What sparked your interest in Z Cars? For Scott W it began when he was about 15 years old, and eventually led him to Z Car Garage:

“My best friend’s brother’s friend had a silver 240z. He would take us to lunch and we had to lay down in the back. From that time on I wanted a Z! I started reviewing zcarblog.com and found a very nice 260z for sale that was owned by an older retired couple. Based on all the work performed by ZCG I met with Rob and I purchased it. The 260z was originally gold with the 5mph bumpers.”

 

Indeed the gold 1974 260z was our very own customer Geri R’s. When she retired and moved to San Diego she told Rob, “If you are not in SD my Z car can’t come with me…please find it a new home.” Scott W visited ZCG in 2013 and purchased the Z, well before the S30’s garnered high prices! He had a very clear vision of building the ultimate Z Car:

“I told Rob my plan was a car that was great to look at but I’m going to drive it! And drive it hard. My goal was to keep it looking 1974-ish on the outside but modern under the skin.”

So we began the process of upgrading an already solid, clean chassis that Geri lovingly maintained.

Drivetrain

The first item we discussed was the engine. Scott wanted more power and Rob suggested a Rebello 3.2L Stroker engine. Supporting parts included an MSA 6-into-1 header,  ZCG exhaust system, KOYO race radiator (custom upper hose) and ZCG heat shield. A few pictures of the engine build/installation with many more in the gallery:

 

Induction is handled by Jenvey individual throttle-body fuel injection, managed by a Haltech Elite 750 standalone system.

 

A NISMO Competition oil pan was installed to cope with high cornering loads from road course driving. Also shown is the Nissan 240sx 5-speed transmission. This “KA24” unit is significantly stronger than early S30 transmissions. It handles the 3.2L’s extra power, and we offer this conversion to customers.

 

When we upgrade the transmission we also install a JWT HD clutch with aluminum flywheel. Helping put the power down efficiently is an OS Giken LSD. The R180 houses a 4.11 R&P and the assembly is setup in-house (by Joshua Corwin). Rounding out the drivetrain upgrades are a set of ZCG CV Axles(shown below)

 

The ZCG Exhaust system using 2.5″ piping to a stainless resonator and Magnaflow muffler with slash-cut tip. Listen to the sound in the video below!

   

The completed engine bay. All hoses, hydraulic lines, fittings etc were removed and restored/replaced with new parts. Zinc plating hardware throughout:

 

On the dyno, Rob tuned the Z with the Haltech making 257hp/229tq to the wheels. An improvement from the stock 121hp/130tq:

Chassis

 

Suspension upgrades were next, focusing on the ideal setup for open track days while remaining comfortable on the street. Scott outgrew the Tokico 5-ways and now has Koni Yellows with our Ground Control coil-over setup from back in the day. Techno Toy Tuning control arms, T/C rods and more complement the total suspension restoration. All parts were powdercoated and hardware plated.  We really appreciate Gabriel at T3 and his staff. They make some of the best suspension parts out there for Z cars.

 

Panasport Wheels

 

Custom sized 17×9 Panasport C8 wheels allow us to run a wide 255/40/17 tire at all four corners, without flaring the fenders:

 

Bridgestone RE-71R tires are shown below. The 17″ diameter wheels also give clearance for our ZCG Big Brakes!

  

ZCG Big-Brakes and CV Axles

After driving our customer Lou’s Fairlady, Scott was sold on our Z Car Garage Big-Brakes.

  

Not to be confused with our familiar Z Car Garage Big-Brakes (for small wheels) that we currently offer, this Big-Brake kit was our initial setup from many years ago. Our first collaboration with Stoptech, this 328mm sized kit requires 17″ diameter wheels and the massive ST-42 calipers are finished in bright red. This kit was installed on our OS Giken TC24-powered 240z and a few other customer cars.

 

 

The ZCG Big-Brakes framed nicely behind the black-spoked C8s. We are currently re-vamping this kit using Stoptech’s latest ST-43 caliper.

