G35Driver - Infiniti G35 & G37 Forum Discussion - the $4800 6mt Craigslist Coupe... uhhh...build?

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the $4800 6mt Craigslist Coupe... uhhh...build?

I've been around a few months and posted a few things, but since the car seems to get some attention, good and bad..I thought I will create a thread to consolidate all the info at one place. Haters and lovers alike gather 'round. I like to take pictures as I'm working. I'm only here to share, and maybe open your mind a bit.

2003 6mt coupe, 113k miles, Laser Red but has been re-sprayed on at least half of the car. Looked to be all cosmetic damage from whatever happened, I never pulled a CARFAX though. Black leather seating, with the common issue on the driver lateral lower bolster. Pioneer flip out TV/Nav with bluetooth was already in the dash and working well. Tranny is original and has a grind if you push too fast into 5th.

Front bumper has a crack from whatever happened previously, but it also scored me a fresh set of OEM 2003 headlights, and a badgeless grille, along with a Seibon CF OEM hood. I could do without the hood, since the OEM is so light..but it's here and I'll eventually just paint over it most likely.

Came to me sitting on fresh new D2 true coilovers (hated em... ) and sunken deep 19" forged Rays on fresh Hankook Ventus. A spare set of 350z cloth seats in great shape came with the deal. There is also a new clutch and lightweight flywheel in the car, I don't have any docs, and I havent laid eyes on it, but I'm told it is an ACT.

Installed on the car were stainless longtube (catless) headers, a broken and badly welded midpipe, and an Ebay (GodSnow) stainless exhaust. Raspy, buzzy and stinky. Also in place was a K&N Typhoon cold air intake. Not my first choice, but properly ducted it could be useful, and it was already installed. The ecu and tuning was 100% OEM so with the airflow mods I was worried about it leaning out.
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First thing I did was pull it apart and test/clean/replace all the known trouble spots. Before I pulled the valvecovers to change the gaskets and re-seal the tubes, I did a cylinder compression test. I was impressed to see cold #s in the 180s across all 6. I picked up 4 new oxygen sensors, and both cam position sensors and threw a coat of VHT red on the valvecovers before replacing them on the heads. Cleaned the TB and MAF and even wiped out the plenum. Realized right away that the PCV system in these cars sucks, so I started laying plans for my future catch can install. Installed new spark plugs noticing the ones I pulled out had apparently never been changed..
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here's another good use for surgical laparotomy sponges
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Pulled the Rays off, installed the Volk GT7 18s that were waiting in the closet for my GS300 and sold the Rays for a great price. Ordered up some spacers for an aggressive (not stancey pokey) stance. the Volks are mk4 Supra rims..hence I bought them for the GS300. I have other plans for the G35 now that I realize how immense the wheel wells are.
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needs spacerage
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Drove it for a couple days but had some stalling issues that turned out to be leaking injectors flooding the cylinders. I scored a set of stockers and had them shipped straight to my rebuilder. 4 days later they arrived and Voila..problem completely solved.

nasty stock injectors all seeping and carbon'd
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I couldnt handle my commute on the D2s so I sourced a slightly used set of 350z Bilsteins and picked up a z33 Eibach Pro-Kit for the perfect balance of just low enough and super tight handling. Sold off the barely 3000 mile D2s and broke even there. I call that a definite WIN. Amazing thing is.. I installed the Bilstein/Eibach combo and the car sat at the EXACT same height and stance that I had set the D2s for.
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And now it feels like a truly capable GT car, instead of bouncing my wife's head off the ceiling over pavement bumps on the highway..although that was fun too for a minute.
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I'm constantly cruising the forums and craigslist for parts deals on all my projects, so unsure if I was going to like the longtube headers, I picked up a set of TopSpeed headers with fresh ceramic coating, and set of stock cats. They are still in my closet..in a box.
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I grabbed a set of motor and transmission mounts, a sort of "while you are in there" thing I learned from building my last Porsche. They are still in the box too. I did discover that several of the header nuts were loose..some very loose...so I tightened them all to spec and things got better.

I ordered up another Mid Pipe from ebay to replace the badly welded one under the car. It didnt fit correctly, the company hooked me up with another design by Megan and I got to keep the old one. The flex joints alone were worth the trouble to a serial fabricator like me.
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the only "workshop" I have anymore
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Picked up a grounding kit from Sean on here and things again got better. Mysteriously, the fuel gauge now works properly..lol CLEAN YOUR GROUNDS..yet another lesson from the Porsche.

