write up and post it with a full cost breakdown. Yes I know people would say I should sell and buy a manual, however with the current prices of used G's in the market, some in horrid condition & asking way too much, I went with this route instead. Time consuming and tedious but will be satisfying when done. I will retune on Ecutek when done and install the rest of the parts once some life events complete for myself. I have plans to redo the interior especially the ailing dash, deleting the sun/moon roof, replacing and coating the underside of all rusty bits and some other bits and bobs. The gallery gaskets will be done when I decide to do the cams. I know some will say that I should have just bought a manual 370Z but again it was not an option given the current used car market trends in the north east. I will continue to post updates as they happen and if I am able to, will try and make a video on the trans swap.
Please feel free to ask away and I will try to answer as best I can. Thanks for taking the time to give it a read. I know there are way more interesting builds up here but, I appreciate it nonetheless.
I would look twice at that. And then maybe again, and a fourth time.
And then I'd get your attention to talk to you about your car, and that would have been a long conversation for sure. A 6MT conversion is hard-core dedication to this project.
I've got a friend up in Canada with an '08 G37S 5AT, same color, low miles, babied like a new born. IIRC, the '08 5AT had the same rear gear ratio as the 6MT.
@Rochester I would absolutly entertain that conversation. Part of the reason to swap it to a 6spd was just because of how hard it was for me to source the right upgraded valve body and a nice beefy torque converter. I see some have used to thorque converter from the newer Q50 but that adds a new set of issues. For the price of what I was looking at and knowing that I truly missed rowing gears, I figured if I spent the extra I could just do what I really want and enjoy the benefits if it from a motorsport perspective. There is alot of info on the 370z forums so I sourced most of my info from there. I know the gearing is the same which was also a plus but being an auto the flange is different. On ebay an VSLD used is roughly 800 and not really what I want to spend for a used diff. The flange end is available to swap on the diff and being that the cases are the same that was the obvious cost saving point as well as the easier option. I do enjoy the color but every now and then I wonder how it would look in a new paint scheme. Still, I would rather wrap the car than repaint it.
@ILM-NC G37S For me anything past exit 53 (welcome center) on the LIE is deep for me. Ive never been this far out east before I meet my wife. Maybe once or twice as a kid I went to Splish Splash but that was a while ago. Currently in Nesconset exit 59. Not that much farther but for me thats deep although I think its really considered middle island. Although I feel like Manorville is calling my name at times.
@SupraOfDoom Thanks! Just a small update, The trans swap is almost done its just dealing with the weather that has kept me behind. I have already done the brake pedal, clutch pedal installed and handbrake conversion. I am doing a write up so that it may be a guide for others and I may film the more difficult parts just to have as a visual aid. Will update more as the weather is better!
@SupraOfDoom Thanks! Just a small update, The trans swap is almost done its just dealing with the weather that has kept me behind. I have already done the brake pedal, clutch pedal installed and handbrake conversion. I am doing a write up so that it may be a guide for others and I may film the more difficult parts just to have as a visual aid. Will update more as the weather is better!
That's awesome, look forward to checking out how tricky it is.
@SupraOfDoom As of now the trickiest part has been cutting inside the footwell with the limited space. I just need a few more days of good weather and some time off from work ....
Quick Update on the build. Trans swap is 70% done. ECU will be shipped off soon to get reflashed with MT software, finishing the CSC delete kit install before I put in the trans and doing some preventative maintenance by addressing areas of surface rust on the underside of the car. I was not expecting to drop the whole rear subframe but since everything is disassembled why not check one more thing off the list.....
@coupebc I ended up going with the Z1 csc along with their flywheel and clutch package since it was already on sale. I would've gone with the CMAK if I didn't see the whole combo...
@coupebc I ended up going with the Z1 csc along with their flywheel and clutch package since it was already on sale. I would've gone with the CMAK if I didn't see the whole combo...
Update on the build! Trans swap is 90% done. The write up is taking forever as I try to organize my photos and make edits on it to help with the guide. I might make it a pdf just to help. I still havent sent off the ECU to get reflashed with MT software as I had to shift some of my energies on life events. There are minor things to do such as finishing the z1 csc install and putting the trans in the car and reconnecting the driveshaft. Everything else that I have set out to do is basically done at this point. I will say it is a time consuming project however, it is not as difficult now that I look back at it. More news to come soon!
. Unfortunately the timing belt broke right before the scheduled maintenance and bent the valves and that was the end of that. I immediately looked for something else and ended up with a 04 G35 coupe which was nice while I had it but was close to 200k miles. I was a little worried about how long a VQ could last (didnt know any better) and I had no idea how the maintenance history was prior. So I decided to sell it and look for something new(ish). I found my G at a salvage auction and decided to take a gamble on it. It was in the lovely B21 paint code, it was an 08 and had 46k miles on the clock and at the time was less than 1500, crashed in the front and the back but was repaired (not to my liking but everything was straight & besides salvage 
) So I pulled the trigger and boy has it been a journey!
And then maybe again, and a fourth time.
....
