Being part of a client’s project from start to finish is just one of our favorite jobs at Z Car Garage. Jason P contacted us a few years ago to help find a 240z to call his own and what began as a visit for our ZCG Big-Brakes evolved into building his dream car. Let’s take a closer look at his “ProjectZ” that received a ZCG-style mechanical restoration including a new drivetrain, engine bay clean-up, total suspension rebuild and more.

Jason’s Z Story

We are lucky to work with long-time Z owners and first-time enthusiasts like Jason. It’s no surprise to hear how the Z struck a chord with him at a young age:

“My favorite toy growing up was an old beat-up Transformers Bluestreak I inherited from my cool older cousins. I found out years later this toy was based on a Silver Datsun 280zx and it’s been my dream to get one someday, for the past 20 years I’ve been patiently saving and loosely looking. As weird reminders I’ve done things like make a lego 240Z for my desk to stay passionate about the car.” 

 

Jason recalls how he found us:

“I was looking for a shop from the Bay Area to San Diego that specialized in Zs and who could be a long-term partner in building and maintaining my dream car. I found ZCG on multiple forums and Yelp with stellar reviews and feedback from other Datsun owners.  A couple clicks later I was reading the ZCG blogs and loving how thoroughly the builds were documented. I loved the first time talking to Rob and how he never mentioned any of the prestigious work they had done and was solely focused on what I wanted. Maybe the second time we talked I heard him sing and that sealed the deal.”

Through many discussions about budget and goals we started the search for a chassis to build on. Jason drove one of our older performance-built Z’s and instantly became hooked on triple-Mikuni’s and chassis upgrades…but he was adamant that the color must be silver. He found a local S30 that we inspected and belonged to ZONC member Robert C. It’s a small world and we actually worked on this car in the past. Jason purchased the Z and shared what he liked/disliked about it with a few revelations gained after driving a stock S30:

 

Jason was very specific in his vision for the build:

“My goal was for a resto-mod that would mainly be used to cruise but had the power to kick-ass if needed. It was important to me that some parts of the car like exterior and interior were factory and original and other parts like brakes, suspension, engine were upgraded for better comfort, performance, and safety. This was really clear to me after driving an unmodified RHD Fairlady Z and unmodified series 1 240Z. The 50 year old suspension creaked and bounced, I had to leave huge gaps driving in rush-hour traffic so I could stop on time, and I really love the L24 but it didn’t feel like I was driving a sports car by today’s standards.”

 

 

Taking the Z to the next level

 

Engine

Following Jason’s desire for more power, timing was perfect and a 3.1L that we had done for a customer a years ago became available. We took this entire driveline and installed it in Jason’s Z. Here is the tired, stock L24:

The freshened 3.1L was built by Techcraft many years ago with a P90 head,  rare Clifford 6-3-2 header, triple-Mikuni ph44s on a Harada intake manifold, serial #245 ZCG Heat Shield,  280zx internally regulated alternator and gear-reduction starter, MSD6Al with tach adapter and black coil, and 2.5″ exhaust with a Borla XR-1 muffler:

  

With the engine/transmission removed we focused our efforts on restoring the engine bay.  All hydraulic lines were removed and zinc’d with many other parts that were bagged/tagged. More pictures in the gallery below:

 

Before/after plating hydraulic lines:

 

New engine bay parts included: all new fuel system, coolant hoses, fuel filter, Koyo race radiator and all drive belts:

 We cleaned up the entire underside and undercoated the chassis. Freshly plated hardware and lines are shown.

Before/after:

   

The fuel system was replaced and gas tank removed as it was in rough shape. We replaced it with a clean unit from the ZCG parts stash. All the fuel vapor/recovery lines in the gas tank area were replaced:

    

This was a 4-speed car, so we grabbed one of the 5-speeds from Rob’s stash. This early 280z 5-speed is like a 4-speed but adds a 0.86 overdrive. The factory 3.36 R180 factory rear end will be upgraded later.

 

With the drivetrain out we installed a JWT aluminum flywheel with HD clutch for the L-series. We use this setup exclusively and it has really good feel with an organic clutch that’s also a breeze in traffic. The key to success to having a powerful vintage car is that it can also be easy to drive.

More detail work was performed:

 

Engine bay before/after:

 

Dyno Tuning

 

Rob dyno tuned the 3.1L now producing 221hp/226tq to the wheels on 91 octane. Great torque and makes all the right sounds!

