My Nissan Fairlady Z was finally done after another week at Redsun Motorsport. I went over to pick it up and I was excited to check out the new transmission. The owner told me I was lucky because 350Z transmissions are hard to come by these days and the condition of the transmission is perfect and I was relieved. The actual condition of this transmission can only be known after it is installed and tested. So, there was a risk. He drove first to show me how smooth shifting is and how it is easy to shift into 4th gear. He also mentioned that with the new clutch disc, driving the 350Z is like driving a regular car. He was pushing the car by revving hard and I was scared at how fast the 350Z could go. After a while, it was my turn to drive back to the workshop. I did find that the clutch pedal is lighter and easier to step on and I could finally shift into the 4th gear without any hassle. I was happy and in my opinion, money was well spent. On the side note, while we were driving, he asked if I realized there was a sound similar to a wolf's howling. I did and I thought it was from the exhaust but he informed me the culprit was the A/C compressor.
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| When I went to pick up the 350Z, it was beside the previous model I owned, Toyota Celica. |
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| The coincidence. |
Redsun managed to source for both the front and rear crossmembers. These are from halfcuts but are in good condition. It took some time to remove the original crossmembers especially the rear because it was dented and access to the screws holding it was difficult. From the way it looks, I think it was cleaned before installed. Now I am sure the chassis is better aligned and handling will be better. It also looks much better without rust.
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| Front Crossmember replaced |
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| Rear Crossmember replaced |
Lower arm bushes are wear and tear parts where owners will have to replace them once or twice while owning a car. This is very normal especially on my 350Z as it is already 15 years old. Having said how common it is to replace them, original factory bushes for 350Z is expensive and hard to source. I expected Redsun to source for O.E.M. ones but I was surprised to find that Super Pro bushes were the replacement used. I did not know much about Super Pro until I did a Google search on it. Super Pro is an Australian brand that manufactures replacement bushings for various car models. Its material is more durable than original materials used by car manufacturers and they offer lifetime warranty for their product. As a consumer, I like the confidence and happy to know that this could be the last set of bushes I will have to buy for my 350Z.
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| Australian Made with Lifetime Warranty |
did forget some of the other restoration or maintenance that I have asked to be looked at. Since the workshop is busy and I have been separated from my 350Z for 2 weeks, I will have to come back another time to get the rest done. I could not wait to enjoy the new transmission. Unfortunately when I was almost home, something was wrong with the transmission again. This time it was the 3rd gear. It has the same issue as the 4th previously. When shifting from 2nd to 3rd, it would grind but shifting from 4th to 3rd does not have a problem. The worst part is the grinding only comes once in a while. It was frightening and stressful when driving as I will never know when it will grind. I gave Redsun a call and had to schedule my next visit. He was as dumbfounded as I was. I decided to go after 1 week because I wanted to further test the new transmission. I will also have him take a look at the stuffs that he had forgotten.
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