Z CAR GARAGE IS LOOKING FOR EXPERIENCED TECHNICIANS
**PLEASE SHARE THIS**
Looking for a Job? – How about a great career?
ZCG is expanding to support our vintage, late model and motorsport work. We have two technician openings available to join our team. This is not an average 9 to 5 automotive job:
-We work 4-10hr days and offer competitive pay/benefits with opportunities for growth
-Requirements: Automotive experience, your own set of tools, willingness to learn, and be part of a team.
-Nissan/Datsun experience is NOT a requirement, you just need to have passion.
-We are heavily involved in motorsports and the automotive community. From race cars to street cars and performance tuning…to routine maintenance and keeping vintage cars on the road, we love what we do!
We have two openings:
1) Technician
2) Technician
Interested or know someone who might be a good fit? PLEASE SHARE THIS, spread the word and please contact rob@zcargarage.com or call us at (408)452-0350.
Check out our shop on this episode of Hoonigan Autofocus with Larry Chen:
Matt M called Z Car Garage for an inspection after he purchased this 1972 Datsun 240Z from Denver, Colorado. Once at the shop, we found that it needed some work for Matt to really Enjoy The Ride. Our Z Car Garage Big-Brakes and Z Car Garage CV Axles along with a full suspension refresh and engine tuning make it just right.
Z Destiny
Before we explore the upgrades, let’s take a look at how Matt found his Z car…
“My love affair with the 240Z began in 1972. A school friend of mine said, “Do you want to come with me to Laguna Seca to watch the CanAm and Formula 5000 races this weekend?”. I was all in and early that Saturday I pedaled my bike over to “Roger’s” house (a friend of his older brother) who offered to give us a ride. Unbeknownst to me, Roger had a gorgeous dark blue 240Z. Since there were three of us and I was the tag-along, that meant I rode in the back. Luckily, at that point in life my 6’2” frame was struggling to get over the five foot mark.”
“I can’t claim that it was the most comfortable ride, but it was definitely the funnest ride I’d had in a car. On a lonely stretch of highway 68 out of Salinas we pushed Roger to go 100 mph. He obliged his two early teenage passengers only briefly before slowing down for fear of a ticket. I was hooked though for life. What set the hook even deeper was getting to watch John Morton and the BRE race team tear up the field in their Datsuns that day.”
“Fast forward four decades that spanned a long career in the Marine Corps, some government work, getting three kids through college…I found myself regularly searching the classic car sites for a 240Z. I saw a ‘72 for sale in Denver. It had two previous owners besides the car shop that was selling it and looked to be in good shape. It was July of 2020 so we were in full pandemic mode. It didn’t matter, I was in Denver the next night to see the car. The next morning I drove the car and bought it. The brakes were horrible, the clutch was worse, it needed tires, but the engine ran well.“
Matt driving home West from Denver. Winnemucca, NV
“When I got home I sent a note to a guy I worked with that was building out a 510. He told me about Z-Car Garage so I did a little research before calling Rob at the shop. After reviewing detailed pictures of the car, Rob said he’d work on it. That was a critical turning point for this 240Z. Rob doesn’t typically sugar coat his words, which I love. After going through the whole car he said, “It’s a nice paint job, but the car needs a lot of work before I would consider it even safe to drive.”
After a few conversations we settled on a plan to make Matt’s Z amaZing. Let’s start with the engine bay…
Drivetrain
In February 2021 Matt came in for an inspection and we found a few items that needed attention immediately. We performed a compression/leakdown test to make sure the engine was healthy. A list of items that were addressed/replaced: all new cooling hoses, sparks plugs, new plug wire set, fuel filter, valve cover gasket, valve adjustment, 280ZX alternator/starter, clutch hydraulic service, ceramic-coated MSA 6 to 1 header to our ZCG exhaust system and Z therapy carbs.