 

Jason was stoked on the new drivetrain:

“Lucky to have a “purist” 3.1 stroker that looks right at home in the engine bay thanks to the original Nissan and Datsun parts combined together expertly. The triple Mikuni’s sing all through all 5 gears and I’m super impressed by the clutch Rob chose for me and how responsive the throttle is. I can’t wait for Winter now to try cold starting, I’m not going to miss the choke lever at all.”

Enjoy the video below showing the dyno run and test drive with Rob, volume up!

 

Chassis and Brakes

 

Jason originally came in to ZCG for our Big-Brake kit and it was just the beginning of his wishlist.  Now that we replaced the engine it was time to match the power level with braking and suspension upgrades.

ZCG Big-Brakes and CV Axles

We are proud to have several of our ZCG products on Jason’s 240z. We installed our Z Car Garage Big-Brakes (for small wheels) and also upgraded to Z Car Garage CV Axles! These products have been standard on numerous ZCG builds.

    

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.

A few closer detail shots of the calipers, rotors and hardware:

 

We removed Jason’s stock brakes and installed our ZCG Big-Brake kit. The Z also received entire full coil-over (Koni) suspension from Techno Toy Tuning. New parts included adjustable T/C rods, rear control arms, new bushings, rack bushings, steering coupler, ball joints, new f/r wheel bearings and more. T3 finishes the suspension in our signature color and we really appreciate Gabriel and his staff. They make some of the best suspension parts out there for Z cars.

 

We went ahead and got Jason dialed in with the ZCG big-brake kit for small wheels with parking brake and a new brake booster/master cylinder. More pics in the gallery!

  

Front brake installation with coil-overs and T3 suspension parts visible:

At the rear, the OEM drums brakes were replaced with our ZCG Big-Brakes. Factory handbrake functionality IS retained!

Great feedback from Jason on the Big-Brakes:

“ZCG front and rear BBK dramatically improved the stopping power over stock 240Z brakes, I don’t need to worry about constant drum-brake servicing and can feel all 4 tires stopping when I pump the brakes now. I’m more confident driving it freely knowing it can stop at shorter distances and not wreck a car that took so long to find and with so much work done to it.”

 

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

 

Jason received ZCG CV Axle set #321:

 

The before/after with full chassis cleanup and new T3 suspension, bushings and ST sway bar:

    
Close-up of the T3 lower rear control arms and our ZCG CV Axles:

  

Panasport Wheels

 

Our ZCG Big-Brakes also look great behind Panasport wheels in our offset allowing us to run 225/50/16 tires.  We replaced the generic wheels with 16×7 Panasports and Bridgestone S-04 tires. We think the wheels/tires are a huge improvement:

  

Jason was pleased with the chassis upgrades:

“Car feels amazingly tight now, it doesn’t creak anymore going over bumps and feels firm entering and doesn’t bounce as much when exiting corners. I’m glad we were able to upgrade so much of it at the same time, the overall suspension package Rob recommended handles so well and really changes the character from a stock 240z.“

Interior

 

The interior got attention as well. We pulled the entire dash and cleaned up the heater controls, pressure tested the heater core, refurbished the heater box, cleaned up the gauges and replaced all light bulbs. We ensured that we never have to go into the dash again.

 

This is our second Vintage Dashes installation and we thank Ivan Jaramillo for making a cost-effective product for Z cars. More pictures in the gallery below. Expect a full report on their products soon!

 

Details

 

The little things are what we excel at. Jason didn’t like the odd, 280zx vented hood so we gave him a NOS S30 hood from Rob’s stash and had our man William paint it. He also touched up the front end:

 

Jason was not fond of the PO’s aftermarket radio/speaker boxes in back.  We removed it all and gave him a factory 240z radio. Also shown below: powdercoated rear sway bar hangers for ST parts, zinc’d pieces.

Enjoying The Ride

Jason was super stoked on his Z and immediately started driving it everywhere. Here is a message he sent Rob, it’s hard to beat enthusiastic clients:

“ZCG is an extremely popular shop and I consider myself super fortunate to be living about 25 minutes away. In my occasional visits I’ve seen everything from 510 wagons, supercharged 350zs, and 240z restorations and upgrades so I know they can do it all. The shop is very clean and organized and filled with all sorts of history and treasure for Datsun + Nissan enthusiasts to nerd out on.

