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WE LOVE RACING! On November 10-12 we attended the Velocity Invitational at Sonoma Raceway. Z Car Garage had a blast racing and supporting clients in Group 6 (1968 – 1978 IMSA GT Cars), Group 9 (ALMS) and Group 10 (Mini vs Mustang Enduro). This vintage racing event was just as fun for spectators with a friendly, immersive vibe. Enjoy our report from the weekend with photos and in-car video of the action.
Rob Fuller piloted the #49 Joel Anderson IMSA GTU Datsun 240Z
This very special Porsche is the 2006 FIA European GT3 Championship winning car that was driven by Sean Edwards. It is a 997 GT3 Cup S Prototype and our client Kenny Tse raced it in Group 9 (ALMS). Listen to this car on the Z Car Garage dyno below!
Z Car Garage prepared and provided trackside race support for our client Kelvin Tse and his IMSA Porsche 911, running with the Z cars in Group 6.
Rob Fuller and Greg Hoff raced a Mini Cooper against Mustangs in the Group 10: 1960’s Mini Vs Mustang Enduro, this was an action-packed group!
Race car driver, restorer and Datsun Historian Glenn Chiou raced his FAR Performance 240Z. This Z has a very rich racing history, driven in the 70’s by Loren St. Lawrence in VIPS Restaurant livery.
Group 6’s IMSA cars were dominated by big-power Porsche 911 RSRs with a few BMS CSLs and four S30 Datsuns. Rob Fuller ran the #49 Joel Anderson IMSA GTU Datsun 240Z joining Dave Stone’s 260Z, Gary Cook’s CP 240Z and Glenn Chiou’s’ 240Z:
This was Z Car Garage’s third time running the Velocity Invitational event. Enjoy Rob Fuller’s race report with video below…
ROB: “The IMSA GTU Z made a switch this season from Avon to Goodyear tires, and it’s really been quite amazing. You have to remember that all of the suspension on this 240Z is what Joel ran in 1981, and it still rocks. Group 6 was fun and I was in the mix with legends…spent the last 20 years attending the Historics watching Bruce Canepa in his Porsche 935, Ken Epsman in his DeKon Monza, the Greenwood Corvette…just unreal to be actually racing with them!”
Enjoy these shots of the #49 car in action by photographers Kris Poulin, Chris Constantine and Charles Frerking:
We have in-car video from Rob in the Joel Anderson IMSA GTU 240Z and Group 6 racing action below, volume up and enjoy!
Sunday Race:
Catch some Turn 2 action HERE and watch more of Rob’s racing adventures on his YouTube Channel.
ROB: “ZCG provided trackside support for 4 cars. Kelvin in IMSA 911 and myself in G6, Kenny in G9 ALMS with a bunch of 996/997 Porsche Cup cars, Ford GT’s and really cool metal. They all had a blast. We changed up a few things on the IMSA 911 and solve some issues that came up at Rennsport so he was able to have a good time at Velocity.”
Kenny with his 997 GT3 Cup car and first time on track since 2018. Z Car Garage prepped the car with fluids and dyno tuning, and wow what a car:
ZCG is always willing to lend a hand to fellow racers, like Dave Stone:
ROB: “We also ran a Mini with Greg Hoff in the Enduro. The Mini kicked our ass all weekend and we had to do an engine swap (thanks to Nick for the assist!)…we had electrical woes. British Steel really challenged us and thanks to the ZCG crew we were able to catch the last Enduro race and take the checkered flag.”
Enjoy this video highlighting the Sonoma Raceway paddock with race group walk-throughs, engine sounds and more:
There was no shortage of rare and exotic cars from well-known and upcoming supercar marques. Guntherwerks had their 911 Speedster and McLaren showed off an incredible display of F1s mixed with newer models:
Formerly known as the Sonoma Speed Festival (2019), the Velocity Invitational re-imagined the vintage race experience with a Goodwood-inspired vibe that we enjoyed at the 2022 Velocity Invitational. One of the best experiences for spectators is the paddock and organizers made access to drivers and their machines seamless. Fans could get up close and personal with race cars without the typical ropes or 45-foot RVs in the way:
ROB: “First time running at Sonoma for us with VI, since we missed the inaugural event in 2019. Jeff O’Neill ‘s event is first class and reminds us of what the Rolex MMR used to be. So much excitement in the air…when you drive in people would be everywhere. Thanks to Jeff, Ryan Turri and Ardelle Lind for accommodating our needs.”
