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.”

 

 

Z cars may remain with their loving owners for years, change ownership or even get spotlighted in the media at some point. Our “where are they now” series features past Z Car Garage vehicles with updates on their status. In this second installment we catch up with Greg’s 1977 Datsun 280Z, now residing in Seattle, WA.

 

Z Car Garage Restoration

We met the previous owner, Greg H a few years ago at a Blackhawk Museum gathering where famed Peter Brock (BRE) was speaking. Greg told us that he found a clean, low-mileage 280z and he was really interested in ZCG going through it. After he visited the shop we discussed our previous 280z builds (Cece, Gary and the Roth’s) and got to work building a Z for Greg that would reflect his tastes while keeping the vintage vibe. This 1977 280z was treated to a ZCG-style mechanical restoration including a new drivetrain, engine bay restoration, total suspension rebuild and more.

 

You can read all about our work on this Z here HERE. A few highlights include our Z Car Garage Big-Brakes developed with Stoptech:

 

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.

 

Greg received ZCG CV Axle set #264, standard half-shafts shown on left:

   

The Z received a new L31 engine with fresh 280Z 5-speed transmission. The entire engine bay was detailed with new hoses/clamps, plating and wiring:

 

Full front and rear suspension rebuild:

 

Panasport wheels:

   

Where is it now?

 

In August 2020, Greg H listed the Z on Bring a Trailer, you can see the auction HERE. The auction winner and new owner Greg J reached out to us and we’ve been in touch ever since. He even sent us this nice write-up below of his journey picking up the Z in Fresno, CA and driving back up to his home in Seattle, WA. Enjoy!

 

You can’t go back, or can you?

By Greg James

There’s an old saying about never being able to go back. In a sense, it’s true. Anyone approaching-or at- senior citizen status knows what I mean. However, with our cars, we can re-live some of our youth even If it means doing so with a bit more weight, less hair, and a more measured approach to what and how we drive. In other words a car can be a great way to go back in time. In the early 1980’s, while in college, I earned my degree from the school of auto hard knocks before getting things more or less sorted out. Impulsive car buying decisions  and – admittedly – my poor maintenance of those same cars resulted in a series of duds that ended up junked or unloaded quickly. That list included a Datsun 610, Sunbeam Alpine, Saab 99, and a Datsun 1600 Roadster. Eventually after trial and error and a couple of seized motors, I found my “road mate”: A lightly used Orange/Black 1973 Datsun 240Z. Unlike my previous cars, the Datsun was quick, reliable (By then I’d learned to change the oil), and sleek.  Did I mention reliable? I drove it for over 50K miles, and it never let me down. After 3 years of ownership I sold the 240Z and moved on to a 1976 Porsche 911S. I quickly embraced the Porsche marque and over the next several decades, bought, sold, and “drove the wheels off” a dozen 911 cars starting with the original S and up to my current pair of Neunelfers, a 1996 993 Twin Turbo, and a 1985 3.2 Carrera. During Porsche ownership I rarely looked back at – or thought about – any of my former cars, with one big exception, the Datsun 240Z. When I occasionally saw one on the road, I remembered the ‘73 and the numerous road trips I took with my girlfriend to places like Sun Valley Idaho or San Francisco. By today’s standards, the originals Z’s are primitive and underpowered. 40 years ago they were a sexy Japanese import with curb appeal, and performance to match.

 

At the height of the 2020 summer Covid shutdown, my attention turned to the Internet and many of the popular on-line auctions sites. Datsun 240Z’s had become a staple on Bring A Trailer, and auctions often featured nut and bolt restorations or original low mile “time capsules”. Six figure sales of a Japanese car that originally sold for around $3500 occurred weekly. Eventually boredom, fond memories, and my own curiosity got the better of me and I decided to add a “Z” to my small car collection. That decision then prompted me to soul search as I contemplated buying a 1970’s era Datsun: Would it be a rotisserie restored early series low mile 240Z that could $100k or more? Perhaps a DIY restored high quality “driver” for $30-50k? Or a 280Z with fuel injection, a more robust build and the optional 5-speed transmission?

 

In the end, after a fair amount of research, chats with local Z owners, and several test drives I settled on the 280Z. I concluded I wanted a car I’d drive, and fuel injection made sense because of lower maintenance costs, and less finicky old school technology. Eventually the ideal candidate came up on BaT. Located in Fresno California, It was a professionally restored 1977 280Z in light metallic blue, with a 5-speed, fuel injection, upgraded suspension brakes and wheels, a new interior, and an impressive stack of receipts from Z Car Garage of San Jose CA. As a bonus, the car had a stroked 3.1 motor built by Hasselgren Engineering of Berkley CA. Dyno’d at 170 RWHP, the straight 6 was producing close to 50 horsepower more than stock and promised performance that would enable it to at least keep up with a modern SUV. I bought the car.