More pictures in the gallery! Pertronix igntion with Blaster2 coil and our favorite JWT aluminum flywheel with HD clutch:
Dyno Tuning
With fresh Z Therapy carbs and MSD Blaster 2 coil with Pertronix ignition Rob set the AFR/timing for best performance and drivability. Rob dyno tuned the L24 making 101hp/119tq baseline and now 132hp/139tq at the wheels:
Enjoy the dyno video below:
S30 World Fuel Tank
We found sediment in the fuel tank and decided to start fresh with a new S30 World reproduction unit. This a great product we are really happy with coming from owners Gustav Oplasnik and Chris Visscher, Z enthusiasts/restorers:
Chassis and Suspension Upgrades
With Matt’s Z at the shop we proceeded with upgrades to make it a fantastic, reliable driver. For our clients that are cruising with occasional “spirited” driving we installed our “Stage 1/light street” suspension. New parts from Techno Toy Tuning included adjustable T/C rods and rear lower control arms. We really appreciate Gabriel and his staff at T3. They make some of the best suspension parts out there for Z cars.
A full front suspension rebuild included new rack bushings, front control arm bushings, ball-joints, tie-rods, new wheel bearings front and rear (OEM genuine Nissan seals/parts), KYB strut inserts, Eibach lowering springs trimmed Macpherson bumps stops for full travel and a ST sway bar set. Powder-coated suspension pieces and plated hardware throughout:
ZCG Big-Brakes and CV Axles
Brakes: every vintage Z car that we build here gets the ultimate setup: our Z Car Garage Big-Brakes for small wheels. Everyone that drives our 1971 Series 1 240z shop demo car is 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 Matt’s brakes and installed our ZCG Big-Brake kit with a new brake master cylinder from Nissan, brake booster and parking brake assembly.
New brake master cylinder from Nissan and stock vs Big-Brakes. New brake booster and vacuum hose set from MSA:
At the rear, the factory drum brakes were replaced with our ZCG Big-Brakes. Factory handbrake functionality IS retained!
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 90 CV axle kits on customer cars and we are stoked with all of the positive feedback.
Matt’s stock half shafts (L) and ZCG CV axles installed:
Matt is throughly impressed and happy with all of the chassis and engine upgrades:
“The Z-Car components, especially the big brakes and CV axles, perform flawlessly. Most importantly to me, every ride I take brings me back to my youth and the fun I had dreaming about owning one!”
Panasport Wheels
Complementing the new springs and shocks on Matt’s Z are Panasport Wheels with 225/50/16 Toyo R1R tires. The Z was fully aligned afterwards:
Recaro Seats
We replaced the stock seats with our favorite vintage style seat, the Recaro Specialist in leather:
Matt recalls his love for Recaro:
“I love the seats. I remember seeing Recaro ads when I was a kid. I used to subscribe to Motor Trend and Sports Illustrated. I’d see cars in Motor Trend with Recaros. There was a running competition between the Motor Trend that spotlighted the Brock Buster 510, and the swimsuit issue with Cheryl Tiegs.”
One of our favorite upgrades to the interior of an S30 is our ZCG sound deadening package. Usually found in our full-blown ZCG restorations, the result is a less tinny sound and almost Germanic-like “clunk” when you shut the doors.
Enjoying the Ride
We loved seeing Matt at the car corral during the Velocity Invitational at Laguna Seca. He’s super pumped about his Z and we are too:
” I see people pulling out their phones to take a picture when I am stopped at traffic lights. When I parked it recently in the car corral at the Laguna Seca’s vintage races, it got more visits than any of the Mclarens, Vettes, Porches or Lamborghinis.”
Welcome to the Z car family!
“The pandemic and supply chain mess definitely extended the timeline, but it was well worth the wait! I smile every time I drive it now. The Z-car brakes are fantastic, Rob installed a tuned exhaust, built out the suspension system, drivetrain and put in a new clutch. He cleaned or fixed more things than I can list. I got an early reveal (which Rob wanted to avoid) because they needed to make sure I fit into the new Recaro seats. The early reveal just made me more anxious to drive it. When I drove it for the first time about a week later, it was everything I had hoped for.”
Thank you for your patience and support, we loved working with you Matt! Happy that you are a Z car owner, welcome to the family and LONG LIVE THE Z!
Z cars may remain with their loving owners for years, change ownership or even get spotlighted in the media at some point. Our “where are they now” series features past Z Car Garage vehicles with updates on their status. Kicking it off with our very first foray into the world of online auctions is this 1972 Datsun 240Z known as “Melo Z”.
Melody’s Z
In 2012 our client and friend Gary S acquired this Z from its original owner, a very enthusiastic lady named Melody. She purchased it brand new from Berkeley Datsun in September ’72 and enjoyed driving, even using it to complete the Bob Bondurant driving school – check out the plaque on the dash. Melody unfortunately had back problems and underwent surgery in 1988 so the Z was put up on jackstands in her garage where it remained until 2012.
