We love to see our products being installed and enjoyed on customer cars. Dustin is running our Z Car Garage CV Axles in his 1972 Datsun 510 4-door. This Dime is powered by a Nissan KA24DE/5-speed and wears a sweet set of NOS 15×7 Longchamp XR-4 wheels:
Z Car Garage is proud to offer a CV axle conversion kit for your Datsun S30 and 510. We have sold over 100 sets of axles globally, with customers installing and enjoying them on everything from street cars to full-blown IMSA racers. These CV axles will help transmit power to the ground and ensure smoother operation compared to your standard half shafts.
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.
Dustin is running a Cusco LSD (Subaru STi R180) with Toyo R888 tires and worried about excessive wear on the stock half shafts, having seen multiple sets of other CV shafts come apart. He heard about our CV Axles from fellow Datsun enthusiast/racer Glenn C and ordered a set from Rob. Dustin installed the CV Axles himself on his 1972 Datsun 510 and reports that it went smoothly:
“The installation was very simple and easy to understand. I really like that they came with Red Loctite.”
We were stoked to hear Dustin report the improvement over his standard half shafts:
“The Cusco LSD is very noisy but seems to have gotten smoother and a bit quieter with the new axles. I doubt I will ever run into any issues breaking one with a KA24. I would highly recommend them as the only CV option.”
Here is Dustin’s 510 in action, enjoying the new ZCG CV Axles:
We’ve known Dustin and Courtney for many years. Hagerty produced a video featuring the local Bay Area Datsun couple you can see it HERE.
The couple got married in 2018 and Z Car Garage prepared Courtney’s 240z in time for their special day. Learn more about ZCG’s work on Courtney’s 240z HERE. Keep Enjoying The Ride, you two!
They are also the founders of Fuel Supply Co in Fremont, CA. We had a great time at their inaugural gathering earlier this year. Thank you both Courtney and Dustin for your continued support and passion for Datsuns!
Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at Z Car Garage! We hope you can find time to Enjoy The Ride over the holidays. Please note our hours of operation below:
We will be closed today and Friday for Thanksgiving, re-opening Tuesday December 1. Thank you!
Last Saturday I attended the Breakfast Club Rally held in Santa Rosa, CA. This was my first time at the event and I highly recommend it for anyone looking to enjoy the beautiful Northern California roads and scenery. I took my Datsun Roadster and left San Jose Saturday morning with fellow roadster owner Raj (1969 SPL) and enthusiast Naveed Yousufzai (Porsche 911 CS), driving 100 miles North to the gathering.
We spotted Daniel Wu in his Honda S800 buzzing along the freeway! Many more vintage cars were on their way:
Cars & Coffee? Yes Please!
The Breakfast Club Rally (BCR) is fairly new. What started out as a small group enjoying weekend drives blossomed into a full-on Cars and Coffee meet just before the rally participants are given the green light to head out (rally map available to pre-registrants only). The parking lot was filled with a great variety of vintage and interesting cars. Of course, yours truly is always on the lookout for Datsuns:
Andrew’s RHD Fairlady Z looking sharp on Gotti wheels:
Raj’s Datsun Roadster (“Spike”) with full U20/5 speed drivetrain and rally-prepped suspension, and one of three S30s:
R32 Skyline and two Datsun 510s:
411 wagon and two more Datsun Roadsters!
So many cool cars please check the gallery for more photos!
Rally On!
The rally started at 9am and I embarked on what would be epic adventure to the coastline. Naveed and Gen invited me join their Porsche 911 group as they trekked off-route through Skaggs Springs Rd. Weather and terrain changes abound, with rain and unpaved bits all engaging drivers.
This is a grand, picaresque part of the North that has seen recent fires, yet still remained totally mesmerizing. The fog, drizzle and clouds combined with changing forest and hillsides always had me fighting to admire and keep my eyes on the road! We eventually winded our way to the Stewart’s Point for lunch. It was an intense trip.
As folks parted ways most chose to take it easy and head down HWY back home. Our group decided to take Skaggs back again to Healdsburg! We were rewarded with less damp conditions and a gorgeous view of local vineyards. I headed back home to San Jose to complete the almost 400-mile trip.
A short video capturing the day:
Thanks BCR!
Many thanks to the organizers we had a blast at Breakfast Club Rally. I want to do it again! Also, many thanks to Naveed and Gen for leading the way and letting me tag along for the adventure. California never ceases to amaze me with driving roads galore. #DoItInADatsun
On August 7-9, the Historic Motorsports Association (HMSA) hosted Driver Appreciation Weekend at Laguna Seca. Z Car Garage was fortunate to participate and support several client’s Datsun 510 race cars running in B-Sedan Group 8. It was a great weekend filled with competition, camaraderie and plenty of Alfas, BMWs and Datsuns sharing the track. Enjoy our report with exclusive in-car footage and photos from the ever-impressive paddock!
