Hey Veeky Forums, I've been lurking for about 8 years as user (since college). I come and go, don't spend a TON of time on here. Figured I would see if anyone had any questions. I co-own Houston Z Auto. My partner is the mechanical brains and I am the business side (with some mechanical knowledge). Feel free to ask me anything about starting a performance shop. We currently specialize in all Nissan/Infiniti, but work on lifted trucks, normal cars, porsche, BMW, pretty much whatever. We also have built many high hp cars. We have a race car that is about 830whp on baby tune and it weighs about 2,600 lbs. We build tons of customers cars with high HP. We have a few shop cars that hit 500-700whp that have full interiors, ac etc. also. Ask me anything and if not, pic thread!
Hey Veeky Forums, I've been lurking for about 8 years as user (since college). I come and go...
Our old drift car. It's been parted out now
Are you the guys on Fallbrook? I go by all the time on my way to the track. A buddy I stay with lives right there on Gessner
How much for your cheapest 300ZX TT.
Oh I guess it's Windfern
We are close to that, yes. Windfern/1960. Stop by sometime and say high or just take a look at the cars. We have people that stop in all the time just to look at current projects. Shop always slows down this time of year.
Not sure what you mean? We sometimes sell them, but we generally build them for customers.
your boys told me they didn't know what a "test pipe" was when i needed one welded. i went somewhere else lmao
Hmmm... Who did you talk to? We've been in business a long time and build a lot of cars, we all most certainly know what a test pipe is. Are you sure you weren't an autist that we just didn't want to deal with? 99% of the time you will talk to the other owner, and he's been doing this a very long time.
I can't imagine the patience you need to deal with cars that are
-extremely unreliable to begin with
-loaded with aftermarket parts
-modified by their owners who then take them to you when they fuck up
I actually interviewed at a similar shop that specializes in Evos but didn't move forward since I didn't think I could do it after seeing how the shop ran, I would get too frustrated. Do you just slap someone with 30 hours of labor when rescuing their disaster project? I can't imagine a lot of your customers have very much money. What is your shop rate?
I've been looking for a 300ZX TT that's in relatively decent condition for a while. I live in Dallas and the cheapest I've ever seen one up for was around ~12k. Was curious what you'd charge because I just walk away from them for that price cause I could get a used 370 or an STi for that money.
>Drift spec z32
Nice. What engine was it running?
They are actually pretty reliable WHEN MAINTAINED. (and the oil issues fixed). 99% of the problems come from people buying them and not putting any money into them. So they fall apart and sell them broken.
GOOD thing is, a lot of the poor people are getting away from them so most of the people with money are now restoring and building them. We charge $115/hr for specialty work and as low as $85/hr for basic shit. We calculate all labor hours before we start based on book rate or experience in the past. If they are okay with it we begin work, if not they take the car. We do a LOT of restoration work over time, it's not usually all at once. Suspension one visit. Engine next time. interior later. etc etc.
VG30
That engine is now in a different car and we parted out the rest. We didn't build the exterior, we got it that way. though we do have that same wide body kit in the shop.
i was referred to your shop by a friend, and figured i'd give it a shot. if that was your way of turning away a customer with money, i don't care. plenty of shops out there that will take my money, deliver my car, and thank me for choosing them over someone like you.
>370
350, sorry.
A TT Z platform is miles better than a 370z if you are looking for a high HP car. For a DD, the 370 is better. $12k is for a NICE one. Buy a $5k one with some problems and put $10k into it, we can have your car in tip top shape and probably 600whp, depends on what all you want and it needs.
Haha what an autist, did you leave a scathing yelp review too?
Nah I'm an autist that likes matching VINs, bone stock. So maybe I will be looking at 12k for one. I've considered doing an N/A into a single turbo but my main interest is in building a collection of cars I saw in Mid Night Club features because that shit got me into cars and the older Z's that ran with them were GOAT.
