My TT odyZZey... - TriStateTuners.com :: Home of Tristate Auto Enthusiast

Barry'z (NJ) · 03-10-2007, 01:08 AM

Lets see... 6/2000... I'd just left a consulting job that required a good bit of driving, for a job in NYC that I could use mass transit to commute to.
Along with that job came a good boost in pay too. So I decided I could finally afford a car that was more than just transportation :D

I'd been thinking about Porsche 928s, but my dad talked me out of 'em, because parts and maint. on those, make Z32s seem inexpensive.

Like I said I could get a car that was more than just transportation, but it needed to serve that purpose too.
I already had 2 kids, and as this was going to be the second car in a 2 driver family so I needed a 2+2.
I had to get an auto, so my wife could drive it if her car was in the shop.

I'd been searching the web for about 6 months. One of the first questions I posted was on the old 300zx forum, "Can you convert a 2+0 into a 2+2?".
At that time, I didn't know that the chassis were different.

I'd looked at a bunch of cars, most were higher mileage, and looked it. I ended up finding a car at a dealership in Hartford, CT, 110 miles away.
A '95 with 47K on the clock in great shape. The fact that is was a '95 and had dual air-bags was a plus, so I was very excited.

The sales guy at the dealership said that someone had a deposit on it, but that their credit was shaky.
I told him I didn't need financing and left my number so they could call me if the other deal didn't fly.
About a week later I got a call that the car was still available. I gave them a deposit via CC over the phone, and went up the following weekend to pick it up.

Just about everything links back to the original post on tt.net. I was there, long before here, so I just linked to all the relative posts there in case someone wanted more details on a particular mod...

Pic from the add in the web.

[img]

These are some of the first pictures I took of my Z, scanned from 4x6 prints

My first Z meet March '01

My first Z show April '01

My first sig Sept '01

I put a UR UD Pulley on the car @ Elizium's place in Aug. '02, Chivas was there to help, no pix though

First visible mods... KYBs, Eibachs, Adjustable suspension bits, 350z wheels & tires, and a '90 nose panel.

About 6 months later The 350Z tires were worn and noisy as heck, so I opted for g35 wheels and tires.

Next mod was a 300 degree BMC Brace

Jun. '05 Clear Corners, '99-Spec Tails and Gauge Rings

Aug. '05, Front Ladder Bar, dogpile & ARA300ZX were around for that install

Berine installs my new JWT Pop-Charger after the '05 ZCON closing banquet

Oct '05 JWT ECU in (Won at ZCON Charity Auction w/ Pop-Charger)

Apr. '06, Cat-Back

Apr. '06, BBK

May '06 HIDs

Jun. '06 '99-Spec Rear Center Panel and new 3rd Brake Light Panel

Jun. '06 Blitz Electronic metering device.

Oct. '06 Water Pump

Oct. '06 Fascia Vents

Prettier Pix

And now I'm just waiting for the next thing

the mike · 03-10-2007, 04:26 PM

Damn man, 6 years worth of work. I can appreciate the dedication, but I have NEVER had a car that long. Well done.

cburwell · 03-10-2007, 07:26 PM

You have a great car! Keep up the good work!

dickerdieter · 03-10-2007, 07:44 PM

very nice ive always loved these Z's, they just arent practical for me right now

i like rice · 03-10-2007, 07:55 PM

Who let the old guy in? j/k Barry

My favorite shot of your car.

drew · 03-10-2007, 07:57 PM

suggestion for next mod:

smiley grillz

Barry'z (NJ) · 03-11-2007, 12:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by i like rice

Who let the old guy in? j/k Barry

Actually it was YOU
http://www.twinturbo.net/net/viewmsg...msg_id=1959349

Quote:

Originally Posted by i like rice

My favorite shot of your car.

We'll need to do a shoot of my car this summer. After it gets back from NoVA, I'm going to have Chris give it a good detailing. It'll be looking real good then

Barry'z (NJ) · 03-11-2007, 12:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by drew

suggestion for next mod:

smiley grillz

Ahhh Drew...

Already taken care of

ToyotaTat · 03-11-2007, 12:56 PM

^ that is freakin awesome...

very nice, very clean. i love the 300's, unfortunately for me i can't afforrd one....yet

i like rice · 03-11-2007, 12:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Barry'z (NJ)

Ahhh Drew...

Already taken care of

HAHA. I wouldn't be suprised if some random Miata owner got a windshield/sun reflector to look like that. At times, I'm ashamed of the mods that Miata owners put on their car.

the mike · 03-11-2007, 04:33 PM

That's an awesome 'chop.

Barry'z (NJ) · 03-11-2007, 06:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by the mike

That's an awesome 'chop.

