project 2002 Q45

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Bosworth Audio
Posts: 42
Joined: Tue Aug 24, 2010 1:28 pm
Car: 2002 Infiniti Q45

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I needed a new project vehicle for my company to design into a clean and classy demo car, and a 2002 Q45 popped up at just the right time with the look I needed. I traded our last project vehicle in which was a 2006 Chevy Trailblazer that had more mods on it that anyone knew what to do with, and the same is going to be happening to this car starting in a week.

It's a 2002 Q45, silver with black interior, 93k miles on the clock and a few issues that are being sorted out now.

The bad, the front suspension is in need of some work.
broken sway bar end links
worn tie rods
passenger side strut bearing
some squeak from the rear suspension that I've yet to locate
the resonator cracked
and all the normal scrapes and scratches that an 8 year old car that wasn't garage kept might have

for the good new
the front sway bar endlinks were replaces with those from a 2002 Nissan Pathfinder. The factory Infiniti links were 260mm long iirc and the pathfinder ones are 220mm. A shorter link, but that also makes for a little more stiffness out of the bar.

Tie rods and strut bearings will be ordered on Monday

We are designing a new stainless y-pipe setup to replace the secondary cats and the resonator and bolts up to the factory rear section. We will also design a new rear section that will replace the 3 muffler section out back to help out with flow, but still produce a very mellow exhaust note at idle and under normal driving conditions.

Body work will be the last on the list to be taken care of, but eventually a full overhaul of the exterior including bags, staggered 20" modular society wheels, and VIP styled body work.


the interior is where I hope to do the most work shortly:
modling a Kenwood Excelon double din where the factory tape player and ash tray are located. Modify the AC control and audio plate to remove the excess buttons that aren't needed after I uninstall all the factory audio equipment and relocate others to have a symmetrical look. Remove all the factory BOSE crap and will replace with a Morel and Genesis sound system, possibly run another Audison Bit 1 processor. All the wood grain will be replace with either a burl walnut or carbon fiber accents, black alcantara headliner, a b and c pillars and sunroof slider.

I'm sure there are other things that I'm forgetting, but I'll add them later

I'll be posting pictures soon, but I've already taken the factory wheels off and put on a spare set of 19" G35 sport staggered wheels and modified the front suspension to drop .75" to help with the gap till I get the time to do the airbag setup.

Chad Bosworth
Bosworth Audio


Bosworth Audio
Posts: 42
Joined: Tue Aug 24, 2010 1:28 pm
Car: 2002 Infiniti Q45

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I went ahead and threw another set of 20" wheels on it for now. they're only temporary wheels just to have a better look than the 19" G35 wheels and the factory 17" wheels

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jltibbs
Moderator
Posts: 4970
Joined: Fri Sep 09, 2005 5:42 pm
Car: 2015 Nissan Versa SL
1994 Infiniti Q45
2000 Infiniti I30
Location: Murfreesboro, TN
Contact:

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Looks clean; big plans. Where you located?

Bosworth Audio
Posts: 42
Joined: Tue Aug 24, 2010 1:28 pm
Car: 2002 Infiniti Q45

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Charlotte, nc

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jltibbs
Moderator
Posts: 4970
Joined: Fri Sep 09, 2005 5:42 pm
Car: 2015 Nissan Versa SL
1994 Infiniti Q45
2000 Infiniti I30
Location: Murfreesboro, TN
Contact:

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Sweet. Not too far away. Def keep us updated with pics through all the processes. Car audio used to be my niche, still has a strong pull on me, too.

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Q45er
Posts: 42
Joined: Tue Sep 07, 2010 6:27 pm
Car: 2002 Nissan Cima F50 / infiniti Q45
Contact:

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Looks Clean post update pics!

Steviek1
Posts: 30
Joined: Sat Apr 26, 2003 5:09 am
Car: 2003 Q45 Premium Pkg. w/ Nav. 192k
Location: DC Metro Area

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Boz, love the wheels on that ride.

I have a 2003 Q and am looking for a stainless catback exhaust system. I can't find one on the Web except for Stebro in Canada, and they aren't coming through for me....any suggestions? thanks

Bosworth Audio
Posts: 42
Joined: Tue Aug 24, 2010 1:28 pm
Car: 2002 Infiniti Q45

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I can pull my exhaust back off and fabricate another header back exhaust out of stainless without an issue. I'd make it a 2 or 3 piece system, duals all the way back, eliminate the front 2 cats, have 2 resonators, flex pipes, and a single dual in dual out with whatever tips you like. It would take me a say to make it and tig it all up for you.

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mcrews
Posts: 905
Joined: Sun Sep 11, 2005 7:31 pm
Car: 2002 Q45 Sport
Location: Sacramento, Ca

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Bosworth Audio wrote: for the good new
the front sway bar endlinks were replaces with those from a 2002 Nissan Pathfinder. The factory Infiniti links were 260mm long iirc and the pathfinder ones are 220mm. A shorter link, but that also makes for a little more stiffness out of the bar.Tie rods and strut bearings will be ordered on Monday

Chad Bosworth
Bosworth Audio
Chad,
How did the Pathfinder endlinks workuot?
any alignment issues??

Bosworth Audio
Posts: 42
Joined: Tue Aug 24, 2010 1:28 pm
Car: 2002 Infiniti Q45

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Worked out perfectly. still working well to this date. The endlinks have no control over alignment at all, they don't control the steering or suspension geometry

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mcrews
Posts: 905
Joined: Sun Sep 11, 2005 7:31 pm
Car: 2002 Q45 Sport
Location: Sacramento, Ca

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thanks!!!

I am going to order a set tonight.....their $30-40 ....to help tighten it up....$ well spent

Bosworth Audio
Posts: 42
Joined: Tue Aug 24, 2010 1:28 pm
Car: 2002 Infiniti Q45

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mcrews wrote:thanks!!!

I am going to order a set tonight.....their $30-40 ....to help tighten it up....$ well spent

From NAPA they are $22 each

gemman69
Posts: 28
Joined: Mon Oct 03, 2011 12:21 pm
Car: 02 Q45 & 05 Xterra SE

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Bosworth,

How did the AV upgrade go? Care to share details on the install?

Bosworth Audio
Posts: 42
Joined: Tue Aug 24, 2010 1:28 pm
Car: 2002 Infiniti Q45

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The install went perfect! everything sounds amazing and crystal clear. I just swapped out the old Kenwood for another Kenwood 995 versus 994. Installation was pretty much straight forward with the exception of a few little modulators i made in order to have all the factory controls working. I'll repost everything back up soon as i'm pulling it all out in the next couple months to go with a full Audison system and molding a 10" touchscreen in the dash where the factory dinky monitor is and creating a new chipset and button layout behind it all for a bit more of a custom style.

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jltibbs
Moderator
Posts: 4970
Joined: Fri Sep 09, 2005 5:42 pm
Car: 2015 Nissan Versa SL
1994 Infiniti Q45
2000 Infiniti I30
Location: Murfreesboro, TN
Contact:

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Cool. Keep us updated. I might be interested in some of your used equipment unless you already have plans for it. Just let me know.

marksport
Posts: 283
Joined: Sun Nov 23, 2003 10:50 pm

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I was just on Stebro website, couldn't find anything for the Q45. For a company that makes performance exhausts for Ferrari and other high end cars, the cockroach as their mascot/logo is an odd one. May be represents how tough and resilient their exhausts are.

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