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!

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***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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 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:

    

 

We met Cece in 2018 when she contacted us for help with her 1977 280z. She had been a customer for many years at ND Autocare and when Joe Chester shutdown…she stopped driving, fearful that having a vintage car meant you were susceptible to breakdowns. With the right combination of parts and experience a 280z can be as reliable as (dare we say) Honda’s of the 80’s. Datsuns just can’t be killed. Cece’s Z was treated to a ZCG-style mechanical restoration including a new drivetrain, engine bay clean-up, total suspension rebuild and more.

Cece’s Z Story

She has owned the ’77 Z for 27 years, here is the story behind it:

“I was first introduced to the Z car in 1976 when I was in high school, a friend of mine drove a 1973 240 Z.  I always liked cars and found the Z to be unique.  In the mid 1980s, a Z car was not in our budget nor was it practical for a family with two young children. In the early 90’s while I was working full time and raising my family, I went back to school and earned my college degree.  As a graduation gift to myself, I began my search to purchase a Z car.  A friend who was a master technician for Nissan, suggested I look for a 280Z as they were fuel injected and had less problems than some earlier models.  In 1993 I found an ad in Auto Trader for a  1977 280Z  that was 16 years old, had low mileage ( for a car its age), for sale by the son of the original owner and at a price point I could finally afford.  “

 

The seller gave me all the service records, original bill of sale from the dealer, the original service manual, etc.  At least I knew where the car had been and what maintenance had been done on it.  I felt fortunate that this car had been well taken care of.  In 1999 I had the car painted, got new tires and wheels, replaced the faded interior carpet and had the seats recovered.  I drove the car on weekends and tucked it under the car cover in the garage during the week.”

 

During the last 5 years Cece did not drive the car as much since it was becoming less mechanically reliable.  She heard about ZCG through the Z Owners of Northern California Car Club and made an appointment with us in January 2018.

 

Taking the Z to the next level: Drivetrain

Cece came down to ZCG to discuss the project. We made a plan to give her Z much needed love and began work in the summer. Please visit the gallery below for more pictures documenting the engine and engine bay restoration work, it’s where our efforts shine!

Engine

The tired engine was removed and we built an L28 with mild cam and clean-up work on the head.

New L28:

  

With the engine/transmission removed we focused our efforts on restoring the engine bay.  Everything was zinc plated and 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:

 

Intake manifold cleaned up and powdercoated:

 

An MSA exhaust header was installed:

 

This was a 4-speed car, so we went ahead and grabbed one of the 5-speeds from Rob’s stash. This low-miles assembly was installed:

A JWT aluminum flywheel and heavy duty clutch backs the L28:

 

Oil pan detail:

 

With the new engine/transmission and a KOYO race aluminum radiator installed, more detail work was performed:

 

MAF/hose/hardware detail:

    

Engine bay restoration, before/after:

Dyno Tuning

 

Rob dyno tuned the tired L28 and rebuilt engine. Baseline was 118hp/139tq and after tuning the new engine made 146hp/156tq to the wheels:

 

Suspension

 

The goal of this project was to give Cece a Z that she could drive wherever and however she wanted, 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. 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.

Before/after suspension refresh with T/C rod and steering rack detail:

 
Rear end with T3 lower control arms in:

The best part of this job is the people and their stories. Taking somebody who has the same passion as us and delivering them something they can enjoy and drive gives us immense satisfaction. With updates like real suspension and brakes that can hang with any late model car, the headaches commonly associated with vintage car ownership disappear. From a well-versed Z owner to someone who just like the way a Z looks, let us help you achieve your vision of the perfect S30! More pictures in the galley below and LONG LIVE THE Z!

   

LONG LIVE THE Z!

…[read more]

 

At Z Car Garage we are fortunate to be a part of many Nissan/Datsun enthusiasts lives. Here is a great story of how we helped re-kindle one couple’s love for their Z. Ruth and Larry bought their 1978 280z brand new and immediately enjoyed it with Ruth daily driving for several years. Unfortunately, life gets in the way and Ruth put the car in storage for a long period.

  

We met the couple in 2008 when Ruth came in to ZCG to get the Z up and running which resulted in a full 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 set of Panasports. Finally, we cut and buffed the paint and Ruth’s Z took on a new look…it was almost like 1978 again!

 

  

The next step for them to drive and enjoy the car happened a few years later when we restored the entire interior of the car: a full dashboard restoration, Recaro LXF seats (Leather!), custom carpet kit, sound deadening, all weatherstripping, seals, etc.  These are all the details that ZCG performs to take a 280z from an awesome car from the 70’s to a timeless classic that can be driven anywhere.

The Little Things:  sill lock trim!

 

Dashboard: gauges and knobs:

    

The result of the interior restoration:

 

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.  The cut/buff from a few years back wasn’t sufficient and it showed in areas like the hood. Those amazing pinstripes and lower rocker trim were looking a bit tired as well:

 

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:

 

Restored side moulding:

  

William applied the factory paint color and the Z looks fantastic. We cleaned up the louvers too.

 

The best part, of course, is that Ruth and Larry are still in love with their 280z! Enjoy The Ride and thank you for letting us be a part of your journey. Your dedication and passion for the Z is contagious and we love it!

More pictures in our gallery below: …[read more]