Photo: Nick Dockery
The Race Must Go On!
In the midst of this pandemic, the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion (RMMR) event was cancelled. More commonly known as the “historics” at Weathertech Raceway Laguna Seca, this epic vintage race is part of several events occupying the week-long Monterey car festival leading up to the Pebble Beach Concours, which was also cancelled. So how were we able to race at Laguna Seca? Rob Fuller explains…
….”When HMSA announced a “Driver Appreciation Weekend” in August I immediately spoke with Barry at Laguna Seca to request a race group for B-Sedans. We made a case for the ask: our cars have raced with SVRA, CSRG and it’s a fun group to watch. Barry agreed. Glenn Chiou (racer and ambassador of vintage racing) put in hard work and rallied everyone he knew with a B-Sedan car, from both the John Morton Cup and the Historic B&C Sedan class. We had seventeen Datsun 510s plus a bunch of Alfas and BMWs.”
So despite the RMMR cancellation, on what would have been the “Pre-Historics” weekend we had an amazing time racing at Laguna Seca with HMSA. Troy Ermish transported our two customer cars and we towed our own car down Friday 8/7. Check-in and registration at the track was a breeze. Volunteers and workers from SCCA, HMSA, and ‘Seca did an incredible job making sure the event was safe. If you can imagine it, the Driver Appreciation weekend was very close to the past RMMR events, only with folks wearing masks and distancing. Make no mistake, there were clearly smiles behind those masks and joy visible in everyone’s eyes…this is the racing we all live for!
Z Car Garage Supports Four Datsun 510s!
It is our pleasure to bring more enthusiasts into the world of vintage racing. Our services do include full race support and car-preparation to help make client’s race days seamless and worry-free so they can focus on driving. One of our specialties is dyno tuning. Before a race weekend we confirm that your car is running well and make necessary adjustments while on the chassis dyno. Below is a video of two Datsun 510 B-Sedans (Kelvin and Randy’s) on the dyno prior to the Driver Appreciation weekend. Enjoy the sweet L-series music!
510s Galore!
With seventeen Datsun 510s in Group 8 it was a Dime-lover’s dream to be in the paddock and watch the races. Although the event did not allow spectators, we’ve got you covered! Here is a video showing all the 510s running, with action from our paddock, starting grid and Turn 6. Turn those speakers up and enjoy!
Let’s take a look at the Datsun 510s that we supported:
#7 Kelvin
Beginning with our customers, Kelvin had a really successful race weekend at the CSRG David Love Vintqge Races in Sonoma back in July. Unfortunately at ‘Seca his engine failed after a short time on track. Stay tuned for a full report and enjoy these closer shots of Kelvin’s beautiful 510:
#72 Tom Dockery
Tom Dockery drove his Ex-Norm Balzer/Koobation 510. This car made its debut in May 2019 and we are excited to share its full story and profile Tom’s journey into racing soon.
Tom had a blast here are his thoughts on the race weekend:
“I would have NEVER imagined I would be so comfortable putting on my racing gear a long side John Morton let alone line up beside him on grid. The man is a true steward of the game. The event bought me new comfort for Laguna Seca. The was part Rob coaching, part the caliber of the B-Sedan drivers and the bond between B-Sedan drivers. This was my first weekend on Fresh Hoosier R7 tires, what a difference! I am still not completely comfortable in the car. We have made changes at every race to get me there. Every change and improvement. But I now need to make some big changes to get the seat in the right spot. The ZCar Garage Team was on top of everything. Thanks to Keith, Nick and Josh!”
This in-car video is the Sunday afternoon session from Tom’s 510, enjoy:
“I was on my second outing with fresh R7’s …. what a difference. But the magic was the grid. The 5 five guys for the morning session which included Troy, Rob, Taz, Steve and the other BMW with Jim, got the organizers to grid them at the back. The resulting first two laps was nuts. So even though I was getting my butt kicked there was lots of action.”
#21 John Morton
Our hero John Morton drove Randy Jaffe’s Newport Datsun 510. This car was owned by Glenn Chiou (Ermish-built).
After Glenn sold the car we helped Randy ship it to his hometown in Georgia. Randy is a huge motorsports fan and really admires John Morton so he had the 510 shipped back to ZCG in July to run the Driver Appreciation event. At the shop we dyno’d and prepped the car for John Morton to race:
It was great to see Randy’s touches added to the 510. On race weekend John Morton, even at age 78, remained competitive in the Group 8 field.