    

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

   

Scott’s 260z received ZCG CV Axles set #250

  

More pictures of the ZCG axles installed, also visible are the T3 control arms and ZCG exhaust system:

  

Comfort

 

Scott’s 260z had an interior in fair shape. We gave it the full ZCG treatment with a refurbished dash, new carpet and creature comforts like Bluetooth, radar detection and functioning HVAC. In-progress shots below with more in the gallery:

 

New carpet throughout, integrated speaker box in hatch:

 

The stock seats were in bad shape Scott was sliding around on them so we upgraded to leather Recaros. Perfect for keeping him locked in place during track days.

 

The heater system from core to blower was completely restored:

 

Full A/C setup using a smaller Toyota compressor with existing A/C parts:

 

Performance

 

Balance. This Z has power and the chassis upgrades to transform it into a well-rounded sports car. Remember Scott’s goal of building the Z to drive really hard? He has been taking his S30 to Buttonwillow Raceway every month, putting our ZCG products to the test on the track.

 

Enjoy the sounds of Scott’s Z in this short video below:

 

 

Exterior

 

You didn’t think we would forget to mention the total paint color change, did you?  About six months into his build Scott called to request a color change from gold to a Mercedes-Benz shade of Gun Metal. Our man William painted the body, retaining all side-markers to maintain a stock look:

 

Scott however was adamant about changing the stock impact bumpers. Rob located Euro-style 240z bumpers and had them sectioned/re-chromed:

 

Thank you Scott for letting us build your Ultimate Z Car! We are proud to see you enjoy it on the track and street.

LONG LIVE THE Z!

More pictures in the gallery below!
…[read more]

 

Brian P hails from Canada and lives in the Bay Area with his family. We met him in 2014 when he visited ZCG for minor sorting and upgrades on his pretty 1973 S30.

 

Attention to the engine bay included changing all fluids, new motor mounts, upgraded alternator and a fresh Koyo racing radiator:

 

Rob dyno tuned the stock, SU-carb’d L24 before and after the addition of our ZCG exhaust using 2.5″ piping to a stainless resonator and Magnaflow muffler with slash-cut tip. We saw gains of 13hp/5tq and improved power throughout the mid-range:

 

Brian returned in 2016 for suspension upgrades. We installed 5-way Tokicos, Suspension Techniques sway bars, Techno Toy Tuning adjustable rear lower control arms, TC rods, and rack bushings.

 

Everything was powdercoated black and we zinc’d all hardware. With fresh bearings and a few more new suspension parts he was out and enjoying the Z.

Panasport Wheels

Complementing the new springs and shocks on Brian’s Z are Panasport wheels! We replaced the old-school Western Turbine wheels with 16×7 Panasports and Hankook R-S3 tires in 225/50/16.

Bottom left picture from Brian:

“This was taken on the day I picked up the car from the PO, a retired writer in Oakland, who only sold me the car after a 3 hour interview/visit 2 weekends prior, before the car was officially ‘for sale’ (I felt like I was being vetted as the car’s next custodian).”

 

Here is Brian Enjoying The Ride in his Z at last year’s Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion at Laguna Seca:

ZCG Big-Brakes and CV Axles

After a few years of driving, Brian came back early this summer for more upgrades. We handed him the keys to “Mrs. Butters”,  our 1970 Series 1 240z shop demo car and he was sold on our Z Car Garage Big-Brakes (for small wheels) and Z Car Garage CV Axles! Butters has a way of doing this to our customers 🙂

     

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 Brian’s stock brakes and installed our ZCG Big-Brake kit.  We also took his Tokico 5-ways in trade for a full coil-over (Koni) suspension from Techno Toy Tuning. 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.

 

ZCG Big-brakes and T3 coil-overs replacing stock setup:

    

At the rear, the factory drum brakes were replaced with our ZCG Big-Brakes. Factory handbrake functionality IS retained! T3 coil-covers also installed:

 

Brian really wanted the look and feel of Mrs. Butters Z so we obsessed over ride height until we got it exactly where he wanted it. The Z looks fabulous from any angle:

 

 

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

  

Stock half shafts (L) and ZCG units:

 

More pictures of the ZCG axles installed, also visible are the T3 control arms and ZCG exhaust system:

    

Driving is Believing

Brian was impressed with the ZCG Big-Brakes and how well they work: like having late model brakes on a vintage car!