Okay? You can't tell me who you talked to so not sure what I can do. We also don't really want to spend time welding up peoples pipes. It's a lot of time and takes us off other work for no money. We're not an exhaust shop. We turn away things that waste time/money. We're a performance shop not a fabrication shop (though we fab stuff for customers cars as needed). Sorry man, it's business. You bring in your car for car work and we'll do it. Bring us shit to weld, we'll turn it away. I also highly doubt that someone said they "didn't know" what a test pipe was. There was probably a misunderstanding and they said something like "we don't weld or make test pipes." But I hope you found a shop that works for you. Run to IDB, Power Fab, M Performance, KP racing and ask them to just weld a test pipe, they will probably say the same thing.
NA to TT will lift heads if you go too powerful and doing a single turbo is....mehhhhh.... on a Z. Our buddies at power fab built two. Bane. We make more power, more reliably, with a better power band with twins. A lower mileage stock TT that is maintained can make a great DD, it will run you about $12-$15k to get one like that.
Alright, good to actually talk to someone who knows their shit. Sorry if I'm not the usual kind of guy you're used to, my friends always give me shit for being a "purist". Ya'll stay safe and have fun alright?
Man I know your just dicking around on the sub, but no self respecting business owner would acuse potential costumers of being Autists in any setting. I'm from the area as well, but knowing that that's how you hold yourself in regards to your professionalism is enough to guarantee I'll never be going to you for my projects.
Oh no problem. We have quite a few long time customers that are purist with mostly stock cars. I don't recommend a 350z for anything really (except a beater track car). Thanks man, be safe out there.
>on the sub
Is this Reddit speak? Seems like he's doing himself a favor driving away spergs
>Being this upset on a Mongolian basket weaving bazaar
Welcome to an anonymous posting site where the co-owner could be a fucking autist with a camera who walked by and wanted attenti/o/n for all we know. Stop being a little bitch.
Okay. And if you can take an autist joke on Veeky Forums, you would not be a good customer to us. Our customers hang out after we close and drink beers with us and joke around. The great thing about owning a business is we say who we want our customers to be, and we want people we like. It would be cool if you came and hung out with us to get a sense, but if joking around on a nip board makes you hate us this much we can recommend some other shops for you (not sarcasm btw). Let me know if you want the names of some other shops that may be more your speed.
can't take*
Good for you guys for making a living in the tough aftermarket scene. I am sick of seeing cars get destroyed by your mods but after all, it is the customer's money.
I for one, think swangas are pretty kek
Even we cringe sometimes when asked to do stuff to cars. But we also restore a lot of them back to road worthyness. Saved a few from the junk yard etc. We do more than just Z's, my partner is just, simply, the best with them. So they are our bread and butter.
RIP Pimp C
do you also drink beers and joke around with your UPS guy? or do you just want the package you paid for to get delivered
Any customers come in with H2s? If I was gonna bro truck I'd an H2 but what do you do about their anemic engine? Any diesel swap projects?
I for one enjoy a conversation with the mail man, the janitor, the groundskeeper at my apartment complex and those around me, but then again I enjoy people
You guys insured? You do everything or specialize?
worth going forged internals or throw a twin screw supercharger, proper tune and cross your fingers??
What do you think of the z31 turbo as an only car. I love the ÆTHSTETICS, but I fear that it would be very unreliable and cost 2k+ a year in maintence.
Wow you really are an autist.
Our UPS guy is awesome. He doesn't get beer because we don't drink during work hours. But he plays with our dogs, gets food, and we joke around with him. Same with the tool guys/gals. Oreillys drivers. Other shop owners etc. In fact one of our old parts guys was at my partners wedding because we still keep in touch.
You autistic fuck, there's a difference between a goddamn delivery driver and a mechanic.
t. Man-who-takes-the-bait
>It's my injun name
i do too, except when they tell me they don't know what packing tape is
No H2's yet. We've done some dieseld dodges and fords. One of our mechanics is a HUGE ford truck guy. He has like...4? I think. The h2 .... honestly we used to HATE it. Then we got stuck off roading one day DEEP in the woods, and an H2 saved us TWICE. Nothing but respect for those now.
