Much belated post #1 - getting ready for Fuji Speedway - NISMO Underfloor Brace

Date: Sunday February 7 (I think):

So I decided to pop into Camp Zama (courtesy of my friend Alex) and work on my car, get it ready for the upcoming SSCT Track Day at Fuji Speedway ShortCourse on February 11th.

I had previously ordered the NISMO Under-Floor Reinforcing Bar - there are two pieces, front and mid-section. Unfortunately, the front was out of stock, so I just went ahead and purchased the midsection pieces only.

Here is the site to the English Nismo products page:


After doing an oil change, I proceeded with the install - unfortunately, both lifts were being used, so I had to make do with a quasi lift thingy, which meant that I had to crawl under the car, which was raised only a meter or so:

So here are the pieces, left and right:


Here is a comparison of the Nismo piece and the part that came standard off the car.
Not only is the geometry different, but the Nismo piece feels about 1/3 of the weight of the stock piece!


It's hard to tell from the Nismo website exactly what these pieces do. What I learned is that the stock pieces provide rigidity laterally (side to side), but the Nismo pieces, in addition to being lighter, also provide longitudinal rigidity (front back). That's what the Y-shape does - the arm sticking out provides support/rigidity on the front/back axis.

In other words, it ties these two bolt holes together - the black standard piece is replaced, and the Y-arm then also bolts onto where the rear suspension bracket is (the bolt on the top of this photo):


The stock piece, left side (taken from rear of car):


Stock piece, right side (taken from rear of car):


Here is how the right side looks after install.


All in all, a very simple mod to make. NO holes that need be drilled for these center pieces - although the ones for the front require holes to be drilled.

And the difference? Yes, there is one. The car definitely feels flatter and yes, more rigid when driving. Maybe I'm not the most sensitive driver, but even I feel an increase in how the car feels.

I then went home and took out the rear seat - easy enough, here is the rear bulkhead with the insulation still hanging:


And here it is after I removed it (not even bolted on, just hanging off some hooks).


I had planned to lay this with an Electra Dry Carbon sheet that I had bought, but in the end, it was too much hassle.

Check out how gorgeous this dry carbon is though!