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NSM 350z Build...My 2nd 350z!


Lewis Schwier

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  • Lewis Schwier changed the title to NSM 350z Build...My 2nd 350z!

Hi guys thought I would give everyone an update, was going to wait until everything was completed but this quarantine has got me with so much free time so why not! As a lot of you know I run a detailing business and due to Covid-19 we are currently shut so what no better way then to make light of a bad situation and get my own car in for some excessive work with no tight time scale! So this is the current state of my studio :headhurt:1256507427_Photo08-04-2020163350.jpg.f1381c06d95dbb9aa7064c546ce00d14.jpg 

Work started: 

Full wash & decontamination

Two Stage Paint Correction

Bodywork breakdown, deep clean

Replace rusted bolts/broken clips

Re paint & re fit rear spats

Wiper Delete

 

Work to do:

Wheels off, deep clean

Plastic arch liners off (front & rear), cleaned & dressed

Rear fender guards off (1 getting replaced 1 being stripped down and painted)

Change plates over to private reg

 

I will post all photos once completed!

 

In terms of my vision for this car I've had my heart set on the Vis Racing NSM kit for a while now, so thats whats happening! It will take a while to be completed due to available funds but I'm determined to make it happen. Main thing is being realistic and not rushing as the Business comes first and always will.

 

Here is a list of parts I will be collecting over the coming months:

 

NSM Front Bumper

NSM Rear Bumper

RT Nismo V1 Side Skirts

Evo R 370z DLRs

Facelift OEM Headlights

Cabon Fibre skinned B Pillars & Wing Mirrors

Carbon Fibre V1 Nismo style Rear Wing

 

Really excited to make this all come together in the mean time I've got plenty to do!

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  • 3 weeks later...

Progress has been slow but we are getting there!

 

I have finished the cutting stage on the paintwork, as I've said before no point doing a full wet sand or 3 stage detail as when the body kit is fitted the car will have to be detailed again anyway.

Overall a massive improvement, silver is one of the best colours at hiding defects so all lights off and Scangrip Multimatch's on for this one! Green Rupes pad and polish used with the Rupes machines. Found this combo works well on the softer paint thats on the 350z. Refinement still to go but that will be done once all the 'dirty' work is complete.

 

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Back bumper has been taken off, underneath cleaned. Its crazy how much dirt was under here. Also the bumper was sagging down where it meets the rear fender on the drivers side. I managed to find the problem as one of the plastic retainers had been snapped so wasn't holding up. So another order with Torqen for a replacement. Back bumper dismantled and cleaned. Rear lights and back indicator lights cleaned and polished.

 

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As I stripped the rear spats off they were in pretty bad shape, I thought it would be a shame to throw them away, so even though they were not going back on the car I had them professionally re done and painted. Rear carbon diffuser is also damaged but too far gone. Its been badly fitted so leaving it on the car would be better then revealing the mess it has probably made underneath.

 

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Side skirts have also come off. Again the amount of dirt that has been trapped and just sitting is unbelievable. I'm so glad that I'm able to get underneath all these parts that you wouldn't be able unless you stripped the car because I can't imagine its doing the shell any good in terms of rusting! 3D Carbon side skirts will come off and originals back on. I was able to take the side skirts off without snapping too many grommet clips :fool:  I did snap a whole tab off and a couple of the grommet clips will need to be replaced...better load up the Torqen website hey! :lol:

 

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Rear wiper delete done, found a company in the states that do custom metal plugs and they colour code them as well. Still need to do the washer for anyone that is wondering.

 

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380RS pedal installed, this wasn't a planned purchased but one came up on one of the Facebook selling pages and it was still new in packaging so thought why not! I watched a couple of install videos on YouTube and I quickly found out my pedal clip was different to the videos I watched. Left me wondering wether or not it was because their cars were American or if it was a DE/HR thing. Didn't take photos so can't show you but basically the main clip behind the pedal is apart of the same moulding as the stopper where the ones I was watching in the video the clip was separate and the stopper was apart of the metal framing that the pedal plate attached too.

 

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Boot struts replaced, nothing exciting but another job ticked off the list!

 

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Finally had to replace the battery as I made the stupid mistake of forgetting to disconnect it whilst it was sat with the tailgate on the latch all this time :doh: an expensive mistake for sure. Gave me a chance to strip surrounding plastics and clean though!

 

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New gear knob fitted, not a fan of the aftermarket ones so OEM this time around. Looks super fresh now. Protected with Gtechniq L1 Leather guard

 

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Like I said slow progress but getting there, next I've got to take all the wheels off, strip arches, treat rust. Ceramic coat the wheels. Then onto stripping the front bumper & splitter.

Hope you enjoyed the update, I have been filming everything so will post the YouTube link on here when I decide how to structure the content. Next update everything should be complete and the 'Detail & Strip down' shall be finished. Car will be looking a lot different with all the after market kit off thats for sure!

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If only I could repeat this on my car! You honestly treat your Z with such finesse and it shows. We all know your car will be the cleanest example we come across when lockdown ends! 

 

I'll be waiting for the YouTube uploads :thumbs:

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Great work Buddy.  Nice to see your Zed is getting the love, which is more than I can say for mine a the moment As it’s sat in the garage gathering  dust !