>Want a low return job done
>They say the don't want to do those kinds of jobs
>Dude is recommending other places
>"B-but muh test pipe"
Post ferds
We ALL "mehhh" the Z31. Honestly it is shittier in every way than a z32. Not even a debate. That being said, they are OKAY but most are trash now. We do however have a fondness for any low mile stock Z31. Just plan to fix a lot of suspension and bushings shit. A lot have overheating problems too. Again, maintenance is key with all z's.
kek
after a while most shops don't want to do extra work for your "project" ie been turned down plenty of times for my build choices
What are the odds if I brought
UPS guys aren't allowed to drink
You would be best customer.
I don't think I have any pics of them on my laptop. Our mechanic David would be the one to talk to about that stuff. I have some titan pics lol.
my cousin is a driver, i dont understand how these guys have time to chat, my cousin is driving left and right same fucking route everyday.. that job is just to busy man and if you fuck up a delivery well its on you
Forgot to say
>I have our ford van pics that I've posted before on here.
Would you reccomend a NA z32 over a turbo z31. They go for around the same price in my area.
Yes? I'm good friends with the mailman that works my block. We shoot the shit about cars all the time.
For a DD yes. My old NA had 260k miles with no major issues. Just get your belt done on time! But it will NEVER be fast (unless lots of nitrous).
How much do you think it would cost to build a l28et capable of 350 hp? I have done some reading and I don't think it would take too much.
Any suggestion on what trans and diff setup I should be looking for?
Also do you think It would be possible to tune the exhaust setup so the engine doesn't sound like a diesel truck?
Who told you it has an anemic engine?
I borrow my dad's quite a bit when my car's in the shop, and it doesn't ever feel anemic. Around 400hp off the engine, and while it isn't all that fast, it can get up and go when you stomp on it.
Also, completely bone stock it gets 11.5 combined. Average of 12-13 on the highway and 8-9 city.
Also, don't let anyone tell you that it isn't a MONSTER off-road. It will wreak havoc in mud, snow, or sand.
Sorry my partner would be better to answer the trans and diff question. However to get 350 HP from the l28 you can leave the block stock. Big intercool, good head studs, and e85. Then a nistune or whatever (depends on the car it's in). And yes you can make the exhaust sound different but it's a lot of trial and error, you are better off finding what someone else did you like and copying it.
what I meant to say, at a shop like yours, what would y'all charge if I had a fully built 302 and everything to swap it into my truck? It is pretty much just a bolt up deal, and I am beginning to collect all the parts. I can build the engine in a storage unit, but to swap everything over is a bit beyond my tooling, my skill level and my time.
It's a pretty big engine bay and you wouldn't really have to plumb anything other than the inline fuel pump on the wall, and even that is really nothing.
the l28et would be going in my S30. what is a nistune? Do you think 350hp is a reliable amount? does it need a bigger turbo? any particular year I should be looking for? I have heard the 83zx has the best engine. and a 5 speed t5 trans with a z31 r200 diff is my current plan.
We do that all the time. RB 300zx's, sr datsuns, etc etc. We basically charge the labor for a general engine swap, then estimate the hours of "extra" shit it will take to get it right. We will also make you sign a paper that says if we start it up and it's blown up, not our problem. Like 5 times people have brought in garbage motors, we literally just drop them in, start them up, and they have knock. And five time, it was "a perfect motor, you guys messed up!!!... But no I never heard it running before...." Which we didn't. If we did we would rebuild it and apologize. Those swaps can get out of control fast, so just make sure you know EXACTLY what is needed. Relay that to the shop, and plan for SOMETHING to not fit how the internet said it would.
yeah that's a reliable amount. Over 400 wheel you should consider building it. No turbo needed for that amount unless the one you have is fucked. Years, I can't really help you there sorry. Nistune is an ecu programmer for nissan. You will probably end up with megasquirt. GET IT DYNO TUNED. PAY THE MONEY!!!
r200 should be fine.
Well my plan is to just pull a roller motor out of a junkyard crash damaged explorer, mod the top end with valves, cam, intake, springs, a dizzy, carb and some sweet boomer tier valvecovers because I dream of stupid shit like that.
