We hereby invite you to witness the birth of Projekt Z. That's right, we've taken on yet another ass-breaking project vehicle that will, most likely, drag us through the present height of excitement to, at some point, the depths of despair and frustration. So why do we do it you ask? Good question! To be honest, during my past experiences, I can't remember how many times I've cursed the wheels off vehicles, vowing never to take on another as long as I live. Yet, for some reason, the completed project, the satisfaction followed by a period of boredom with nothing to mess with and the gears in one's head start spinning a little faster again. You fight the urge, reminding yourself what hell looked like last time around and then something just had to come up didn't it? An offer to which you can't refuse. Your friend's friend has a GS-R with a blown head gasket he doesn't want to bother fixing or you need to pick up a beater to drive to work instead of your recently-completed masterpiece. These kind of offerings seem to come in abundance every time the last thing you need is another car. Unfortunately-or rather fortunately-for most enthusiasts, the temptation is just too much. And then, every long once in a while, the manufacturer front stirs and a revolutionary creation is bestowed upon us that taunts every ounce of restraint within.
In 2002, Nissan released an all-new version of its legendary Z, this time dubbed the 350. As many of you already know, the Z's heritage goes back to 1969 when Nissan first introduced it as the 240Z. Fast-forward thirty-some-odd years later, after a brief spell of non-existence, and the manufacturer has dangled its largest temptation ever in front of all import performance enthusiasts here in the U.S. The 350Z came bearing a heavyweight punch under the hood, superb handling characteristics and an innovative sheet-metal guise that has set it apart from other recent offerings. Its appearance oozes true sports car personality and Nissan has somehow managed to produce a $50,000 performer with a price tag of almost half that. Right from the kick off we've been mesmerized by the new Z and its tuning potential, so much so that it was only a matter of time before one was inducted into the 2NR fleet. Projekt Z is starting out in life as a bone stock Track model. Under the hood the 3.5-liter powerplant boasts a whopping 287-horsepower and with such a head start in the power department, the vision is an exciting one. The Track also offers factory-issued Brembo brakes and 18-inch Volk rims. Can we improve on what is already an impressive package? Time will tell but you can bet we'll be pushing the envelope as usual.
So as is always the case when we take on a project vehicle, the battle plan incorporates a complete transformation. Projekt Z promises to be even more challenging than others we've encountered due to such a complete package out of the box. However, over the next several months we will explore what the aftermarket has to offer for Nissan's newest addition to the Z family. We'll delve into the horsepower, the handling, cosmetic enhancement and if all goes to plan transform it into the ultimate street machine that can hang with the very best on four wheels. Stay tuned as we break out the surgeon's wrench and go to work. Let the games begin.