“They have done an incredible job making the guests and fans welcome. Organizers created a memorable experience, down to the driver’s meeting and we really enjoyed the paddock design, signage, F1 energy. All three days there were lines to get into the event! More driver amenities like the lounge, food and drink…ZCG’s first shop helper Jeff Garcia and his company was in charge of coffee/drink services at the event, small world!”
The hot pit area where all run groups stage before heading out to the track is an amazing place to be. Typically, access is only granted to pit crews and media. At the Velocity Invitational however, organizers staged a “false grid” where any spectator could walk amongst the race cars.
If you want to see action from the event in its entirety, check out Goodwood’s live streaming coverage of Day one and Day Two. Huge thanks to Meghan Fuller for capturing photos/videos for ZCG. More photos in the gallery below!
Huge shoutout to the Z Car Garage race crew including Josh, Meghan, Nick and Cooper. We are grateful for your support, keeping us safe and on the track!
Thank you Velocity Invitational for an incredible event. We look forward to running with you again. Join us for the 2024 race season starting March 1 with SVRA at Thunderhill. See the ull race schedule below and LONG LIVE THE Z!
Our Z Car Garage Big Brakes have been winning over Z-car enthusiasts locally and globally. Jason purchased a set for his 1974 Datsun 260Z and performed the installation himself. Before we go into his Big-Brake experience let’s hear his Z-story…
JASON: “I first heard about Z Car Garage by following Larry Chen’s 240z build on his YouTube Channel. I saw his various interviews with Rob Fuller and was really impressed with his knowledge and passion for the Datsun 510 and s30 chassis. Quickly, I started researching more about the pain points of the s30’s, and noted the lack of support from many other companies in the area of suspension and braking locally. The kits available were Wilwood, Endless, Star Road, among others. No complete kits that were torture tested and raced like what Z Car Garage was doing with their ZCG CV Axles , Brake Kits and other components they were selling. Research and development are key to me, and I was thrilled to see ZCG taking this on themselves. In addition, Rob is a real human being who’s on top of answering questions via email and in person at Z car events. That’s a HUGE deal to me, and it’s so rare to meet someone that of course is just as passionate about his cars as the enthusiasts building them.”
“My 1974 Datsun 260z is an Early model s30. When I purchased it, a few years ago I quickly removed the stock seats and reupholstered Recaro LX vintage seats in Black. I loved the netted headrest, and the clean recaro stitching at the center of the seat. I also removed the Greddy Oni wheel that was originally in the car and swapped it out with a new old stock Nardi Nismo Deep steering wheel with a Black and Gold finish. I went through the interior and purchased a NOS Datsun center console, and replaced the stock door cards with Skillard flat cards with leather pull straps.”
“In addition to the door cards, I added Skillard powder coated heel plates. The car came with BC adjustable coil-overs and Swift Springs which I will be updating in the near future. The BC Coilovers are perfectly fine for the street applications I’m using the car for currently. My suspension underneath the car is the full T3 catalog including the power cradle, control arms, bushings, and even their steering elements. It’s finally sorted, and I really enjoy driving the car the way it currently feels.”
“The car is equipped with a L28, ZX 5 Speed transmission, and 44pHH Mikuni triple carbs built by Taka at Kyusha House. The header and exhaust system are Fujitsubo Legalis R. The engine has since been updated in every way from the ignition system, oil pump, spark plug cables, and brake new seals and belt. The oil pan was replaced with a Moroso baffled racing pan with higher oil capacity.”
“I have two sets of wheels and tires for the car. One set is Volk Racing TE37v custom gold 15×9 at 0 offset on Toyo Proxes R888 205/50/15, and the other set is Work Racing Equip 03 15×8.5 at -3 offset custom bronzed lip, and Gold Center on Falken Azenis RT660 205/50/15. The front bumper is a carbon MSA, and the rear tail light bezels are carbon fiber made by Vintage Carbon. The wing is a Carbon Fiber BRE spoiler.”
You can see Jason’s Z in action in the video below:
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 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 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.
