Hey everyone,

I picked up a stock 2006 G35 coupe 6MT with 70k miles in January, 2019 and is my daily driver. I have been reading through all the mod debates and advise threads. Unfortunately, most of these threads are more than 10 years old. So I wanted to ask all the people who are currently modifying their G35 6MTs now or have already went through all the bolt on mods for advise on my G35 build plan.

So far, I have added an oil catch can, Injen CAI, BC Racing true coilovers front and rear, and just ordered Aodhan DS02 wheels 19x11 rear and 19x9.5 front. I know the wheels are reps but I don't have the money for "real" wheels right now, I would rather spend the extra money on performance mods and get better wheels later. I want to keep my car NA and do not want to go forced induction for now. Money is not a big problem, but at the same time, I want quality mods for reasonable prices and don't want to have to upgrade my mods again by going cheap in the beginning. The goal is to have a reliable G35 with some decent power and exhaust note. I plan to take my G35 to the track for drifting/autocross once every couple of months and still daily drive it. My plans in order of next mods:

1. Motordyne Iso Thermal 5/16 Plenum Spacer
2. Motordyne MREV2
3. Headers???
4. Motordyne Shockwave TDX2 Catback Exhaust System
5. Motordyne ART Test Pipes
6. Hotchkis Adjustable Stabilizer Sway Bars
7. Soul Function Front Strut Tower Bar
8. Mishimoto Oil Cooler Kit
9. Dyno Tune with Uprev Osiris Tune
10. Cosmetic mods - New front bumper, side skirts, duckbill trunk...

I plan to get the plenum spacer and MREV2 together and the shockwave and ART pipes together. I am not sure if headers are worth it and if I do get headers, I have read about everyone either paying $350-$600 for install only or spending 5-7hours installing at home. Also, I'm not sure if I should get shorty headers or longtube. If I get longtube headers, I would not be able to get ART pipes. Will my stock headers be restricting the Motordyne Art pipes and exhaust? I read some threads about possible Morotdyne headers? My question is your thoughts on my plan and if there is any other mods I should be considering. Thanks.

 

Nice G. We have the same color G almost have all the same paint mods.

Your car has been modded pretty nice so far, and you have a good list for the future. I would personally recommend skipping headers as there still really hasn't been any designed out there that are worth replacing over stock.

If you are going to be doing drift days, rear suspension improvements sound important. How is the condition of your diff bushings, the rear suspension bushings, and ball joints?

I used to have a TDX2/ART combo and it was the best upgrade for sound I ever got. It rasps a little, bit there is no drone on 6MT's. I had a 5AT and the drone made me sell the damn thing.

If the dyno tune costs you over $800, I'd say you should just contact our resident E-Tuner Seymore4 as he'll hook you up with an ARC license, base license, and data logged based E-tunes. If the tuner you call doesn't do Uprev ARC, you shouldn't go with them.

Oil cooler kit... hmm... I would buy the pan spacer before that?

AFAIK the only sway bar worth upgrading is the rear as the stock is good enough.

 

Hi Urbanengineer,
Thanks for the tips. I do in fact need new front lower ball joints which I will be replacing soon. I wont be going to the track any time soon since I want to get better at driving manual and some more mods, the G is my first manual car. As for the oil cooler, I have seen people recommend it because the VQ engine gets pretty hot when being driven hard. So I don’t want to end up on the track with my oil over heating. The oil cooler also allows me to put 0.65 Quarts more oil which is almost the same from an oil pan spacer.
I’m hoping to get a dyno tune for around $500-$600 with the UpRev or go with the E-tuner, but that will be decided later. I am currently set on the Motordyne Shockwave and ART pipe combo due to the power increase and sound but the only downside I found was people reporting a bad smell from the ART pipes. How were the ART pipes on your car?

 

If you've never run a car without cats, it does stink. Some can't get past it, but I hardly smell mine anymore unless I am in a garage or in traffic with the windows down. Note: I've run several cars without cats, so I'm probably not the best judge of this. I rarely have passengers who aren't used to exhaust smell, but when I do, I just run the AC on recirculate and mostly they only talk about the car being loud AF when I'm WOT (getting on freeway or something) - to which I say "there's a bus stop at the next exit, would you like me to stop?"

Partially deaf, but I love my tdx2 shockwaves)))

 

Because of the shockwaves?

 

A little bit of shockwaves (especially tunnels and overpasses) and a little bit of playing my music louder because of the shockwaves...but mostly from playing in bands without ear protection when I was a bit younger...

 

I am and have been running Eibach lowering springs, KYB struts/shocks, Eibach sways and WHITELINE end links for years now without issue.