Thanks, not mine though, a buddy on another forum did it for me.

Hail2mee2 · 03-14-2007, 05:26 PM

Dude, your car's so clean. I always wanted a Z32TT, but as dickerdieter said - it's not very practical for me being that I'm a college student.

Haha I settled for my Z33 though.

Can't say enough about how nice your car is though - awesome work

97TurboDSM · 03-15-2007, 04:01 PM

nice Z i remember seeing this writeup over at 300zxclub.com, at least i think thats where it was. if you have any spare parts lemme know i need a few things.

Chris(NJ) · 03-15-2007, 04:28 PM

Cars lookin good Barry. And phuong?! good to see you around buddy!, been a while... You comin to ecza 4/21?

Barry'z (NJ) · 03-15-2007, 08:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris(NJ)

Cars lookin good Barry. And phuong?! good to see you around buddy!, been a while... You comin to ecza 4/21?

Thanks Chris,

I'll be at ECZA 4/21 but the Z will likely be getting that next thing done so I'll be riding with someone else. Eric even said I could drive his TT

i like rice · 03-15-2007, 10:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris(NJ)

Cars lookin good Barry. And phuong?! good to see you around buddy!, been a while... You comin to ecza 4/21?

ex-Z crew chiming in =)

I probably won't be at ECZA. I'll most likely be down in DC covering Hot Import Nights for Downshift Magazine.

Barry'z (NJ) · 05-04-2007, 10:45 PM

Well it's time for an update...

So I arrive at Bernie's place Friday 3/30/07 and the first thing he has me do on Saturday morning is pads and rotors on somebody's poor beat dd z.
Later on that day I pull the door apart on an even worse example, to replace the broken window with one from one of his parts cars.

Spee and Ashley... A Modern American Gothic

On Sunday Bob brings us Krispi Creams, Ashley is impressed by his morning wood...

That's it for pictures from the first weekend. I had a bunch of great pix from my first 2 weekends in NoVA,
but I still haven't been able to recover the ones I lost when my hard drive crashed. Oh well.

Well April 6th rolls around and after work I head down to NoVA again. It's Easter weekend and Bernie is going to visit his parents, but he found a buyer for my motor so we spend Friday night getting it ready to be delivered on Saturday morning. Ashley and I spend the rest of the weekend pulling the AC and the NA power steering hard-lines out of the engine bay, swapping the fuel pump, and cleaning up the the bay and the motor.

The bay looks pretty good for a car with 96,000+ miles on it.
This is before we start cleaning...

Well the following weekend is April 14th, and my dad came in from LA, so I couldn't go down to NoVA.
Bernie, Spee, Ashley and Glenn make good progress on getting the bay ready for the new motor...

The weekend of the 21st was the ECZA Meet, Bernie had a wedding to go to, and my neighbors daughter had her first communion on the 22nd, so no Z work was done that weekend.

On the 27th Kostas met me at my office at about 4, and we hit the road in his Z. He was on pain killers so I drove, but I had a conference call at 6:30, so we pulled into a rest area so I could start my call, and he could get some refreshments.

Sunset on the road in MD

And here's what it's all about, a couple of little spinny thingies...

Here they are bolted up to the motor

Note Bernie's sexy custom bent turbo cooling hard-lines.

On Saturday 4/28 Ashley, Bernie, Kostas, and I, drop the motor into place, while Rusty (the VW driver) takes pictures...

With the Z motor in place, I show Rusty, the Clown Photographer, how to change the brake pads on his R(32)abbit

Kostas makes sure that the Motor Mounts are good and tight

Spee showed up late Saturday afternoon, and as punishment, Bernie banished him to the under side of the car.

Bernie smiles as he sits comfortably atop the motor fondling fuel lines while Spee squirms around under the car

Kostas and I install my pimp custom fascia

It's about noon on Sunday April 29th, and Boys & Girls it looks like we have us a 2+2 TT :D

Bernie adds what he said was "...all we really needed to do from the begining"

As I drop the hood

The crowd waits anxiously

We push the car out )~; and I add about 7 qts of ATF in the drive way

I take Bernie for a ride around the block to make sure everything is as it should be.
But after our return we hear a hissing noise in the engine bay...

This is a bit perplexing as there are next to no vacuum lines left on this motor.
We bring the car back into the garage and pull the plenum to discover this...

Some poor finishing work on the lower plenum left sharp burrs that caused 3 of the fuel rail insulators
to disintegrate when they were put under pressure after the fuel rail was tightened down.

A few hours later, it's about 8 and the motor is back together and purring like a kitten.

Bernie crosses my TT Swap off on his white board.

And a tired but gratified crew says fair well...

