NWP Engineering rocks. That's a pretty safe statement to make here in the 5th Gen forum. In addition to crafting quality parts, Aaron has cultivated a great reputation as a professional businessman, and a decent guy. Personally, I love what his phenolic spacers have done for my '03 6MT. I'm convinced his VIAS-delete mod is worth pursuing for a modified 3.5, and his new torque link connecting rod is getting excellent reviews. I'll be pursuing both of those mods next Spring, 2010.

Right now I think the 5.5 Maxima is in a sweet-spot for modifications. It's a relatively common vehicle that gives a great bang-for-your-buck, and it's a platform that accepts mods well. That, and its used car age puts it in the hands of the right target audience.

So I got to thinking... if I were Aaron, I'd be looking for ways to take additional advantage of the next few years, to expand the NWP product line while it's hot. But with what?

Any ideas, guys? What products would you like to see out of NWP?


- - [updated 07.01.2011 for the 5.0 gen shift ****/STS idea] - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Here's the list within, categorized but otherwise in no particular sequence, compiled solely as a brainstorming activity, and nothing else.

Aaron, if you're reading this... I apologize for messing in your sandbox. We just like your stuff and want more of it.


ENGINE

• 2-piece STS Kit, like the old Watkins short-throw shifter adapter, with a powdercoated, hardened-steel pivot-arm bracket.
• Cold Air shielding for SRI (See post 172)
• Single-piece Short Ram from TB to Filter
• Cold-air scoop integrated into the fender shield
• Cold-air hood scoop or vent
• Oil Catch Can
• Crank Pulley
• 3" ID MAF tube in various lengths with or without breather hole
• Big-bore MAF Housing
• 5.0 Gen MAF IAT upgrades for 5.5 Gen
• Ported Heads & Intake Manifold (as a product, whole or trade)
• Throttle Body Spacer
• Under-hood, Roots-style Supercharger Kit

SUSPENSION

• Fender Braces
• Front Strut Tower Brace (like the old Cattman Ti-bar)
• Traction bars
• Engine anti-roll brace
• Rear-engine Torque Link Connector Rod
• Subframe Connectors
• Coilovers
• Rear Anti-roll bar
• Lowering Springs

EXHAUST

• Affordable Headers
• 3.0” Exhaust
• 3.5" Exhaust
• 3.0” Test-Pipe
• Fitted Test-Pipe with a cut-out, manual or electronic

OTHER

• A NWP-branded shift ****.
• A short-shifter for the 5.0 Gen.
• NWP-branded Dead-Pedal
• Seat rail extenders to push the driver seat back further
• Front-Lip (better then Stillen)
• Wheel Spacers
• Cross-drilled & Slotted Rotors
• Anything for improved air flow…
• Anything for improved heat management…
• Anything NWP makes…

 

I have the NWP spacers- Now thats some quality stuff, worth every penny.

 

this one is going to take some thinking over...im trying to think what else the car would need and what would be in their line of work that would make them profit...


maybe. . .
1.traction rods?
2.pulley? (stretching for ideas on this one)


how about you rochester? you made the thread

 

I need some soon.. Aaron is a great person to deal with and has great engineering. Anything he produces I would invest in.

 

Its such an easy install and the pulling power on the highway is unbelievable.

when are you going to do the spark plugs?

 

Not sure. I have to replace my clutch/flywheel soon. After that I will most likely do the spacers and spark plugs.. Maybe Feb/Mar..

 

A short ram intake using a box (w/heat shielding) around the filter and a tube to deliver cold air from a high pressure zone (front of vehicle, perhaps the cowl).

edit: it should also incorporate a velocity stack; preferably as an individual piece to lower filter replacement costs.

 

What are traction rods?

Pulley... yeah, since the UR crank pulley is so expensive now, that's not bad.


I'd like to see something in the area of suspension and handling. Isn't it strange that ES doesn't sell front/rear motor mount inserts?

Or how about a new MAF housing, with the 5.0 gen MAF sensor already upgraded with the 5.5 IAT?

I bet NWP could sell a warehouse full of FSTB's, if he engineered one like Cattman's old Ti-bar.


A NWP short-ram... that's not bad. There are a million opinions about air intakes, so it would be good to see a single, highly tested and efficient product from a trusted manufacturer.


See, now that's the kind of customer loyalty that's as good as printing money. I think NWP is at the stage where this kind of response can be leveraged into new product.

 

I would like them to use my car to test their products and give me them for free

 

glad you're liking em!

how about a 3 inch exhaust with dual tips that'll come out faster than CustomMaxima's..

 

I think he probably meant traction bars, which would be an excellent idea which in fact another vendor is in the process of developing. IMHO, however, our cars get plently of traction off the line with ES motor mount and the torque link.
What would I like to see in the future from NWP? Hmmmmm....Good question. How about a ported and polished cylinder heads, LIM and UIM combo for my N/A engine.

 

Aren't all those available from Cosworth already?

 

He asked what I would like to see from NWP and I answered.

 

Wheels spacers?
FSTB?
Personally I would love to get a cheaper crank pulley.
Bigger MAF housing.

 

I think a custom shortram midpipe and heatshield would be great. could a throttle body spacer be developed for a 5.5 as well?

 

To do what... extend the TB away from the intake plenum a bit more?

For what purpose?

 

Def a big MAF housing I can drop my stock probe into. And a 3" intake pipe.

Normally the TB spacer is used to increase the intake charge velocity and "spin" the charge (using a vortex shape inside it) to help improve atomization when it reaches the intake manifold.

Worthless.

 

A 3" testpipe like the 240 guys have or a shortened-height shifter for the 6MT guys...I would be the first to purchase this.

