Project 300ZX

In May 2012, I bought a 1994 Nissan 300zx turbo 2 seater.



Featuring a twin-turbocharged, 24-valve 3.0 V6 with variable valve timing good for 300hp and including such advancements as a limited slip differential, adjustable suspension, speed-sensitive steering assistance and active rear wheel steering, it was an instant hit with the specialized media when it arrived at the US in 1989. It was a true 2 seater rear wheel drive sports car with stellar handling, yet you could perfectly fit decent bags with clothes for normal people to escape for a weekend.
The escalating Yen exchange rate brought its price up enough that after 1996 it didn't make sense to import it anymore. The 300zx is a classic example of the 90s Japanese supercar and its design looks stunning even by today's standards.
The car I found needs a lot of work done to bring it back to full glory (mainly bodywork/interior), so I decided to document everything in this blog for anyone interested in working on their Z or anyone who loves the car and would find amusement in seeing it being restored.

I'm of course open to suggestions, corrections and general advice since I'm not a mechanic or even skilled with auto work. Just an average petrolhead if there's such a thing.

Here's the summarized list of things I'm doing to the car and their status:

Item Comments Status
Shift knob + boot The boot is worn out, the knob has nasty scratches and is plastic. Bought replacement on eBay ($140 for the whole all-lather kit: shift knob + e-brake handle + boots) Done
E-brake handle + boot The handle's leather is worn out and so is the boot. Done
Center console Very dirty. Since I was taking it out for the knob/handle/boots replacement, I took the opportunity to clean it up. Years of dust, spilled coke, and random gooey crap had accumulated. Done
T-top handles The plastic piece around the handles to operate the t-tops were loose. I took them out, cleaned them and secured them in place with some black RTV silicone. Done
Windshield cowl This plastic piece between the windshield and the bonnet/hood was faded and cracked. I glued it together, cleaned it and applied PlastiDip. Pending: the fasteners that keep it in place are in bad condition and some are missing. Found them for around a dollar each. Done
Door handle (inside, passenger side) It's decolorated. Tried cleaning it, didn't work. There's this grayish tone that I can't get rid of. Not sure if I want to plastidip it because of the resulting rubbery texture. I might try it before replacing it, because of the cost. Update: followed some online advice, applied peanut butter (!!??) It works! But lasts only a couple months. Pend
Exterior moldings The moldings are covered in some soft black plastic that's all cracked. Under them there's chrome (don't know why, but it's like that from the factory). Plastidipped them. Not reinstalling until after paint job. WIP
Steering wheel The leather is worn out. There are places where you send yours and they replace the cover with new leather. It's somewhat expensive but the easiest way (they have wheel cores on stock so they send you one ready-made before you send yours so there's little downtime). There's this alternative where you get the cover (with pre-sewn threads and you just stitch them together) and then you can get it professionally installed or install it yourself (there are videos with instructions on glueing it and stitching). Ordered it from redlinegoods.com Done
Seats The driver's seat is in bad shape. The leather's torn and has an ugly hole. There are replacement covers and you can even install them yourself. Bought them online, and had them professionally installed. Worth the price, I could never have done it right. Done
Hood The bonnet/hood has hail damage, so there are dozens of dents in it. Not worth repairing. A used one runs for $100-$200 on ebay, plus shipping another $200 and getting rid of dents, $100 more. For $528 incl. shipping I can have a carbon fiber hood. In fact, I already ordered it. It has arrived. Done
Paint It's horrible. Peeled, cracked, you can see the primer in some places and it's all faded and scratched. Needs a full paintjob. Pretty expensive so this will have to wait. Done
Random dents Many dents in various places. Mostly upward-facing surfaces because of hail. The A-pillars, the metal portions of the T-tops. These need to be repaired before the paint job. Done
Inside trim This is gray and had a suede-like texture. It's all worn out in some places. Ordered a trim kit in gray Alcantara. Had the door inserts upholstered professionally. Did the other parts myself. Ordered new armrests in black leather and red stitching, to match the new seats. Done
Tires Rear ones too narrow at 215. All rubber is actually worn out so need 4 tires. And since current wheels are crap, will get new ones. Finally installed Weds Sport SA-67Rs in 18". More expensive than the Enkeis I was considering, but they look stunning. Also got some nice sticky rubber, Bridgestone Potenza S04: 235/40R18 in the front and 275/35R18 in the back. Done
Instrument cluster Ordered the top screw covers and the plastic cover avobe the radio. At $42 it's pricey but what the hell. Done
Radio The original radio is failing. The previous owner handed me a replacement one but it was just as bad. This thing has an amp in each corner, with Bose speakers and they, as well as the amps, seemed to be fine. Not a fan of Bose but they'll have to do. Ordered a Pioneer DEH-9400BH, installation was a breeze and now I have Bluetooth handsfree and audio streaming, and HD radio. Done

Go here for a series of blog posts on the work I've done.


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