We love to see our parts installed and used on client’s cars. Race car driver, restorer and Datsun Historian Glenn Chiou is running our ZCG CV Axles in this IMSA GTU 260z race car!
Glenn is preparing for the upcoming Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion event at Laguna Seca. A half shaft failure is not something he wanted to worry about while racing so he replaced them with ZCG CV Axles. Glenn installed set #367 himself with ease:
The Different Drummer Z
Glenn Chiou is our client, fellow racer and friend. He was one of the first to run our Z Car Garage Big-Brakes on his RHD 240Z and actively vintage races both 510 and Z cars. You may have seen Glenn’s FAR Performance 240Z in VIPS Restaurant livery as raced in the 70’s by Loren St. Lawrence. Glenn restored this race car himself and it is now going back to Bay Area Datsun Dealers livery as raced by FAR Performance privateer Walt Maas.
Glenn’s got a passion for re-telling the stories of legendary privateer Z car racers and his current restoration project is the Different Drummer Racing Z raced by Greg Sorrentino. This is a really cool race car with great history and build details behind it.
Chassis # RLS30-000024 is a July 1973 pre-production Datsun 260Z chassis that was sold by the factory for one dollar in 1975 to Different Drummer Racing, owned by Greg Sorrentino of Troy, Michigan. It was one of the very first Datsun 260Z chassis and was built by the legendary American fabricator, Ron Fournier. This Z car has been consistently raced for the last 40+ years in IMSA GTU, SCCA Trans-Am, and C-Production/GT-2 classes.
In 1975, the Datsun Competition Department agreed to support Greg Sorrentino’s IMSA GTU racing efforts by providing him a pre-production Datsun 260Z. Once in Sorrentino’s hands, it was left to his all-star lineup of builders to help him build a frighteningly fast IMSA GTU car:
Chassis preparation was to the skilled hands of legendary metal fabricator, Ron Fournier
Suspension duties were left to Mac Tilton
John Knepp of Electramotive Engineering built the motors for Different Drummer Racing
The DDR Z in action at Portland International Raceway in 1979:
You can read more about the official history on this Z as documented by Glenn here:
As usual, Glenn’s painstaking efforts and diligence result in a faithful restoration…where parts are not available he has gone to extraordinary lengths to re-create pieces from historical photos…all from his garage at home.
Thanks for your support Glenn! We we will be rooting for you at the Monterey event!
Z Car Garage CV Axles
Over 130 sets of our ZCG CV Axles are installed in client’s cars all over the world. For more information please visit our detailed post our HERE. Below are just a few examples of race cars running out CV Axles:
Race car driver and restoration specialist Jim Froula of Racecraft is running ZCG axles in several of his cars:
Set #246 – installed May 2018 on the “Harry Stewart #52” Datsun 510:
Set #247 – installed April 2018 on the 260z
Set #248 – installed on Adam Carolla’s “Greg Sorrentino #90” Datsun 510.
At Z Car Garage we love keeping Z’s on the road. From concours-level restorations to light refurbishments, making a client’s goals reality is our passion. Richard W brought his 1971 Datsun 240Z from Eureka, Ca for a full mechanical restoration, ZCG-style. Our Z Car Garage Big-Brakes, Z Car Garage CV Axles and Z Car Garage Heat Shield along with a new drivetrain and full suspension transformed this Series 1 S30.
In 2017 Richard contacted us to inquire about restoration work. He understood we were booked, and we spoke again later, but this time he visited the shop with a photo album filled with photos of his beautiful, Sunshine Yellow Z.
“I did my due diligence and researched what ZCG could do, and arranged for a meeting with Rob to discuss my car. I asked if he would be interested in restoring my 1970 240 Z. He was pretty adamant, ‘I don’t restore those rust buckets anymore.’ A little disheartened but I persisted. Would you take a look at the album I have of my car? He flipped through he pages and you could see him light up and the enthusiasm came forth. He said, ‘Where is the rust?’. I told him there was none as the car has been indoors for the last 40 years.”
