Swing low, sweet chariot, and let me ride! As if the 350Z isn't already bad-ass, Nissan made it even more of a temptress, turning the touring roadster into a topless one. It's like a Hooters waitress getting implants. Jake Kunz of Mobile Sound Waves in Atlanta, Ga., was on the same page as us when he purchased his Silverstone 2004 350Z convertible.
In Hotlanta, driving with the top down is the only way to go, so Jake chose the convertible. It's also the perfect platform for him to display his audio craftsmanship. Unlike many vehicles in sound competitions that are all about the speakers, Jake envisioned a 350Z that would rip up the track as well as the eardrums.
The roadster's most outstanding feature is the GReddy twin-turbo kit and E-manage ECU. Nothing makes our hearts beat faster than seeing two pristine twin turbos under the bonnet. While GReddy supplies the majority of the 350's power, it's backed by an upgraded engine outfitted with JE pistons, Power Enterprise rods, ARP head studs, and Tomei cams and retainers. AAP completed the fine machine work and engine assembly.
Jake is a man who likes to mix metaphors, so to offset the GReddy and Tomei components, he chose a Stillen theme to round out the Z. Stillen supplies the exhaust, test pipes, downpipes, oil cooler and anti-roll bars. Let's hope Mr. Kunz got the bulk discount!
You'd think the results were enough, but Jake didn't want to leave any competition to chance. So a NOS wet kit infuses extra juice when he's in a pinch. The system works in two ways-not only does it add nitrous and fuel into the intake runner, but it also further cools the charge air coming from the intercooler for a denser air charge.
After placating the power gods, the aesthetics came next. Jake put down for a foursome of HRE Type 546R anodized black three-piece wheels with an offset of 19x8.5 in the front and 19x10 in the rear. Dunlop SP Sport tires at 245/40-19 in the front and 275/35-19 in the rear carve up the apexes. A StopTech four-piston brake system upgrade brings the topless roadster to a quick halt when necessary. Tein struts and springs provide a lower, sleek stance.
The modification fury continues with an upgrade to the 350Z's already slick body lines. Veilside takes credit for the sleek front lower valance and Stillen shows up again in the rear wing. MSA turn-signal markers add a touch of personal customization.
As mentioned earlier, Jake is Mr. Mobile Sound Waves, so his love is for pounding mind-blowing tunes. He went all-out Alpine for his topless cruising pleasure, in the form of an Alpine MRD-M500, MRV-F540, CDA-9815, SPX-F17M, SPX-177A, and two SWR-1041Ds-is that NASA code for launching a missile?
Jake went even more high-tech with two Accele rear-vision cameras, which are gaining popularity as people find more ways to trick out their vehicles. These cameras have multiple uses (surveillance, peeping tom, etc.) and some are even hooked up to record the feed remotely.
Appeasing the visual senses in the Z is an Elgervision 10.4 plasma screen and Audiovox DVD player. This entire multimedia system is encased in luxurious charcoal leather and goldstone suede.
The key to automotive happiness is to have a phat ride that you can enjoy and that others can admire from afar. Not only can Kunz admire his topless 350Z's awesome looks, but he can also hear the jamming sound systems when he rolls hard in Hotlanta.