Glenn is an avid Datsun enthusiast having owned and raced several cars. You might remember his VIPS 240z vintage race car from the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion last year where he ran it alongside our hero John Morton. We also dyno-tuned the Z in preparation for race week. Look for #39 at this year’s RMMR!
Taz is a veteran Datsun racer, having completed the Carrera Panamericana in both a 240z and 510, built by our friend Troy Ermish. You might find the #51 510 familiar as the previous owner was Wayne McAttee!
Like all race cars that get dyno’d at ZCG, these 510s left with more power and peace of mind! Enjoy the dyno video below and listen to the L-series sing!
The Z Owners of Northern California (ZONC) hosted their Annual Car Show in Brisbane, CA on July 28, 2018. Attendance was down from last year’s show, but didn’t stop Nissan/Datsun fans from bringing out their rides on a warm Saturday.
This was a relaxed, relatively small gathering of enthusiasts that I joined with my Datsun Roadster. I left San Jose and drove ~40minutes just past SFO to the Brisbane Marina. I stopped for a quick photo op near my office before rolling into the show after 10am:
Highlights from the show
Still to this day, 240Zs are the most represented model in the club. Expansion over time currently includes all recent Z models and the GT-R, but also reaches back in time to include the Datsun Roadsters and 510s. 37 cars were displayed this year, each one of them special and showing pride of ownership. The only models missing from the show was the S130 280zx and GT-R.
From showroom stock to wildly-modified the S30 selection was diverse. This was a wild one: an IMSA-bodied Z!
Two showrooom-stock examples:
Check out the period EMPI split-rim wheels on this Safari Gold S30:
Modified Z’s with trick suspensions, triple side-draft Mikuni’s/Weber’s and modern paint schemes. This Sunshine Yellow Z was the only car sporting fender flares:
A solo 1970 Series1 Z:
260z and 280z
ZCG customer Joe A showed his pretty 260z (full report on the blog soon):
Linda W’s 1978 280z
Winning Best 280z and Best of Show was this ultra-clean fully restored example:
People
We like this show because of the laid-back atmosphere and good folks that organize it. There was a great raffle, awards presentation and having banners for each model was a touch of genius. The banners will be displayed that will be carried on at the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion next month!
Z32
4 Z32 300zx cars were displayed, all in different colors. Joe K and Kevin N’s Z32 Twin Turbos are both top-level examples of highly modified yet tasteful machines.
Old-school Racing Hart wheels house massive Brembo calipers on Kevin’s silver beauty:
Z31
The lone Z31 300zx was a 1984 Anniversary Turbo model!
Z33
Five 350z and 1 Z Roadster were in attendance. It was a pleasure seeing ZCG customer Dan Fulton and his track-prepped 350z:
Z34
6 370z cars including 1 wild NISMO Z:
510s
Three Datsuns 510s showed up, each sporting different powerplants and body styles. The crowd favorite (and winner) was Matt’s 510. This boosted KA24DE Dime also won Best Paint:
Jose’s SR-pwoered 4-door with an S13 SR20DET (note S13.5 valve cover!) 18″ SSR SP3 wheels and Brembo brakes from MArio of TSR:
The last time I saw Jose we both attended the Spocom Show in 2015. Since then he has added many titanium parts to the engine bay from ChasingJ’s and had the SR tuned by our friend Sebastian at SpecialtyZ. It’s now making 410whp!
The RL411 Bluebird
Our customer Kevin M brought his 1967 411 sedan, we will have a full story on this build soon!
Roadsters
This year we had three Datsun Roadsters. My 1967.5 SPL/SR20, Dave Premo’s 1967 2000 and John Baker’s 1969 2000. Dave’s SRL is car #406 finished in Turquoise sporting a full Mikuni-Solex “competition” package and 4:11 rear end. He is also Solex-tuning expert offering Mikuni parts and service:
John Baker’s 69 SRL is a concours-level example with rare parts like a day/night mirror. The diminutive 5.60 bias-ply tires look just right! This roadster was featured in Automobile Magazine with John Morton behind the wheel!
A few more of the cool details. John won Best Roadster!
I had to get some rolling shots of this roadster, it looks so good on the road!
Vanity plates
It’s no secret Z car owners have the best vanity plates! Some notables:
Parking lot finds
The beautiful venue is also a public park so plenty of folks stopped by to check out the Z’s. I spotted two S-chassis rolling through:
See you next year!
Spending the day at the ZONC Annual Car Show was a welcome experience that reminded us to, in the words of the late Mr.K, ” Love cars. Love people. Love Life.” We look forward to the next show keep an eye on our event updates and Z you soon! Don’t forget to check out our picture gallery below. Big thanks to the ZONC organizers!
On the cover of the current September issue of Classic Motorsports Magazine is Randy Jaffe’s BRE Datsun 240z. The 12-page feature on Peter Brock’s racing history with the Z also discusses Randy’s restoration of the famous #46 car. We were very happy to see Z Car Garage mentioned in the article after our efforts to support John Morton racing #46 at The Mitty earlier this year. Pick up a copy soon!
Our team removing and replacing a failed engine in the BRE Datsun 240z at the Mitty last April, video below:
Z Car Garage is also in Grassroots Motorsports Magazine in the August issue:
We are excited for the 2018 The Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion where John Morton will be racing the BRE Datsun 240z again! You can see our report from last year’s RMMR HERE.
Need help planning for Monterey Car Week? Classic Motorsports has a great guide to all of the events during HERE.
The ZONC Annual Car Show will be held Saturday July 28 in Brisbane, CA. This a fun event in a great location so bring out your Z, G, Datsun or GT-R! Pictures from last year’s show can be seen HERE with more details below. Z you at the show!
Hagerty recently produced a video featuring local Bay Area Datsun owners Courtney and Dustin Frisk. The couple got married last year and Z Car Garage prepared Courtney’s 240z in time for their special day. Check out the video below and find out more about their love for Datsuns in Hagerty’s article HERE.
Learn more about ZCG’s work on Courtney’s 240z HERE. Enjoy The Ride, you two!