Despite how busy ZCG is, Rob and crew didn’t miss a beat with my car with awesome communication and recommendations, just picked it up yesterday and loving it! The care that went into this car would be appreciated by anyone into details and craftsmanship and it’s clear the years of expertise Rob and crew bring to their work.” 

 

“As a novice car-guy I feel Rob and team really understood my needs for a clean restomod that was easy to drive and could haul if needed. The entire car is super impressive and I find myself daydreaming about driving it around now. “

 

More pictures in the gallery below and LONG LIVE THE Z!

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At Z Car Garage we enjoy working with late-model Nissans as much as earlier Datsuns. Our customer Eric R brought his Infiniti G35 Coupe to us back in 2009 and ten years later we helped him find a 2008 Infiniti FX35.  The FX got many upgrades to make it exactly the way Eric envisioned and he’s been enjoying it with his family as well as backroads.

The first generation (S50) FX-series models have aged rather well and we dig their combination of styling, power and versatility. Eric recalls how he became an FX owner:

“I’ve always been a car enthusiast.  My mom owned a 72 240Z back in the day and in 2007 my wife and I purchased a G35 Coupe 6MT and after a disappointing experience with the local Infiniti dealer, took the car to Rob and ZCG.  Needless to say, the knowledge base and Rob’s unique brand of engagement with his customers was refreshing. It was one of the best customer service experiences I’ve had and ZCG took exceptional care of our G35.  After a couple years of ownership, we had to give up the G Coupe with the onset of…kids.

Fast forward nearly a dozen years and the kids a bit older, I started my search for a new car. It needed to be sporty but still functional as a daily driver. It needed to haul mail and still haul the kids and the bikes and the gear.  The FX covered nearly every one of my criteria in one package, but fell a little short in visual cues and base line performance.

Timing worked out as our customer Chris’2008 FX35 AWD (Sport & Tech pac) was up for sale:

“As I searched for potential candidates, I was thrilled to reconnect with Rob and ZCG.  He helped me focus my search efforts and game plan what I envisioned for the car.   After a year of searching my FX came up for sale.  As luck would have it, it was a car already under the care of ZCG and a number of mods on my want list performed. Rob confirmed the quality and condition of the FX as well as the character of the seller.  It was, as they say, meant to be.”

Eric’s first visit with his FX focused on power and chassis upgrades. The VQ35 was treated to a Motordyne plenum spacer, JWT POP Charger and Uprev street tune providing more power throughout the rev range.

 

Keeping the FX glued to the tarmac are BC Racing coilovers and Stillen strut tower brace paired with a set of Nissan/Rays Eng GT-R R35 (CBA) rear wheels:

 

The wheels were refinished and we mount/balanced Michelin Pilot AS/3+ tires (295/45zr20) with new TPMS. We love the finish on these and they look right at home on the FX:

 

The stock brakes were upgraded to Akebono units from the G37/370z with a Stoptech sport brake kit (pads, slotted rotors, braided steel lines). This required changing the rear knuckle to a FX50 part.

Eric is all smiles with the upgrades and he’s been driving the FX everywhere:

“Rob and the ZCG Team worked incredibly hard to get everything on the car set in place so that I could immediately enjoy this family battle wagon and that’s just what I’ve been doing. Couldn’t be happier.”

 

We even spotted the FX at a local DrivingWhileAwesome (DWA) Cars & Coffee event in Santa Cruz, CA:

 

Eric recently came back for a Nismo exhaust.

 

You can hear it in this driving video with Rob:

Thank you Eric for letting us improve your FX we look forward to seeing you at more events and keep Enjoying The Ride! More pictures in the gallery below.

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Z Car Garage is expanding to support our vintage, late model and motorsport work. We are seeking an experienced and skilled automotive technician to join our team. This is not an average automotive job. We work 4-10hr days and offer competitive pay/benefits.

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.

Interested or know someone who might be a good fit? Share this, spread the word and please contact rob@zcargarage.com or call us at (408)452-0350.

 

The 1990 to 1996 Nissan 300zx Twin-Turbo is the underdog of 90’s Japanese supercars. Sure the RX7, Supra and NSX get all the attention – but the Z32 (yes we are biased) represents the best balance of performance, reliability and comfort.  From the intimate feeling of the power leather seats and gauge cluster to the addictive power that evokes a familiar Nissan commercial…

…the Z32 is magical. It is hard to describe how rad these cars are after ZCG has gone through one. Let’s take a look at our customer Chris V. and see of what our 20yrs+ of experience with this chassis can create.

