Redoing My "Z"
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Redoing My "Z"
Hello...I have an 1988 300zx 2+2 non-turbo that I totalled out about 3 months ago since then I have fixed it and taken the insurance money but now since I have a chance to do everything the way that I want it. Right now on order is a complete kaminari body kit from motorsport auto. I have a guy in line to paint the thing. I have picked out new speakers for it. I have setup the stock stereo to be able to use a bass driver. I have a carpenter to build a custom box for the back end so it will all look professional. I removed the ugly acc lights and I am flipping down the liscense plate to go in front of the air dam. Behind that I am gonna use the switch on the dash used for the acc lights to turn on and off a neon bar that will be behind the liscense plate in the air dam. I have since replaced both sideview mirrors because they were orignally cracked when I bought the vehicle. I repleaced them with blue tinted sideviews although they werent heated. This leaves me with a dead switch in my console. I plan to use that switch to control raising and lowering my antenna since I disabled the antenna a long time ago because I was afraid of someone knocking it or it getting bent by hitting a low branch in my driveway or something like that. So now I will have full control of my antenna without turning off my radio. Since my vehicle is a non turbo I have a blank plate next to the heated mirror switch where I am gonna get another switch and install it and hook that up to the power on lead on my bass driver amp. To allow me to turn on my bass driver when I want. So all in all the front of the car and in the cockpit it will look 100% original and perfect. The bass driver in the back will be in a custom made box that will be raised to allow me to still store my t-tops in the back. I am gonna install a single 12" sony explod powered by a 600 watt kenwood amp (KAC-829) which will be hidden inside the box containing the speaker. Also I have a sony 10 disc cd player which will also be concealed in the box. The carpenter says I may be pushing my limits but we will see 
....I guess lastly I plan to add a security system with the window rollup feature and a good shock pretection. And I am also wanting to add a K&N air filter under the hood. I guess the last thing that I can think of that I want to do is to add some 16" ASA JS1 wheels and some new tires. This is all I an think of right now but I want to know if anyone here has any ideas of what else to do to this vehicle to spiffy it up some more. Maybe exterior or under the hood. I am also planning on getting a custom decal made to change the look of the rear tailights but I havent figured out a neat design yet to give the printshop guy. Ne way sorry for the long post but I want some input to help make this one badass vehicle. I think maybe also put some stainless steel hoses in and stuff like that but I dont know too much about under the hood stuff. Feedback is greatly appreciated thanx.
-Kyle
....I guess lastly I plan to add a security system with the window rollup feature and a good shock pretection. And I am also wanting to add a K&N air filter under the hood. I guess the last thing that I can think of that I want to do is to add some 16" ASA JS1 wheels and some new tires. This is all I an think of right now but I want to know if anyone here has any ideas of what else to do to this vehicle to spiffy it up some more. Maybe exterior or under the hood. I am also planning on getting a custom decal made to change the look of the rear tailights but I havent figured out a neat design yet to give the printshop guy. Ne way sorry for the long post but I want some input to help make this one badass vehicle. I think maybe also put some stainless steel hoses in and stuff like that but I dont know too much about under the hood stuff. Feedback is greatly appreciated thanx.-Kyle
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Re: Redoing My "Z"
Oh how nice of you... hiding all the stereo stuff in the box. That way, if someone grabs the box, they get all those nice little goodies with it...Hope you bolt it down nice and tight. Where are you planning on having it? A box to hold a single 12" woofer is still going to be rather large and not easy to hide it in the back of a Z31. Especially if you want to hold the amp and CD changer in it as well.
Personally, I'd go with an in dash CD player. If you want to add a changer on, that's fine too. Since you are upgrading your speakers, take advantage of them and ditch that old crappy original stereo for something that was at least made within the last 5 years.
A few more notes...
Your amp gets hot. If you have it built on the inside of the box, you are trapping the heat it will be generating. Not a very good idea.
CD players are not all that resiliant to skipping. Mounting a CD changer in, on, around a device that is made to create vibrations is a bad idea.
Running a single 12" speaker off a 600Watt amp and not running more power to the corners is overkill. Either tone down the power to the sub, or get another amp for the corner speakers.
A CD changer running off the original radio is not going to be any better sound quality than your radio. Especially since you have to use an FM modulator. The only purpose of an FM modulated changer is convenience.
Be careful about the neon light. I'm pretty sure most are actually illegal to use on the street.
Get an alarm that locks doors and rolls up windows automatically when you arm it. You only have to install one actuator for the driver door lock since the passenger side is triggered off the driver door. Also, a trunk popper would be easy to install at this time.
