Pnm35 Build Thread

[PN-Mad]

Size of Nismo sticker?

Paint is so soft and smooth! plx no ruin paint with stickerz.

Little

Sticker on glass. Always on glass. easier to get off.

Anyway, M35 has more nismo bits than 180!

[M35woah]

But 180 has more go fast bits than m35!

[PN-Mad]

He be Mirin

[iamhe77]

Thank you for the pics Alex, nice (very!) shiny Stageas.

Interesting how yours looks silver in that light at that angle.

Le Sigh.

I'll get some more Pics up.

Its only dusty cause the infield at Wakefield was quite dry....

Where did I mention anything to do with dust?

[PN-Mad]

Dusty, crusty same same

[jasevr4]

Looks mint Alex, nice one.

[PN-Mad]

So thread needs a bit of an Update!!!

The track has been good to me lately, as I have got two track days, both at SMSP (Eastern Creek renamed).

The First day was the SAU NSW Trackday, which was held on the "South" circuit. Its a tight technical little course, that doesn't really let powerful rwd cars wind up too much. It is part of the extension of the circuit, and the previous weekend they held the WTAC Drift comp on it. That meant shitloads of rubber down on the track leading to lots of rubber pick up issues. Anyway, I had a great time with mates out on the circuit, harassing the GTRs and Evos. Fastest time on the day was a 1:07.6, which was the second fastest rwd.

Next up I did a Twilight trackday, with the Formula Company, on the GP circuit - the one most of you would be used for WTAC. There was a few of us from SAU there, 2 R33 GTRs, a R34 GT-T and a turbo'd BRZ who was a mates mate. I was pretty nervous about it tbh, because Turn one is a pretty daunting prospect. Anyway, on the track there was a big mix of cars, 911 gt3s, All kinds of V8 Commodores, Some guys from BYP were there with Turbo'd honda Civics, S2000s, BMW M5s, R35 GTR etc.

For the money, it was a fantastic arvo/night. it really is a low cost way to get on the main track, and the track itself is just so much different to playing around on the tight twisty stuff like Wakefield and the south circuit. I really enjoyed it, there were a few hairy moments, but I was very satisfied with my driving and how the car performed.

The third session I chucked a timer in the car, and pulled a 1:52.8, which I know doesn't sound like much with the WTAC cars, but for me it was pretty magic- defiantly moving. Top Speed on the GPS down the straight was 220km/h

So here is my fastest lap:

[PN-Mad]

And here is session two, with Dave going off the outside of T1, and holding it (to give you an idea, its at about 160km/h), me having issues coming out of T2 after overtaking Fatz down the straight into T1.

I have one more session to add, with a kamikaze BMW M5, and a Commodore driver that couldn't believe that he was getting overtaken by one of those little turbo cars

In the mean time, the Stagea has turned into a true family car, with the birth of our first Child! He was born on Remembrance day, 11th November, and is doing well. Loves trips in the Stagea already.

[Daleo]

Mate, that time is nothing to be ashamed of; there's plenty of guys on very fast bikes that can't get near those kind of times on the GP circuit.

I think my best ride day time on that circuit is somewhere in the mid 1:48's, and my power to weight is significantly better.
My max speed is around 260km/h on the straight & exit speed from turn 1 is 220km/h with a knee hard on the deck, so that gives a little perspective on relative speed v's grip.

The little 180 is gettin' it done.

Car looks & sounds smooth; looks like your driving is coming along quite well.

If you're enjoying it, the car's going well, and you're getting faster; there's no better feeling.

[Howaitonaito]

Hi All,

Well, I've been thinking about making this thread for a while now, so I thought I'd just go for it. Straight away, I apologise if the updates are not so common, the photos are a bit shit or you came here thinking it is a 1000hp GTR build thread. It will show my story turning a stock car into a different daily drive. The main use of the car is a daily for my Mrs, much like other peoples stageas I guess. I hope you enjoy it, but mainly it'll be something for me to look back on and figure how stupid I wasAnyway here we go-

THE CAR -

Its a MY05 Nissan Stagea 350RX Four. Bought from Northshore Prestige on 21/8/2010 with 45068 km. Stock as a Rock. Colour- Silverstone WV2, which only came in the series 2 M35's. It has options of reverse camera, and the popup screen with satnav/tv/trip comp/sushi hunter. The motor is a VQ35de, same as V35/Z33 spec. It as a 5 spd Auto, with a electromagnetic Attesa AWD system. I had it on the dyno stock as, it turned out 147.3kw at all 4 wheels- not a bad figure.

