Z8 Project

Updated 6/16/05

" I appreciate your help and hope my learning curve stays steep. The car is great and I loved every minute of driving it."

This car was delivered to us complete with a long list of upgrades including Supercharging.

When this project is completed it is expected to mirror the results from Shadowmans personal Z8. 680whp

Update: The car has returned from the paint shop and looks absolutely gorgeous. The engine assembly is almost completed.

This Z8 has a full Headers back Supersprint System CLIP

NEW CLIP ADDED 6/16/05 by the owner CLIP
(this is a HIGH ALTITUDE 6000 plus feet pull 2nd through 5th gear only)

Since at our facility the project has grown. The car is now being completely repainted (black as new), new windshield was installed, the wheels are being re-polished and new tires installed, a complete interior detail, major electronic upgrades, a Quaffe differential with 3.64 gear was installed, a UUC clutch and flywheel were installed, the Hamann headers had an EGT bung installed and then were high temperature coated, and finally the super charger system. Out of the gate the car was pre-fit for the super charger, the motor plate was installed, the differential was replaced, the clutch assembly was replaced, the headers were coated and installed, as well as several secondary options were completed prior to it being completely disassembled and shipped to the painter to be completely repainted. During this process all the worn, damaged, and weathered pieces were repaired and or replaced.

During the course of the project the car was completely disassembled and repainted, the rear bumper was replaced with a Euro spec, the front was replaced do to minor curb rash, and all exposed seals replaced. In addition a new windshield and convertible rear windows were replaced.

Custom D/A water to air intercooled Supercharger system that included exhaustive engine bay modification and systems relocated
Custom D/A Schrick cams
NGK Iridium spark plugs
Custom D/A Billet under drive pulleys
Primary fan was converted to electric
The custom D/A heat exchanger has a pair of thermostatically controlled fans
Custom D/A crank case breathing and oil separator system
Powder coated valve covers and VANOS boxes
Powder coated lower plenum
Custom D/A AquaMist water injection system
Custom D/A engine management system
Custom D/A Carbon Fiber Plenum cover, intake tube, and discharge tube
Brembo GTR LeMans brakes front 15” 8 piston, rear 13.5” 4 piston
Stainless steel brake lines front and rear
Custom D/A differential with special gearing, cones, clutches, springs
UUC light weight single mass flywheel and clutch assembly
UUC Evo III Short shifter
Custom D/A shift knob
Hamann pedal covers
Complete Hamann exhaust, headers, small metal bed cats, X pipe, and mufflers
HRE wheels
Pirelli tire
Integrated radar front and rear

Engine Clip #1
Engine Clip #2
Engine Clip #3
Engine Clip #4

Trunk with the carpet removed

Here's the car as its being disassembled to go to the body shop

Loaded up and on her way to the paint shop

She's returned from the paint shop

Here are pictures of the engine being assembled

Heat Exchanger

Trunk interior completed

Carbon Fiber tube

This is a up close and personal look at the 8 piston light weight GTR brakes prior to being installed on the current Z8 project, these are truly the ultimate Bad Boy of brakes.

Here are brembo's “Bad Boys” being installed. This system is about as exotic as they come. Exotic materials including Titanium are used to produce a very lightweight “HUGH Braking” system.

The first picture is of the rear backing plate as OEM. The second picture shows the backing plate after it was trimmed for proper installation on a Z8. After this point the backing plate was filed smooth and then painted prior to reassembly.

Here are a couple pictures of the lightweight Lemans/GTR rear 4 piston calipers in place with the lightweight slotted rotors………

The front brakes require that you remove the OEM dust shield prior to installation. No cutting, simply remove a few 10mm bolts. Here are a couple pictures of the lightweight Lemans/GTR front 8 piston caliper that holds 4 separate brake pads per wheel mated to the lightweight slotted rotor.

The installed system is simply phenomenal. The fit and finish of the pieces are so nice that if you are a bit car crazy like me then just holding and looking at them was worth the price of admission. There is no doubt that this is an extreme braking system however, so is the car.

The stainless steel tubing after being bent being fit in place for the fluid transfer of the intercooler system and for the crankcase breathing system and the oil separator

The stainless steel lines for the power steering transfer and the fluid transfer for the intercooler system

Here is the heat exchanger tray being fabricated and fit in place

Here is the heat exchanger tray after being designed to fit is such a manner that all of the OEM belly pans are still used.