Good luck with your car. Sounds like you have a lot of good ideas.
...and from the ashes shall rise a new hope. And it shall be known as "Z". And it will be good.
Personally, I'd go with an in dash CD player. If you want to add a changer on, that's fine too. Since you are upgrading your speakers, take advantage of them and ditch that old crappy original stereo for something that was at least made within the last 5 years.
A few more notes...
Your amp gets hot. If you have it built on the inside of the box, you are trapping the heat it will be generating. Not a very good idea.
CD players are not all that resiliant to skipping. Mounting a CD changer in, on, around a device that is made to create vibrations is a bad idea.
Running a single 12" speaker off a 600Watt amp and not running more power to the corners is overkill. Either tone down the power to the sub, or get another amp for the corner speakers.
A CD changer running off the original radio is not going to be any better sound quality than your radio. Especially since you have to use an FM modulator. The only purpose of an FM modulated changer is convenience.
Be careful about the neon light. I'm pretty sure most are actually illegal to use on the street.
Get an alarm that locks doors and rolls up windows automatically when you arm it. You only have to install one actuator for the driver door lock since the passenger side is triggered off the driver door. Also, a trunk popper would be easy to install at this time.
Good luck with your car. Sounds like you have a lot of good ideas.
...and from the ashes shall rise a new hope. And it shall be known as "Z". And it will be good.
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Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 342
From: Houston, Tx
Re: Redoing My "Z"
I am flipping down the liscense plate to go in front of the air dam.
Be careful not to block what little bit of air already gets into the intake. Also take into consideration that if you do this, you may also be blocking the air flow through your radiator - you may end up with overheating problems due to not enough air flow.
I don't know anything about all that stereo stuff, but if it draws a good bit of power, you may want to consider putting a Maxima alternator in your car in place of the stock one. Maxima ones from 89-92 are supposed to be a direct bolt in, but has a smaller diameter pulley (meaning it makes more power at lower speeds). it's rated at 90 amps versus the stock 70 amps that is one your Z now. Supposedly the wiring plugs right in, and you just have to remember to get a smaller alternator belt since your stock one will be slightly too long.
With regard to keeping all your goodies that you plan on installing (as opposed to someone stealing them...), check the regulations regarding tint on the rear windows. Here in Tx, we can have limo tint on the back - I have that on my '86T, and can assure you that it'd take a would be thief about 15 minutes to be able to tell what you even have back there cuz it's so dark. If you can get your hands on a rear cargo cover (like came stock on ones with leather interior), then get it (don't forget to get the clips for it too) and install it in your car. Be aware that 2+2 cargo covers and 2-seater ones are DIFFERENT! They are NOT interchangeable, so verify this before you yank one from a junkyard or anything. To complete it, you will also need the rear trim piece on the hatch that covers the window wiper motor back there, as the cargo cover cars have an extra piece riveted to that panel, otherwise you'll have a gap where yours is missing.
Good luck with your mods.
Spot
Be careful not to block what little bit of air already gets into the intake. Also take into consideration that if you do this, you may also be blocking the air flow through your radiator - you may end up with overheating problems due to not enough air flow.
I don't know anything about all that stereo stuff, but if it draws a good bit of power, you may want to consider putting a Maxima alternator in your car in place of the stock one. Maxima ones from 89-92 are supposed to be a direct bolt in, but has a smaller diameter pulley (meaning it makes more power at lower speeds). it's rated at 90 amps versus the stock 70 amps that is one your Z now. Supposedly the wiring plugs right in, and you just have to remember to get a smaller alternator belt since your stock one will be slightly too long.
With regard to keeping all your goodies that you plan on installing (as opposed to someone stealing them...), check the regulations regarding tint on the rear windows. Here in Tx, we can have limo tint on the back - I have that on my '86T, and can assure you that it'd take a would be thief about 15 minutes to be able to tell what you even have back there cuz it's so dark. If you can get your hands on a rear cargo cover (like came stock on ones with leather interior), then get it (don't forget to get the clips for it too) and install it in your car. Be aware that 2+2 cargo covers and 2-seater ones are DIFFERENT! They are NOT interchangeable, so verify this before you yank one from a junkyard or anything. To complete it, you will also need the rear trim piece on the hatch that covers the window wiper motor back there, as the cargo cover cars have an extra piece riveted to that panel, otherwise you'll have a gap where yours is missing.
Good luck with your mods.
Spot
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