Most expensive parts of those kinds of swaps (some or all may not apply)
>custom motor mount shit
>custom trans shit
>drive shafts
>oil pan clearance problems
>wiring if not plug and play harness
Those are usually the big problems. The rest is easily dealt with.
I've been reading the 2003-04 have around 300hp, 05-07 got 325hp, 08-09 had a complete remake. With a near 400hp 6.2 and a new 6 speed over the 4. Problem is that's when the economy shit itself and not many sold. What year did you have?
I am certainly considering getting one, probably an older one just to try, if I fall in love then shell out for a late model.
only problem I will have is
>oil pan clearance problems
I can bolt directly to the C6 auto already in there, and I have factory motor towers to hook up to the frame. It is pretty much just a drop in and carbureted so there's no engine management or anything.
Oh that's easy. Your probably looking at the book hours on an engine swap. Just call up local shops and ask how many labor hours to do a swap, they can tell you within a few minutes. I can't look it up right now since I'm at home.
Pic because yolo
Why do you not post in /hou/?
I want a z32. Y'all sell em?
neat I will do that. I plan on driving in with EVERYTHING in the bed of the truck, swap, then drive home.
>assuming that murphy's law doesn't apply to me.
Not sure is serious.
And yes on occasion. We have one for sale right now that we just restored, needs paint though. Has a lot of cool shit on it though. We were going to paint it, but we are selling it for a bit less and figured the new owner could paint it however they wanted.
How many coins do they go for?
nightwave is cool senpai, post sometime
The one we have right now : (sorry for FB link) facebook /media/set/?set=a.889183481218589.1073741871.585776684892605&type=3
381whp without e85.
you should look over HybridZ, people have very detailed work on there for L28ET builds.
also i hope you dont flare your s30.
Dad's is an '03, got it 4 years ago with 50k miles for $17,500. Not sure of the displacement, but it has the Vortec with around 400hp. They're decent for DD if you can afford the gas mileage, heated leather seats (front AND back), but the interior is kinda shitty. Leather has to be hardcore taken care of or it tears like a motherfucker, and the plastics are shit. Wish I had some pictures of my dad's interior.
But nobody buys a Hummer for the interior, I guess.
I'd say definitely buy one if you have the cash for it, but watch out for Limp Mode (cuts engine power and limits to around 7 MPH) and the auto-inflator system. I call it auto-inflator, not sure of the official term, but it keeps all the tires at optimal tire pressure while the vehicle's on. My dad's went out, but it's also beat to shit, so there's that.
I'm finished with my novel now.
Hello, Houston Z Auto. I'm fresh out of high school with zero skills and no automotive knowledge outside of basic maintenance, driving stick, and sick Veeky Forums memes.
Give me work please
Also I live in NW Houston, forgot to mention
We don't have any shop boy positions open right now. But reach out to us every few months, we might. Basically you do shit work (clean, organize, etc) and we slowly teach you about cars and mechanicing. If you last a month, cool. If you can last two years, we can make you a top tier mechanic. Pay goes from shit, to decent, to good once you get more capable and are an asset and not a drain on the other mechanics.
Forgot to mention, try C.A.R.S. on 249/cutten area. (craigs auto repair). He occasionally needs shop boys, and I know about 5 guys personally who started there and 5 years later they are working at some nice shops doing crazy builds. I don't know if he's hiring but call on monday and ask. You gotta put in the work. I might even stop by on occasion and say hi. Craig is crazy and awesome.
>Swapping engines to get +2 cubic inches
>Swapping to a more easily modifiable engine with nearly unlimited aftermarket options
Displacement isn't everything, user
What do you think of Z Shack?
Thanks man, I'll definitely hit him up. Thanks a lot, again.
Can I work for you for shit pay? I just want to learn about cars. Not the user you're replying to, but I'm also local to Houston.
Pls. I'll do anything, I'm willing to learn, as long as I can get a proof of income I don't care too much about the amount starting out.
pls
I used to own a Z32, the engine grenaded.
