lawnboy615

Done with Y-pipe,muffler, intake, pedals, and thats it. What are some good simple interior and exterior accessories I can do? Also I want to add performace, what else can I do? Let me know guys thanks

FrankBattle

I'm not going to suggest you use the search function...

*cough*

but
Rims/Tires
Springs/Struts
Tint (then just vacuum or clean the inside)
Stereo (adds ~14 hp)

Unless you want to win races, in which case ignore all the above and get a new car.

Tom

Leather Steering Wheel Cover - Takes a while to stitch on, but the results are worth it.

Dechrome tailights- I don't know what color your car is but I painted over the chrome strips with black paint on my GXE. Looks a lot sharper (My car is also black)

Tweeters - I added Infinity tweeters to the top front part of the door. Flush mounted them. Sounds great, makes the highs come alive. Looks factory installed (I have a black interior, which helps).

Fog lights - Get the factory fog light switch from the SE, add your favorite lights under the bumper.

Bulbs - All kinds of options. You can get Sylvania Silver Stars, PIAAs, RAZO, whatever for the headlights. Lots of options for other locations.

Bman

Reasonably cheap handling upgrades:

FSTB ($40-$80 depending how you do it)
Sway Bar(s) ($115-$230 depending if you want the ST set or Addco rear)
WSP subframe connectors ($200 for both stages right now I think... Stage 1 only cheaper. Requires welding.)

Shadow1198

iTrader: (1)

I hate to say it but, other than the basic bolt ons (y, intake, cat, muffler, ecu, etc) the only other way to get any significant increase out of a VG is by doing some serious engine work. I've already done my homework and let me just say that the VG does have potential for putting out some good HP, but you are going to have to pay $3-$4k+ doing a ton of internal mods (cams, heads, polish/port manifolds&heads, pistons, rods.....). Now, I'm not saying that with all the bolt-ons that your GXE will still be slow but, its definitely not a huge increase in power. I think 30-40hp more, at the crank, w/ all the bolt-ons (just a rough estimate)sounds about right. Doesn't that just **** you guys off that there is such a bigger market for Honda "performance" parts (those 2 words shouldn't even be in the same sentence!), even though Maximas are far superior! I'm sorry, I just saw to many ricers today and had to vent. HeHe, but seeing that '00 Porsche Boxster and 911 (996) Carrera Cabriolet sure made up for it!

JoJo428m

I think people should see the potential in Maximas and make more performance and body parts for our Max's and just put the Accords and Civics on hold. What do u think?

DA-MAX

iTrader: (10)

that would be great....but the companies would loose WAAAAY to much money! we just have to face the facts, the Civic is the king of sport compacts! and the early '90s Accord guys are in the same boat as we are in terms of performance mods, as far as I know they don't have any MAJOR perf. mods either(other than Prelude motor swap)...

Shadow1198

iTrader: (1)

I have to agree. I mean, profit-wise, companies have to think about the fact that Civics are so much more common than Maximas. Don't worry though, I'm standing up and representing the Maxima guys! Right now I am rebuilding an older Porsche and, needless to say, its taking most of my dough right now. Though, I've already done most of my suspension (could use better bushings though) and have done the homework + made a list of almost every little thing I am doing to my Maxima. I'll be going all engine and already have a somewhat close estimate that my VG will end up with somewhere in the ballpark of 290-340fwhp. Here's a quick overview:

intake/y/cat/muffler/ecu (all the basic bolt-ons)
might rig up some sort of short ram-air
JE pistons (.20 over)
haven't decided on cams (JWT? Gude?)
Eagle rods
intake/exhaust manifolds/heads polished/ported (sorry for all the /'s)
haven't decided on perf. heads yet (Hekimian? Gude?)
balanced/lightened crank
haven't decided on valves/springs yet
Cryo treated engine/parts ($$$!!!)
Level10 perf. tranny rebuild
Level10 perf. TC
And yes I definitely will be modding the fuel/ignition system to compensate for other mods
Stage 3 clutch, haha! j/k I have an auto...wait, now I'm sad :-(
WSP Level 1&2 subframe connectors
Trying to decide on a muffler (Borla Turbo, Dynomax Race Magnum...too many to decide from!)
Definitely doing dual dual tips but not true duals
Wings West kit (w/ slat cut from WW front bumper, but NOT between the turn signals)
Cross drilled slotted rotors
SSR Integral's 17x8 (possibly 18x8 but I think that's too big)
Repaint in Super Black or some other glossy, good-looking black paint!