Here is in-car video of John Morton driving the #21 Newport Datsun 510:
#7 Rob Fuller
With the assistance of ZCG crew Josh, Nick and Keith we also supported ZCG owner Rob Fuller in the Bay Area Datsun Dealers tribute car:
Rob performed admirably with a fastest time of 1:44.6
You can see in-car footage of Rob below, and note the reverse-style starting grid where the front runners were placed in the back to begin!
Catch more of Rob’s sessions on his Youtube Channel and here is a great video with multiple angles showing Rob battling with Steve Walker (BMW 2002):
510 Friends!
Many notable Datsun 510 racers were in Group 8, all sharing the competitive spirit. On Saturday I had to arrange all the cars for a group photoshoot. Thanks to all that helped make this possible!
#33 Glenn Chiou
Directly across from us was our buddy Glenn Chiou, running his Ex-Finn/Harris U2.5L Trans-Am ’68 510. This car made its debut in May at the SVRA event at Laguna Seca.
It is also worth noting that Glenn is one of the few “privateer” racers in the field. He sets up his own race car in his garage and his crew are friends Erich and Lloyd. Glenn is currently performing a full restoration of this 510 and we know it will be #periodcorrect on top of being ultra-clean!
#91 Troy Ermish
Troy Ermish is a phenomenal driver and always fun to watch. We were fortunate to share our tent with him and his freshly restored “Penny” 510 that handily won the B-sedan race! Not only did he help transport our cars to RMMR, his rig also provided us room to park the ZCG race cars. Thanks Troy!
Troy at work. Penny’s chassis is just as beautiful as the body:
#52 Jim Froula
Race car driver and restoration specialist Jim Froula of Racecraft in the Ex- Harry Stewart Datsun 510:
Jim pitted next to us, hosting Steve Walker and Adam Carolla with some really cool cars. Jim is also a fierce competitor:
#90 Adam Carolla
Adam Carolla raced his newly built Ex-Greg Sorrentino 510. The restoration by RacecraftNW was meticulous, right down to the Sterling wheels.
We are proud to see our Z Car Garage CV Axles on this expertly-prepared 510. As always, the media follows Adam and his racing adventures:)
Datsun Roadsters
The largest recent gathering of Datsun Roadsters at Laguna Seca was at the 2018 RMMR. At the Driver Appreciation event there was a lone roadster on the track; Michael Anderson and his Franklin/McDowell ’68 2000.
Mike was in Group 3 with high-power cars yet he still managed to advance with a great battle against Alan Terpin’s Porsche 911. Here is in-car video from Mike, enjoy!
Living my roadster dream
Thanks to ZCG, I was able to park my roadster in the paddock and roam around the track. With no spectators, many of the vantage points often crowded were vacant and peaceful:
Here is a video with Mike’s roadster in the paddock, and when I arrived at ‘Seca:
Paddock Finds
The best part of the RMMR has to be the paddock. Home to all the race cars and their teams, massive car transporters and an all-around pure sensory overload. At every corner there is wicked metal with history begging to be told. This year, the Driver Appreciation was just as great. I found this (AH3) R32 Skyline GT-R!
Wicked 2nd-gen Trans Am Camaro, 190E 2.3 EVO DTM (RacecraftNW), Testarossa, wild Monza and more in the gallery below!
This video will make you feel like you are in the paddock. Enjoy the sights and sounds including favorite group, the Trans Am cars!
Camaraderie
A common love for racing and Datsuns, this was an event filled with helping teammates and enjoying company.
Living Legends
Special thanks to John Morton and Sylvia Wilkinson for joining us! It is an honor share the track with you.
Thank you!
We hope you have enjoyed our report from the 2020 Driver Appreciation Weekend! Please browse our mega-gallery of pictures from race weekend below. Big thanks to our friends and family members that helped us make this possible including Glenn Chiou, Troy and Ashley Ermish, Meghan Fuller, Keith Corwin, Larry Oka, Randy Jaffe, and ZCG Crew: Josh and Nick. We certainly enjoyed the company of friends and visitors in our paddock, here’s to another year of vintage racing in Monterey, California.
*See you in October for the CSRG Charity Challenge in Sonoma!*
At Z Car Garage, the Datsun 510 is very close to our heart. Our hero John Morton piloted a 510 in the Trans Am racing series to put Nissan on the map, fueling every Datsun enthusiast’s passion for hot-rodding the humble economy car. We also have our share of race, personal and project 510s. When Mark G contacted us to work on his 510, we happily obliged especially after learning that it was built by our friend, fellow racer and Datsun 510 guru Troy Ermish.
