I'll do my best to show my course of life with my Z32's, both of which have been the most fun and best cars I have owned, hands down and NO comparison possible for me.
It all began back in 2003, when a cheap 1989 Z31 I had purchased was stolen from right in front of my apartment one day leaving me without transportation. I had seen this sweet white Z32 up the road for sale and as it was my first thought and within walking distance, got the first shot to be my new ride.
After a test drive and getting used to the red interior, she was mine and I have never had more fun with a car- she was my work vehicle for two+ years hauling around finish carpenter tools including a chop saw, small table saw, and all necessary hand tools...quite the accomplishment for a sports car, and the best thing was the looks from the other construction guys driving up and unloading my Z for my days' work...PRICELESS.
Eventually though she needed all the work that we all know and "love", not to mention an interior rebuild due to the damage hauling those tools (plus the crappy tweed HAD to go!) so I joined here in 2009 and the real ride began!
Here are the 1990 NA pics I have as of now.
First ever job, I added GTR front brakes to replace the 1990 26 mm units...my first experience with Doug Smith and Eric Sone at Fairlady Motors
Small accident forces new front bumper, jspec fit. I had also just purchased the used wheels I still use on my TT.
DIRTY engine bay after replacing several items, my first of MANY trips under a Z32 hood it turns out!
Repainting the window trims
Coilovers were next replacing the shot suspension
After adding the Powertrix spoiler
Final shots of the interior work I did to add some more black to the red interior, repair a few areas.
Arm rest cores
So this all was basically practice for what was to come, as by 2013 the NA had 234,000+ miles and I had set my sights on a TT a few years earlier, finally pulling the trigger on a TT down in San Francisco.
I took a flight down December 2013 to purchase the car and drove her back to Tacoma, Washington that day, stopping off in Bakersfield to pick up a red interior along the way!
The NA lasted about a month longer, tossing a rod in late January 2014, and the TT took over daily duty.
Unfortunately I can't locate any shots of the TT when I got her, or prior to my front end work and paint late in 2014, so we'll skip to there...
Also in late January, the TT's brakes decided to not work correctly in an emergency situation and I embedded about 6" of a truck's hitch into my grille, and I swapped over the NA's GTR brakes during my own repairs plus the jspec bumper which I had never painted on the NA, thankfully. I won't post these pics again however.
Darnell's autobody in Tacoma was sourced to paint my repair work, which all turned out exceptionally well I felt.
Finished shots of the car, stage 1+ so to speak as I had only added the GTR brakes at this time plus maintenance
Which led to my Sig Shot!
Also, another member here Z-Owned and I went on a little cruise, and got some really nice shots
A really nice moving shot
Soon though the TT began to demand all of the same replacements the NA had, and the poor NA gave up everything for the TT.
Then, disaster as a freak rainy day left enough runoff that later that evening, a bad section caught me and a lady driving next to me and we both spun out badly, resulting in MAJOR damage to the TT...which then tossed the ps turbo, and fell prey a host of other PO (I found out later) and age-related issues.
I purchased a Honda Accord to get by, and decided after a year that the TT had to come back and better than ever.
I had sourced quality used 530bb JWT turbos and DP's, and set about buying everything needed for a major engine refresh, plus turbos and necessary items such as injectors, ECU, etc.
In order for everything to work out correctly, my Z buddy Doug Smith at Fairlady Motors was asked to make this all happen for me. He and his tech Eric did awesome work and also helped me get a LOT more work done than I thought possible- basically I refreshed everything drivetrain related except a few items like alternator, PS/AC and starter. It turns the PO had done some hidden things plus another very strange issue with a wire strand ground caused my VTC's to not function, and the car to be overboosted all of the time (PO issue) leading to the turbo failure.
Here's a bunch of shots during that time, which also show the major damage to the rear 1/4 panel yet to be addressed, with everything else basically repaired up to repaint quality unless more will be needed then such as the rear hatch and area.
The engine prior to re-install, all seals and sensors and 120K+ replaced plus a few choice things such as exhaust porting and 530bb turbos/DP's installed. I painted the valve covers myself just in time for re-install.
Just part of the list of work done, 4 pages total!
The bad side...
Since then I have replaced the PTU harness finally which removed some issues I still had, plus a few other small items here and there resulting in the final point I am at now, waiting for $$$$$$$ for the 1/4 panel replacement.
Engine bay dressup #2, after the engine work
Last job to date was the dreaded recirc hoses that Doug wouldn't touch...and here's why
PTU relocate
Done!
Before a few items recently...
Not perfect but pretty good. Both sides have now been redone the darker gunmetal color to match the cowls and elsewhere (DS previously)
Powertrix cf air guides added
And finally, new arm rests as the others failed due to my installation error....ooops!
So that's about it for now, here's a few oddball pics along the way that didn't fit but are a part of the game.
Here's my Powertrix suspension after a DCaff refresh, before TT install.
Stuff replaced
Bad pic...
Blurry old pics at lower pixel rate, I assume
Waiting...
Prefit...but needs 1/4 panel repairs to proceed further
I repainted the old wheels for a refresh, they came out very nice I think
Brand new IACV getting "the treatment"
The new CSF rad after gunmetal paint
And finally, the Infiniti...
More when I get time for some pics, and figure out what to do with my clock delete "project"
