For suspension, Chen chose JIC's adjustable FLT-A2 coilovers to raise the spring rate from stock as well as to balance out the car's ride height and corner weights. Stillen swaybars help fine-tune the front and rear ends which are also stiffened with Stillen and GT Spec bracing. Stillen's front upper control arms were also wisely added to allow further adjustment of the camber settings from the stock range. Adjustment is also possible in the rear thanks to the Stillen camber and toe arms.
With his car now more stable in the corners, Chen could focus on the brakes. Keeping in mind that this car was to be driven daily and not entered in Super Unlimited class sprint races, the factory calipers were deemed acceptable. Chen slapped on two-piece Stoptech slotted rotors at all four corners to save a bit of unsprung weight and added a set of Goodridge stainless steel braided brake lines to help maintain a firm and consistent pedal feel.
The choice of wheels and tires was left for last. A set of Buddy Club P1 Racing II Plus wheels seemed to fit the bill for Chen. Size and offset choice is key to maximizing the amount of rubber that can be stuffed under the fenders. That's why 19x9-inch wheels were used for the front and dished 19x10-inch wheels were chosen for the rear. Each wheel is wrapped in a Toyo Proxes T1R street tire, with 245mm up front and a massive 285mm of rubber spread out across each rear wheel.
"I bought this car with the intention of never buying a single modification for it," said Chen, "unfortunately, that's never how things turn out for people who have the tuner bug like me." Regardless of Chen's original plans, his car has turned out to be a prime example of a well-tuned daily driver. It has all the looks and traction of a car you might find participating in a weekend open track event. And this isn't even mentioning the refinement and predictability of Chen's naturally aspirated VQ35, which has the added bonus of an extra half a liter and change over stock.
As far as Chen is concerned, this car is finished with being modified. With a baby on the way, as of this writing, Chen will soon have a project of a completely different nature on his hands. Right now, all that matters to Chen is that his car gets him to work and back and puts a smile on his face in the process. This G35 is purpose-built for doing just that.
2004 Infiniti G35
Engine
Engine Code: VQ35DE
Type: 4071cc V6, aluminum block and heads
Internal Modifications: Brian Crower 4.15L Stroker Kit (100mm forged Pistons, 86.4mm stroker crankshaft, forged rods), 272-degree Race camshafts, valves, valve springs, titanium retainers, ACL race bearings, Darton Mid Sleeve Kit, HKS head gasket kit
External Modifications: ARC water pump pulley, GReddy oil catch can, oil cooler kit, K&N Typhoon air intake, Motordyne Thermal Plenum Spacer, Nismo thermostat, PWR radiator and transmission cooler, Samco silicone hoses, Stillen engine dampener, Sun Automobile Hyper Ground System, Hyper Force System and Hyper Voltage System, Tanabe Super Hyper Medallion exhaust, y-pipe, Tomei Expreme front pipes and exhaust manifolds, Unorthodox Racing Ultra SS pulleysEngine Management Modifications: HKS F-Con V Pro ECU, RC Engineering 550cc/min fuel injectors, Walbro 255lph fuel pump, AAM fuel rail return system
Drivetrain
Layout: Longitudinal front engine, rear-wheel drive
Drivetrain Modifications: Nismo 1.5-way LSD and differential cover
Suspension
Front: JIC FLT-A2 coilovers, Ikeya Formula reinforcement bar, GT Spec lower tie bar, lateral bar, Stillen upper A-arms, strut tower brace, swaybar
Rear: JIC FLT-A2 coilovers, GT Spec lower tie bar, Stillen camber arms, toe arms, tower brace, swaybar