Yearly Archives: 2009

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STILLEN is proud to release something we’ve been developing and fine-tuning for quite some time, our Secondary Cat Delete Y-Pipe for the Nissan GT-R!

The factory equipment this replaces contains two flow-robbing cats and weighs in at a hefty 30.25 lbs!  Our new Y-pipe replaces those cats with polished 304 stainless steel resonators and drops an astounding 47% of that weight, coming in right at 16 lbs.

STILLEN GT-R Secondary Cat Delete Y-Pipe

There is a lot of power held back by the factory exhaust system on the Nissan GT-R. By eliminating the factory catalytic converters, STILLEN has successfully improved flow, creating power gains as well as dramatically improving sound.

STILLEN GT-R Secondary Cat Delete Y-Pipe Flanges and Flex Joints

Additional info from the STILLEN Product Page:

Catalytic converters are not only very restrictive to the exhaust flow and performance, but they also act as mufflers, greatly reducing the sound that enthusiasts desire.


This Secondary Cat-Delete Y-Pipe System is TIG welded and constructed out of polished 304 stainless steel with laser-cut and CNC machined 304 stainless steel flanges.  The resonators themselves are also TIG welded, polished 304 stainless steel.


To allow the exhaust system to flex with the movement of the engine, yet stand up to the heat and flames coming off of the turbos, we have used nothing but the best turbo specific flex joints on this application.  Under hard driving, flames will travel through the exhaust system, and only turbo specific flex joints will stand up to the heat generated in those circumstances.

These parts are currently in production, and will begin shipping soon.  Make sure to get your order in now before the first batch sells out!

Features:

• Lightweight Materials – 47% Lighter than factory
• Increased Performance
• Race-Car Like Sound
• Polished 304 Stainless Steel – Lifetime Warranty

Recommended items to go with this product:

• STILLEN GT-R Cat-Back Exhaust System

Items discontinued, article left for information purposes.

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STILLEN 2009 Targa Newfoundland Sweepstakes

Hopefully you are following our build of the 2009 Nissan GT-R as we prepare it for the upcoming Targa Newfoundland Tarmac Rally in mid-September.

We decided it would be a neat idea to build a promotion around sending a lucky person and a friend along with the STILLEN team.. and the STILLEN 2009 Targa Newfoundland Sweepstakes was born!

The grand prize winner receives an all-expense paid trip for two to the Targa Newfoundland Rally to follow the STILLEN race team, along with covering the airfare, hotel accommodations, meals, rental car, and $500 in spending cash.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pn0YBDPJUGo[/youtube]
But it doesn’t end there.. rounding out the 114 prizes, there are gift certificates, autographed and framed pictures from the Road & Track Photo Store, and subscriptions as well.

As always, special thanks goes out to the sponsors on the STILLEN GT-R:

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New from STILLEN: Racing-bred stainless steel brake lines for the Nissan GT-R!

This is the first brake line upgrade on the market that does NOT require removing the factory hard lines. Stainless steel braided lines are stiffer than the typical rubber brake lines, but nothing is stiffer than hard steel tubing. That is why it is important to keep the hard lines in place for the firmest, most responsive brake pedal feel.

STILLEN GT-R Stainless Brake Lines

Aircraft-style fitting details are used throughout for leak-free connections – no banjo fittings! The factory junction block functions are replicated to eliminate any possible rubbing issues with suspension travel or steering wheel input. Doing so allows the front lines to be bolted to both the upright and the strut for the most positive location possible.

STILLEN GT-R Stainless Brake Lines Detail

The components are supplied by Goodridge, a recognized leader in racing and high-performance hose and fittings. They supply car and motorcycle manufacturers, top teams in all forms of racing and the finest aftermarket suppliers. Goodridge lines are DOT-compliant (FMVSS 106) and TÜV-certified, the toughest certification in the world.