Mods so Far-

The very first thing to get fiddled was the tiptronic auto. Nissan in their wisdom thought it a great idea to make the upshift action a push away form the driver, instead of a pull backwards. Out with the centre console, an a snip of the wires, plug them back together, and it makes sense to drive- I'm not down shifting when I want to upshift any more.

Then the memory gets a bit hazy as to the order of things. I bought R32 GTR 4 pot front brakes wanting to fit them. The stock front brakes are woeful. They are 350Z touring spec items, which just don't hold up to a 1650kg car. The new brakes sat in my garage for ages- they didn't sit behind the stock 17" wheels.

Next to come about the same time were some uprated springs thanks to Jetwreck, and in the same couple of weeks uprated sway bars (GB from went on front and rear thanks to Daleo. These two items made a MASSIVE difference to how the car felt. Cornering is now much flatter, car feels more connected to the road. Springs are stiffer, and lower. Thanks to lowering, the stock wheels with +45 offset looked ridiculous. They sat way in the guards- something needed to be done!

Twas about this time where a HKS turbo kit suitable for 350Z's came into my life. I had nil intention of buying a turbo kit/car, but you know that point where you see something for a insanely low price, and you just buy it- well, that was me. The kit came with everything from pod filter to cat converter. All manifolds, dump, wastegate sump, etc. It runs a HKS GT3037s with a 1.12 rear, and a 60mm External gate. All thats missing was the injectors, fuel pump, and engine management. I got it, and stashed it in the garage. I couldn't fit it right away, even though I wanted to. It was like Christmas opening all those boxes!

Next up was a bit of exhaust fiddling. Looking around the US G35 sites, like 350-tech, G35 driver etc etc, it seemed a popular upgrade for V35/G35 sedans to pop on a coupé midpipe. Looking at my car, the hangers looked identical. I put in a few calls, and Northshore had a 350Z midpipe sitting around. It was the same but a little short- I got it extended a bit, and slapped it on. Great. Its just a resonator, as opposed to that massive mid-muffler that we seem to have. Great budget upgrade for exhausts, larger pipe diameter, SO much lighter than stock- and a great growly note.

I then ordered some wheels- long story, but I got stuffed around by one company for 10 weeks, before giving up. I ordered some SSR Type F's from JDM Concept. 19x8.5 +22. I got the size from BBenny, whose Enkeis are the same size, and fit very nicely. I went for the Matte Black, gold and silver just were not doing it for me. I then went O/s for work for 2 months, and O/S on holiday for 1 month.... it was all quiet...

On getting back, I sorted tyres- tirerack was the go here. Continental tyres 225/40/19- over they came from the US. I finally had the wheels on! The R32 GTR brakes went on shortly after- adapter sleeves from Scotty, and PMu pads from somewhere in QLD. Great upgrade. Much more confidence in the brakes now.

Then came the stuff to get ready for the turbo kit- Transcooler from PWR, with a thermostat from Jetwreck (not installed yet), who also installed the Transgo shift kit that he's been doing- legend! I now feel the GB should hold up to what I'll put into it. Shifts are great- smooth when on part throttle, and firm but not harsh on WOT.

And thats pretty much where it sits today. I've got the GSS342 Walbro, and some 600cc injectors on the way. Posts/Pics on the turbo kit to come-

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[Daleo]

I'm guessing that seemed funnier on your Huffy slider...

[PN-Mad]

Mate, that time is nothing to be ashamed of; there's plenty of guys on very fast bikes that can't get near those kind of times on the GP circuit.

I think my best ride day time on that circuit is somewhere in the mid 1:48's, and my power to weight is significantly better.