Rob and Richard agreed that since the exterior was in great shape ZCG would perform a mechanical restoration. Richard is in his 70’s and still practices dentistry in the small town of Eureka. After being parked for decades he trailered the Z down and arrived at ZCG in January 2018 . Here is VIN #12291, with 63k original miles:
He bought this Z brand new 12/70 and absolutely adores it, being an integral part of his life for half a century! We love the story behind Richard’s Z lets’ take a look before going into the mechanical work…
Life With The Z
“We all have defining moments in our lives and those moments need to be prioritized. The marriage to my wife of 50+ years is of course the most important moment. She provided the resources to live in San Francisco and was so supportive of my graduation from college. That same year she became pregnant with our first born. We moved to Eureka at the same time. I was able to start my own business in 1970 and begin an adult life. All the important hurdles were checked off. We moved to Eureka with $300 in our pocket and a mountain of debt. But wait, there was one more hurdle…”
“…From across a parking lot, in Eureka no less, stood a bright yellow Ferrari. Upon closer inspection I was even more baffled. What was a Datsun 240Z? I went to the local Datsun agency, long before Nissan came along and made my inquiry. Yes, the new 240Zs are very special and very desirable. They were being shipped in but there is a waiting list. Just add my name. Sure enough they called a few weeks later and said there was an Orange Z on the lot. They made the mistake of letting me wring that car out and I was sold. While I was in school in San Francisco, I saw Cobras and Porsches that cost $6 – $7,000. Way out of my league but I could afford the $3,600 Z. Even if it meant borrowing $1,200. In early December 1970 I took possession of my Z. It became my car and my identity. It has remained just that for the last 50 years.“
“My oldest son was born the following February. Now all the pieces for my life fell into place. Marriage, college, moving to a permanent home, birth of our son and the final piece, my sports car. Being a young family in the ‘70s was simple. We just put Jason between our two seats the Bull Dog in the back and off we drove. No thought of a car seat. Before he was six months old, we had been the 700 miles to San Diego and the 700 miles to Canada. Not a care in the world and a wonderful way to see the country.”
“My car was a daily driver. For the next 20 + years that was my car. As my boys grew up and learned to drive, I needed to provide a car for them for high school. Well, not my car. So, I bought them an upgraded and modified ’71 240Z. I bought the Z because I felt they would be safer in that car. I didn’t want a larger car they would put a lot of friends in. Later on, I heard they actually had put 5 guys in the Z car.”
Of course, over time, tastes changed and Richard succumbed to buying a 1992 Corvette. You know, the ones you fall into and climb out of. Fast forward to 2015 and his 240Z is in the garage, covered with the things a guy collects in a garage. The ‘vette became useless and the family all preferred the Z. This is where ZCG becomes part of Richard’s Z car journey. Let the mechanical restoration begin on this Series 1 that has not run since 1985…
Drivetrain
We got the original L24 with SUs running after sitting for years, but Richard wanted more power and Rob suggested a Rebello 3.1L engine. Supporting parts included an MSA 6-into-1 header, ZCG exhaust system, internally regulated 280ZX alternator, 280ZX gear reduction starter, KOYO race radiator (custom upper hose) and Z Car Garage Heat Shield. Here are a few pictures of the engine build/installation with many more in the gallery:
Powdercoated and plated parts adorn the engine:
Induction is handled by triple-Mikuni PH44 carbs on a Harada intake manifold.
Before/After the engine bay restoration, more details below:
To handle the power from the 3.1L engine we replaced the stock transmission with a Nissan KA24 (FS5W71C) transmission. This was a common swap (before the CD009a came to market) performed by modifying a 280Z L-series bell housing. The KA24 unit is significantly stronger than early S30 transmissions.
When we upgraded the transmission we also installed 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 Z Car Garage CV Axles (shown below)
Engine Bay Services
Richard’s Z received a total engine bay restoration. Please visit the gallery below for more pictures documenting the engine bay restoration work, it’s where our efforts shine!
With the engine/transmission removed we focused our efforts on restoring the engine bay. Everything was cad plated or powdercoated. All new fuel hoses, every cooling hose and all new hydraulic lines. Every nut/bolt is bagged and tagged before re-plating.
The Z’s body had been painted once before but the engine bay was left un-touched. We called upon our man William from William’s Auto Body re-spray the 919 Sunshine Yellow and it turned out fantastic. Before/After:
More before/after shots showing fuel pump, hydraulic an coolant lines:
With the new engine/transmission even more detail work was performed:
Final Before/After in the engine bay:
Our 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!
Dyno Tuning
Rob dyno tuned the Rebello 3.1L engine making a stout 199hp/221tq to the wheels. Enjoy the L-series music in this extended video of Richard’s Z including dyno runs, test drive with Rob and drive-bys:
Suspension
Richard’s chassis was treated to a full suspension rebuild with new parts, bushings and a full coil-over (Koni struts with our spring rates) 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.