It rides and handles great as is, but I recently got an itch to have adjustability and the desire to go a tad bit lower and the BC Racing's "OEM" style coilovers have caught my eye...

Should I pull the trigger or just leave it as it sits now ("If it isn't broke, don't fix it.") and use that money for two piece rotors?

 

Your car looks killer. However, I would opt for black lug nuts cross drilled rotors front and rear (not necessarily two piece rotors unless you track it often) and continue to enjoy it EVERYDAY. Most people's moto is if it isn't broke don't fix it. Mine is IF IT ISN'T BROKE DON'T BREAK IT. At least that's how I handle nodding my car.

 

joeb have you tracked your car with/without the lowering springs? Trying to decide between your setup (minus the sways at this point as I can't find any used right now) and a 350z nismo shock/strut combo for 75% street 25% track use. Finally feel I've reached the limits of the stock suspension as a driver

Also your car looks dope and its starting to convince me to go eibach despite the fact I care more about driving feel than looks

 

Appreciate it!

Slotted for sure. Just waiting for Z1 to get the regular slotted two-pieces back in stock. (Don't really care for the "sprinkle" slotted or the drilled/slotted combo. Since CZP has discontinued theirs and StopTech only manufactures fronts (for a pretty penny I might add.)

Me and the G are both on a weight reduction program. Lol! Thus the two-piece rotors and the recent drop back down to 19's. Also, I have a DSS one piece aluminum drive shaft laying under the bed. Wanting to do a tasteful rear seat delete and eventually a 6 point.

Anyway, you know, I have been asking my buddies about those dang lug nuts... I'm very particular/OCD and one day I like them and others I do not.

Honestly, they are a set I ordered a long time ago for a set of rims that didn't fit inside the holes. They where shelved until recently with this new set.

I am right there with you. I love driving the car and breaking necks. Haha! One of those timeless Supra and RX-7 body shapes.

I have not... But, I will say the combo has most definitely made an improvement hands down.

When it comes to lowering springs (or any mod for that matter), everyone has their own opinions. I just so happen to have become an Eibach fan over the years.

My 06' was the sport model, so there really wasn't a change in ride quality despite being lowered over the OEM suspension. It did corner and launch better.

The sways and end links gave it that "on rails" feeling. She's fun to slip and slide as well.

If you do get aftermarket sways and end links, make sure to adjust the end-links with the suspension loaded as "fitment and tensioning is best done with the vehicle at normal ride height to ensure correct alignment, clearance and operation." (From WHITELINE)

I don't have a lift, so I jacked all four corners and placed the vehicle on blocks.

Lately, I've just been enjoying the twisties and highway roll races given my setup is all top end anyway... (Its definitely becoming time for a fully built long block.) I've been hording parts for a while now) Digs are 90% at the track.

These cars are getting up there in age and there are PLENTY of rubber bushings that are worn, blown or dry rotted out. (I have BDE poly engine mounts, Z1's poly trans mount, Z1's solid diff and diff mount bushings as well as their rear sub-frame inserts awaiting install whenever I get off my lazy a$$.)

 

Centric is Stoptech and you can get front and rears. I would go for the aluminum propeller shaft before I went with lightweight 2-piece rotors, this is from a performance standpoint though. Obviously there's no cosmetic improvement from a propeller shaft unless people can see UNDER the car.

EDIT: NVM, I just noticed you said you're keeping your aluminum propeller shaft under your bed for some reason... INSTALL IT! It's a pretty huge performance gain.

 

Correct, I was aware. However, when I Inquired about two-piece rotors for the Akebono's, I was informed they only manufactured two-piece rotors for the front.

I was told the reason for not manufacturing the rears was the e-brake. I was told to run their one pieces in the back.

DBA is the same as well. They have a two piece for the front, but the package runs one piece rotors out back.

RB (Racing Brake) has both front and rear, but I don't care for the curved slot design.

At first Z1 said that their regular slotted two-piece rotors where on back order due to manufacturing and they would have more sometime this month.

With that, I had my wife send Z1 a Facebook DM yesterday to inquire. (I don't have Facebook)

Their reply: "I do not believe they plan to bring them back. They have shifted all stock to the sprinkle slot design moving forward."

 

Just messaging to say your car looks great joeb1983. I'd only go with coilovers if you want the extra adjustability. There's a good read on it here: https://low-offset.com/infiniti/best...#why-coilovers

I don't think you'll notice a huge difference in performance as your setup seems good - it's only if you have some very unmatched shocks that it may make a major difference.

Either way, great work!

 

Ohhh crap I totally forgot you had akebonos.

 

Get blanks if you don't like the sprinkle slot look. I'm on a weight savings diet myself, so may look into the Z1 rotors around black Friday sales time.