Originally Persimmon Red, Melody had it repainted metallic brown in 1975. Despite the color change this Z was remarkably original down factory-stamped chassis bolts, engine bay decals, interior and more. When we got it back to the shop it was clear how well-preserved the car was with 30k miles. Melody provided all records including the Datsun warranty card:
Bring a Trailer
Z Car Garage got the Melo Z running in top form. Gary enjoyed it for a few years but felt it was too nice and unmolested to modify. Around 2015, Bring a Trailer’s online auctions were gaining popularity so we considered listing it. You can view the April 2015 BaT auction for Melo Z here.
This was our first time listing a Z car on BaT. It was both exciting and nerve wracking. If you want to be entertained check out the rad auction comments. 7 years ago people could not fathom $20k for an S30…now look at the prices! Bonus side bar…Melo Z did not sell and was bid up to $19,750 but our reserve was, wait for it… $20k. So much has changed in the Z car world and community. Although it did not sell on BaT, there is no denying their presence and reach in the market. BaT remains THE best place to list your classic car for sale, bar none. We thank them for accepting our Melo Z listing and in the end it went to the right owner!
We are also proud of our listing virtually starting the trend and setting the bar for future, high-dollar z listings. This comment said it all:
“Every auction listing should come with a video like that. Awesome.”
Indeed, I included multiple high-res pictures in all lighting conditions. Underbody/chassis/rust-prones areas. A driving video both in-car and from outside and cold-starting. I also went to great lengths to answer specific questions about the Z, like showing the lighter and clock functioing:
The 96 auction comments ranged from praise to laughable…look how far the Z audience has come 7 years later on BaT with skyrocketing auction results. Melo Z has come a long way too, now with a well-deserved (and pampered) lifestyle….
At Home With Griot’s Garage
Though it dd not sell on BaT, there was a silver lining. A day later Rob got a phone call from founder of Griot’s Garage, Richard Griot. He reached out to Z Car Garage to express how impressed he was with the Z. Rob and Richard made a deal and it went to the right home as Richard sent it to his own Griot’s Motors restoration shop for the next chapter in Melo Z’s journey:
“The car was so original to begin with it was a perfect candidate to put back in its original state…. (Though we did change the interior from white to black, but saved everything in case someone want the white again…”
The team at Griot’s Motors performed a “sympathetic” restoration at their facility. Melo Z’s metallic Brown paint was restored to its original 110 Red Persimmon, and put aside the original white interior for black:
They even maintained Melody’s personalized plaques and stickers earned at Bob Bondurant’s School of High Performance Driving.
Melo Z is truly in good company now. Really glad that Richard Griot is the current owner:
Tune in for another “where are they now” client Z car we are happy to see again!
Z Car Garage is excited to collaborate with Datsunworks and develop their brilliant KN20 dual-overhead cam (DOHC) cylinder head designed for the Nissan inline-6 L-Series engine. This is a Honda K-series derived cylinder head with superior flow rates and modern valvetrain components effectively transforming your SOHC L-series into a high-revving DOHC engine.
We have installed the Datsunworks head into our client Gary’s Datsun 240Z (affectionately called the “Behemoth”) and it is currently in the tuning/testing stage. In conservative tune it made 350hp/248tq at the wheels. Recently we joined photographer Naveed Yousufzai at a photoshoot for full feature on Marqued.com. Check out the story and amazing photos by Naveed with amazing shots at Marqued HERE.
The photo shoot left us breathless and we really appreciate how the small details are captured like the Behmoth’s integrated roll cage, Recaro seats, 6-speed shift knob and 10krpm tach…check out the feature!
This video shows behind the scenes action of the photoshoot for Marqued.com. I tried to capture the incredible induction sound the KN20 creates. For the first time we cruised on the freeway together with the Behemoth…it was the “trifecta” with 240Z, 510 and Datsun Roadster. Turn up those speakers and enjoy!
For more information (and video) on the KN20 and visit our previous post HERE
David O. has been a Z Car Garage client since 2005. Together, we helped achieve his vision of a fully restored S30 with multi-dimensional performance: a daily driver that is equally adept at canyon runs and open track events. 17 years later David is still Enjoying the Ride and recently visited us for track day preparation.