STILLEN GT-R Stainless Brake Lines Versus OEM

These are available now for order, shipping within 2-3 weeks; pricing is available from the STILLEN Product Page

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We are sorry we haven’t had a chance to get some of the cool things we’ve been working on up, we have a bunch of new content that’s in the can, we’ll be working feverishly to get that up.

In the meantime we had some GT-R’s out to the STILLEN workshop this morning, and while we had some of the new AP Racing Curved Vane Rotors out, thought it might be a good time to grab the camera and shoot some video with our Brake Manager Chris Bernal (with little to no warning.. sorry Chris!)



These rotors are an excellent upgrade for anyone serious about performance on their GT-R, and correct the problems associated with cracking cross-drilled holes and wear issues of the OEM rotors.  Bonus is they are half the cost of the factory replacements, with the improved performance and longevity.

These rotors are now available in a Slotted or J-Hook rotor face configuration, depending on the goal of the owner.  More information on the AP rotors can be found on our previous blog post on these rotors.

Items discontinued, article kept for informational purposes.

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STILLEN is excited to release the newest Gen 3 Intake System, extending the application list to include the 2009 370Z (Part #402852). This highly anticipated intake utilizes the principles proven with the G37 3.7L system, creating horsepower gains of +17.5 at the wheels.

STILLEN 370Z Generation 3 Ultra Long Intake

STILLEN 370Z Generation 3 Ultra Long Intake

 

The 370Z Generation 3 Ultra long intake features a proprietary intake design devised to maximize horsepower from the VQ37 engine.

As with all of the Gen 3 Intakes, these pass beyond the stock airbox location, and reside just in front of the radiator, allowing for cool air provided from the front grille, avoiding the troublesome location of at ground level, where asphalt temperatures can dramatically increase the intake air temp, and hydrolocking is most common. Slight enlargement of the factory core support is necessary to accommodate the pipes, which is achieved easily with a dremel or other cutting tool.

370Z with STILLEN Gen3 Ultra Long Intake

370Z with STILLEN Gen3 Ultra Long Intake

 

Pricing, Installation Instructions and additional information can be found at the STILLEN Generation 3 Intake Product Page

Dyno sheets and photos are listed below:

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Unfortunately with the first go around on the sale of the STILLEN Supercharged 350Z, the winning bidder on eBay was not able to complete the transaction.. so we’ve decided to relist this car for another round.

STILLEN 350Z

STILLEN 350Z

Over $70,000 invested in this car, and has almost every STILLEN produced part for the 350Z.  Click Here for the original blog post with all of the products, pictures, video and details of the car, and you can see the eBay auction here as well.  Happy bidding!

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We’d like to thank folks for coming out for the first GT-R Day and Monthly Mini-Meet here at STILLEN. With a total of 12 GT-R’s on-site it was a good turnout for a basically unpublicized event, and gave people a chance to hang out and see what we’re up to.

Customer GT-Rs at STILLEN's GT-R Day

Customer GT-Rs at STILLEN’s GT-R Day

On display was the STILLEN gutted GT-R being prepared for the Targa Rally Newfoundland, as well as some of the new products we’re about to release:

  • STILLEN Cat-Back Exhaust System
  • STILLEN Adjustable Sway Bar Set – w/Bushings and Adjustable Endlinks
  • STILLEN Aero Lip Spoiler
  • STILLEN Aero Side Skirts

Look for these new products to be released and available within the next couple of days, along with detailed specs and pricing.

Visitors also had a chance to hear from Chris Bernal, our Brake Manager, go into detail on the new AP Racing Curved Vane Slotted Rotors, and some new brake pad options.

Here’s some photos from the event:


Please join us on Saturday, April 4th, 2009 for our next GT-R day. We’ll be showing the continued progress on the Targa Rally GT-R, and all the new products we have in development.  For more information or questions please contact Kyle Millen.

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STILLEN is excited to announce the availability of select AP Racing brake systems in a limited-edition caliper color – Competition Gray.