Chris Finds a 300zx

We started working with Chris in 2014 and this is his Z car story:

“I was a huge 510 fan (I still am). In 1990 I was at Sunnyvale Nissan picking up some parts when I saw my first 300ZX. My jaw dropped at it’s gorgeous yet subtle shape. It was such a welcome departure from the angular late 80’s Z body styles. I sat in it, and marveled at the organic dash design. I distinctly remember thinking to myself, “What an awesome car, I’ll never be able to afford one of these.”

“Fast forward to 1996, my commute was a 100 mile round trip, and it was killing my beloved 510. I started looking around for a newer car that would make a good commuter. Well, the “commuter” I found was a ’92 300ZX TT, offered at a local BMW dealer. The price was right, and it came home with me. Dream come true. It had about 40k on it when I bought it, and was in great shape. It was my trusted commute car for years, and the miles piled on. I was diligent with maintenance, and never had any issues until about 165k miles, when one of my turbos died.”

In 2001 Chris was confronted with fuel injector replacement, a task that he wanted to tackle himself but work/life kept his project from moving. Eventually boxes and blankets covered the car while it sat on jackstands in the garage. It remained this way for 12 years.

He decided it was time to bring back his Z32 and came to us for a Z Car Garage-style resurrection in 2014.  We collaborated on one of the coolest 300s to leave the shop. Our plan, on top of a restoration, was to build an “adult’s Hot Rod”…a Z with great power and handling that could still be driven daily and last for many thousands of miles worry-free.

Engine

Virtually everything was updated or replaced in the engine bay. The engine followed a similar recipe as Rob’s personal Z32TT: a Rebello Racing VG30 with all new internals including JE pistons, Eagle rods, all new bearings, Nissan headgasket and JWT sport 500 cams with HD valve springs. Everything was built to go to 800hp if necessary, for durability and reliability.

The entire engine room wiring harness (Wiring Specialties) was replaced for peace of mind. Shown below are BDE cam gears and exhaust gears so we could improve boost spool and make a wider powerband. BDE engine mounts are fantastic pieces that have become a staple on our Z32 builds:

Providing boost are JWT BB700s (GT2860RS turbos, known as Disco Potato) mounted to a set of killer Mike Smith exhaust manifolds with EGR( for smog compliance)

Impossibly trick and beautiful 5-bolt 3″ downpipes from SpecialtyZ…it’s shame they are not visible from the engine bay!

New turbos, exhaust manifolds and downpipes mounted:

From the downpipes the SpecialtyZ exhaust system continues with  3″ mid pipes, and their 2.5″ cat-back system w/resonated X-pipe:

Everything in the fuel system and induction was brand new. Fueling duties are handled by an Aeromotive 340lph pump and Nismo 740cc injectors with JWT adapter to allow late-style injectors in the early car.  Brand new induction consist of Ashspec inlet piping and Massive intercoolers with 2.5″ piping:

Backing the new engine is a JWT lightweight aluminum flywheel and HD street clutch:

Drivetrain all buttoned up and ready for dyno tuning:

Dyno Tuning

Rob dyno tuned the Z using Nistune ECU board and Greddy Profec boost controller. On 91 octane it made 503hp/425tq at the wheels:

We can’t cover every detail that was handled in the engine bay so please check the photo gallery below! Every piece in this engine that is available from Nissan was replaced: new clutch hydraulics, O2 sensors, new fan clutch, new cooling fan, new power steering hoses, a Koyo race radiator and A/C charge/retrofit to R134A. All parts in front of the engine were replaced so this car won’t need anything for the next 30-60k miles.

Chassis

The stock brakes on the 300zx are a weak point of the car, especially with increased power levels. We were stoked that Chris picked the Stoptech Trophy kit featuring 332mm slotted rotors and that super sexy lightweight caliper. He’s really impressed:

“One of my favorite parts of the build was the aforementioned brake upgrade, we used StopTech Trophy billet four piston calipers up front on 320mm floating rotors, with rebuilt OEM rear calipers painted to match the color of the new fronts, on slotted OEM diameter StopTech rotors, with braided lines all around.” 