Z Car Garage is proud to offer our Big-Brake Kit to Z-Car owners that want to perform the installation themselves. We can ship worldwide and each kit contains everything needed with a comprehensive (40-page) installation guide. Blog posts documenting all of our customers running the ZCG Big-Brakes can be found HERE. Enjoy these pictures of Jason’s beautiful S30 and his ZCG Big-Brake installation:
Our ZCG Big-Brake kit ships with everything needed to install and retains the factory parking brake function. Jason successfully installed the BBK on his Z with PitstopMotorTuning, and they look great behind both the Work Equip 03 and Volk TE37 wheels:
Beyond ease of installation and quality components, our Big-Brakes perform by offering superb pedal feel…everyone that drives our demo Z confirms! This is a direct result of working with Stoptech to create a totally bolt-in solution requiring no M/C change or additional proportioning valve/adjustments. Jason shares his feedback after replacing his existing Wilwood brakes with the ZCG BBK:
JASON: “The Stoptech ZCG Big-Brakes are really a solid kit. The lead time was pretty rough, but again Rob reassured me every month over the course of a year of waiting that it would be worth it. He was right! These brakes do not disappoint. Once the kit was completely bedded and broken in, I quickly put the brakes to the test on Angeles Crest highway here in Los Angeles. I know this road well, and that’s where I usually push the car at a safe limit, and see where the pain points lie. The ZCG brakes are worth every penny. They are precise, they are confidence inspiring, and also feel great under late braking situations. I had a blast carving around the canyon knowing my brakes would safely hold up. My next test would be to get a couple of track days on them, and see how they hold up under extreme conditions and multiple sessions.”
“The goal for the 260z is to refine my current setup. The paint is a bit rough since it was a garage paint job, and I would love to repaint the whole car including the interior. At the moment, I’m building a high compression 3.1L stroker motor with Jenvey 50mm ITB being managed by a Haltech Elite 750 stand alone ECU. My goals long term are for big power, but with street car reliability. I would love to confidently do a track day, but also be comfortable driving my wife to car shows, and even to grab a cup of coffee together. The engine has a custom designed valve cover designed by myself, and commissioned to be created by BSpeed in New Zealand. Big updates to come in the new year!”
Thanks for your support Jason we love that you are Enjoying The Ride and Long Live The Z! More photos in the gallery below
Z Car Garage Big Brakes are one of the best systems available for your S30 Z Car with over 200 kits sold worldwide and unanimous positive feedback. See our ZCG Big-Brakes on client cars HERE and enjoy the photos below:
Mike R acquired this gunmetal (KH2) 1991 Skyline GTR from Toprank International Vehicle Importers in 2019. Z Car Garage is familiar with the Norcal Skylines group and fellow R32 owner Kurt W referred Mike to us in addition to an endorsement from Top Rank. Mike’s first round of upgrades included a Project Mu Big-Brake kit, Ohlins coil-over suspension, Haltech ecu, Greddy FMIC, sorting and dyno tuning. All of this work is documented in our 2020 blog post:
Following that initial visit, Mike added R34 GT-R Seats, and a sweet set of Volk Racing TE37 SL custom gloss black wheels (18×10.5 +15), wrapped in Michelin PS4S tires (265/35/18). A Haltech IC7 digital dash was added to monitor vital engine parameters, tying into the CAN box of Elite system:
Mike was happy with the upgrades we made but like many of us the desire for more power inevitably hits:
“The car has been running flawlessly and the goal with these mods is to support the addition of a single turbo kit that ZCG will be installing this August. The turbo kit consists of a Full Race Twin scroll T4 manifold that will be mated to an EFR 8474 turbocharger. Twin Tial 44mm external wastegates will bleed off the excess exhaust gasses.”
(Below)Borg Warner EFR 8474 0.92 with T51r mod and Full Race T4 twin scroll Exhaust manifold:
Remade in USA throttles and Nismo plenum. Fully built cylinder head with GSC S1 cams, SuperTech valves, springs, retainers, guides:
PRP crank trigger kit, Radium Dual Catch cans, Custom Intercooler piping with Tial q50 bov and Nismo oil cooler:
HKS Super Turbo Titanium exhaust:
Mike’s R32 came back to ZCG in 2022 for a few more items including:
ATS Carbon twin disk clutch (shoutout to @wubbs18)
New oem timing belt and pulleys
PRP alternator kit
Kansai Service Towhook
OEM Valley cover powder coated with R34 ornament plate
Mines Alcantara shift boot, parking brake handle and boot
Enjoy this video of Mike’s R32 GT-R in action with dyno runs, in-car and drive-by footage. Volume up!
