Love for the Z is strong in Northern California as hundreds of enthusiasts visit Z Car Garage to see the 2023 Nissan Z.

Z Car Garage opened our shop to the public to see the new Nissan Z sports car on 10/23. This was the first public showing of the new Z in Northern California since its 9/17 Global Reveal in New York.

ZCG had several vintage Z cars on display to celebrate the lineage. A representative from Nissan was present to answer questions and it was the perfect opportunity for photography of the new Z. Enjoy our report from the event with plenty of photos and video below.

Two DayZ With The New Z

Although the event was officially on 10/23, we were given the opportunity to spend time with the Z beginning on Friday 10/22. The itinerary:

Friday 1-4pm: Nissan held a media slot with high-profile automotive journalists including Jason Cammisa:

Friday  4-6pm: ZCG shop team got to spend some alone-time with the new Z

Friday 6-9pm: Private viewing of new Z…

An Intimate Setting With the New Z

Photo: Lane Skelton

On Friday evening from 6pm to 9pm we hosted a private viewing of the new Z. Close friends, family and clients of Z Car Garage were able to sit inside the Z and enjoy it without security ropes. We had light refreshments, our famous popcorn machine running and plenty of time to hangout.

This was our way of showing gratitude to our clients—while alleviating foot traffic and crowding for the following day’s public viewing. We wanted everyone to have chance to see the Z without wading through a sea of people. Mission accomplished.

 

A Display For Enthusiasts to Enjoy

The New Z was the center of attention but make no mistake we wanted give everyone a chance to explore our shop and see some really cool Nissans and Datsuns. More than “just a viewing”…inside the shop we staged our client cars to show a range of old to new. Surrounding the 2023 Z were historically significant Datsun racing 240Z’s, Z32 300ZX’s (tail light inspiration for the new Z), R32 and R35 GT-Rs, S30 VIN# 193 and James’ turbocharged L-Series 240z:

IMSA GTU Corner!

These two Datsun 240Z race cars are historically significant. The #49 IMSA GTU Z was built and raced by our friend, the late Joel Anderson and the #47 Transcendental Racing IMSA GTU Z was raced by Brad Frisselle (currently owned by Randy Jaffe). Both cars will be racing at the Velocity Invitational Nov. 11-14 at Laguna Seca. Rob Fuller is eager to be in the driver seat again behind the wheel of the #49 IMSA GTU Z. (Below) The BRE Datsun 240Z, also owned by Randy Jaffe:

Venturing to the back of the shop, our Z Car Garage Big-Brakes, Z Car Garage CV Axles, and more were on display:

The Big Day: Meet The New Z!

Saturday’s 10am to 4pm public showing of the Z was a huge success. We had a steady flow of people throughout the day with 400+ attendees enjoying the company of fellow enthusiasts inside and outside the shop.

Huge thanks to  Nissan for making Z Car Garage the premier venue for sharing the new Z. It really gave us some 2008 vibes when our shop was chosen to host the first stop on the “Follow The Z” Tour of the then-new 2009 Nissan 370Z:

 

It is hard to capture the energy and vibe of the two-day event so I made this video showing a few highlights: from loading the new Z into the shop, private event, preparing for the public event, parking lots gems and more. Enjoy!

Parking Lot Gems

While the spotlight was on the new Z inside the shop there was a constant rotation of cool Nissans and Datsuns outside. We had VIP parking for our clients and anyone with a Nissan or Datsun. A few notables:

Gary’s Datsunworks KN20-powered 240Z:

Alex’s Datsun 510 Wagon. This LSX V8-powered Dime will be dyno tuned this week at ZCG! CJ’s 240Z getting our Car Garage Big-Brakes, Z Car Garage CV Axles:

Jeremy’s ’73 G-Nose 240Z with long-time clients Lou (R32 GT-R) and Craig K (350Z):

Rob J’s Series 1 and Jeff B’s 240Z. Jeff recently got some TE37V wheels, full report on this LS-powered Z soon!

Kevin’s Z32 and Henry’s 370Z

With the shop lot full it made us happy to see attendees finding nearby street parking. Check out this Datsun Violet 710!

If parking was difficult to find we had an overflow lot provided by Bay 101 Casino just a short walk away. The lot turned out to be quite useful, though it was only at 30% capacity. We even spotted some Z’s and a B210 in the parking lot!

More pictures in the gallery!