510 Beginnings
Mark is an avid car enthusiast, growing up here in the South Bay. His first car was a lowered Capri that he tracked in the 80’s at Laguna Seca. He attributes his 510 passion from its rich racing heritage:
“I was introduced to Sports Car racing at Laguna Seca in the mid 70’s. I have been going to most all of the different events ever since. My favorite was Sports Cars racing, Camel GT’s, IMSA, ALMS. Thus the ‘Poor Man’s BMW 2002’, my recent 510 is my third and hopefully last. Number 2 was also brought back from the dead and used to commute and cruise over Highway 17 to Aptos to work for my Father’s business. The surf rack was installed to haul all kinds of stuff.”
In 2015, Mark decided to fulfill his dream of another 510 and bought a project car:
“I wanted something I could turn into a street racer and autocross car for my son. As in any extensive full blown renovation, everything on the car has been touched. I tore it completely apart, soda-blasted the car, personally sandblasted every bolt and part on the car, welded in new floor panels and rebuilt the trunk, back panel and rear valance.”
The project car:
Mark’s extensive bodywork:
“I met Troy Ermish early on in the process, so when the floors and trunk were repaired, the car was trailered to Troy for a full roll cage, front fender wells were cut back and jack points installed in the rocker panels at the “B” Pillars.”
After 18months of bodywork, which Mark was heavily involved with, it was back to Ermish for the final build out. The car was purchased with a 1600 and funky 4 speed, but Mark also scored a 2000cc with two side draft Mikuni’s and a ZX 5 speed transmission. The engine was sent to Rebello for a full rebuild and upgrade to 2360cc spec.
T- Square Brain
Mark studied art in school and his attention to detail throughout the 510 impressive. From the no-frills interior to uncluttered engine bay it’s no surprise that he earned the nickname “T-square brain”. Each time I see this car it reveals another level of fanaticism that reminds me how awesome Datsun-owners are. Enjoy a few detail shots with more pics in the gallery below:
Engine Bay
Devoid of unnecessary bits, the Rebello 2.3 with dual-Mikuni’s takes center stage:
Interior
A tribute to the B-Sedan racing 510s of the 70’s, the interior is spartan with a simple dash, roll cage and OMP seats:
Again, it’s super sanitary in here with subtle color choices and straightforward switchgear. That is Pete Brock’s signature on the dash!
Body
The 2017 Corvette Racing Yellow paint is loud, but in a good way. Mark’s touches here are an exercise in restraint, while harking back to the Trans Am racers he remembered. The white roundel was inspired by our friend Dave Scholz’ Datsun 240z as seen on Petrolicious . 13″ re-pop’d (VTO) AR Libras are the definitive wheel choice here, with contrasting black spokes and chunky Toyo R888 tires:
Sorting at ZCG
The 510 was constructed with both Mark’s skillset and Troy’s finishing touches. After he finished his project, Mark visited ZCG for adjustments and sorting.
ZCG CV Axles!
We upgraded Mark’s standard half shafts to 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 about to install the new CVs:
Standard half shafts (left) and ZCG CV Axles (right). Note all of the powdercoated suspension parts:
Getting Mark Back On The Road
Mark was experiencing a re-occurring high water temp issue. Finally the head gasket was compromised so we pulled the engine for a refresh.
We re-intalled the the engine and tidied up the engine bay. The electric fan was removed and a fan clutch installed utilizing a 620 water pump/S30 fan blade to make it all fit behind the Koyo radiator:
Dyno Tuning
On the dyno, we had a case of deja vu as Mark’s 510 is almost similar to Keith’s. Rob is familiar with tuning the L-Ser-es engine in both race and street 510s. Mark’s Rebello 2360 put own 189hp/178tq to the wheels, gaining 8hp/10tq with Rob’s tuning. You can hear it scream in the video below. Mark will re-visit us for another dyno session after he accumulates more miles.
Enjoying The Ride
With a few more minor tweaks like door locks and windows, Mark was out and about with his 510. He joined us at the local Fuel Supply Cars and Coffee:
I was fortunate to catch up with Mark and meet his son Dom who also has motorsports background. It was rad to see the Datsun being a family affair and Mark all smiles behind the wheel:
“I feel very lucky to be part of the Z Car Garage family. The staff are all great guys. I will continue to bring the car in for Anything it needs.”
Big thanks to Mark for letting us service his 510. We really enjoyed having the 510 in the shop!
Speaking of Love for The 510…this weekend 20+ B-Sedan racers will be running at Laguna Seca. I will have a full report for you, stay tuned!
