A four-leaf clover; Indian head penny; hot blonde majoring in Applied Physics—all things that you don’t come across often and extra special when you see one. Now we can add “Alyssa” to that list. This black beauty started her life in Japan as a 35th anniversary Nissan Z-car and never looked back. Canadian resident Alex Yao took Alyssa on a journey to the US that has transformed her into the 420Z that she is today.
No, that’s not a typo directed at our hemp/car enthusiast readers- the Zed is powered by a 4.2L (actually it’s 4.24L, but who’s counting) custom built VQ. When you give Alyssa a cocktail of 100 octane race gas and methanol injection, she won’t hesitate to put out an amazing 760 rwhp/713 ft-lb torque at a mere 18psi of boost. Oh yea, I forgot to mention Alyssa is carrying twins; both named Garrett. Move aside 1977 Topps #207 C-3P0 Error trading card: you just got served on the Rarity dance floor! Alyssa’s tech sheet seems to come straight from of a Grand Am race team: Darton sleeves, custom 90mm crankshaft, port & polished heads, custom valve train, Cosworth bearings, and the list goes on and on. The plethora of engine components easily places this build as one of the craziest non-corporate builds we’ve ever seen here at JTuned.
JTuned: How does it feel to drive something with so much power?
Yao: It’s kind of like having a high maintenance girlfriend. It’s best not to ***** her off.
JTuned: So is it like Rodeo s*x? You know, where you’re with a girl from behind and then you whisper in her ear that her sister’s boobs feel firmer and have to hold on for more than 8 seconds.
Yao: …
Alyssa’s current state of supremacy wasn’t exactly planned from the beginning: a prior attempt at a built VQ35 ran into problems that forced Yao to seek professional help. Some might have said the help would have been better used for his psyche after the engine mishap, but Yao trudged forward and didn’t give up. They traveled to Southern California to GT Motorsports in Rancho Cucamonga for the fix and ended up with an extreme makeover.
JTuned: So Alex, why did you choose to go with a 4.24L build rather than try again at 3.5L?
Yao: Well, at the time GT Motorsports just came out with their new stroker kit, so I thought I might as well give it a try.
JTuned: Do you have any regrets?
Yao: A lot actually. I wasted a lot of money on parts that I couldn’t use any more-- it was a big learning process.
JTuned: What was your motivation behind Alyssa?
Yao: This is my first RWD car, the first “built” car I’ve owned. I’m in it for the process, not the result. Every time I drive her, I want something new. Whether it’s more power or exterior [modification]. I want to create a personality, like watching a kid grow.
Alyssa’s exterior physique developed nicely during her seven-month rebuild. The front lip, side skirts, hood, roof, both A and B pillars, rear hatch, and rear underbody diffuser are all made in carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP). The subtly Magnetic Black painted front lip and side skirts reveals the CF under skin ever so stealthily. The interior got the same carbon treatment: the center console, gauge pod, racing seats, instrument crown, kick plates, shift knob, and rear strut bar cover. Shall I forgo the need to report that the engine bay also has all the factory plastic replaced with a CFRP counterpart? Hmm..indeed I shall. “Hello? Oh hold on a sec-” Hey Alex, it’s NASA calling. They want their carbon fiber back to fix the Space Shuttle!
Something that I’m none to familiar with called “Ice,” apparently lines the entire trunk area. There is this giant round plastic object that tends to displace a large amount of air in a low frequency repetition. This is what I would call a “thumping” noise. Next to it is what looks like two amplifiers supplying power to this object. Luckily for me Alyssa’s shoes are quite noticeable. Red four-piston Stoptech calipers call each corner their home as they hover over 355mm cross-drilled rotors. Both are neatly tucked behind a set of 19” Volk Racing titanium gunmetal GT-S wheels wrapped in Toyo T-1Rs. The diamond-cut lip is mesmerizing with a mirror-like reflection of the calipers. The illumination from the fender well is even more breathtaking when Alyssa is in action and on a roll.
JTuned: What’s your favorite part of the car Alex?
Yao: Honestly? I think it would be the rear emblem “420Z TT.” It’s custom made.
“Custom made” seems like an understatement. The shear extreme level of this build is what makes Alyssa so unique, so rare and special, that this JTuned author truly thinks that there won’t be something of this magnitude for quite some time. If you find yourself on the same piece of pavement as Yao’s hot and classy Z, I suggest you take some time to savor the moment. As soon as the boost kicks in, Alyssa will leave you in the dust muttering in awe what those little silver letters on the hatch spell out: 4-2-0-Z-T-T.