FSTB similar to Brian's bar would probably sell as well.

It seems as if the 5.5's really respond well to any type of modification that allows greater air flow or heat dispersion. Anything in that realm I'm sure would do well.

 

roots supercharger kit

 

I am enjoying NWP's spacers and engine torque link, FTW!

I like the idea of traction bars and a custom NWP FSTB...

 

I'm with 2slow on the intake idea! But i think i'm going to go ahead and make my own. Can't wait.

 

Rear anti-roll bar, intake that makes dyno proven power

 

Anything with performance within affordable price range than handling.

 

they have them for the 350 Z, same thing just most companies don't market it under maxima

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/OBX-T...Q5fAccessories

Short Height shifter
http://forums.maxima.org/5th-generat...r-5-5-gen.html

 

Ok...

 

That's a fact. Are you thinking of anything in particular, MIK3?

 

rochester- you were asking about the traction rods-- i figured since they are alot like the tq link in terms of parts maybe they would be able to produce these eaisly

http://forums.maxima.org/6th-generat...tion-rods.html

http://forums.maxima.org/advanced-su...ants-some.html

^^ some reading material

but yeah to keep this going these are all some great ideas but where is NWP on all this

rochester.. you should make a # list in your first post with everyones ideas and keep it updated and then maybe aaron will chime in and tell us were all crazy

 

How about lowering springs?

Subframe connectors.

Coilovers.

 

intake for sure. one that boosts torque and hp.

 

Man what is with people who want "dyno proven" intakes that increase everything.

 

Because I am visual person, how about something like this:


With something like this directing air towards it:


And one of these under the filter:


And market it with some dyno numbers to prove the awesomenessss.

 

Is that even a question? Why would I buy a performance part that is not dyno proven?

Especially if Im buying a performance intake, its not some regular intake. Im spending extra money for performance so I should be able to see what performance I'm getting.

 

I don't buy intakes for the sound. I didn't buy the VIAS block plate until I saw dyno pulls.

 

After endless debate, stock airboxes on 5th/5.5 gens are not the weakest point of the car. And the gains of common intakes NOT including the Injen (which is a crap mod no matter what) are near-negligible. You'll see increased response on the road with a JWT or Berk or PR-style just on the basis of velocity stack and cone style filter (read: more effective filter area).

Unless you have a larger MAF housing/intake pipe and the supporting mods to go with it (AFC, wideband, empty road... ) you won't see actual whp gains.

 

I feel like you are beating around the bush, I'm not attacking quality of intakes and gains in general. I personally stand by the stock air box with holes drilled and a K&N drop in filter.

The point is you should never purchase a performance part without seeing some dyno runs.

I could put on the market and intake for our cars that claims 50 whp and torque...
See where I'm going with this?

Dynos are in essence the seals of authenticity needed for the seller to make a decision.

 

Back on topic, Nwp seems to favor metal based/rubber based products so why not some sway bars?

 

Your point is valid. But if you do 3 pulls on a car with no variables changed, you still get different numbers due to heat soak and other variables that affect horsepower (measurement error probably)

Now say on Run 1, you do a pull. On Run 2, you switch intakes. You see a gain. Switch to another aftermarket intake, and do another pull. You see a different horsepower figure.

You don't know how the other issues around the car are affecting this. Which since you're testing an intake (whos purpose, as everyone knows is to suck in air) is one of the more variable issues. Especially when your hood is up and you've got a huge fan blowing into the bay. With these issues, how do you dyno "prove" an intake?

As opposed to headers, or NWP plate/spacers or tuning you see horsepower gains that are large enough to justify purchase for other people, inspite of other variables like heat soak etc.

And yeah, back on topic. Sorry for the...wall of text

 

Im always thinking i wanna upgrade my cooling system. i already had an aluminum radiator on my maxima. but that doesnt work quite efficiently without cooler thermostat and aluminum shroud.

 

Okay I see where you are coming from here. My answer would be to dyno the car with the stock intake and a basic average filter. Do maybe 5-6 pulls for consistency. Then swap in the new intake, drive the car a few miles so the computer can "get used to it" then go do another 5-6 runs with the new intake. Of course cool down times in between would help. With enough pulls if there is an increase a trend should become apparent.

You could also use a test car with full exhaust, as we all know air flow mods tend to be supportive. On a stock car an intake may only see increases of 1-2 whp but on a car with performance exhaust you may see differences of up to 8 whp. So you could definitely dyno prove the intake.

Intakes are always the first "exploration" mod if you will and are a good stepping stone for people new to modding. Its one of the easiest performance mods to understand and sadly there is no reasonably priced after market intake specifically built for 5th gens. The best intake for the money is definitely the GBA mod with a K&N filter. The next best intake that would cost more would be a home made intake, 3 inch home depot piping and a high performance/high flow air filter.

I could build a custom intake for less the cost of any after market intake out there for our cars and get the same if not better numbers. Thus the opportunity is definitely there for Nwp if they can make an intake that gives as good or better gains than any after market intake out there and is cheaper.

Basically take the home made cheaper option intake set up and polish it up a bit to turn into a marketable product.

 

There ya go. That makes more sense.

More runs will help consistency, but IMO for intakes, true performance has to be measured on the strip. The tradeoff between different pipe lengths, filter placement, velocity stack etc will show in your ETs and trap speeds. Also it'll give you an appropriate environment for the intake to perform. IE; realistic speeds, hood down (hopefully )

This is why I suggested a 3" intake pipe/MAF housing. I want and will pay for this, because that's the only way to get gains. More volume FTW.

And a JWT was my first mod.