 

Originally intending to have the car shipped 1000 miles from Fresno to Seattle, I thought back to some of the early road trips I made in my 20’s and convinced my 12 yr. old son Andrew that in the middle of the Covid “summer of boredom” we’d have a great time touring Northern California, and the coasts of Oregon and Washington in the new acquisition. The route we decided on would be nearly 1200 miles, and after explaining what a “Datsun” was to Andrew, and some negotiation, we agreed on two things: We’d drive scenic coastal Hwy 101 from Eureka north, and lunches would be at In-N-Out Burger.

 

We flew to Fresno on a Saturday and met the owner at the airport. After a short test drive in which the Datsun performed well, and some chit chat about cars, the weather, traffic, money, and why a beat up Porsche 914 is cooler than a modern Mazda Miata, we were off. We left at 3 in the afternoon on a typical 105 degree Fresno summer day. The owner promised everything in the car worked, and true to his word, the A/C blew cold, which was a big relief. On the freeway, the 3.1 straight six performed well. With noticeably more grunt than a stock 2.8 the car accelerated in a predictable linear manner. No hesitation, no carb flat spot, just smooth running. In fact, I judged its acceleration to be similar to my 207 HP US spec 1985 3.2 Carrera. The 5 speed was tight, the steering crisp, and the overall feel told me we’d have some spirited driving ahead of us.

 

Day 1 took us from Fresno, 300 miles north to Redding CA on I-5, which was uneventful freeway driving. Day 2 was more exciting as we departed Redding early and made our way to CA Hwy 299, a well maintained mostly 2 lane mountain road that snakes 150 miles west through the Coastal range while following the Trinity River to the Pacific Ocean. I’m lucky enough to have driven some spectacular western US “driver” roads in my 60 years, and 299 would rank near the very top for curves, hairpins, fast straights, scenery, and a respectable number of passing lanes. We made it to Eureka and the coast in under 3 hours, and just in time for lunch at In-N-Out Burger, California’s famously good fast food chain. From there we drove north on 101 with a stop at Redwoods National Park and a stroll through The Lady Bird Johnson Grove of Giants. While I’ve always appreciated the amazing machines we humans have managed to build with our big brains and ingenuity, nothing human-made can match the awe you feel standing next to a 2000 year old, 300 foot tall truly enormous tree. From the Redwoods, we proceeded north on 101 along the Southern Oregon coast. Traffic was light, and Oregon State Troopers were few and far between. Andrew and I reveled in the scenery: rugged beaches, breaking waves, jagged near-shore islands, steep cliffs. 101 is a drivers dream! We stopped for the night in the beach town of Florence Oregon, famous for its miles of sand dunes and Honeyman State Park. The next day, after a fisherman’s breakfast and some strong coffee, the plan was to continue north on 101. However, fires closed the road ten miles north of Florence and we were forced to sidetrack east to Eugene Oregon and I-5 for the rest of the trip to Seattle. The last days 300 miles went smoothly, and the Datsun 280Z handled high freeway speeds with minimal effort. At 3000 RPM in 5th, the big 3.1 had us cruising along effortlessly at 80MPH. All in all, a great trip with a great kid in a wonderful car.  Ah, the memories…

 

Enjoying The Ride

 

In March of 2021, Greg contacted us with a nice update on the Z…he had early bumpers installed and it looks great:

 

Thanks for sharing your story and passion with us Greg. We are stoked that you got to Enjoy The Ride in the Z with family on an epic roadtrip. Here’s to many more memorieZ.  Stay tuned for our next “Where are they now” feature, and if you missed our first installment find it HERE. 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 in Tokyo, Japan is running our Z Car Garage Big-Brakes and Z Car Garage CV Axles in their Series Datsun 240Z:

 

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.

  …[read more]

 

On Saturday, March 19 the Breakfast Club Rally is hosting another fantastic vintage car rallye in Sonoma, Ca. This time it is only for Japanese cars!

To register and see more details, please visit their website HERE

  

I have run with this group and it is a total blast, you can see my previous event reports HERE

Z you there!

 

Happy New Year! Today we kicked off 2022 the right way with a New Year’s drive on a beautiful California day. Our friend Geoff assembled a group of cars and we were pleasantly surprised to see several Z Car Garage clients and friends in attendance! Thank you to everyone that braved the chilly morning temperatures and truly showed that Datsuns Are Driven! Enjoy photos and video from the cruise below.