A big thanks to all who contributed!

jspek · 05-04-2007, 10:51 PM

awesome journal. and the 350z rims look better on an z32 than the 33 haha.

Barry'z (NJ) · 05-04-2007, 10:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jspek

awesome journal. and the 350z rims look better on an z32 than the 33 haha.

Thanks

03-10-2007, 01:08 AM	#1
Barry'z (NJ) Tri-State Aficionado Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: GSP Exit 165 Member #3894 My Ride: '95 Ultra Red 2+2 TT Z32 Stage :Shrug: iTrader: (0)	My TT odyZZey... Lets see... 6/2000... I'd just left a consulting job that required a good bit of driving, for a job in NYC that I could use mass transit to commute to. Along with that job came a good boost in pay too. So I decided I could finally afford a car that was more than just transportation :D I'd been thinking about Porsche 928s, but my dad talked me out of 'em, because parts and maint. on those, make Z32s seem inexpensive. Like I said I could get a car that was more than just transportation, but it needed to serve that purpose too. I already had 2 kids, and as this was going to be the second car in a 2 driver family so I needed a 2+2. I had to get an auto, so my wife could drive it if her car was in the shop. I'd been searching the web for about 6 months. One of the first questions I posted was on the old 300zx forum, "Can you convert a 2+0 into a 2+2?". At that time, I didn't know that the chassis were different. I'd looked at a bunch of cars, most were higher mileage, and looked it. I ended up finding a car at a dealership in Hartford, CT, 110 miles away. A '95 with 47K on the clock in great shape. The fact that is was a '95 and had dual air-bags was a plus, so I was very excited. The sales guy at the dealership said that someone had a deposit on it, but that their credit was shaky. I told him I didn't need financing and left my number so they could call me if the other deal didn't fly. About a week later I got a call that the car was still available. I gave them a deposit via CC over the phone, and went up the following weekend to pick it up. Just about everything links back to the original post on tt.net. I was there, long before here, so I just linked to all the relative posts there in case someone wanted more details on a particular mod... Pic from the add in the web. [img] These are some of the first pictures I took of my Z, scanned from 4x6 prints My first Z meet March '01 My first Z show April '01 My first sig Sept '01 I put a UR UD Pulley on the car @ Elizium's place in Aug. '02, Chivas was there to help, no pix though First visible mods... KYBs, Eibachs, Adjustable suspension bits, 350z wheels & tires, and a '90 nose panel. About 6 months later The 350Z tires were worn and noisy as heck, so I opted for g35 wheels and tires. Next mod was a 300 degree BMC Brace Jun. '05 Clear Corners, '99-Spec Tails and Gauge Rings Aug. '05, Front Ladder Bar, dogpile & ARA300ZX were around for that install Berine installs my new JWT Pop-Charger after the '05 ZCON closing banquet Oct '05 JWT ECU in (Won at ZCON Charity Auction w/ Pop-Charger) Apr. '06, Cat-Back Apr. '06, BBK May '06 HIDs Jun. '06 '99-Spec Rear Center Panel and new 3rd Brake Light Panel Jun. '06 Blitz Electronic metering device. Oct. '06 Water Pump Oct. '06 Fascia Vents Prettier Pix And now I'm just waiting for the next thing Last edited by Barry'z (NJ); 08-16-2007 at 03:20 PM.

03-10-2007, 04:26 PM	#2
the mike TST Ruined My Life! Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: 08075 Member #19 My Ride: 1991 Toyota Previa!!! iTrader: (1)	Damn man, 6 years worth of work. I can appreciate the dedication, but I have NEVER had a car that long. Well done. __________________ My speed is only limited by my grip. Offramp Touge.

03-10-2007, 07:26 PM	#3
cburwell Tri-State Post Whore Join Date: Apr 2005 Member #303 iTrader: (0)	You have a great car! Keep up the good work! __________________ To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 signatures. - To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 signatures. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 signatures. "The Corvette took nearly 25 years to sell 500,000 units; the Z does it in fewer than 10."

03-10-2007, 07:55 PM	#5
i like rice Tri-State Post Whore Join Date: Mar 2007 Member #3858 iTrader: (0)	Who let the old guy in? j/k Barry My favorite shot of your car. __________________ To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 signatures.

03-10-2007, 07:57 PM	#6
drew Tri-State Post Whore Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Broomall, PA Member #2617 My Ride: fuzion & exploder iTrader: (8)	suggestion for next mod: smiley grillz __________________ To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 signatures.

03-11-2007, 04:33 PM	#11
the mike TST Ruined My Life! Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: 08075 Member #19 My Ride: 1991 Toyota Previa!!! iTrader: (1)	That's an awesome 'chop. __________________ My speed is only limited by my grip. Offramp Touge.

