While Motor Trend pulled the plug this year on its custom car salon in Baltimore, much to the dismay of local car clubs, it may have neglected the fact that, for young men like Bryce Golwalla, the thrill of seeing the small custom car display eventually turned him on to his lifelong affair with four-wheeled vehicles.
Golwalla, 21, of Mount Airy, Md., has fond memories of traveling to the D.C. Auto Show with his father. While Dad explored the newest models being offered by the big marques, Golwalla shot a beeline for the custom cars.
In 2007, Golwalla was about to turn his spectator sport into a full-fledged hobby when he was one signature away from purchasing a heavily modified Infiniti G35. Doing a final check of the body, he noticed small stress fractures in various places. When he couldn’t negotiate a better price, he went to another a dealership and purchased a 2006 Nissan 350z.
Golwalla wanted to create an amped-up version of the already 300 hp 350z platform. After what he described as countless hours of research he purchased a Vortech supercharger and carted the entire package to a local performance shop. But the results were grossly disproportionate to the time and money he had invested.
“The power was nowhere near what I had anticipated, and I was quite frustrated,” said Golwalla. “After a lot of debating, I ended up pulling the supercharger off and selling it to start my new twin turbo setup.”
So Golwalla took his project plans to Altered Atmosphere in Gaithersburg, which performed the turbo upgrade and motor build. The shop wanted to negotiate a more structurally sound kit, which would allow Golwalla to realize gains previously unmet in the supercharger. Using Garrett GT28RS60 ported housings and clipped wheels, Golwalla’s setup eliminates all less effective materials like plastics, opting instead for Teflon lines in the installation. The shop added 3-inch downpipes to increase spooling response, which helps the 350z maintain power during gear shifts and allows the air to carry through in higher volume. Pushing 17 psi through the turbocharger, Golwalla’s reinforced stock motor includes Eagle rods, AAM Custom JE pistons and L19s AAM Competition manifolds. To keep the engine from detonating, air is pushed through an AAM Competition stage 2 vertical flow intercooler.
The setup has allowed the 350z to dyno at 522 hp with more power expected as Golwalla, who has spent about $20,000 on top of the sticker price, continually tweaks the internals. The hardest temptation to resist was staying out of boost and under 3,500 rpm while breaking the engine in. He also had to spend a period of time breaking in a triple-disc clutch after his previous one failed at 500 hp.
But when you see him on the road, one thing is certain: Golwalla is not advertising his power gains. He likes to keep it anybody’s guess what kind of power the 350z is making.
“I went for a clean sleeper look, which makes driving the car that much more fun,” he said.
What do you drive? A 2006 Nissan 350z.
Why do you drive it? I have found the 350z to be my peace time. When I get in that car, all my worries and troubles in life seem to go away for that brief period of time. I often did random drives and ended up in Ocean City. The feeling of boost slamming your body into the seat is just one I strive for and look forward to.
What makes this car so special? My 350z is so special to me because I can enjoy it without worrying about what other people think of it. I have spent an unheard of amount of time and effort into building this car the way I wanted it. The end product is more than I had imagined. With my first sports car, landing sponsorships and doing car shows were experiences I had never even thought to happen, let alone winning a trophy at the Funkmaster Flex show.
What is your most memorable driving experience? My most memorable driving experience was the trip to my first car show in which I entered my car which was at Hot Import Nights on April 19, 2008, at the Dulles Expo Center in Virginia. My car was finished and ready for the motor break-in the day of roll-in for the HIN event. So combining the anticipation of getting my car back after three months and doing my first car show was more than overwhelming.
What was the first car you owned? A 1994 Isuzu Rodeo.
What music are you listening to in your car? Dave Pearce, “Silence.”
And your first ticket? What was it for? My first ticket was in my 2004 Isuzu Rodeo for speeding on my way to school.