That isn't EVERYTHING I have on my list but its a good amount of it. I just wonder why not many people seem to get into the internal area of Maximas. I know it's expensive to do more of the serious mods but, I guess I am just a diehard Max fanatic. Usually you just see people do the bolt ons but very few have really pushed the performance envelope for 3rd gens. That's not to say that no one has because some people most definitely have with Vg30et swaps, among other things. I just wish more people would take their modding farther. And of course, I certainly don't have everything figured out either. There are details I need to work out regarding some of the internals like pistons, cams, etc and which ones to go with. That's all part of the fun of the process though.

JoJo428m

290-340fwhp is a lil wide for an estimate. That's pretty high though knowing that u aren't doing a complete engine swap. What model is the Porche though?

Shadow1198

iTrader: (1)

Trust me, those horsepower figures aren't optimistic. I definitely know I should not have anything less than 290hp but there are so many factors that I can't be exact. I was talking to a friend that did similar mods to his VE and was surprised to hear such high horsepower figures. I originally was thinking that with all the listed mods I would have something like 250hp but, remember that the pistons jack up the compression and there are quite a few factors so those HP numbers aren't just wishful thinking.

My Porsche is a '76 914 2.0L 5spd. Though, it is very special because it has a Ferrari 246gts Dino body kit. It's a Ferrari kit car. I am going to be doing a full tuneup next weekend or the following weekend (whenver I get the time) and it should be running strong after that. I was just in need of some TLC and the rest of the rebuild is really just cosmetic stuff (paint, authentic Ferrari parts/emblems, upholstery, etc). I know we sure talk a lot of crap about Hondas and 4cyl's in general but, I bet you guys would be surprised with this 914's 4cyl. Stock, don't laugh but it has 95hp and 120lb/ft torque. I know, that's really bad but, it definitely is a restricted engine, in terms of power. I've done a lot of research and have a friend that is Porsche factory certified to work on 914's (he's a friggin genius!). Basically I can do a 2.3L or 2.5L big bore kit (bigger pistons and cylinders), exhaust, headers, cams and take it from the stock 95hp to about 195hp (yes its true)!!! Thats a huge increase from the mods listed. Oh yeah, and my body kit is fiberglass so I've already done the calculations (kit replaces body panels, trunk lids, bumpers, etc) and am about 800-1000lbs lighter meaning around 1600lbs total! So, 0-60 will already be faster just from that huge weight decrease but, a rough estimate says that 1600lbs and 195hp means I will have 0-60 in about the 4.5-5.5sec range (too many factors to really be specific). I have pics if any of you guys want to see it. The main thing I am concerned about now is getting rid of my current wheels! The guy I bought the 914 from put on some chrome Cragars and the rear wheels completely kill the look of the car since they are in fact 15 or 14x12 in the rear!!! Yes, that is 12" wide in the rear!!! I really need to fix that because it makes it looks almost like a drag racer. The front wheels are fine though since they are about 7" wide, and they help fill out the increased profile from the body kit. Sorry to get off topic on this stuff guys. I get a little too enthusiastic, and type about 120+ wpm so I can type a little too much at times.

Dummy

warpseed B pipe would be nice.

DA-MAX

iTrader: (10)

hmmmm......300 @ the wheels, I think you'll need A LOT more than what you listed. just consider this...it takes full bolt-ons and an 80 shot just to make around ~220hp on the VG...if you figure you can get 140hp out of internals and on pump gas with no NOS, you'll be my hero! seriously though on all motor 300+ hp is a long shot w/o SERIUOS work!

DA-MAX

iTrader: (10)

actually you'll have to make close to 180+ to get to 300hp since the stock VG auto only makes about 125-130 to the wheels...like I said good luck, you WILL need it!

Shadow1198

iTrader: (1)

Damnit I'm doing it again! I don't mean 300FWHP I mean 300hp at the crank. Sorry guys. I got into this argument with my friend about horsepower at the wheels and crank so I've been confusing myself lately. 300hp at the crank isn't really unbelievable though. What do you think about 300hp at the crank? I mean, these are just estimates so there is no way to be specific until I actually get it done and dyno'd (that's pretty far from now!). I see what you mean now, though, because 300fwhp is like 340-360hp at the crank! Sorry for all the confusion.