New and Old Friends

It’s been so long since we could gather in public and mingle with fellow enthusiasts. We treasure our relationships built over the years through Z Car Garage. Many long-time clients visited us and we also met new Z-car fans, all with stories we love to hear.

Speaking of friends, fellow racer and client Glenn Chiou and I could not resist taking some photos of our Datsuns next to the new Z 🙂

Long Live The Passion

The 6hr long event came and went too soon! Just before 6pm we were loading up the shop and sending the new Z off when the most amazing thing happened to Rob. You may have seen the motto on our ZCG license plate frames “Performance with Passion”… It’s the passion of enthusiasts that drives us. Jose Magana had just got off work when he heard about our event. He knew he as going to miss it but he took a chance and stopped by the shop anyway. He was lucky as the new Z was still outside, staging to leave:

Jose greeted Rob and began telling us all how he got his Datsun 240Z…

“You may not remember me but YOU are the reason why I have this Z! In 2013 I visited your shop with my Dad. I didn’t even have a Z at the time but I remember you were so humble and kind to us. You even let me sit in your race car.”

Rob, listening to Jose tell him this story said let’s go inside, and showed him the very same race car that Jose sat it in, the #49 Joel Anderson IMSA GTU Z. It was a special moment for Rob, myself, Meghan and Jose. We had to take a picture with Jose. He continued:

“It because of you I saved up enough money to buy my own Datsun Z, and I had to tell you this and how you inspired me, even if I couldn’t make the event on time, so thank you!”

We were so overwhelmed with joy. Thank you Jose for your passion and giving us some wonderful inspiration on top of an already incredible weekend.

Thank you!

Thank you to everyone that made the trip down to Z Car Garage to spend some time with the 2023 Nissan Z.  The outpouring of love on social media about our event and your thoughts on the new Z mean so much to us. We appreciate it deeply.

Thanks to Nissan for letting ZCG host the new Z and hanging with us for event. Lastly, none of this would be possible without the help of our small, but invaluable ZCG team including Joshua Corwin, Nick Filip, Rob and Meghan Fuller. The event was an overwhelming success, thoughtfully planned and executed.

Please continue to share your thoughts and love for the new Z…it’s a homerun from Nissan and we are excited to see them in the hands of current and next generation Z-car enthusiasts. Don’t forget the photo gallery below and LONG LIVE THE Z!

Khang D is from Modesto and we first met him in 2012 when he visited Z Car Garage with a green 1975 Datsun 280z. We serviced the car, fixed several items and he enjoyed it for a few years before selling. In 2017, Khang purchased this white 1973 240z from our client Brent B, and returned to ZCG for full suspension upgrades including Z Car Garage Big-Brakes, new OEM mirrors, Panasport wheels and a complete tuneup.

It wasn’t long before Khang came back to ZCG with a request for more power to match the excellent chassis improvements. Let’s take a closer look at this fantastic daily driver+canyon carver showcasing our  Z Car Garage CV Axles, Z Car Garage Heat Shield, Jenvey ITB fuel injection, CD009 Six-speed transmission and more.

Suspension

In September 2017 we overhauled the suspension. The Z received coil-overs from Techno Toy Tuning including T/C rods and rear control arms. The entire front suspension was re-done with new bushings, wheel bearings, rack bushings, steering coupler, etc.

Struts, OEM T/C rods replaced with coil-overs:

  

T3 Rear lower control arms replace OEM units:

ZCG Big-Brakes

“WOW, what a difference. The feel, modulation, power, sharpness was amazing. Hands down the best brakes I had ever driven on a Z car” -Glenn

As fellow 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 master cylinder change or additional proportioning valve/adjustments, etc. 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:

 

Khang’s S30 got the full 4-wheel brake kit with new OEM Master Cylinder:

We also installed the fully functioning parking brake that works with factory linkage/handle:

 

 

Khang loves the ZCG Big-Brakes:

“They are a must have and definitely allows the bigger power. Kind of spoiled actually. I’ve recently checked out another 240z and drove it and then hit the brakes and forgot that they were stock and almost ran through a stop sign.”

Engine Bay Services

Khang’s engine bay was painted black so we took this opportunity to paint it body color and perform re-installing the new engine. As usual William worked his magic to apply the white paint while we zinc’d or powdercoated all parts in the engine bay. The before/after is dramatic, no doubt from the new engine discussed below!