Several dyno tuning sessions were performed during the upgrade period. 515hp/437tq on 91 octane was achieved with significant mid-range gains:
Mike was pleased:
“Big thanks to @zcargarage for seeing this project through to the end and making the car come to life. We had a lot of headaches and setbacks over the past 11 months, but they did an incredible job end result speaks for itself! Couldn’t be happier. 🤘”
“Ethanol delivery is handled by a full Radiumengineering fuel system. Fuel hanger surge tank using twin 525lph to feed the rail and a 340lph to feed the hanger. All new hoses with a -8 feed line. Radium fuel rail with Rail mounted adjustable fuel pressure regulator. All feeding Injectordynamics ID1700XDS injectors. Haltech Flex fuel Sensor and Bosch Fuel pressure/temp combo tied into Haltech Elite to bring it all together.”
On the dyno with E85 the R32 put down 624hp/479tq at the wheels, and Mike continued to enjoy the car:
“So the car has been on flex fuel for a few months now. Made 600 whp and 480tq. Still just keeping the boost around 20psi. Tons of room left in the setup. Been enjoying the shit out of the car is it currently sits. Maybe some minor cosmetic stuff in the near future, but for now….just drive.”
We were happy to see Mike Enjoying the Boost and spotted his R32 in action at the Tokyo Calling and Breakfast Club Rallies in Northern California:
Catch more of Mike’s R32 on his Instagram. Overview of major work is below with more photos in the gallery. Thanks for your support Mike!
. Custom 4” intake
. Full Race T4 twin scroll Exhaust manifold
. Borg Warner EFR 8474 0.92 with T51r mod
. Turbosmart gen4 twin port IWG
. Custom Intercooler piping
. Greddy 29f Intercooler
. Tial q50 bov
. Nismo plenum
. @remade_in_usa_ restored throttles
. Radium fuel filter, fuel rail, afpr, and pulse damper
. ID1050x injectors
. Hellcat fuel pump
. Fully built cylinder head
. GSC S1 cams
. SuperTech valves, springs, retainers, guides
. Greddy adjustable Cam gears, timing belt
. PRP crank trigger kit
. Fluidamper
. Two six engineering power steering pump kit.
. RHD Auto power steering reservoir
. Nismo Oil Cooler
. PWR radiator with Samco hoses
. Haltech Elite 2000 pnp
. Haltech WB1 canbus wide and 02sensor
. Haltech IC7 digital dash
. Haltech 3 port boost solenoid
. Radium Dual Catch cans
. HKS Super Turbo Titanium exhaust
Congratulations to our client Dan F on achieving his personal goal of sub 1:40s lap times at Laguna Seca in his Nissan 350Z. Z Car Garage has worked with Dan for several years to fine-tune this Vortech Supercharged Z33 so he enjoy it on the track.You can see the build history HERE:
Dan is an avid track-enthusiast and we love working with him to optimize his Z. Let’s hear about his triumphant ‘Seca experience from November with SpeedSF:
“It was a very satisfying weekend at Laguna running both Sat & Sun 11-25/26. I came still looking for sub 1:40’s with my best time to date a 140.1. It’s only the second time I’ve been there since the re-pave but I have been running here testing and tuning for over a dozen years now. 1:39’s however have always been elusive so when in my second session on Saturday morning, I finally broke through and did a 139.2 on 1.5 year old Toyo RR’s (red wheels in the pics), I was ecstatic. That was apparently just some foreshadowing for the weekend. By day’s end I was consistently running low 1:38’s. The track is faster than it’s ever been with extra run off at T5 & T9 and a smooth surface that has now been rubbered in nicely and the weather was perfect around 62 with zero moisture.”
“My plan Sunday was to try some pirelli scrubs (black wheels) from the World Challenge Series. I was excited to try them on this car because it is set up as a race car at this point so it makes sense real race rubber might work well, it did. First session I blew by the 1:37’s and finished with a 1:36.1, next session 1:36.0 then finished with my best being a 1:35.8 on a lap compromised by traffic. Scrubs were good for 2.4 seconds over the RR slicks. Some pretty unbelievable gains all weekend and especially with these tires.”
“Still can’t quite believe it took me about 4 years to go from 1:44 to 1:40 and only 2 days to drop the next 4+ seconds but it’s days like this that make you want to keep trying for that perfect lap. Sometimes all the stars align and I’ll be looking to match my optimal lap of 134.8 next time out…”
Enjoy this in-car video of Dan’s fastest lap time in the Z:
Dan’s Z received a few updates to the interior and aero package. Extensive caging inside, new front splitter and rear wing:
We are super stoked for you Dan! Get that 1:34 at ‘Seca and LONG LIVE THE Z!