New parts included the T3 adjustable T/C rods, T3 rear control arms, T3 front/rear strut tower bars, new ball joints, new front bushings, all new bearings and seals and ST sway bars. Richard wanted a fantastic driver that was worry-free. We replaced all of the hydraulics and front/rear suspension assemblies to match the new driveline. All suspension was either zinc’d or powdercoated:
Front Suspension refresh with T/C rod, crossmember and steering rack detail:
Rear end with T3 lower control arms and ST Sway bar:
ZCG Big-Brakes and CV Axles
We are proud to have several of our ZCG products on Richard’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 went ahead and got Richard dialed in with the ZCG big-brake kit for small wheels with parking brake and a new OEM Nissan master cylinder. More pics in the gallery!
Front brake installation:
At the rear, the OEM drums 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 130+ CV axle kits on customer cars and we are stoked with all of the positive feedback.
Richard’s standard half-shafts shown on left:
Panasport Wheels
Our ZCG Big-Brakes also look great behind Panasport wheels in our offset allowing us to run 225/50/16 tires (Bridgestone S-007a). The Z was fully aligned afterwards.
Interior
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.
We are really proud of the HVAC system in this Z. A vintage A/C unit was modified to work with the factory heater box and OEM controls. Our client Kurt W 3D-printed us a vent part to allow the A/C to blow cold and hard…see the video! We are working on a solution for all our customers stay tuned!
New, high-end carpet throughout:
The stock seats were replaced with Recaro Specialist in black leather, we love these seats for the S30:
Details
The little things are what we excel at. Exterior items include straightening and re-chroming both f/r bumpers. We also removed the 80’s style front spoiler and replaced it with the the correct 3-piece setup from our Series 1 parts stash:
We installed electric power steering, it is a wonderful upgrade see how effortless low-speed steering is in our video above!
Please check the gallery below for more detail shots, there are too many to list in this blog post!
Enjoying The Ride
In December 2020 Richard made the trek from Eureka down to Z Car Garage to pick up his restored Z. After he came back from his test drive it was quite emotional for the two Z car enthusiasts. Rob recalls…
“Richard got out of the Z and told me he had bought this Z 50 years ago that week, it’s been with him through alot of stuff and now his kids and grandkids will get to enjoy it. I looked him in the eye and said I’ll be here for their chapters, any time they need me. I’m attached to this Z now too.”
Richard was ecstatic. It was the reaction we live for at ZCG:
“I delivered the car to Rob and put a lot of trust in him. Nothing happens fast but what happened to my car is truly miraculous. Rob’s attention to detail is unsurpassed. It was just last December that I was able to pick up the car. It was exactly 50 years to the day that I bought the original car. It is not the Z car of yore. Rob had replaced everything. If it was bolted to the frame, all the original equipment came out. From new Recaro seats, interior upholstery replacement and sound deadening. He started up front with the radiator through new larger engine with 3 -2 barrel carburetors to tranny, exhaust system, suspension tires and wheels. It is a brand new car inside but still looks like the Ferrari I saw so many years ago.”
Richard began Enjoying the Ride in his fresh Sunshine Yellow Z back home. He sent us an e-mail of his adventures.
“It has been a whirlwind 4 days in my life. Friday was my drive to San Jose hauling a trailer and all the while the anticipation of seeing the Z after the restoration. Saturday morning was nothing short of exhilarating. There was my little beauty, long in tooth but brought back to its original radiance. Not just radiance but purposeful modifications. What you have done with the car is truly remarkable. It is not the same car beneath that unmistakable glow.
Our visit and talk was also a highlight for me. Your exuberance is contagious. I do so love out of association. You have given me a link to my past and the wonderful times I have spent with Cheryl and my boys. So ends an odyssey that began a few years ago. I could not be happier for two reason. My car has been brought back for me to enjoy and I have made friends with an amazing man. Thank you Rob for all you have done for me.”
Richard, thank you for letting us be part of your Z car journey. We love your passion and connection to your Z. Enjoy the photo gallery and…
On Sunday 6/13 we attended the Morning Motors Cars & Coffee event hosted by DrivingWhileAwesome (DWA) in Santa Cruz, CA. The event impressed us again with a fun vibe and superb variety of cars. One of the many perks of DWA Morning Motors is its location surrounded by the best driving roads. This morning however, I ran solo in my Datsun Roadster straight to the venue in front of the Old Wrigley Building.
It’s smart to arrive before 8:30am to grab a shaded parking spot and coffee/donuts (thanks DWA!) before they run out. The event is so close to downtown Santa Cruz and HWY 1 I invited my family to enjoy the cars and visit our favorite beach afterwards.
Mandatory Nissan/Datsun
I was happy to see so many Nissans and Datsuns at Morning Motors.