    

New hydraulic lines/plumbing and wiring harness with general cleanup made this engine bay pop:

 

Engine

 

After a year of enjoyment Khang desired more power. We installed a Rebello 3.2L engine with upgraded cam, Harada intake and Jenvey fuel injection. The old SU-fed L-series was removed:

 

We knew the car would be stopping and handling better than before, so we installed a Moroso oil pan and Koyo aluminum radiator to keep temperatures in check. We are using Pacesetter 3 into 2 header ( to clear six-speed) leading to our ZCG exhaust system with stainless resonator and slash-cut tip.

  

Jenvey Fuel Injection

We are huge fans of modern fuel injection on the L-series for it ease of operation, excellent hot/cold start behavior, tuning abilities and all-around driver-friendliness. Khang’s 3.2L engine uses an individual throttle-body induction setup from Jenvey. We have used this setup on several builds, including Scott’s 260Z with stellar results.

 

In-progress shots of the throttle body wiring. We mounted the ignition coil on the firewall to minimize clutter. The valve cover was also changed.

 

The fuel injection system is run by a Haltech Elite 750.  The ECU was mounted in the passenger side footwell:

 

Topping the ITBs off are custom, merged mesh air filters. The sound from the Jenvey EFI is intoxicating. More pictures in the photo gallery!

 

We also installed what every L-series needs: a Z Car Garage Heat Shield!

 

Fueling mods to support fuel injection including in-tank fuel pump. The tank was pulled and boiled out/refurbished before adding EFI:

 

Dyno Tuning

Rob dyno tuned the 3.2L via Haltech.  Baseline was 129hp/131tq with the old engine and with Rob’s tuning the 3.2L made 264hp/231tq at the wheels. Watch the dyno run and listen to those Jenvey ITBs scream in the video below!

 

Beyond performance, Khang is very happy with the Jenvey EFI:

“Best thing I can say is I don’t plan to ever go back to a carb setup again. Knowing that it’ll turn on every time and can be on the road for prolong periods of time without feeling like I need a gas mask on. Carbs were tolerable when I was younger but now a days I like the comfort features of EFI.

Driveline Upgrades

We built Khang an R180 rear diff with 4.11 OS Giken LSD, a perfect upgrade for anyone doing spirited driving. All built in-house with new bearings/hardware by our very own Joshua Corwin:

       

The clutch hydraulics were replaced to work with new aluminum flywheel/JWT HD clutch combo:

 

Six Speed Transmission

Next on the update list, we were really excited to install a Nissan 350z 6-speed manual transmission behind the L-series in Khang’s Z. You read that right! S30 owners can now bolt-in this robust, 6-speed manual behind their L-series engine! You might remember our first application of Austin Hoke’s custom 6-speed adapter kit on the OS Giken TC24B1Z-powered 240z, Trevor’s 280Z and Frank’s 240Z:

  

Using the 6-speed conversion kit from Hoke Performance we installed a new CD009a transmission from the 2003 -2008 Z33 in Khang’s 240Z:

  

Here is the brand-new transmission from Nissan being unboxed:

 

 

The kit necessitated exhaust header changes and after testing a variety of headers we found the Pacesetter 3-2 unit provided enough clearance. Serial 9 provided the shifter relocation assembly and we are really happy with its performance. Also shown is the aluminum driveshaft.

  

It fits! More installation pictures in the gallery.

 

It’s a very discreet look from the cockpit…until you feel the amazingly direct and precise feel of the CD009a!

 

Khang is in love with the six-speed, we are as well:

“The CD009 Gives the Z such a more modern feel but still plenty of fun at the same time. Retains the rawness but then put it into 6th gear and it cruises like a modern day car. Love the shift knob.”

Enjoy this video of the Z in action with dyno runs, engine and exhaust revs, freeway cruising and acceleration:

Z Car Garage CV Axles

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

  

Stock half shafts (L) and ZCG units:

 

ZCG CV Axles installed on Khang’s 240Z shown below with more pictures in the gallery:

  

Panasport Wheels

We are an authorized Panasport dealer and lover. Khang’s meshies were replaced with 16×7 Panasports and 225/50/16  Yokohama S-drive tires followed by a full alignment:

 

Details

  

We sorted out little things for Khang that make a huge improvement in Enjoying The Ride. One item we are particularly proud of is this custom, OEM-like shift knob displaying a 6-speed shift pattern. Khang is one of the first customers (other than the Behemoth and Butters) to receive this cool shift knob that emulates the factory 4-speed shift pattern and font:

 

The speedo and tach are functional with a GPS box and tach adapter:

 

The interior was treated to a new set of Recaro Specialist seats and our ZCG sound deadening program to eliminate that “tinny” sound.