Dummy

i forgot what company but a company sells a built na VG that makes 300hp to the wheels, only thing is....its $8,000

Shadow1198

iTrader: (1)

So, say it is 300hp at the crank. That's about 240hp at the wheels, right? I never could figure out what the percentage difference is; 15%, 20%? Oh yeah, and there is definitely not going to be ANY nitrous on my car (I don't want to say NAAAWWWSSS like ricers). All I know is that I am shooting for about 250hp at the crank so that I won't be disappointed if I fall up short. Though, I think I could get a little more than that out of it with everything done.

Shadow1198

iTrader: (1)

Dummy, that engine is made by Greg Hekimian at http://www.hekimianracing.com He's a really nice guy and I talked with him for at least 6 months about the possibilities of the VG. He does have that 300hp engine but its $8950 if memory serves me right. That is too expensive for me but, you have to remember that it has performance everything and the engine block, among other things, is cryo treated. Its not just a simple rebuilt engine with cams and heads or anything. Cryo treatment will turn the engine into a beast that can take a serious beating, and keep going! He's quite insane too! I talked with him a whole lot about a custom VG30 he said he could build. He said he could custom fit a Whipple s/c to a VG30 and it should be good for an easy 400hp on mild pullies (not sure how many lbs) but on 12lb pullies it would be around 550+hp!!! Though, after going through a daze for many weeks after being told I could get a 500+hp engine, I realized that it probably wouldn't be too street legal. First there is the problem of exhaust and emissions. Then you'd have to get a complete custom hood or no hood at all cause that s/c is definitely not fitting under the standard hood! You have to consider the source though. This guy said his daily driver is a '67 El Camino (I think '67) w/ a s/c blown 496bbl and 922hp AT THE WHEELS!!! So, quite obviously, he is insane.

Dummy

THAT IS INSANE! and thank you soooooomuch!!!!! i have been looking for that link FOREVER!

Shadow1198

iTrader: (1)

Your welcome. I bet They mean 300hp at the crank on that engine. I think compression was bumped up to 10.5 also. Either way, thats a whole lot of HP for it being n/a. If I'm able to get 240-250+hp then I will be more than happy! I only wish that Hekimian engine was about $4-$5k and then I'd definitely aim for getting it. All the cryo treatment probably adds the extra $2-$4k though. I just looked on his site though. I understand why its $9k now. Everything is balanced, the engine block at least has cryo treatment (not sure about other parts), and has a bunch of custom stuff like cams (he custom makes cams and heads). Basically, its a high perf. engine w/ everything done to insure durability/longevity (balancing, cryogenics, etc) so you are paying more for insurance, in a sense. If I had the money right now I'd buy it but, thats just too much for me right now.

DA-MAX

iTrader: (10)

why not get the 210hp Hekiman instead?? its only ~$4k and still streetable...if you're looking for streetability than the 300hp VG motor you plan to build isn't in the picture! not to mention torque steer will be pretty bad as well!

Shadow1198

iTrader: (1)

I already considered that 210hp engine (I thought it was 225hp) but thats out of the picture for me. I mean, what is the point of paying $4k for just 50hp?! The engine I am planning on building isn't exactly too powerful for the street or anything. I mean, its not like I am adding a s/c or anything. Cams, heads, port/polish, pistons, etc is just fine tuning the engine to be as efficient as possible. Just doing all the bolt ons will give a VG around 200hp at the crank (about a good 180-200hp) and that doesn't cost anywhere near $4k! Now if I do about $4-$5k of the mods I want to do, then I know I will end up with somewhere in excess of around 260hp at least. I mean, figure you get 200hp out of the bolt ons: I 5hp, Y 12hp, Cat 3hp, Muffler 3hp, ECU 15hp. Thats 38hp more at the crank, meaning about 200hp total at the crank. Now, add polish/port, heads, cams, pistons (bumps the compression up to about 10.5) and a bunch of other various parts and another 60+hp isn't unbelievable. Plus it makes your Maxima happy! I'd be happy with anywhere from 250-300hp. I just want enough that it makes my VG extremely fast for a sedan and easily sets me apart from any of the ricers I usually see.

Dummy

hey, where is this 210hp vg for $4k?

DA-MAX

iTrader: (10)

hmmmm.....from my experience....full bolt-ons(I/Y/E/AFC/MSD/UDP/P&P/Cams) yeilds about ~160/170 at the wheels in an auto and mid 15's(15.5/.6s) in the 1/4th. now this was on a 3rd gen with a non-modified tranny....I think if my buddy would have gotten the VB and TC and rebuilt the tranny, it would have been on the same level as Skymax's old VG, but either way making 250 to the wheels is a BIG challenge....I know you don't want to use forced induction, but seriously a strongly built eninge w/ 10.5 compression and a 100 shot of NOS will get you there and past and still be somewhat street legal! you're on the right path, but 250 to the wheels is gonna be a stretch w/o the juice!


and Dummy, contact Greg Hekimein, he'll tell you about the $4k eninge, he doesn't advertise it on the page! that good thing about it is it is still streetable!