“The brakes are amazing. I push the car hard on weekend drives on the Peninsula, normally taking different routes out to Alice’s, now without any fade or fear (except from passengers).”

 

With suspension and drivetrain sorted, Brian had a few remaining things on his mind. He reported a heavy fuel smell in the cabin so we replaced all of the vapor hoses to the fuel tank and installed a new hatch seal:

 

Finally, his hood had little specks on it so we had our man William repaint and blend it.  Icing on the cake: Rob installed a NOS “Datsun” emblem on it after adjusting the hood.

 

Enjoy this short video of Brian’s Z:

 

 

We enjoyed working with Brian:

“Rob and team are the best, and the only shop that will ever touch my car. I have supreme confidence that my expectations will be always be exceeded, and Rob’s enthusiasm is infectious. On a lighter note and as a Canadian transplant down here in the Bay Area, it’s a pleasant surprise to find someone who doesn’t feel the need to insert ‘ice’ before saying ‘hockey’.”

Thank you for entrusting us with your S30, Brian. We are so fortunate to work with owners that appreciate the Z and believe in our ability to make them better! LONG LIVE THE Z!

More pictures in the gallery below!
…[read more]

 

At Z Car Garage we are fortunate to be a part of our customer’s sports car journeys. Derek Y is a long-time customer and we worked on his 2005 Infiniti G35. Three years passed by and he visited us with his latest Nissan, this 2015 GT-R. The R35 visited ZCG with only 11k miles and received a host of power upgrades from AMS, EcuTek, SpecialtyZ, Turbosmart and more:

 

Here are the SpecialtyZ 3″ intakes and AMS front-mount intercooler being installed:

 

More engine bay work including the AMS crankcase breather setup, ID 1300cc injectors (plus DW fuel pump upgrade), Turbosmart BOVs and a SpecialtyZ Flex-Fuel kit:

 

AMS crankcase breather being plumbed:

 

Stock vs Turbosmart BOV:

 

On the lift, AMS cat-less downpipes are installed:

 

At first glance it is difficult to catch all of the power upgrades in the engine bay, Stock (L) vs Modified (R)

 

Derek also needed new tires so we mounted fresh Michelin Pilot Sport4S sized 245/40/20 and 285/35/ 20.

Dyno Tuning

Rob dyno tuned the GT-R using an EcuTek flash and Derek also received a USB dongle for datalogging. Baseline power was 495hp/446tq with final numbers of 612hp/604tq to the wheels on E85:

 

A few plots showing the tuning session: Baseline to 91 octane tune with gains of 65hp/93tq (Left), and the final E85 tune for even more gains of 52hp/51tq (Right):

 

Video of the R35 on the ZCG dyno:

 

Thanks for letting us work on your GT-R Derek and enjoy the 100+hp boost!

 

This weekend at Sonoma Raceway (October 4-6) CSRG is hosting the Charity Challenge featuring the John Morton Cup. The race is for Historic B-& C Sedans and includes our hero and legendary driver John Morton.  Don’t miss this event it promises to be an epic gathering of vintage Datsun racers! Check out the schedule below, Group 9 is the one to watch for B-Sedan action:

 

The Historic B & C Sedan Challenge will be joining The John Morton Cup (through CSRG), and it was created by our friends and fellow racers Glenn Chiou and Dave Stone. Check out their site for more info on the series HERE

Z Car Garage Supports Five Datsun 510 Race Cars!

We will be providing race support for the following five Datsun 510s this weekend, enjoy this video preview of them below:

There will be a field of 38 B-sedans with 12 Datsun 510s mixing it up at Sonoma Raceway. John Morton is Grand Marshall and will also be racing a Datsun 510!

 

#7 Rob Fuller

ZCG owner Rob Fuller will be piloting the #7 Bay Area Datsun Dealers car

#51 John Morton

John Morton will be driving the #51 car owned by Taz Harvey.  You might find this 510 familiar as it was built by our friend Troy Ermish and the previous owner was Wayne McAttee! Car is currently being prepped at ZCG!