OEM Z32 caliper and Stoptech Trophy setup:

Color matched rear calipers:

Suspension

The suspension was gone through completely with all new parts. KW V3s are our favorite coil-over setup. Stillen sway bars are also shown:

Stock vs KW V3s installed front:

Rear:

Every little nook and cranny of the suspension was handled. New SPL tension rods, upper front control arms, new rear wheel bearings and HICAS removal/eliminator:

 

T/C rods, Stillen sway bar:

Wheels

Wheel choice can really impact the look of any car.  Thankfully Chris has excellent taste and with some perseverance we got our hands on a set of Work VSxx in Burning Silver with silver hardware. Sized  18x9F and 18x10R with our favorite summer tire, the Bridgestone S-04PP:

What a difference the new wheels make! Well done, Chris:

“I wanted wheels that would be appropriate for the age and design of the car, a lot of modern wheel designs would look out of place on a 28 year old car. I ended up with Work Wheels from Japan. Their 3 piece VS-XX wheel fit my idea perfectly. The wheels would have to be made to order, and the offset had to be perfect to get them to look right. Turned out that their forging die was worn out for the rear centers, and a new forging die had to be made, extending the time it took to get them. In the end, it was definitely worth the wait. I think they are a perfect match for the car. Racy, but subtle, and a great period look for my ZX.”

Body

With most of the mechanical bits sorted, it was time to also make the car look as good as it ran. We had our man William re-painted the car and fix all the flaws, erasing years of minor dings and dents. A new JDM MY 2000 front bumper and a new OE shape fiberglass rear spoiler were installed and William did an amazing job blending the spoiler into the trunk.  It appears stock, but the blended shapes make for a unique look.

Chris decided to stick with the original OEM anthracite gray color with a subtle pearl on top:

A complete KarumaZ molding kit and OEM parts allow all those trim pieces to pop against that new paint:

Windshield trim detail:

The T-Tops got some love as well:

Boost Saves

From start to finish this was an outstanding project. Chris is a fellow enthusiast who races motorcycles and it was such a pleasure to work with another motorsports/gearhead. He’s since moved up to Roseville and still takes the Z out a few times a week, sending us e-mails telling it was worth the wait:

“Of course the project and the budget went through several revisions and expansions, but I loved the way it was going. The project had a slow pace, and that was fine by me. I wanted it done right, not quickly. Virtually everything was updated or replaced.”

We love hearing and seeing him Enjoy The Ride…

“I’m living in Roseville east of Sacramento now, so the long drive home from San Jose in my newly restored car was one of the best drives of my life. It had been 15 years since I had driven it. Loved every minute of the drive. I managed to be a law abiding citizen ALMOST all the way, until a deserted stretch of Hwy 99. We hit 145 pretty quick, and I was amazed at the acceleration from 500+ hp. The StopTech brakes are something else too, and absolutely necessary with that kind of power on tap.

In the nearly two years since it’s been back home, it gets driven once a week or so when the weather is nice, and I am more in love with the car than ever. Up here in the foothills there are miles of curvy, lightly traveled roads. It’s the perfect placer for my Z, riding that huge power curve and taking advantage of the upgraded suspension. It’s so neutral handling, and the larger and wider Bridgestones stick like glue. Rob continues to take great care of the car, and takes good care of me too, when I make the long drive down to have it serviced.”

This is a testament to an epic sports car Nissan built when ruling the 90’s. From country roads to the race track Nissan was it. We love preserving that legacy and keeping these legends alive.

It makes us smile to see Chris still having a good time in his dream car:

“My six year old daughter Maggie loves to ride in her Dad’s “race car” (as she calls it). One evening we had to drive to take dinner to my wife, who was working late unexpectedly. We pull up to a stop light, and there is a relatively new model Porsche Turbo in the lane next to us. I don’t really pay it any mind, after all, my (then) 4 year old is in the front seat. The light turns green, and the Porsche launches full throttle and goes blasting away. We get about halfway to the next light, and Maggie turns to me and says, “You’re not going to let him beat us, are you?” After a double take at her comment, I laugh. We pull up next to the Porsche, and I look down the road. It’s clear, no one is around. Okay, hell. The light changes, and we both launch. He gets the better of me off the line, then my boost comes in and we go past him like he’s standing still, my daughter laughing like a maniac the whole way. We get to the next light, and he arrives a few seconds later. Apparently waxing him was not enough for my daughter, as she rolls down her window, looks at him and waves, “Hi !!!!”

Like Rob says, Boost Saves…check out the photo gallery below and LONG LIVE THE Z!

Our Z Car Garage-built Datsun Roadster is featured on the latest episode of Hoonigan Autofocus! with Larry Chen Photo. Enjoy! #DoItInADatsun