STILLEN AP Racing Competition Gray Big Brake Kit

AP Racing Competition Gray Big Brake Kit

Racing fans will notice this color is exactly what full-blown race calipers from AP Racing look like. But unlike the race-only hardware, these are built for every day use with secondary dust seals, anti-rattle clips and extra corrosion protection. Finally – the best of both worlds with no compromises!

As top dog in Formula 1 (634 wins!), NASCAR (2008 championship in Sprint Cup and Camping World Series), World Rally Championship (WRC), LeMans prototypes, Super GT, World Touring Car Championship, Moto GP and more, no other brake equipment company has done more to help drivers win than AP Racing. Don’t be fooled by lesser imitators as this is the genuine article.

That is why you will find AP Racing road car brakes as original equipment on cars made by Bugatti, Koenigsegg, Lotus, McLaren, Aston Martin, Holden HSV, Noble, Rossion, Ultima, Caparo, Ascari, Tramontana, Spyker, Pagani, Morgan, Farbio, Seat, Zolfe, Gumpert, Caterham and other limited, high-end exotic supercars. They could have any brakes in the world and chose AP Racing. So can you.

And, as you will notice in the detailed pictures below, the front 6-piston calipers are the first ones to arrive with the latest in improvements

AP Racing Competition Gray Calipers

AP Racing Competition Gray Calipers

  1. Relocation of bridge bolts: Experience gained by Radi-Cal racing caliper development is leading to stiffness improvements across many caliper models. This change improves the dynamic stiffness of the CP7040 caliper considerably.
  2. Now using external TORX-head bridge bolts: These highly engineered bolts allow better and more consistent torque when assembling calipers.
  3. Revised caliper face: AP Racing redesigned the face of the caliper for a more up-to-date look along with some weight reduction. In COMPETITION GRAY, they look awesome!

Interesting note for you Top Gear fans.. AP Racing are the factory brakes for the top 6 of 10 fastest cars on the Top Gear Lap Chart:

  1. Gumpert Apollo (AP Racing)
  2. Ascari A10 (AP Racing)
  3. Koenigsegg CCX (AP Racing)
  4. Pagani Zonda F (AP Racing)
  5. Caterham R500 (AP Racing)
  6. Bugatti Veyron (AP Racing)
  7. Maserati MC12 (Brembo)
  8. Ferrari Enzo (Ferrari / Brembo)
  9. Ariel Atom (Alcon)
  10. Lamborghini LP560 (Brembo)

And if Top Gear hadn’t refused to test the Ultima GTR.. they might have found as much as 4 seconds quicker on the same track, again with the help of a full AP Racing setup.

Competition Gray Limited Edition Calipers Available In The Following Kits:

Front 6-Piston AP Racing Big Brake Kit

  • 2003-2007 Infiniti G35 Coupe
  • 2003-2008 Infiniti G35 Sedan
  • 2008-2009 Infiniti G37 Coupe
  • 2009-2009 Infiniti G37 Sedan
  • 2001-2007 Mitsubishi EVO VII-IX
  • 2008-2009 Mitsubishi EVO X
  • 1990-1996 Nissan 300ZX
  • 2003-2008 Nissan 350Z
  • 2009-2010 Nissan 370Z (coming soon)
  • 1989-1998 Nissan Skyline GT-R
  • 2002-2009 Subaru Impreza WRX / WRX STi

Rear 4-Piston AP Racing Big Brake Kit

  • 2003-2007 Infiniti G35 Coupe
  • 2003-2008 Infiniti G35 Sedan
  • 2008-2009 Infiniti G37 Coupe
  • 2001-2007 Mitsubishi EVO VII-IX
  • 2008-2009 Mitsubishi EVO X
  • 1990-1996 Nissan 300ZX
  • 2003-2008 Nissan 350Z
  • 2009-2010 Nissan 370Z (coming soon)
  • 1989-1998 Nissan Skyline GT-R
  • 2002-2007 Subaru Impreza WRX / WRX STi (coming soon)
  • 2008-2009 Subaru Impreza WRX / WRX STI

Items discontinued- article kept for informational purposes.