 

I drove my 1967.5 Datsun Roadster and it was a cool 36F at 8:30am as I hit the freeway for the meeting point in San Jose. It was so good to see familiar faces and cool cars. Geoff briefed the group and we rolled out 16 cars strong heading up HWY 17 to Bear Creek Rd. Let’s take a look at the group:

Jim’s 1971 Datsun 240Z

 

Jim’s 1971 Datsun 240z is now sporting a Rebello 3.2L with triple-Mikuni carbs on a Harada intake, Recaro Specialist seats, CD009a 6-speed transmission, our Z Car Garage Big-Brakes (for small wheels) and Z Car Garage CV Axles!

 

Dirk’s 1973 Datsun 240Z

 

Dirk’s 1973 Datsun 240z is back on the road with a fresh engine,  Z Car Garage Big-Brakes (for small wheels) and Z Car Garage CV Axles and Silvia 6-speed transmission. Full report coming to zcarblog.com

Glenn’s 1972 Nissan Fairlady 240z-L

 

Glenn Chiou drove his RHD Fairlady Z sporting our Z Car Garage Big-Brakes (for small wheels). He is an avid vintage race car driver/restorer and found our brake kit offers incredible brake feel and performance all fitting behind his favorite 15×8 zero offset Watanabe wheel:

 

Vince’s 1973 Datsun 240Z

 

Vince’s 1973 Datsun 240z is Enjoying The Ride with our Z Car Garage Big-Brakes (for small wheels) and Z Car Garage CV Axles.  He scored this Z from our friends at Bring a Trailer!

Mrs. Butters

 

Rob and Meghan Fuller drove Mrs. Butters, our Series 1 shop 240z. This Series 1 S30 features a 3.2L with triple-Mikuni induction, Z Car Garage Big-Brakes, Z Car Garage CV Axles, ZCG Heat Shield, 6-speed transmission and full KW suspension (releasing soon).

 

Jose’s Z

 

Jose M was happy to join us in his Z. After 8 years, Rob and Jose re-connected at our  2023 Nissan Z Viewing.

 

Felix’ 1996 Nissan 300ZX Twin Turbo

 

Felix joined is in his 1996 Z32TT. This 300 will also get an updated feature on zcarblog.com.

 

Pall’s Nissan Skyline GT-R

 

Pall’s R32 recently visited ZCG for Haltech ECU and dyno tuning.

Datsun 510s

 

We had three Datsun 510s in Wagon, 2-door and 4-door models!

Mark’s 1972 Datsun 510

 

We upgraded Mark’s 510 with our Z Car Garage CV Axles. These CV axles help transmit power to the ground and ensure smoother operation compared to standard half shafts, while eliminating the need for aluminum adapters.  Mark got ZCG VV Axle set #320 and he loves them:

Nick’s Datsun 510 Wagon

 

Z Car Garage’s very own Nick F drove his L-Series powered 510 wagon with SSR mesh wheels.

Dustin’s Datsun 510 4-door

 

We’ve known Dustin and Courtney for many years. Dustin’s 510 4-door runs a KA24DE and sweet Longchamp XR-4 wheels.  Hagerty produced a video featuring the local Bay Area Datsun couple you can see it HERE. Dustin also installed our Z Car Garage CV Axles himself on his 510!

 

Kurt drove his Subaru GC8 with full STi drivetrain. We’ve got more updates on his R32 Skyline GT-R soon! Eric drove his Infiniti FX35 and Henry brought his Stillen Supercharged 370Z. Ben also attended in his 1974 Datsun 260Z.

 

Our fearless leader Geoff in his Lotus 7 and my Datsun Roadster. Also joing us was William in his (964) 911:

 

Enjoying The Ride

 

Bear Creek Rd. up to HWY 9 to the look out was surprisingly traffic-free. At the lookout we could see clear across the Santa Cruz mountains to the coast. A few late-model Porsche’s stopped by.

 

Enjoy this video of the drive and all cars particiapting:

 

 

From the lookout we drove up Skyline (35) and down Alpine Rd. Recent rains have made lush forests:

 

After a short re-group we took 84 up to Alice’s Restaurant and chatted for a bit. It is always busy here and the eye-candy endless. My J-Tin radar was treated to Mark 3 and 4 Supras, S14 240SX, R35 GT-R, MR2 and DC2 Integra:

 

This Model A had a hot-rodded 4-cylinder Flathead. It’s a small world and through Geoff we were introduced to the owner, John B. John races a Jaguar Special with CSRG!

 

Thanks to everyone that came out. We hope you get to the Enjoy The Ride this year, let’s make 2021 amazing. DO IT IN A DATSUN!

More pictures in the gallery below!