Restoring a 300ZX Twin Turbo

[kevm14]

I know. I'm not trying to tell someone the car doesn't mean something to them. But some of the words he used in explaining the performance of the car were disingenuous. Or ignorant. Both in terms of the context of that performance now, and in terms of the performance relative to cars available in the exact same time period. It's like "hey, I remember the 300ZX, those were sick dude! Fast as hell!" Except a 2013 Accord V6 traps 101 (through the auto) and, shit, a 2003 Accord V6 trapped 98 (with a manual)! Performance standards thankfully did not freeze in time. Just like a 90s Maxima accelerating as quickly as an 84 Corvette.

Plus there was an added layer of mysticism to 90s Japanese anything that a lot of people found simply irresistible, and I never really bought on to 90s Japanese car worship, especially JDM-only cars. I mean I liked Japanese cars that did not have a cult, posters-on-the-wall following, like the Q45 or Nissan Maxima. That's just how I am. I was explaining to Bill the other day after I showed him the 79 Fleetwood and he shrugged it off that it is sure convenient for me that my dream car isn't everyone else's $20k, $30k, $40k or more dream car (60s restored muscle being a prime example). The Impala SS was vaguely poster-worthy but not anywhere near what these 90s Japanese cars enjoyed.

Anyway, none of the words he used in the article intro explain the advantages the car actually has (Matt Farah covered most of it in one of his One Takes). Most casual car enthusiasts still don't understand subtle things like steering feel so we continue to see simple, easy to measure metrics like acceleration be referenced. Either disingenuous (appealing to a wider audience on purpose) or ignorant (not knowing that the car wasn't the fastest thing at the time, or mediocre by modern performance standards). Really all I had issue with was the intro. The rest of it was a great, step by step, cost by cost, breakdown of exactly why I would never want to own one of these. I suspect these cars got a free pass by almost all casual observers of possessing the same 90s Japanese reliability as a 92 Camry. They had lots of tech and it did not age well. Again, I suspect the Supra may be a little better, but I am sure it costs crazy money to repair still and you pay for it anyway because people pay ridiculous amounts of money for them. I should also mention that unlike the pedestrian Hondas and Toyotas, these cars were all very expensive.

The thing with the ITR is it is a pretty simple car, even if the overall performance is even lower.

[Bob]

By the way, a 300ZXTT with some boost upgrades briefly held the title of fastest car I've ever driven from the time I drove it in 2002? until I got my Z06 in 2003. At the time, it felt "oh my god" fast, probably in part due to the turbos. In reality, I would estimate it trapped somewhere between 106 and 109.

[kevm14]

I knew that was going to come up. Was that the one with the Wolf Performance tune?

[kevm14]

It was genuinely fast. It was turbo-car fast. The kind of fast that doesn’t hint at itself until midway through the revs, then BOOM, the turbos spool up and it slams you into the back of your seat with no signs of letting up. The whole car comes alive. The sound of the turbos, exhaust and intake fill your ears with a blissful mechanical noise. Before your senses have a chance to take it all in, you’re already finding the next gear, the blow-off valves chirp, and you’re right back into the power band.

I never thought I’d own a car that made so many wonderful sounds and had the power to back them up. Like in the beginning of this project, disbelief was beginning to merge with reality, but this time, the feeling was different.

I'm glad he likes the car and the work was worth it to him but honestly, it sounds like he has driven nothing but 4 cylinder sedans prior to this car. Or, he fell into a time machine in 1995 and was transported to 2017. Wait until he races a V6 Camaro and doesn't leave it for dead. He'll say it was an SS. Haha.

[Bob]

I knew that was going to come up. Was that the one with the Wolf Performance tune?

Yes, I actually had two friends who owned modified 300ZX TTs. The car I was referring to belonged to my friend Derek who later owned a Supra Turbo and now has a GT-R.

My friend Kevin also purchased a 300ZX TT when we were in college, but he never let me drive it.

[kevm14]

My friend Kevin also purchased a 300ZX TT when we were in college, but he never let me drive it.

Was it because it was so fast that you couldn't possibly handle it?

[Bob]

Probably, or maybe he thought I was too much of an idiot behind the wheel back then...