[CLICK HERE TO SEE VIDEO OF THE 370Z ON TRACK.]
Following Dai's lead, we turned to Eddie Lee and Mackin Industries for a set of TE37s-like Dai's car-in the widest-possible size for the track (and a set of 20-inch Volk G2s for the ladies). We also hit him up for a set of Project Mu Club Racer brakes: billet, forged aluminum six- and four-piston calipers holding PMU pads over 380- and 355mm rotors (front and rear, respectively), with stainless lines and fluid. Whereas the stock 350Z used Brembo brakes throughout its production, the 370Z switched to the Akebono system from the factory. Project Mu's 370Z kit differs from 350Z kits primarily in that a new bracket had to be machined to fit its calipers to the newly designed hubs. Sizing remains similar between the two cars' kits; a product of both sharing similar weight distribution and brake bias. Suspension duties were left entirely up to the crew at Tein, who handled the build-up of our project IS F last year, and whose off-the-shelf Mono Flex 370Z kit had been on the Japanese market shortly before we took loan of our car-Philip Chase, Katsuma Nakai, Ryoh Takizawa, and Jon Lee were itching to test their product on a USDM-spec chassis, especially to note the differences in one with more power and increased grip. "The 350Z and 370Z front/rear multi-link suspensions look similar," remarks Phil, "but they're very different. The lower front mount on the shock side of the 350Z is a fork, while the 370Z's is an eye bolt. Spring rate and damper valving are similar, but even they were engineered from scratch to identify slight differences in each car." Tein usually recommend implementing thicker, aftermarket swaybars for track use, but none were available at the time ours was prepped. And unlike Dai's 350Z, with its near-limitless options for suspension adjustment, adjustable suspension bits weren't available for the 370. "The 370Z's suspension includes bracing and support from the factory the 350Z doesn't have," attests Phil, "which give it much better response and rigidity. Still, once you lower any car and increase the width and offset of its wheels, it really helps to have complete control over alignment." Some camber adjustability was allowed through factory components at the car's rear, but it was clear we'd have to play the cards we were dealt come race day.
Our 370Z's final trip before the SEMA show was to G-Dimension, where Stephen Rhim handled the dirty work, swapping out the stock clutch and diff for stronger Spec and Carbonetic alternatives, replacing Carter's mass-farted-in stock seat with Bride Cugas, and installing our ultra-swank Sunline aero: a front half-spoiler, rear under fin, roof skin, and side skirts all fabricated from dry carbon-fiber, which fit "amazingly well," noted Stephen. "I was really, really impressed."
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370Z
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350Z