When I saw you’d got the boot held up, I was gonna say new struts time but you’ve got that covered :thumbs: 

One thing my eagle eye did notice though with your new ones is that you’ve fitted the bracket at the bottom of the struts to the car upside down, if you compare the before and after pics. Which leads to the boot not closing flush to the roof. A very common  mistake when changing the struts  :thumbs:


 

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Edited by SHEZZA
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13 hours ago, Umster said:

If only I could repeat this on my car! You honestly treat your Z with such finesse and it shows. We all know your car will be the cleanest example we come across when lockdown ends! 

 

I'll be waiting for the YouTube uploads :thumbs:

Thanks for the kind words! For sure, can’t wait for the lockdown to end. Get some great meet and drives organised. 

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13 hours ago, ShortPaul said:

Hi mate how did you detail the pedals? 

Place Microfibre cloth on floor mat below pedals. Spray pedals with APC, I used Bilt Hamber Surfex this time around. Agitate with Hog Hair brush or old tooth brush would do the job. Then spray water to rinse off. All residue should fall onto the microfibre cloth so it doesn’t run down onto your floor mats. Then wipe pedals dry with clean microfibre. 

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3 hours ago, Lewis Schwier said:

Place Microfibre cloth on floor mat below pedals. Spray pedals with APC, I used Bilt Hamber Surfex this time around. Agitate with Hog Hair brush or old tooth brush would do the job. Then spray water to rinse off. All residue should fall onto the microfibre cloth so it doesn’t run down onto your floor mats. Then wipe pedals dry with clean microfibre. 

Cheers buddy thanks for the tip 

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  • 4 weeks later...

Coming into the final phases now, all ready to fit back together!

 

Side Skirts taken apart, front lip off too. Wheels, spats & side skirts sold. Original side skirts are at the paint shop as they have been damaged from poorly the fitted aftermarket extensions.

 

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Here is some satisfying before and after photos when I got the wheels refurbished. New owner was very happy to say the least! Centre caps were a bit worse for wear but I did my best to try to save them, new owner put his own centre caps in anyway I think.

 

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Cleaned under the side skirts, used Bilt Hamber Surfex HD with Hog Hair Brush and steam cleaner. Then proceeded to remove the rust from the lower sills. Used a wire wheel to grind rust away down to the metal, smoothed with sanding block, degreased then used grey primer and KY0 Silver to finish off, very pleased with the results!

 

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Have also refurbished every bolt that I have taken off the car (probably around 30-40 at this point) I let them sit in a bowl of Bilt Hamber Detox-C. Wasn't expecting miracles as some bolts seemed too far gone but miracles I got! Couldn't believe how good the product was! Left over night and pretty much stripped all the rust off every bolt leaving them looking like new. 

 

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Rear arch liners and fender guards removed, now after seeing how must dust rust removal creates when using the wire wheel I decided to leave the wheels arches for another day, the whole underneath needs doing at some point so no point making a mess in my unit, anyway breaking down the fender guard supports and arch liners gave me access to clean the fuel filter neck and other areas I couldn't before. Arch liners, cleaned, de tarred and coated with trim coating.

 

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All the rear arch liner supports and fender guards themselves were badly corroded along with the bolts that held in place the arch liners which are connected to the supports, so much so that I had to hack saw them off and drill out. Dismantling these rear sections just makes you realise how badly designed they are. 1. Why are plastic arch liners held in by plastic retainer clips in most areas and then metal bolts in others. 2. The fender guards and lower arch liners sit flat which allows build up of everything that the wheels flick up causing bad corrosion and rusting. Anyway rant over :lol: have now made so that arch liners are only held in by plastic retainers to avoid having to hack saw rusted bolts off again. Drivers side fender guard was replaced (thanks Adrian) and the passenger side fender guard and all supports were sent off to be sandblasted.  They were then painted (Grey Primer and Satin Black) on the bits that sit flat I gave a base coat of POR-15 Rust prevention paint to give good protection. Here are a few before and after photos of a couple of the bits that were done (weather strips to be added)

 

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Onto another unexpected purchase, which means more work! The original tailgate had a smart repair that was done really badly, also the Nismo V1 Spoiler is a replica which has also been painted horrendously. So the plan was when fitting the NSM kit I was to buy a new carbon v1 spoiler as I mentioned in the last update and also get the tailgate re painted. BUT was browsing on Facebook 350z Buy & Sell page as you do and found someone selling a tailgate with a Genuine Nismo V1 spoiler on it, in KY0 Silver too! So snapped at that as I knew it would ultimately save me a bit of money in the long run. So travelled up to S****horpe to collect. The weight difference between my old tailgate with the rep spoiler and the new one with genuine I couldn't quite believe! Only good to have a bit of weight saving right :yahoo: So that is where I am now, new tailgate ready to go on, hinges have been taken off, sanded down and painted. As you can see Nissan smooth over the edges of the hinges to stop them corroding as they do sit in a water channel after all. So needed to cut out with Stanley knife once bolts were removed. Quick sand down and lick of paint to tidy up, far from perfect but not bothered as you can't see this once the tailgate is on, plus will need resealing once hinges are back on.

 

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Cheeky little time lapse! Will put up first episode of vlog on YouTube once car is back together :D

 

 

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