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.”

Listen to it sing in this video from track and autocross days with more on his YouTube channel.

 

“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!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our customer Trevor M’s 1978 Datsun 280Z is featured on the latest episode of Hoonigan Autofocus with Larry Chen. Rob Fuller and Larry discuss the 280Z platform, ZCG’s upgrades and take it for a spin. Enjoy!

 

Stay tuned for a full zcarblog.com feature on Trevor’s 280Z, where we will take a closer look at our Z Car Garage Big-Brakes, Z Car Garage CV Axles, CD009 Six-speed transmission and more.

LONG LIVE THE Z!

 

Ruth and Larry Roth have been part of Z Car Garage since 2008. Over the years we performed a full mechanical, interior and exterior restoration on their 280Z and late last year Ruth reached out to us because it wasn’t running well.  She also shared the unfortunate news of her husband Larry’s sudden passing. For the first time in 50 years she was on her own, with her Z car.

 

Remembering Larry

We are personally invested the cars and people we conduct business with at ZCG. Rob set aside time to make a house call and visit Ruth out in Menlo Park to assess the Z. It sat around for a long time and had signs of headgasket issues. The Roth’s enjoyed the Z for many years adding their own personal touches and with all the ZCG restorative (paint/interior) work, we were at a crossroads with this engine failure.

 

Ruth bought this car brand new and we wanted to not only celebrate Larry but also make the Z drivable again for Ruth to enjoy on her own. The plan was to rebuild her engine (stock style 2.8) and update the chassis with our Z Car Garage Big-Brakes and Z Car Garage CV Axles to make it perfect.  Before we get into the latest work let’s take a look back on the interior/exterior refurbishment.

Interior

 

The dash was removed and sent out for restoration and when it came back we replaced all the gauge lights with updated LEDs. We polished all of the plastic covers, resealed all the heater ducts, and lubed all the heater cables. We also serviced the heater core, replaced all the heater hoses and anything easily accessible while the dash was out.

A set of RECARO LXFs in leather replaced the factory seats:

To complement the seat choice we picked a custom carpet kit and leather for the new door panels and headliner. Another nice touch was the new door panel trim matched the other door panel parts perfectly. More highlights include a new factory center console fitted with an updated HD headunit, MOMO steering wheel, and custom shift boot (Ruth’s choice). Check out detailed pictures of the interior work in this blog post HERE.

 

 

Exterior

 

We met the couple in 2008 when Ruth came in to ZCG for a mechanical refresh.  All hydraulics (brakes/clutch) were restored. The suspension was treated to urethane bushings and Tokico 5-way struts with Eibach springs and a set of beautiful Panasports. Finally, we cut and buffed the paint and Ruth’s Z took on a new look…it was almost like 1978 again! It had been years since we had seen the Roth’s other than routine maintenance. It was time to dive back into the project with a full external restoration.

   

We called upon our man William from William’s Auto Body and both Ruth and Larry had two requests: 1) The Z car must be as awesome inside as outside and 2) we absolutely must keep the pinstriping that had been on the car since new. William was more than up to to the task. This time we went ahead and installed electric power steering for ease/use, our upgraded rearview mirror (as featured on Gary Roser’s car, report later) which includes a backup camera, GPS, temp:

 

Re-chromed bumpers and restored guards:

  

Full glass/chrome trim/weatherstrip R&R. All NOS Nissan!

 

Inner fender liners:

 

NOS emblems replace pitted/fading orignal pieces:

 

Rear tail light panel:

 

William applied the factory paint color and the Z looks fantastic. Finally a set of powder-coated louvers and a full detail really make this 280z standout.
Check out detailed pictures of the exterior work in this blog post HERE.

 

Engine

 

Fast forward to January 2020. We made arrangements to get Ruth’s 280Z back to ZCG for the new engine rebuild and sorting. The tired L28 would be replaced with a rebuilt, “street-style” 2.8:

 

A few engine details like new injectors, oil pan and MSA exhaust header to replace a cracked exhaust manifold:

   

We replaced all hoses in the engine bay and installed a KOYO race radiator. We wanted Ruth to feel comfortable owning this Z by herself. When everything is in working order on a 280z, they can be just as reliable as any late model car.

ZCG Big-Brakes and CV Axles

It had been a long time since we saw Ruth’s S30 so we replaced the old tires with new Bridgestone S007-a (225/50/16) tires followed by a full alignment. We also installed what we like to add to every Z car built here:  our Z Car Garage Big-Brakes for small wheels. This is an all-wheel, 4-piston caliper kit that works beautifully with the balance of the stock M/C and booster. Keeping things operating smoothly are our Z Car Garage CV Axles, read below for a brief description of these parts:

     

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 engineers at 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 some 14″ wheels) 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:

 

We removed Ruth stock brakes and installed our ZCG Big-Brake kit:

   

As mentioned above, the ZCG Big-Brakes work with the factory M/C and booster. We installed a new M/C for Ruth:

 

At the rear, the factory drum brakes were replaced with our ZCG Big-Brakes. Factory handbrake functionality IS retained! We were happy to hear that Ruth,  being an older woman driving her vintage Z car she bought brand new was totally blown-away how well these brakes work!

 

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 100 CV axle kits on customer cars and we are stoked with all of the positive feedback.

