Patrick’s 1973 Nissan Kenmeri Skyline is featured (again!) in Super Street Magazine. We love to see our products being installed and used on client cars and is running our Z Car Garage CV Axles in his 550whp RB26-powered Nissan Skyline 2000 GT-X:
Pat installed our CV Axles himself on his 1973 Kenmeri Skyline and reports that it went smoothly. Here are a few pictures he sent us:
As if the Rb26 wasn’t enough, the extremely rare Riverside Super River wheels re-finished by Izanami captivated us:
Here is a fun fact about Pat: we were both participants at the All-Datsun Meet at Mt. Shasta back in in 2004! This 3-day event featured a full track day at Thunderhill Raceway before heading up North. Pat drove his SR20DET-powered Datsun 510 (blue, front row):
Photographer and car culture ambassador Larry Chen commissioned Z Car Garage to transform his beloved SR20DET-powered 1970 Datsun 240Z from an “ok driver” to a no-excuses, multi-dimensional sports car with power, handling, braking, comfort, reliability and performance to match its eye-catching beauty.
Larry just released a video chronicling his journey with his Z, affectionately known as “Ole Orange Bang”, featuring our Z Car Garage Big-Brakes, Z Car Garage CV Axles, chassis preparation, dyno tuning and more. It’s a wonderful video with some killer action of Larry enjoying the Z in the canyons. Check it out below or on his YouTube Channel. Volume up and enjoy!
Thanks for the love Larry! You can see our report of the work ZCG performed on this Z on zcarblog.com HERE and LONG LIVE THE Z!
Filed under: 240z,280Z,Parts
by Alvin G @ 2:40 pm on May 12, 2022
We love to see owners installing our Z Car Garage CV Axles on their Datsuns, especially from overseas! Peter installed a set himself on this 1977 Datsun 280Z at his home in Halmstad, Sweden.
Our Z Car Garage CV Axles help transmit power to the ground and ensure smoother operation compared to your standard half shafts. We have over 200 CV axle kits on customer cars and we are stoked with all of the positive feedback.
Peter has CV axle set #0323 and we are happy to report that he installed them himself with ease:
“The installation was very easy, the axles even came pre-greased ready to bolt in. There was even some red Loctite in the box, great! The axles look very sturdy and I’m sure they are going to last me a life time. An axle failure is the last thing I want, especially since spares are so scarce here in Sweden. Money well spent in my eyes.”
He sent us a few pictures before/after replacing his old half-shafts. Nice work!
Peter is really happy with the CV Axle performance, under all driving conditions:
“Hi Rob,
I got my car running yesterday. Must tell you that I love your axles! After installing them I’ve got zero vibrations in the drive line. Used to have some at 70mph+, especially during acceleration which I suspected coming from either the prop shaft or drive axles. I’m very happy!
Have a great weekend” Peter
Dreaming of Zs
There are around 130 registered S30 Z cars in Sweden, they sold so few that importing is basically the only option, and most registered today are. Peter shared his Z story with us:
“I had dreamt about a S30 for a long time. Driving modern cars on track for the last few years had me longing for something more analogue. S30s are few and far between in Sweden so importing one seemed like the best option. I bought it early 2019 from a car dealer in the UK, they had imported it from Jacksonville, Florida. Here it is after picking it up at the harbour”
Driven Hard with L-Series Magic!
The car was a real survivor with almost no rust, but a very worn engine. Peter’s initial plan was to tune the stock engine, but in the end it was easier to buy a complete unit. He had Datsun Spirit build a Stage 4 engine:
“I like their philosophy with low rotating mass and how they build their engines. I had many emails back and forth with DSI discussing how to support the engine, and everything they said turned out to work great. I really believe that the engine is the heart of the car, so any other engine than a L-series was not an option to me. Jenvey DSI ITB 50mm throttle bodies and fuel injection are controlled by an EMU Classic from ECU Master.”
Peter did the engine swap, but the final installation, wiring and tuning was done by a local reputable shop called JMB Optimering in Halmstad, Sweden. With a Kamaeri 6-3-2 header and custom 3″ exhaust they managed to extract 298hp @ 7500rpm at the rear wheels from the DSI Stage 4 3.0l.
Backing the ~300whp L-series is a 280ZX 5-speed transmission and upgraded suspension from Techno Toy Tuning. At the rear, an R200 diff with Quaife LSD an our ZCG CV Axles helps put the power down. Sparco Sprint seats keep him in place on the track.
Peter has been Enjoying The Ride on the street and track:
“All the work with the car has led to a lot of time spent in the garage, but I took one thing at the time so I have still put around 4000 miles on it since I got it. The idea is to have a summer car that can be used on the track regularly and on the back roads. This season the car will be used in a local sprint cup, consisting of five events, plus a few trackdays. I love driving on the Nurburgring, a place I frequently go to, and the plan is to take the car there as soon as the COVID situation is under control.”
DreamZ Come True at the ‘Ring
Peter recently drove his Z on the famous Nürburgring Nordschleife and shared his amazing experience with us. Yet again he put our Z Car Garage CV Axles to work at the magical track. Listen to the Z sing in this video from the Nurburgring and past autocross events, VOLUME UP!
Peter’s report from the ‘Ring, enjoy:
“This year I realized a dream. Ever since I bought my 280Z I have wanted to drive it on the Nürburgring Nordschleife. But as usual during the rainy and snowy winter months in Sweden, you try to do all the maintenance and all fixes during that time. And as usual everything always takes longer which means there wasn’t any time for any testing before sending the car to Germany. The trip to the Eifel mountains and Nurburg is around 900 miles for, and this time I put the car on a transporter.“
“So after meeting up we spent some time bleeding the brakes, fixing new harnesses and off I went to the gas station. One of the things changed on the car this year was a new fuel tank from s30 world, and when I started filling up, a lot of fuel was dumped on the ground. Ok, time to get the tools out again, thankfully it was a quick fix with a ventilation hose. All this time I was in a little bit of a hurry because I also wanted to tweak my alignment, and time was running fast to make that appointment.”
“On the Nordschleife you want a very stable car due to the high speeds and high loads. You can say that in general a setup with more understeer is preferred, and that’s what most people run. The last thing you want is a car with a nervous rear end going over a crest turning at 150mph. I arrived at the race shop just in time, and the tech doing the alignment notice play in my inner tie rod ends. He says: ‘Don’t drive like this’. Great, I have shipped the car all the way here and it was just a waste of money…After some consulting with some other people I trust I decided to drive, ‘just stay off the curbs!’ Like that’s not going to be in the back of my mind…”
“Apart from the play in the steering creating variable toe (which is very interesting to drive with) the car worked great. The power and response is great from the DSI engine, no troubles what so ever. Just check the oil and fuel up! The Z Car Garage CV Axles have been working so well, absolutely no vibrations in the rear end!”
As expected, the Z garnered plenty of attention and Peter was shocked at the positive comments. The ‘Ring is also known for an incredible variety of sports cars to admire….
“I’m so happy to have driven the Datsun on the Nurburgring, and it’s a thing I’ve been thinking about constantly since starting this project. I have never gotten so much attention with a car, it just makes everybody happy. In Europe it’s a pretty rare sight, and to drive it on my absolute favorite racetrack is a thing that will be repeated again. I’ve been going to the ‘Ring since 2010 and have a few laps under my belt , and I’ve never had this much fun in a car ever. The Nurburgring is a magical place, there just isn’t any place like it anywhere.”
Thank you for sharing your epic Nurburgring experience with us Peter. Truly a bucket-list item for us and you are living the dream, Z-style. You can see more of his 280Z in action on his YouTube channel, and in the photo gallery below.
“I’m very satisfied with your products and service. I live in Sweden and any after market support is very scarce. They around 25 240Z here in 1973, that’s about it. A project is never finished and I have some more things to do, but now I plan to enjoy and track the car for the foreseeable future.”
Thanks for your support Peter! We love that you are driving your Z and enjoying our parts over in Sweden. Long Live The Z!
We love to see owners installing our Z Car Garage CV Axles on their vintage Nissans and Datsuns. Julio added this 1972 Skyline to his collection and had the team at KaiserKars replace the old CVs with our ZCG CV Axles. You may have seen the Hakosuka at at events in the SoCal area and we are proud to be part of it!
We met Julio last year at the Japanese Classic Car Show where his Skyline was on display in the Hagerty booth. He pleasantly informed us that he was running ZCG CV Axles and we are happy to report that the team at KaiserKars installed them with ease at their facility in Los Alamitos, Ca:
“Our in-house technician said the installation process was very straightforward and simple, basically just a bolt on/bolt off slid right in and bolted each axle to the differential and it was finished. It went as smooth as it could go.”
The team at KaiserKars sent us a few installation pictures of the ZCG CV Axles replacing the old CVs. They shared their experience:
“We were recommended the upgraded CV Axles by a friend of ours that pointed us to Rob. The Skyline came with some rear differential knocking/popping issues, the upgrade fixed the problem. We eventually got in contact with Rob himself and he asked us a few things in regards to what was currently on the car. We think they were a kit by the previous owner but they were completely shot and beyond rebuilding.”
Skyline Dreams
The Hakosuka Skyline is undeniably a JDM icon. We asked Julio about his history with Japanese classics:
“I have been a car geek all my life, but as all guys my age, Fast and Furious, Gone in 60 Seconds, Motorweek and the Saturday/Sunday cable shows were the culprits for my love of all cars. But once I watched Hot Version/Option, and Initial D anime I was smitten by JDM cars and culture, I longed to ride in a GTR, drift an AE86 and own all the unicorn cars I grew to idolize. So far the hunt is on and I seem to be collecting them like others collect Hotwheels. The Hakosuka has been a love affair for me as I regret selling my last one in a bad deal but this one makes up for that bad memory and I could not be happier with its stance, power and aura.”
