Did we bite off more than we can chewn?

Say hi to HPA's new dyno test mule!

Ok so it's not exactly new. In fact we actually bought it as an accident damaged car but it's new to us and that's what counts!

It's not much to look at right now and we have our work cut out for us transforming it into a fast and fun track day car, as well as a dedicated test platform for ECU testing and development. It's exciting and a little daunting at the same time.

Its VQ35DE engine has variable cam control and drive-by-wire throttle which will let us put a range of advanced ECUs to the test. We will be posting regular updates as we straighten out the damage and get it looking and going just right.

hpa 350z project car2

Upon delivery we could assess the damage for ourselves, even with a cursory glance from my untrained eye I could see it wasn't sitting straight.

hpa 350z project car1

The front bumper, bonnet and guards are pretty much written off.

hpa 350z project car3 

hpa 350z project car7

So is the rear bumper.

hpa 350z project car8

Aaaaand the rear guards, both doors, windscreen and the trunk lid are all in pretty bad shape. It looks like the previous owner worked pretty hard to ensure every panel on the car was messed up. On the upside the side mirrors and roof skin look pretty straight.

hpa 350z project car9

hpa 350z project car5

The previous owner made some interesting modifications, like this tiny wee air filter. Maybe a left over from a catch can installation? :) Who knows, the modifications don't stop here though...

hpa 350z project car4

Take this custom "fabricated" front radiator support for example.

hpa 350z project car6

Or this custom fan wiring. There is also an extra whole drilled in the suspension (not pictured) and a screw half screwed into the rear bumper.

Even in the cars current state it's a real asset to the High Performance Academy. We will be using this car in our Pro Tuner webinars to demonstrate tuning concepts and tuning techniques on a wide range of engine management platforms. This car will also be used to add worked examples to our current Practical Dyno Tuning course and the Road Tuning course that demonstrate how to tune using many different ECU brands.

 

Want to learn more about tuning?

We've helped 30,000 people just like you learn the science of tuning and apply it to their own projects.

Interested in learning more? Check out these courses

Comments

No one has commented on this page yet.