 

Ruth has CV Axle set #332. Stock half shafts (L) and ZCG units:

   

On the road again

 

Icing on the cake after we fixed the Z…following a full detail Rob and Meghan delivered it to Ruth’s home. It was a special moment and Ruth was all smiles.

 

We miss you Larry and this one’s for you…we got Ruth back in her Z car. Know that we will keep this Z on the road while Ruth and ZCG are around! Love cars. Love people. Love life.

 

Enjoy more pictures in the gallery below and LONG LIVE THE Z!

…[read more]

 

***This Z is up for auction on Bring a Trailer right now, link HERE***

We met Greg 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.

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 Drivetrain

 
Greg’s Z received a total engine bay restoration along with upgrades to the driveline for smoother driving and improved torque.  Please visit the gallery below for more pictures documenting the engine bay restoration work, it’s where our efforts shine!

Engine

A fresh 3.1L  engine with new injectors replaced the tired L28:

 
New L31:

    

With the engine/transmission removed we focused our efforts on restoring the engine bay.  Everything was zinc plated or powdercoated.  New parts included brand new injectors, all new fuel system, hoses, fuel filter and all the drive belts.

 

All new hydraulic lines, emissions plumbing and more engine bay clean-up (full re-paint) before/after. More pics in the gallery!

  

Intake manifold cleaned up and powdercoated:

 

An MSA exhaust header was installed:

 

 

At the time we had a 280z 5-speed in our stash but Greg is so particular(we love that) and the unit was gone through by Z car transmission expert Steve Pettersen:

  New clutch/flywheel:

 

With the new engine/transmission even more detail work was performed:

 

MAF/hose/hardware detail:

 

Engine bay restoration, before/after:

Dyno Tuning

 

Rob dyno tuned the rebuilt 3.1L engine making 169hp/179tq to the wheels:

Enjoy L-series music on the dyno!

Suspension

 

Greg wanted a fantastic driver that was worry-free. We replaced all of the hydraulics and front/rear suspension assemblies to match the new driveline.  All suspension was either zinc’d or powdercoated:

  

We installed KYB strut inserts with lowering springs, Suspension Techniques sway bars, Techno Toy Tuning adjustable rear lower control arms, TC rods, and rack bushings, all new wheel bearings and new ball-joints. We do offer a full coil-over setup for track day/performance-oriented customers, and this spring/strut upgrade for those that want a better stance with improved handling without getting beat up.

Suspension refresh with T/C rod and steering rack detail:

     
Rear end with T3 lower control arms in:

 

 

We modified the floor to accommodate Recaro LXF Specialist seats (in leather) to suit Greg’s height while maintaining full seat travel/movemen:

  

New center console, MOMO competition wheel and restored the A/C ensuring it blowed cold (R134A):

  

Details

 

The little things are what we excel at. Exterior items include re-chroming both f/r bumpers and adding Hella H4s with our HID kit. Other interior items include a new tach and making a little seat belt holder clip to work with the Recaros:

 

Please check the gallery below for more detail shots, there are too many to list in this blog post!

Enjoying The Ride

 

With all the attention to detail and upgrades this 280Z can drive comfortably in style with power. Despite common opinion on the 280z, we think it has a wonderful character from that era and when you update similarly as a 240z, they are great sports cars. The majority of our 280z costumers still use their cars as daily drivers (Cece, above).  Greg is super happy with how it came out and he has a smile on his face every time he drives it.  The engine is torquey,  you can stop on a dime and it handles well without riding harshly. Thank you Greg for letting us help build your vision of the ideal 280z.

LONG LIVE THE Z!

***Greg has decided to sell his Z! It is up for auction on Bring a Trailer right now, link HERE***

 

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…[read more]

 We enjoy helping Z cars owners get their cars in top shape to Enjoy The Ride. David P purchased this 1975 Datsun 280z on the East Coast and the exotic shop it was at had difficulty with it. David moves between San Francisco and Massachusetts and wanted us to sort his Z out before hitting the roads here. Our Z Car Garage Big-Brakes and Z Car Garage CV Axles along with tuning and aesthetic upgrades transform this Z.

 

Affectionately called “Triple Six”, the Z arrived at our shop from the East Coast via Masney Auto Transport (Thanks David). David had not seen the Z in person yet since purchasing and it needed some attention, Z Car Garage style.

 

The car was not running upon arrival and Rob had many suggestions after the initial assessment. From David:

“When Rob called to tell me that my car had made it there I said ‘Ok great. Can I tell you what I want done?’ to which Rob replied ‘Nope’. He said ‘I want you to come down here, drive my car and then say to me, OK I want you to do to my car whatever it was that you did to yours’, and after driving his car I did say those exact words.”

ZCG Big-Brakes and CV Axles

 

Indeed, we had David test drive “Mrs. Butters”, our 1971 Series 1 240z shop demo car with full suspension and our ZCG Big-Brakes:

“I drove Rob’s unassuming, Safari Gold 240Z, that he appropriately named Butters, and God damn was it fun! I was surprised when he told me it had 275 horsepower, not a small number for a car that’s so small and light, its just that it felt much more powerful than I ever thought a sub 300 hp car could feel.”

 
After the test drive he was sold on our Z Car Garage Big-Brakes and Z Car Garage CV Axles! Butters has a way of doing this to our customers 🙂 Read below for a brief description of these parts:

     

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 engineers at 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 some 14″ wheels) 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:

 

We removed David’s brakes and installed our ZCG Big-Brake kit. Up front: