ok just say the Z is stock right? should i go for
-air intake kit
-full racing exhaust from turbo back
-front mount medium size intercooler

or...

-air intake kit
-full racing exhaust from turbo back
-performance ECU

which package is better for the first step modification? thanx

You're never going to need a front mount intercooler unless you plan on making 800+rwhp or something along those lines. Side mounts have been proven to make more power than front mounts on a Z32. The stock Z32 intercoolers will do fine until you get past 500rwhp. What you want is:

-A single cone intake, JWT popcharger is a highly recommended unit. A dual cone intake make look like its about twice as badass but it really does barely anything for you over just a single cone power wise until you get upwards of 400rwhp.

-Cat back, Borla makes a good system, HKS, and couple of others. At this point the 1 or two horsepower difference between systems is pretty much irrelevant. The ambient air temperatue makes more difference than that.

-ECU, there is really only two names here, the AshSpec from Z1 Motorsports and the Jim Wolf Technology ECU. Both have good things said about them, Jim Wolfs has been around alot longer. Both have just about every upgrade chip you'll ever need once you start getting into larger fuel injectors and such, but thats down the line. With the ECU will come boost jets that will raise the max psi to 12-14ish by blocking some of the air flow to the wastegates. Need to get an aftermarket boost gauge at this point.

Thats your basic Stage 3 Z32 Twin Turbo. Should be good for about 300-330rwhp depending on condition of the car and other factors. Price can run from $1200ish-$2000ish depending on what brands you get and where you get it from. Z1 Motorsports has the basic upgrade package (intake, cat-back, and their AshSpec ECU) for $1100+shipping. Thats about as cheap as it will get.

To go beyond this you can do:

-Downpipes, although you have to drop the transmission to install them, by replacing your stock pre-cats with these you'll remove one of the more restrictive parts of your exhaust and really help your turbos spool. They run about $500 although there was a post about a group buy some where for $300.

-Test pipes with high flow cats (because it still has to pass emissions right?), these will help in the same way the down pipes will, maybe not as much though. This will run you about $500 as well.

-Underdrive pulley, reduces rotating mass and lessens the load on the engine, give you about 10-15hp in the top end. The one everyone gets is from Unorthodox racing and can be found just about everywhere. A crank pulley with belts is about $200, the full set about twice that.

And as far as simple power upgrades that just about does it. After this you have to start upgrading fuel injectors, ECU again, dual intake, turbos, and etc to take your Z to the next level.

broke is right on. do intake, then exhaust, then ecu, but you could also throw the underdrive pulley in there. and keep with the sidemounts.

-Jared

You know, this is like the third time I've typed all that out this week, I think I'll just make a list of all this crap I've been writing over and over and give it to Sam to sticky.

WARNING! MY ADVICE IS DANGEROUS! I AM A CORRUPTIVE INFLUENCE ON YOU BETTER JUDGEMENT!

"Your a corruptive influence on my better judgement." I love that, is it terminal?

"Your a corruptive influence on my better judgement." I love that, is it terminal?

Depends on how bad you're corrupted.

Side mounts may be more effective but front mounts look BADASS the z32 looks badass but a front mount just adds to the bad asse'dness

FUNCTION OVER FORM. if the sidemounts make more power, then i don't care how "good" the front mounts look. anyways, why be like everybody else and get a frount-mount, i rather have mine on the sides and everybody ask, what the hell are those things?

-Jared

Then you could tell them you broke your FMIC and it shifted to the sides. They'll think they can beat you in a race for sure ;)

function over form is right. the thing i love the most about older zeds is that they're to expensive to "rice out" but cheep enough to kill "ricers" hourly, and sexy enough that in the parking lot the classy beautiful lovleys are checking out my car, not the "riced" H brand I just smoked.