My max speed is around 260km/h on the straight & exit speed from turn 1 is 220km/h with a knee hard on the deck, so that gives a little perspective on relative speed v's grip.

The little 180 is gettin' it done.

Car looks & sounds smooth; looks like your driving is coming along quite well.

If you're enjoying it, the car's going well, and you're getting faster; there's no better feeling.

Absolutely agree, I came in after the first session buzzing so hard!

The cornering ability of this little car, with relatively skinny rubber continues to amaze me. It was pushing a good 1.3gs round T1, this is with No aero,not even an front undertray!

It's consistently quick, which I like. The only things that monstered me was a 911 GT3, and a R35 gtr. Looking at my driving I'm very happy how it has progressed. I told Craig the other day, I was yelling at myself in the cabin; "Smooth smooth smooth!"

There was a fair not of time lost in turn6 and through the final series of turns. Some thing o work on when it get back there

[PN-Mad]

Oh right.....comedy

[PN-Mad]

Here is the last session - featuring some pork chop in a BMW M5 that wouldn't know a racing line if it bit him on the asshole. Almost managed to drive it into the grass around T1. Also - the drivers brief was clear, if a car drives up the inside of you on the main straight (on the left) you roll off and let them pass. I guess he didn't like the fact that some late 80s Datsun was faster than his $250k dollar sports sedan. One thing, I'm impressed with the stability control in them!

[Blek]

Very nice!

[PN-Mad]

I'm just going to leave this here.... Nismo/Brembo

[Brick]

I'm just going to leave this here.... Nismo/Brembo

I don't know how much grip you will get like that

[PN-Mad]

Update time!

The M35 has been running well! I did the fluids the other week - oil and filter as per normal, but also did Front and Rear Diffs, with Nulon Synth 75-90, the transfer case with Nulon Synth ATF. Under the car I found that the rear sway bar (an uprated one) had broken the mild steel mounts on the chassis, and the link was just hanging there. I got some Stainless ones that were made up a while ago, and fixed it up.

Enjoyed driving it through the Royal Nasho on a friday night run a couple of weeks back too. was nice just to go for a drive. But the boys in blue are pretty savage down that way.

The 180 has seen some upgrades too.

I got the Street rubber switched over to the Nismo LMGT2 rims. I love them. I couldn't care less about flush and stance and that shit, I love them cause they fit the car so well!!

After some discussion with another member at a track day, I decided to drop the car off to Road2Race Chassis tuning up at Gosford. I got a call back a little while later with a plan of attack. Old bushes were replaced with nice new stiff ones in the front LCAs, the steering rack bushes were disintegrating so they got uprated items. The swaybar link ends were all serviced, and washers/hardware renewed and assembled correctly... The car was the aligned with purely the track in mind -3.5 degrees camber on the front

The car was Corner weighted for my weight- with a 1/2 tank of fuel, it came in at 1197kgs.

I also got a hold of some Michelin S8D Slicks to give a go at the track. I put them on the Gram Lights, as they are 24/64r17 all round. Then it was time for the track. I was determined to get into the 60s at Wakefield so I booked in for a Trackschool trackday on the 28th. My previous 3 or 4 trackdays at Wakefield hadn't seen me improve from a 1:10.

Had a ball, learnt heaps from having Boz ride along for a couple of sessions. Even though the timing equipment wasn't working great, it popped into life for the last session of the day.

And I got my goal - a 1:07.6. Pretty bloody stoked with that. I think the Car has the ability to get into the 6 second range how it is now, with better temps, and me doing a perfect lap to my skill level. Couldn't believe I smashed my PB by that much. Using my optimum sector times, it has a 1:06 in it.

Anyway, here is a Pic of the car down there

[PN-Mad]

And this is an unhappy rear sway bar bracket!!!

So make sure if you upgrade sway bars, check your links regularly!!

[Daleo]

The car looked great all day Alex, and you did a damn tidy job behind the wheel.

The PB was great, but IMO; the consistently quick laps are something you should be really pleased with. With a track temperature above the 12deg you had yesterday, you'll only go quicker.

Knocking out a fast one-off isn't necessarily that difficult; stringing together consistent,fast laps is bloody hard.