 

More small details like replacing all coolant and fuel hoses, breather, new battery and cables:

 

Driving is Believing

 

When Khang picked up car earlier this year, he was blown away:

“I’ve had several Z’s over the years. I had a green ’75 280z for about 10 years throughout college and had it worked on by Rob at one point. Sold the car and then just missed it too much and literally bought my current 73 240z about 6 months later in May of 26, 2017 as shown in the picture when I went to pick it up. I knew from my previous experience with Z Car Garage that I wanted Rob to build this new one for me.”

 Thank you Khang for allowing us to build you a 50 year old supercar.  We are so fortunate to work with owners that appreciate the Z and believe in our ability to make them better! LONG LIVE THE Z!

 

More pictures in the gallery below:
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We had a blast at the 34th Annual Z Car Convention (ZCON) hosted by ZCCA in Colorado Springs. This is the largest Z-car event in the US and we were stoked to be a sponsor. Coming from the 8/17 New 2023 Z Reveal in New York, Rob and Meghan attended the the 8/21 People’s Choice Show at ZCON. Enjoy photos these from the event!

 

Congratulations to our client Bob Russell on his 1st place award for Stock 240Z! We will have a full report on Bill’s S30 on zcarblog.com soon

Both of our clients Jack and Linda made it to ZCON with their recently finished Z’s and had a great time:

Jack won 3rd place for Ultra-Modified Z32 with his LS3-swapped, Primadonna Z:

The largest Z show!

ZCON was a Z car lover’s fantasy… with every generation represented. There were even non-Z cars welcomed!

S30

S130

 

Mike Rogers 12-mile 1980 ZX. Here is a great video and walk through on this time capsule!

Z31

Z32

350z

370z

Nissan/Datsun Gems

ZCON welcomed all members of the family and there were some great cars on display:

Roadster, 620 and S13

Best of the 90’s!

Midnight Purple R33, Z32 and R32 all at gas station just outside of ZCON!

People

The legendary Pete Brock, Hiroshi Tamura and Larry Chen were just a few of the big names at ZCON:

Christopher Karl and Mark Lambert both received Lifetime Achievement Awards, congrats gentlemen!

Thank You!

ZCON was a success. Big thanks to Christopher Karl of ZCCA for an incredible week of friends and Z cars. Z you next year!

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We met Gordon in 2013 when he came to Z Car Garage for Stillen Gen 3 intakes on his 2010 V1 Nismo Z34. He had 13k miles on the clock and that same summer we also installed a Fast Intentions exhaust system.

Here is the Fast Intentions TDX cat-back exhaust system and Stillen intakes:

The exhaust looks great from the rear:

Stock single muffler vs the TDX dual muffler setup:

The Z is Gordon’s fun car so very little daily driving…in 2015 he came in for minor paint work and an inspection with only 27k miles.

   

With 33k miles no won the odometer we performed a full 30k service. The diff bushings were replaced with Whiteline units and CV axles lubed.

Dyno Tuning

 

We specialize in UPREV and EcuTek Tuning to maximize power gains from individual modifications like intake and exhaust upgrades. It had been 6-7 years since Gordon’s last UPREV tune. On the dyno, Rob re-tuned the Z with gains throughout the rev range. Peak gains of 22hp/15tq for a total of 309hp/254tq at the wheels:

 

Gordon is thrilled with the power gains:

“The final piece was an Up-Rev tune. So Rob worked his magic with the tune and the results were amazing on the dyno. The car was just awesome. Rob and the team have done some regular maintenance work on the car over the years, including a recent replacement of the factory clutch with a higher performance clutch w/ a lighter flywheel. We also added a new set of Continental Xtreme Sports. It feels like a new car. I can’t say enough about Rob and his team. They truly are Z best…”

 

Thanks for your support Gordon, Long Live The Z!

Contact us for tuning!

Z Car Garage offers the ARC (Advanced Racing Controls) license. This add-on service to the existing UPREV Flash allows you to have adjustable launch control, burnout mode, and flat-foot shifting. This is for cars with manual transmission, VDC/cruise control. Call Rob for more details and to schedule your Z/G tuning appointment.