The Hako features some of our favorite parts like the Rebello 3.2L with Jenvey ITB induction:
In addition to the upgraded ZCG CV Axles the Hako also has an R200 LSD diff, 5-speed transmission, 16″ Watanabe R-Type wheels (8.5/9.5), Rubber Soul stainless exhaust system and T3 suspension. Outside, the body is VW Limestone Grey Metallic with carbon fiber flares, GT-Kai badging and re-finished bumpers in eggshell black. More pictures in the gallery below!
Thank you for your support Julio, it was great meeting you at JCCS! Also, thank you to KaiserKars we look forward to working with you! Please read below for more information on our ZCG CV Axles:
ZCG CV Axles
Our Z Car Garage CV Axles help transmit power to the ground and ensure smoother operation compared to your standard half shafts. These are 100% bolt-in replacing your half-shafts and does not use aluminum adapters commonly found in aftermarket units. We have over 150+ CV axle kits on customer cars and we are stoked with all of the positive feedback.
For years we have used aftermarket CV axles that utilize an aluminum adapter prone to loosening up over time. Despite efforts to keep things tight (Loctite, hardware changes) we had to keep an eye on them. We developed a better solution that eliminates the need for aluminum adapters and remains 100% bolt-in like a factory half-shaft.
Designed and manufactured locally with KAD Models, the ZCG CV axle kit works in both R180 and R200 configurations.
These are the beefiest CV axles on the market. They have been tested on the track by our vintage racing customers and also in high hp* street cars (powershifting, clutch dumps, etc.). Each axle has a serial # for peace of mind:
The CV axle kit is available now from ZCG for 1595.00 + freight and they come with everything you need to install on your car. Contact us at 408-452-0350 or send Rob an e-mail rob@zcargarage.com to purchase. Installation is just like doing a half-shaft: there is even a marking that shows you where to line up bolts and special hardware:
The ZCG CV Axles in action
The video below demonstrates the “looseness” associated with aftermarket CV axles that use adapters compared to the ZCG axles without adapters. Several customer race/street cars running our CV axles are also shown. Enjoy!
Enjoy this video made by our client Hazel. She installed our ZCG CV Axles on her Hazel’s 1970 Datsun 240Z
Over 150 sets of our ZCG CV Axles are installed in client’s cars all over the world:
Supermachine purchased and installed our Z Car Garage Big-Brakes (for small wheels), complete with parking brake. They added a custom touch to the Stoptech calipers too:
As fellow S30 owner/racer Glenn C mentioned in his review, on top of braking performance, pedal feel is extremely important and our Big-Brakes deliver. This is a direct result of working with Stoptech to create a totally bolt-in solution requiring no M/C change or additional proportioning valve/adjustments. All fitting behind a 15″ Watanabe or Panasport wheel and retaining factory emergency brake lever! A few details below:
Calipers: Stoptech ST42 4-piston front & rear race calipers (Alum 6061 mil-spec Type III anodized)
Rotors: 280mm x 20.6 with Alum 7075 hats
Pads: Stoptech 309 sport street pads
Blog posts documenting all of our customers running the ZCG Big-Brakes can be found HERE.
A few closer detail shots of the calipers, rotors and hardware:
ZCG CV Axles
Our Z Car Garage CV Axles help transmit power to the ground and ensure smoother operation compared to your standard half shafts. These are 100% bolt-in replacing your half-shafts and does not use aluminum adapters commonly found in aftermarket units. We have over 150+ CV axle kits on customer cars and we are stoked with all of the positive feedback.
Supermachine installed a set of our ZCG CV Axles, including a photo of the factory half shafts for comparison:
Over 150 sets of our ZCG CV Axles are installed in client’s cars all over the world. For more information please visit our detailed post our HERE. Below are just a few examples of race cars running out CV Axles:
Race car driver, restorer and Datsun Historian Glenn Chiou is running our ZCG CV Axles in this IMSA GTU 260z race car!
Racer Brad H is running ZCG CV Axles in his IMSA GTU race car:
Race car driver and restoration specialist Jim Froula of Racecraft is running ZCG axles in several of his cars:
Set #246 – installed May 2018 on the “Harry Stewart #52” Datsun 510:
Set #247 – installed April 2018 on the 260z
Set #248 – installed on Adam Carolla’s “Greg Sorrentino #90” Datsun 510.
Thank you for your support Supermachine! We are proud to be a part of your build with solid parts choices like the Jenvey ITB EFI-fed L28 with Kameari header, Haltech ECU, Sachs coil-overs and Techno Toy Tuning suspension.
Can’t wait for the finished product. You can see more of this build on Instagram. Long Live The Z!