JoJo428m

Does any of us have NOS in our Maxs anyway??

Shadow1198

iTrader: (1)

Da-Max, when I said 200hp w/ all the bolt ons, I meant at the crank. Also, when I said 250hp, I also meant at the crank (about 200fwhp). I think we are saying the same thing because 200hp at the crank is about 160-170fwhp, right? I know what you mean though. Making such a big amount of HP is definitely a challenge but, its not like it is too insanely hard to do or anything. Oh yeah, and another reason I am going with all the mods I am doing is because I would rather build the engine myself then pay $4k and have someone else do it for me. Its just more fun that way. You're right though, I definitely want to keep it n/a. I mean don't get me wrong, a turbo would be a whole lot of fun but that's quite a bit more advanced and a little out of my league at the moment.

I think I forgot to mention but, the reason I'm doing this all myself is because I have a good friend that is going to help me out. He is a genius with cars and has been a mechanic for 20+ yrs. He also used to have 4 of his own car shops and has worked on nearly every car known to man. I'm not kidding, here's some of the cars he's mentioned working on: Jaguar, BMW, Porsche, VW, Nissan, Toyota, Acura, Honda, Chevy, Ford, Lotus, Citroen, Renault, Lancia (I think he worked on a couple), Maserati, Mercedes, a couple Lamborghini's (I'm not kidding!), and too many other cars to list. I do know a great deal and could do a lot of the work myself but, having a friend with such experience is a great resource and certainly would provide a ton of help. Plus, he's got an industrial sized air compressor and a crap load of air-tools among other helpful items. So, basically I have a friend with his own personal garage (no hydraulic lift unfortunately!) so that makes everything a whole lot easier. Sorry for the long posts guys!

Shadow1198

iTrader: (1)

Hey Dummy, I just saw from your profile that you are in Austin. We should meet sometime! I live in the Manchaca area.

DA-MAX

iTrader: (10)

yeah, I'm not downing you project at all, matter of fact I'm all for it and I feel you on doing it yourself, thats the best part!!! but making that much of an increase is gonna be a major stretch. and if you're looking for a good company to share ideas with and get some good priced parts check with--> http://www.racetep.com/z510card.html

they deal specifically with Nissans(VG30E parts, as well as some others), they helped me a little with my project and they seem tho ahve some good deals on parts and services too .

Shadow1198

iTrader: (1)

Thanks for the compliments! Yeah, 250+hp is definitely a large leap. Its going to take a lot of custom stuff and I'll definitely need to figure out exactly what to do about the fuel/ignition systems to handle that much power. I think simply using 300zx injectors might work for the fuel part but, finding out is definitely going to be part of the fun! First though, I really need to get all the bolt-ons before I even think about doing all these engine mods. I should be doing the intake and whole exhaust really soon, after I make a decision on what muffler to get. I still think Nissan should have done the right thing the 1st time around and given us a 3.2L dohc 230hp engine w/ a factory option for a 3.6L 280hp engine! Maybe I'm just a little too obsessed with Porsches and their flat 6's though. Still, 3rd gens should have come stock with at least 200hp to really make good on the 4dsc moniker (VE's are definitely much closer).

93maxVG

We always joke, sayin that exact same thing......white windshield wipers.....they add like 20hp

Shadow1198

iTrader: (1)

Don't forget the yellow stickers! Stickers add a good 200-300hp at the wheels. Also, you can't forget the half primered car w/ a bigmouth bumper and wild body kit. You know how much that improves the aerodynamic drag coefficient. We are talking like 200-250mph speeds possible with just the stickers alone! j/k Oh yeah, and listen to what some idiot told me. This dumbass said he was going to coat the body of his car in teflon because it would make air flow over it easier so he could accelerate faster. WTF??!??!?!!!! I cannot believe the stupidity of some people.

foxraul13

TEFLON.. sounds like an interesting MOd, If you add the TEFLON coating on teh maxima body then you couls also, add some pancake batter and we could WIPP up some MAXIMA FLAP JACKS!!!!!!!!! AWWYEAH. letme see a crappy honda cook pankacaks on thier hoods! Pass tha syrup please!