>Old Nissan
>unreliable
haha
How did you niggers hear about Veeky Forums? What's a (what I assume to be) respectable shop doing on 4chins? No one here actually does shit.
What do you guys think about IDB racing? How many other performance shops are there in that cluster of buildings?
I would but we have a full staff and no money for another person. Not counting the pay alone, it is expensive to hire more employees.
>payroll
>taxes
>shirts
>time lost to training (this is multiplied x2, 1hr to the tech who has to teach you, 1hr lost on another job he could be working on)
>fixing mistakes
Etc. At $17k a year ($8/hr) it's actually closer to $40k a year all said and done. Like I told the other user, we do hire shop boys on occasion. Some are good to work alone within a year some take 3 years. We've trained quite a few guys that we are still friends with. Check in with us every few months. Ask for Dane and ask if he has a "shop boy" position open. It is SHIT WORK for about a year. Be prepared. Check with us in February of 2017.
NP, the above applies to you as well
I started coming to Veeky Forums in 2005ish. Veeky Forums for a while. I was here a LONG time ago and still check in on occasion. 90% of the people here are fucking retarded and have no idea what they are talking about, but it gives us a good pulse on what young kids are into. And, nostalgia. I user in about 3 times a month.
Forgot trip, it's me.
IDB is great. Will is VERY GOOD on euro cars and italians. And he's SUPER good at honda (it's how he got started). I like him a ton and his crew seems very good. He doesn't put up with shit from customers though (neither do we). We say it will take 2 days, don't show up in 8 hours asking when it will be done.
Power Fab moved recently to Louetta. They mostly do American cars now. KP racing is down the road and very good for american and some asian. Serious HP, don't know them, but was just at a dyno last night where their mustang did 900whp before the SC belt started to slip. You have Jtran for newer nissans, but I don't like the owner much. Awesome Z is good for old scool shit. M motorsports or whatever just off louetta is very good on bimmers and shit.
pls respond
Never even heard of them. If they aren't breaking records like us, Z1, and specialty Z they need to do some work. We've been incorporated for about 4 years but building Z's for 10.
They've specialized in Z32s since 1998, and I think they have the record for fastest NA Z32 build, and have a few builds over 1000 hp.
facebook/Zshack-825692477498541/
I actually only heard of Houston Z through them.
Hmm I've never heard of them. And we have the record for fastest street legal NA non nitrous Z32 as far as I know, but there's not official way to know. Escort racing is the fastest but it's a drag car with nitrous and shit. I looked them up, nothing looks familiar about them. I'm sure they are good at what they do.
Just texted my partner before I hit post. He knows them, quote from text "z32 only, guy is smart but old. It's a side business of his. Smaller operation than it looks."
Go back to >>reddit
Thanks for the info. I haven't heard of a tire inflation system on them at all but I know any and all air systems develope issues. I started seeing them when gas got cheap and they aren't as huge as they are made out to be, at least compared to modern trucks now that everything is quad cab.
And in full disclosure, I was just talking to my partner.
Z1 eeked us by a couple 10th's without nitrous and no one told me :(. Now you have me and my budd talking about building another NA to take the record back.
whats your favourite car (non nissan)
Super/Hyper car
New Mclaren
Attainable but super expensive
Ford GT, New snek, or 550 Maranello
Attainable
Z06, or 911 Turbo (slant nose)
Opinion on the A80?
Played out, easy to hit 1000whp, can't put it down, over priced as fuck, way better cars for the money today.
Me and my buddy from another shop were talking about these tonight actually. Laughing at how god damn expensive they are but they aren't anything special anymore. That's why the prices are falling. That being said, if they were $15-20k cars I would like them. But an NA for $30k LOL no way. So much cool shit I could build just with the money to but that.
>assuming you mean supra and are not memeing me.
>90% of the people here are fucking retarded and have no idea what they are talking about, but it gives us a good pulse on what young kids are into.
Pretty interesting. Veeky Forums and every board is an accurate and uncensored window for most trends.