In the meantime, knowing I needed some tuning.. I grabbed an UpRev Osiris cable as soon as it hit the classifieds. It took a few weeks, but I finally ponied up the $150 for Joe (Seymore4) to hook me up with the base tune for a while. money well spent. Props to you Joe.

A few more weeks go by and I scored an MD 5/16" spacer.. that went in along with my catch can design using my old GReddy can from a past project. Quick check on the plug boots shows the RTV fix is working great.
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The exhaust has ALWAYS bothered me. This ringing rasp at 2500-2800 in all gears at all speeds just annoyed me. I started laying plans to replace it and tune the car to the sound I wanted. I also kind of hatched a theme for the build in the back of my mind.
for now I just plasti-dipped the rear stock lower bumper to look like a diffuser.
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to be continued.. time to go home

stay tuned :JAMIN:

Sounds interesting man, but :postpics: I'm subbed either way.

Wow, also subscribed. Man how I wish I had the talent, know how and tools to do work myself. Kudos to you, that is an amazing deal.

Quote:

Originally Posted by NemesisGee (Post 7049569)

Wow, also subscribed. Man how I wish I had the talent, know how and tools to do work myself. Kudos to you, that is an amazing deal.

Thanks. The last 20+yrs working on cars and having no fear to work on and build anything, has been fun, interesting andinformative, and paid the bills well at the same time. However if I had chosen my current career that same 20yrs ago, I'd be in line to buy the new 911R right now.

I now work in surgery, 3rd shift in a trauma center...in the redneck riviera. If I had started on this path in my 20s I'd be a surgeon right now. This job is THAT cool. :cool:

This car just gets me there and back. I like to enjoy the ride.

Looks like you scored quite a deal. Good luck with the build.

I'm not into the black/red look, but that's just my opinion. The air filter is looking a bit old as well (i'm sure you noticed that).

Thanks. I'm not much into the CF hood either, especially since the car is red. But it's temporary.

The K&N filter does have some miles on it, but cleans up well

This is an awesome project, loved all of these updates and looking forward to more!

Thanks. I'm on vacation for spring break but I'll continue the updates when I get back home.

Next major work on the car is the aluminum pulleys from AMS and new belts. I have a bad squeal right now on start up when it's chilly outside. Had the pulley kit for awhile now but always seem to be working on someone else's car.

Belts stretch as you know, just tighten them to OEM spec and the sound should go away.

Still haven't gotten around to tightening the belts yet, I know that will help, but I still have the pulleys too though. Really want to dedicate the time to do the whole job.

I have another problem though. I'm torn, and considering trading the car off again.. a friend has a low mileage Porsche 986 (Boxster), and it's supercharged. I'm tearing thru all the info I have on the IMS issue, already planning upgrades..etc. I really do have a sickness It's a fun car, summer is coming, and I live at the Beach. Who wouldn't want a drop trop, bright red Porsche on gloss black 19" OZ wheels at the beach in the summer.. it's a step closer to my holy grail 964 also. I just keep trading up..literally. Traded a free 1999 blazer that I drove for 4 yrs for a 1995 bmw 318ti, drove that for 6 yrs and traded it for a low mileage 1985(1) Porsche 944. Sold that car a year later, and added $300 to buy this G35 (since I sold the extra parts I got with this car for over $1300)..I'm still calling that an even across trade. Question is, should I keep the flow going? is this a lateral move, a move up.. or am I backpedaling? I don't really have anything invested in these cars but time.. just need a semi-reliable daily driver, although other transportation is available if it is down for a few days.

Trading a 2003 120k 6mt coupe with accident history and Lemon law on the title (?)perfect driving, well maintained and equipped... for 1997 85k mile Porsche, needing a clutch if I want to make any more power, with an expensive obsolete supercharger system (It is an eaton/roots blower though.. I'm sure I can work with it..rebuild etc. looks to be an m45) Anyway.. seems like a no brainer to keep the G. But I like challenges, and projects, and Porsches.

I do like the G, and the back seats are handy too but I never use them. The family never goes together in the G, we go in the SUV. So I don't need any more than 2 seats really. On the other hand I really would like to see the G thru and get some #s on my final e-tune.

torn...

neat. I wanna see where this goes.

Here's my problem:

You have the ugliest G35 coupe I've ever laid eyes on and you wanna trade it for the gayest Porsche that's ever been produced. I guess my real question is: who the fukc are you and why do you faggg out on such gay cars?

No offense..