 

#80 Howard Swig

Howard Swig is driving the #80 Red Farmer car (also owned by Taz). Swig is an Auction Manager at Bring a Trailer and this 510 was purchased via a BaT  back in 2014 (link). Car is currently being prepped at ZCG!

 

#72 Tom Dockery

Tom Dockery is driving the Ex-Norm Balzer 510. This car made its debut in May and we are excited to share its full story and profile Tom’s journey into racing soon.

  

#52 Alex McDowell

Alex will be driving the 1967 Bluebird Coupe.

 

510 Friends!

Many notable Datsun 510 racers will be in the group, gunning for the trophy. We look forward to the challenge!

#33 Glenn Chiou

Glenn will be driving the Ex-Finn/Harris U2.5L Trans-Am ’68 510. This car made its debut in May at the SVRA event at Laguna Seca. Glenn did an admirable job (as always) getting this historically significant 510 back on the racetrack!

  

#93 Dave Stone

Dave Stone will be driving the #93 Ex-Frellsen 1973 National Champion 510. Dave is fast!

 

#52 Jim Froula

Race car driver and restoration specialist Jim Froula of Racecraft is running the Ex- Harry Stewart Datsun 510. Can Jim’s large shoe size give him the advantage this time?

   

Join us at Sonoma Raceway this weekend for the John Morton Trophy race and enjoy some B-sedan action!

#DATSUNDOMINATION

 

The 2019 Japanese Classic Car Show was held on September 21, in Long Beach, CA. This is the original vintage Japanese-car event in SoCal and in its 15th year, JCCS has grown incredibly. Over 10,000(!) spectators enjoyed 400+ cars covering the lawn of Marina Green Park. The vehicles themselves remained a fantastic blend of stock, modified and restored. This is the most important show for Japanese cars, and the Z Car Garage crew keeps coming back every year to soak up the sun, see old friends and drool over some spectacular vintage builds.

   

ZCG Delivers Mr. K’s Datsun 240z!

 

We had the joy and honor of delivering Mr. K’s 1972 Datsun 240z to owners Johnnie Gable and her son Kenny Ueda at JCCS. In true “Datsuns Are Driven” form, Rob drove Mr. K’s Z 400 miles from San Jose to Long Beach and it ran flawlessly.

 

Joining us were ZCG customers John B and James S in their Z’s. A few pics from the road trip South:

 

Showtime!

 We unloaded early on Friday at Marina Green Park.  This location is larger and more vendor-friendly than The Queen Mary of past shows. Our booth was situated in a great spot, at the mid-point of the show with our neighbors from JDM Car Parts.

 

We had lots of traffic at the ZCG booth. Mr. K’s Z definitely created a buzz, and enthusiasts checked out our Big-Brake kit for small wheels, CV Axles and picked up some free swag. Thanks to customers, fans and friends that stopped by! We met many great Datsun fans and enjoyed talking cars.

  

James’s 1972 S30 was displayed with fellow Z car owners in the show. At the heart of this beast is a turbocharged L-series managed by Haltech. Chassis upgrades include custom full-length subframe connectors, our ZCG CV Axles and Big-Brake Kit (328mm) behind RS-8 wheels restored by Love20bee.

 

A stack instrument cluster was integrated into the gauge pod, viewed from leather Recaro Pole Position seats. This Z has a very unique sound. We recently tuned it on E85, dyno results and videos coming soon. We are very happy for James as he won the award for 2nd place for Best Z!

   

Delivering Mr. K’s Z to a very happy Johnnie Gable and Kenny Ueda:

 

Expect a full report on our work performed to get this precious Z back on the road.

 

Highlights from JCCS

Enjoy this video I made highlighting the sights and sounds of JCCS 2019:

 

Why do we keep coming back to JCCS? Each year the bar is raised for the show cars, and this year was truly impressive. With over 400 cars and 80 vendors it was almost impossible to see it all in the 9am-3pm show time. Here are our favorites, starting with Nissan/Datsun.