Before we get into the build details dating back to 2005, let’s hear from David on his recent track day experience.
Take it to the Track!
David is an avid motorsports fan and driver. The Z has seen many track days since the restoration and came out of storage so he visited Z Car Garage for a pre-inspection.
We bled the brakes and made sure everything was ready for the event. He had a great time:
“It was my first time back on the track with the 240z in several years. I went out for half a day with Hagerty Insurance and their affiliation with SCCA’s Track Night in America. The people were great and it was a very “docile” track day with mandatory point-by’s even in the advanced group. It was a great way to knock the rust off after a few years off the track.”
“Rob Fuller prepped the car a few days before and she behaved beautifully. I managed a 1:59 lap but I was lifting a bit going up to turn six because I was afraid of breaking the 90dB sound limit. Of course, Z-Car got a lot of love from the other attendees. :-)”
Enjoy this video of David’s Z in action with in-car and chase footage from Laguna Seca and more:
History
We met David and his newly acquired Z in 2005. Long before the days of Facebook and Instagram, our mutual friend and Datsun fanatic Tom Dockery referred David to ZCG:
“I’ve been working with Rob since February of 2005 when I purchased my 240z from a guy in Redding. It was a true barn car. He drove it down and Rob inspected it before I bought it. I didn’t know anything about the car except that I wanted something fun to drive with a manual transmission. I’d always thought the 240z was cool because my 5th and 6th grade teacher had one – and she was very cool.”
“The first weekend I had the car it rained really hard and I found out all the seals were useless. There was about a quarter inch of water in the car and mold had already started growing. I took it to Rob, and once the seats were out, and the carpet was out, and the seals were in, Rob suggested the Recaro seats, the roll bar, and harness. It was just about that time I did my first track day in someone else’s car, and I decided I wanted to track the 240z. And that’s when I started what I call the “accidental restoration.”
Paint/Body
While we do not have in-progress photos of the restoration, there are many shots of David enjoying the finished restoration. Our man William worked his magic to apply the Nissan 112 Paint (Tennis Ball Green). David recalls his vision for the Z:
“My goal when restoring was to have a track-ready, fun to drive machine that did justice to the original car. My car was originally orange, was red when I purchased it, but I wanted something different. That’s when I went with the tennis ball green color, which was one of the original colors. It was manufactured in October of 1971, so she turned 50 just last fall.”
Engine
Full engine bay services included re-plating and powdercoating parts. The L24 was replaced with factory-spec L28 with triple-Mikuni induction. A custom cam was designed by Rob for better top-end performance. The Z put down 167hp/174tq at the wheels on the ZCG dyno:
Interior
There’s very little on the car that was left untouched – David took pride in the interior:
“I pretty much went with Rob’s suggestions (pros and cons) and learned while I went along. The gauges were all me. As much as I liked the originals, the were just too dim and difficult to read at night. I replaced them with white-backed Autometer gauges but kept the green backlighting. I also kept the original turn signals and embedded them in the new gauges. I didn’t keep the clock, and the fuel gauge is the carbon fiber reinforced glove box.”
More details like Recaro seats, Roll bar with 5-point harnesses, updated fuse box and high voltage bypass for the steering column, 260z lighted console panel and Sony bluetooth radio. Outside, Euro tail lights with LEDs:
Z Car Garage Big-Brakes
David’s Z was the first one to receive our Z Car Garage Big-Brakes. This was our initial (2008) setup utilizing Stoptech ST-40 calipers and our own brackets. We had extensive track testing with pro-driver David Ray:
We have Enjoyed the Ride with David at many events over the last 17 years. Most recently I got to catch up with him at our New Nissan Z event. His Z still looks amaZing!
Here are few events from years ago with David…some of you might remember attending these too!
2008 ZONC Blackhawk Museum Car Show
2010 and 2011 Palo Alto Concours d’ Elegance – the crowd loved his Z car!
2008 Motoring J Style…remember we had a superb turnout for the caravan starting at Z Car Garage!
2008 and 2011 Silicon Valley Auto Show at the San Jose Convention Center
Long Live The Z!
Thank you David for your support and friendship all these years. We love that you keep your Z on the road and it makes you smile behind the wheel whether its on the track or or street. Stay tuned as David will be returning to ZCG later this year for 3.1L engine upgrade! More pictures in the gallery below… …[read more]