Here is the intercooler pump after being installed on a custom stainless steel bracket and then the fluids will be feed through the stainless tubing located along side of the secondary air pump prior to feeding the heat exchanger

Here is the heat exchanger tray in place along with the OEM belly pan to insure proper fit. Now all that is required is to remove it, detail it, and then use all the proper hardware for final assembly before putting the heat exchanger in place

Here the Carbon Fiber plenum cover has been fit and the new securing studs are ready to be installed

Here is a picture of some of the stainless steel tubing fabricated for the power steering, engine crankcase, and the oil separator after it was removed to be cleaned and made ready for final assembly

The wiring of the gal is now under way

Tucked up under the glove is the control until that brings all the secondary systems into play. Here it is temporarily mounted awaiting the final placement of the wiring and the vacuum hose for the MAP sensor. On the side that you can not see is the DB9 serial interface for manipulating with the laptop.

Chaos, at this stage everything is being touched as the wiring and the final assembly is under taken

From the initial piece of stainless steel to a mounted water injection pump and regulator. From the pictures most would say …..no big deal however thinking at least several steps ahead akin to playing chess is required so that nothing interferes as the next systems are put in place and so that the assembly remains serviceable. At this phase of the project space is at a premium.

Here is the water injection systems fully map able high speed jet that that will ultimately feed the two discharge nozzles

Fuse block being installed

The final stages of the wiring within the DME compartment, here the wires are bundled and readied for OEM style collars and then capped

Here the bundles, 12 volt constant, 12 volt switched, and grounds are all sealed

Here is the DME compartment is completed after installing 5 additional relays, an 8 position fuse block, one small computer, and nearly 100 new wires throughout. Nice, clean, and everything remains accessible and serviceable.

The headlights are fit in order to verify all the clearances; space has truly become a premium.

The intake being dry fit for the last time.....

The final bung being bonded to the carbon fiber intake tube, this one is the draw tube for the crank case venting and oil separator system.

Small stainless steel junction created to feed the MAP, the by-pass system, and a secondary monitoring system

Here in the carbon fiber intake tube has been installed and plumbed for the final time.

New MAF harness being assembled

Here the bungs for the water injection nozzles have been machined and are being prepped to be bonded in place

Here the bungs for the water injection nozzles have been Hysol'd in place and are now going through the curing process.

The Supercharger discharge tube installed with the water injection nozzles plumbed

Here the secondary injector wiring harness and final plumbing is being completed within the lower plenum

Here Bank 2 is completed

Here bank 1 is completed

The lower plenum modification portion of this project has been completed

The nose being installed for the first and last time since the car was completely painted

Verify the final fit of the heat exchanger and then laying out the final wiring to the fans and the plumbing

The heat exchanger installed for the last time with the fans mounted, the wiring and the plumbing completed

Even the air filter gets a modification, in this case the portion removed will have the chrome end cap removed and then re-bonded to the remaining air filter assembly so as to have it appear as OEM

With the nose on and the headlights in placed this gal finally looks happy

Everything in place ready for fluids

The car ready for final buffing

Here the monitoring system's display is being integrated into the header panel located across the top of the windshield so as not to alter the design of the OEM interior.

Ever so close, the rear window pad is being fit in place as one of the final steps before the gal is made ready for the long journey home.

A custom water injection tank bung ready to be installed thanks to all the assistance from Richard and his team at AquaMist

Monitoring system's display installed

The Air filter and the MAFs mounted for the last time

Preparation for the installation of the center radar sensor

The bracket fabricated for mounting the center sensor within the lower grill

The system has been completely installed

Here are a few pictures after having been run to full operating temperature for a complete system check. All that she needs to be completed is the SC'er belt and the Carbon Fiber plenum cover installed

Just about ready for the road, all the wheels have been balanced, pressure checked, lights checked……….. very close

With the modified plenum studs in place she is now ready for the Carbon Fiber Cover

All sealed up and ready for the road

The car is ready to be rturned to her proud owner

Here she gets her first real bath........

The next time she sees the highway will be with her owner