 

Skylines

Here are few of my favorite Nissans and Datsuns, starting with that not-so forbidden fruit commonly known as the hakosuka Skyline. Roy De Guzman’s Hako sported a new look with the premier Pandem Rocketbunny flare kit and Cross Fever wheels:

  

Patrick S’ Kenmeri Skyline and Mikey C’s sedan both Rb26-powered and sitting on Watanabe Gotti wheels:

 

Mel’s R30 4-door on Watts, next to Jay’s DR30:

  

I didn’t expect to see a large gathering of R32 Skylines, even a 4-door!

 

Z Car Extravaganza

 

With the 50th Anniversary of the Z cars from all generations were in full force spanning the crested lawn of the Marina Green Park.  I’m a big fan of subtle modified Z’s but I can also appreciate pristine, bone-stock examples and the occasional shakotan build.

Stock is good: beautifully restored ’72:

   Todd Kaneko’s iconic, turbocharged L-series Z on Chevlon wheels:

 

So. Many. Z’s!

 

The winning Z:

 

1975 280Z 2+2 on Epsilons from Love20bee:

 
Shakotan !

   

Larry Chen’s freshly-painted S30!

  

Good old triple-carb’d L-series power!

 

RB25DET-powered:

  

S130!

 

You can find more S30s in our gallery!

Z31s were plentiful too, in both stock and modified examples:

      

The Nissan S12 chassis has been growing in popularity. Known as the “200sx” stateside there were some cool examples of both hatchback/coupe bodystyles.

   

People

At the JCCS  it is always great to see old friends and meet new enthusiasts! Thanks to everyone that visited the ZCG booth!

    

Our friends at BringaTrailer.com

Datsun Fairlady Roadsters

The Datsun Roadsters came out in full force this year, running 6 cars strong!

 

Raymond Lim’s 1963 1500 was the oldest car present. This 3-seater SPL310 model was driven, not trailered to the show!

  

Ed’s sharp 1970 SPL sporting Enkei Compe wheels:

 
It was also great to see Michael Anderson’s “Rock Vest” race car. This historically-significant roadster is currently being raced by Mike!

  

The Desirello’s also displayed their SR20-powered beauties:

   

More roadster pics in our gallery!

Datsun 510s

 

Datsun 510s dominated the field as the most represented model again this year. From sedans to wagons and a single Bluebird Coupe!

 

Andrew’s RHD tribute 510 won Best of Show!

 

TSR-built 510:

 

Brian Holloway’s Coupe with Recaro seats…and the coolest socks

Wagons!

 

Our friend Troy’s customer won Best 510!

 

13B and CA18DET:

   

Dogs Love Trucks!

Kenny’s NL320 pickup:

    

Toyota

Toyota always has a huge corporate involvement with an assortment of race cars. They even had the new Supra on display and a 2000GT!

AE86, Cressida, Celica’s and Corolla’s!   

Great showing of RA29 (Liftback) Celicas!

  

Trucks:

3nd and 4th gen Celicas:

Speed Star Racing Air Stage on Tommy D’s Starlet:

 

Wheels For Fantasy

I personally love going to JCCS because I get to see very rare Japanese/tuner wheels and parts. Preservation of authentic wheels and appreciation of the time and effort spent to find certain specimens that most folks have never heard of in this generation is what I admire most.

 

Variations on the mesh wheel from BBS, Epsilon, SSR, Volk, Bahn and more. You can’t go wrong!

 

Many more pictures from JCCS in the gallery!

Here are a few great sites with more coverage of the show:
Bring a Trailer
Autoweek
Jalopnik
Super Street

Thank You JCCS!

It is difficult to run a car show and keep up the quality and interest levels but the folks at JCCS have managed to do exactly that for 15 years! No other show gives you the chance to see obscure, pristine, modified Japanese classics…and we look forward to next year’s entrants. Koji and Terry the new venue is great, almost overwhelming with the number of cars! We hope you have enjoyed our coverage and please visit our mega-gallery for more pictures.