Engine:
GTM 4.24L Custom VQ Stroker Kit
Darton MID T-Sleeves
Custom 90.0mm Stroke Crankshaft
Arias / GTM Extreme Duty Pistons (8.5:1 Compression)
GTM Rods
Fully Balanced and Blueprinted
Custom GTM-Spec Cometic Head Gasket
GTM Stage 3 Heads
Ported and Polished
JWT S7 Rev-Up Camshafts (262 deg. Duration / .450” (11.43mm) Lift)
1mm Overbore Intake Valves
1mm Overbore Exhaust Valves
Custom GTM-Spec Ferrea Valvetrain (Springs and Titanium Retainers)
GTM-spec ARP 12mm Head Studs
ARP Main Studs
Cosworth Rod Bearings
Cosworth Main Bearings
Fully Balanced and Blueprinted
APS Extreme Twin Turbo System
APS-Spec Twin Garrett GT Hybrid Turbos
APS-Spec Vertical 5” Deep Intercooler
HKS SSQV Blow-Off Valve
Tial 52mm Wastegates
APS 3.5” Downpipes
APS Extreme Fuel System
APS Dual Fuel Pumps
APS-Spec 880cc Fuel Injectors
APS Fuel Rails
APS Fuel Return System
HKS Fcon V-Pro Standalone ECU tuned by Sam@GTMotorsports
HKS Fcon Navigator
HKS Boost Controller
HKS Fcon Knock Amp
4 custom mapping
Aquamist Water/Methenol Injection
Greddy Evo-TT True Dual Exhaust with Custom Turbo Piping
Custom Polished Plenum
Custom ZCG Oil Cooler
Custom ZCG Power Steering Cooler Koyo Radiator
Buddy Club Racing-Spec Condenser
GTM Pathfinder Cooling System
Exedy GTM-Spec Dual Plate Carbon Clutch
Suspension:
Tein Basic Adjustable Coilovers
Stillen Adjustable Sway Bars F&R
JIC-Magic CF Front Strut Bar
3.3FD Differential with vLSD
Driveshaft Shop Level 5 Rear Axles
Brakes:
Stoptech 14.1” Cross-Drilled Big Brake Kit Front and Rear
Wheels:
Volk GT-S Titanium Gunmetal 19x9.5f +17 19x10.5r +18
Toyo T1-R 255/35/19f 285/35/19r
Volk TE-37 Custom-Made Time Attack 18x9.5f +22 18x10.5r +22
BF Goodrich KDW2 265/35/18f
BF Goodrich Drag Radials 295/35/18r
Rays Red Lug Nuts
Exterior:
C-West CF Front Lip
C-West CF Side Skirts
Top Secret CF Rear Diffuser / Vortex Generators
Asuka Prototype double sided CF hood
Asuka Prototype CF A-Pillars
Asuka Prototype CF Hatch with integrated spoiler
Asuka Prototype CF Roof
Varis CF B-Pillars
Vertical Doors Inc Conversion
OEM 2006 LED Taillights
Blue Batmobile Custom Overlays
8000K Lightbulbs
Custom ’06 Headlights
JDM Clear Front Reflectors
20% Tint Rear
35% Tint Front
Central 20 CF Engine Cover
Central 20 CF Battery Cover
Central 20 CF Fluid Cover
Central 20 CF Radiator Guide
Top Secret Hood Dampers
S2000 Antenna
Custom “420Ztt” Rear Emblem
Interior:
Stillen CF A-Pillar Dual Gauge Pod
Stillen CF A-Pillar Cover
EVO-R CF Center Console
EVO-R CF Instrument Crown Cover
EVO-R CF Switch Panels
Defi Blue Racer Gauges (Boost / Temp)
Central 20 CF Kickplates
Central 20 CF Rear Strut Cover
Nismo CF Shift Knob
Bride Gias / Stradias Hyperblack Seats
Bride Seat Sliders
Takata 4-Point Harnesses
Kirk Racing Harness Bar
Greddy Auto Timer
Alpine IVA-D310 Head Unit
DLS Ultimate Iridium 6.2I 6.5" Two Way Component Set
Custom Kick Panels
Rear Alpine Type-X Speakers
DLS Ultimate A5 3-Channel Amplifier
Elemental Designs 7kv.2 6.5" Subwoofers x 7
Custom CNC machined Trunk for Subwoofers / Amplifier Display
DLS Ultimate Cables
Elemental Designs E-Dead Sound Proofing Material