03-14-2007, 05:26 PM	#13
Hail2mee2 Tri-State Aficionado Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Philadelphia Member #3753 My Ride: 03' Z33 iTrader: (0)	Dude, your car's so clean. I always wanted a Z32TT, but as dickerdieter said - it's not very practical for me being that I'm a college student. Haha I settled for my Z33 though. Can't say enough about how nice your car is though - awesome work __________________ JWood To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 signatures.

03-15-2007, 04:01 PM	#14
97TurboDSM TST Ruined My Life! Join Date: Sep 2005 Member #849 My Ride: '03 IY 20th GTI iTrader: (3)	nice Z i remember seeing this writeup over at 300zxclub.com, at least i think thats where it was. if you have any spare parts lemme know i need a few things. __________________ FOR SALE! Canon 5D\|17-40L\|85mm f/1.8\|Sigmalux\|580ex

03-15-2007, 04:28 PM	#15
Chris(NJ) Tri-State Addict Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Central Jersey Member #3979 My Ride: 2002 BMW M3 iTrader: (0)	Cars lookin good Barry. And phuong?! good to see you around buddy!, been a while... You comin to ecza 4/21?

05-04-2007, 10:45 PM	#18
Barry'z (NJ) Tri-State Aficionado Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: GSP Exit 165 Member #3894 My Ride: '95 Ultra Red 2+2 TT Z32 Stage :Shrug: iTrader: (0)	Well it's time for an update... So I arrive at Bernie's place Friday 3/30/07 and the first thing he has me do on Saturday morning is pads and rotors on somebody's poor beat dd z. Later on that day I pull the door apart on an even worse example, to replace the broken window with one from one of his parts cars. Spee and Ashley... A Modern American Gothic On Sunday Bob brings us Krispi Creams, Ashley is impressed by his morning wood... That's it for pictures from the first weekend. I had a bunch of great pix from my first 2 weekends in NoVA, but I still haven't been able to recover the ones I lost when my hard drive crashed. Oh well. Well April 6th rolls around and after work I head down to NoVA again. It's Easter weekend and Bernie is going to visit his parents, but he found a buyer for my motor so we spend Friday night getting it ready to be delivered on Saturday morning. Ashley and I spend the rest of the weekend pulling the AC and the NA power steering hard-lines out of the engine bay, swapping the fuel pump, and cleaning up the the bay and the motor. The bay looks pretty good for a car with 96,000+ miles on it. This is before we start cleaning... Well the following weekend is April 14th, and my dad came in from LA, so I couldn't go down to NoVA. Bernie, Spee, Ashley and Glenn make good progress on getting the bay ready for the new motor... The weekend of the 21st was the ECZA Meet, Bernie had a wedding to go to, and my neighbors daughter had her first communion on the 22nd, so no Z work was done that weekend. On the 27th Kostas met me at my office at about 4, and we hit the road in his Z. He was on pain killers so I drove, but I had a conference call at 6:30, so we pulled into a rest area so I could start my call, and he could get some refreshments. Sunset on the road in MD And here's what it's all about, a couple of little spinny thingies... Here they are bolted up to the motor Note Bernie's sexy custom bent turbo cooling hard-lines. On Saturday 4/28 Ashley, Bernie, Kostas, and I, drop the motor into place, while Rusty (the VW driver) takes pictures... With the Z motor in place, I show Rusty, the Clown Photographer, how to change the brake pads on his R(32)abbit Kostas makes sure that the Motor Mounts are good and tight Spee showed up late Saturday afternoon, and as punishment, Bernie banished him to the under side of the car. Bernie smiles as he sits comfortably atop the motor fondling fuel lines while Spee squirms around under the car Kostas and I install my pimp custom fascia It's about noon on Sunday April 29th, and Boys & Girls it looks like we have us a 2+2 TT :D Bernie adds what he said was "...all we really needed to do from the begining" As I drop the hood The crowd waits anxiously We push the car out )~; and I add about 7 qts of ATF in the drive way I take Bernie for a ride around the block to make sure everything is as it should be. But after our return we hear a hissing noise in the engine bay... This is a bit perplexing as there are next to no vacuum lines left on this motor. We bring the car back into the garage and pull the plenum to discover this... Some poor finishing work on the lower plenum left sharp burrs that caused 3 of the fuel rail insulators to disintegrate when they were put under pressure after the fuel rail was tightened down. A few hours later, it's about 8 and the motor is back together and purring like a kitten. Bernie crosses my TT Swap off on his white board. And a tired but gratified crew says fair well... A big thanks to all who contributed! __________________ *To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 signatures.* To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 signatures.