Defending a title or your reputation is never easy. Enthusiasts wondered what Nissan could possibly do to with the 370Z in the shadow of the now-legendary 350Z. Not to mention, the struggle to get any press coverage for the car following the media onslaught of the GT-R. While both of these factors made it hard for the new car to get noticed when it was merely gossip and spy photos, now that the 370Z has arrived (on the Z34 chassis), everyone knows that the new car will easily defend its honor.
As predicted, Mine鈥檚 was at the forefront of bringing cutting-edge technology to the Z.
The redesigned chassis offers a welcome change. It is light, wider, shorter and features new technology the automotive world has never seen before. Innovations like the cast one-piece rear sub-frame and the highly-touted Synchro Rev-Match for the 6-speed box. The driving experience out of the box was one of the highlights for our reviews in 2009 and we were eager to see what the Japanese would do with the car.
The Japanese has a huge jump on the rest of the world considering we saw modified versions of it months before it was even in North America. As predicted, Mine鈥檚 was at the forefront of bringing cutting-edge technology to the Z. Mine鈥檚 has a long-standing relationship with Nissan and they have access to pre-production cars and are rumored to work with Nissan engineers to share data. With this type of foothold 
with the Z34, it was a sure bet that Mine鈥檚 would release a highly tuned, yet refined automobile.
We caught up with Jason Kusagaya from Mine鈥檚 USA and his US-Spec 370Z. The car was delivered with the Touring Package and the highly recommended Sport Package, which includes bigger brakes, Rev-Match and forged 19-inch RAYS Wheels. With all of the development already done, Mine鈥檚 installed parts to crank more from the 332hp V6. They started with a set of Mine鈥檚 VX air filters and Mine鈥檚 high flow throttle bodies to open up the air passageways. To dump the fumes, they installed a set of Mine鈥檚 down pipes, high-flow cats and a Mine鈥檚 Silence VX-Pro Titanium Titan II exhaust system. Quiet at idle and low revs, the Mine鈥檚 exhaust belts out its musical battle cry when provoked. Finally a Mine鈥檚 VX-ROM ECU was added to make all of the new parts play nice and to tweak the maps for maximum power. Despite the new found power, the new Z oil temps are through the roof, so Kusagaya installed a GReddy oil cooler kit to counteract the problem.
The attention was then focused on the suspension where the 370Z already excels. A set of Mine鈥檚 - 脰hlins Esta CoilOvers with Hyperco high rate springs were installed. The upgraded ride is taut yet balanced for both street and track. The braking also got a shot in the arm with the addition of Mine鈥檚 own Winmax Performance Brake Pads and SS lines. The rolling gear, of course, needed some help because a Mine鈥檚 car can鈥檛 be seen rolling on teenage rims! They decided on a set of Work Gnosis GS-3 wheels 20x9.5-inch and 20x10.5-inch with the tire pressure monitoring system intact. The tires selected were the capable Bridgestone Potenza RE050A, running a 255/30R30 in the front with a 305/25R20 rear.
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Read on for Full Specs
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Mine鈥檚 cars are well known for their exploits in Time Attack and pushing the envelope on tracks like Tsukuba and Buttonwillow. With those goals in mind, the factory aero will not create enough downforce in the rear or reduce lift in the front, so Kusagaya got to work. He added some Seibon gear for its high functionality and low cost. A Seibon carbon fiber hatch and rear spoiler now adorn the fiery 2-seater. Up front is a Seibon Z34-style carbon fiber hood to reduce weight. The front bumper is a carefully sculpted Mine鈥檚 unit rocking twin carbon fiber front scoops to draw air towards the intakes. Lurking below is the carbon fiber Mine鈥檚 front splitter to reduce front-end lift at high speeds. The look of the car was capped off with a Mine鈥檚 carbon fiber antenna, a JDM Z34 rear foglight and vinyl posting up some sponsor love.
With minimal upgrades, the Mine鈥檚 370Z looks as good as it performs. While forced induction kits continue to be developed for the Z34, we look forward to seeing what kind of creations come to life this year and beyond. But for now, we鈥檒l just drool over this build.
THE ESSENTIALS
Owner: Jason Kusagaya of Mine鈥檚 USA
Location: Long Beach, CA
Vehicle: 2009 Nissan 370Z Sport
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ENGINE
Nissan 3.7L VQ37DE V6
ENGINE MODIFICATIONS
Mine鈥檚 VX Air Filters
Mine鈥檚 Super Catalytic Converters
Mine鈥檚 SS Front Pipes
Mine鈥檚 Silence VX-Pro Titan II Titanium exhaust system
Mine鈥檚 High-Flow Throttle Bodies
Greddy Oil Cooler System
ENGINE MANAGEMENT
Mine鈥檚 VX-ROM Tuned ECU
WHEELS, TIRES & BRAKES
Work Gnosis GS-3 Wheels
Front: 20x9.5-inch
Rear: 20x10.5-inch
Bridgestone听Potenza RE050A Tires
Front: 255/30R20
Rear: 305/25R20
Mine鈥檚 Performance Pads
Mine鈥檚 SS lines
SUSPENSION
Mine鈥檚 / 脰hlins Esta Coilovers
Hyperco Springs
EXTERIOR
Mine鈥檚 Front Carbon Fiber Chin Spoiler
Mine鈥檚 Carbon Fiber Antenna Cap
Mine鈥檚 Z34 Front Bumper (functional) Carbon Fiber Air Scoops
Seibon Z34 Carbon Fiber Hood
Seibon Carbon Fiber Trunk
Seibon Carbon Fiber Rear Spoiler
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