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One of the first stages of gutting a race car is to check your starting weights. We loaded it with a full tank of gas to see how much the car weighed, and well, as expected the R35 GT-R is no Georges St. Pierre. Godzilla is a very fitting name for this car as it weighed in at a whopping 3,900 pounds full of fuel.

Gutting the Nissan R35 GT-R for the Targa Rally

Gutting the Nissan R35 GT-R for the Targa Rally

When building a race car the ultimate goal is to achieve the best power to weight ratio possible. Over the next few days we will be stripping our R35 GT-R down and weighing all of the components that come out of it. We will be weighing the doors, fenders, hood, trunk and everything else to see what we can do to lighten up those parts of the car as well.

Here are some early pictures of the tear-down. We have completely stripped the inside of the car now except the dashboard and doors. All of the panels are out and there are more plans of further parts removal coming.

60 lb seat removed from the STILLEN R35 GT-R

60 lb seat removed from the STILLEN R35 GT-R

You would not believe the how heavy some of these parts are. It is incredible! The passenger seat weighs 60 POUNDS!!!! It’s not too surprising considering how many motors and air bags are inside them. We’re going to be replacing that with a light weight, carbon fiber seat that only weighs 15 pounds…Nearly a 100 pound weight savings just by changing seats.

Here’s some photos of the current state of the R35 GT-R:

We’ll continue to prepare the R35 GT-R for the Targa Newfoundland tarmac rally, and invite you to follow along.

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We’re enthusiasts here at STILLEN, just like yourself. Whenever possible we like to get our hands dirty, especially when it gives us the opportunity to install some STILLEN products and get a real-world feel for them – just like you our customer will experience.

G35 Coupe Camber Kit

G35 Coupe Camber Kit


I drive a 2004 G35 Coupe, and after upgrading to 20″ wheels and installing an Eibach Pro-Kit and STILLEN Sway Bars, the resulting issue with camber on the front and rear was evident immediately, and I quickly realized that despite the fresh new rubber smell of the BFGoodrich’s I had just installed, these tires would be short-lived if I didn’t look for a camber solution ASAP.

That solution, thankfully, was a couple hundred feet away from my desk here at STILLEN, where we manufacture and assemble a full front and rear camber adjustment kit designed specifically to improve upon what Nissan left out, the ability to adjust camber in both the front upper control arm, or the solid camber and toe arms in the rear.

We documented the driveway install of these pieces, so others could get a feel for what went into the install.  Thankfully I was able to bribe Kyle and Mike here in the office with ‘refreshments’ for the use of Mike’s driveway (alley?) and his impossibly robust set of tools (did you need a Razor-Blade-On-A-Stick™ to remove some window decals, yea he’s got one of those..), and both of their wrenching skills to tackle this job.

I’m happy to report that when all was said and done, alignment shop visited, the BFGoodrich’s were planted to the pavement as they should be, and tire wear is extremely even, with no signs of feathering.

STILLEN Infiniti G35

STILLEN Infiniti G35

Hit the DIY Articles section of the STILLEN Blog to see the detailed installation articles, also listed below:

Our goal is to continue with these detailed installation articles, if you’d like to see something in particular, feel free to let us know.

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Founded in 1986, STILLEN is recognized as one of the premier tuners in the world. With Engineers and a full R&D department on location, STILLEN has long been engineering big brake kits with Brembo and AP Racing, developing superchargers with Magnuson, Edelbrock, Whipple, Vortech, and under the leadership of championship race car driver Steve Millen, trusted by thousands of enthusiasts, manufacturing STILLEN branded products and upgrades, as well as wholesale distribution and retail partners.
Contact us: info@stillen.com
© Steve Millen Sportparts