There were a three Datsun 510 wagons and one 510 2-door! This is Mark G’s 510, a client we’ve been lucky to work with, you can see more details about his Dime HERE
Our very own Nick F. in his 1972 510 wagon on SSR wheels:
Ray’s Hakosuka Skyline, now sporting our Z Car Garage CV Axles! We look forward to seeing Ray for more upgrades on this already stunning Skyline that gets driven everywhere:
Pall’s R32 Skyline in (AH3) Pearl Red. Pall K acquired this Pearl Red (AH3) R32 from our friend Sean and his team at Toprank International Vehicle Importers. We love the gorgeous paint color and Volk TE37SLs. He is also a ZCG client!
Another ZCG client, Eric’s Infiniti FX35 sporting upgraded suspension and R35 GT-R wheels.
350Z and G37 sedan on Z34 wheels:
I counted five (!) Nissan 240SX in both S13 and S14 trim. This S13 was my favorite:
S14 with “Silvia” badging:
Lone Z32 (NA), Q45 and a bagged Q60:
In Search of J-Tin
Morning Motors did not disappoint if you are Japanese Classic fans. Honda S800:
NA Miatas!
EG Civic, EM1 Civic Si and S2000 CR:
90’s icons…Supra and NSX and FD RX-7 (on FIKSE wheels)!
So much variety! Enjoy this short video:
Euro Classics
Yearning for Porsche’s? Or something a bit less “mainstream”? DWA CnC did not disappoint. Rosso Dino 246:
308, 4C and Chris’ “Rat Alfa” GTV:
Spotted my first, local Porsche 911 by Singer. It was impressive with so many details to enjoy:
Sweet 993 C2S with sexy multi-piece Turbo Twists:
Naveed’s new 964 911 GT3 RS (991)
A trio of cool BMW 2002s, one powered by an M20 6-cylinder!:
American Muscle
From 60’s to 80’s. Mike Garret’s familiar purple Mopar with late-model drivetrain and really wild Plymouth Fury race car tribute:
Eclectic
DWA CnC is definitely my kind of cars and coffee. It’s a great venue with amazing driving roads nearby and the cars were so diverse. We highly recommend checking it out! Thanks to the DWA crew for hosting. If you haven’t already, listen to their podcast and make sure you give them a follow on Instagram.
More pictures in the gallery below!
We love to see owners installing our Z Car Garage CV Axles on their Datsuns from all over the world! Darius installed a set himself on this 1982 Datsun 280ZX in Los Angeles, CA. 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 130 CV axle kits on customer cars and we are stoked with the positive feedback.
Darius has CV axle set #0359 and we are happy to report that he installed them with ease:
“Hello Rob this Darius your customer from Los Angeles that purchased a set of your CV Shafts for my 280zx. Well I had them installed and they look awesome. When my mechanic and I opened the box we both were impressed with how well designed they were and also how strong they looked, excellent craftsmanship. They were so easy to install it took about 20 to 30 minutes for installation. Thanks for everything, long live the Z Car.”
Darius sent us a few pictures of the installation. Nice work!
A Forever Z Car
We love being a part of a Z car build with a great story behind it. This S130 was Darius’ first car and he’s continuously improving it…
“I have had my 1982 280ZX since 1993 and it is my FIRST CAR, purchased it from my friend, he was the 3rd owner and I am the 4th. The car was first purchased in 1981 at the still there Nissan dealership in Torrance, CA, so this car has never left the south bay area. It had a 3.1 liter stroker with a black cherry Lacquer paint job on it. I almost sold the car in 2012 to a friend before the rebuild but he decided not to buy it and I still loved the car even though things were not right with it.”
“In that same year of 2012 I decided this car is going to be my project how ever long it takes and I am going to bring it back to life by channeling my inner Christine magic. First task was to find a black dash board that was in good condition and not cracked. I found one on EBay that came out of a car that had only 98,000 miles on it original black and I knew then I was on trail of something special. It took me about a year of junk yard diving and EBay shopping to pull all the parts together.”
“The engine was built by Bobby of Original Garage Builds in San Diego, CA. It’s a stroker with ported and polished N42 head and accessory parts from Motor Sports. Other parts are Racing Cam from Schneider Racing and 40mm Weber Big Throat Throttle Body. A polished aluminum radiator, lightened flywheel, Center Force dual friction racing clutch, stock transmission, Quaife LSD in my R200 rear installed by an excellent mechanic Howard at Moto IQ in Gardena.”
Suspension upgrades include Z Car Garage Custom made CV Shafts, Tie Rods from Techno Toy Tuning, front Shocks Tokico HP’s and rear T3 coil overs, sway bar upgrade front and back along with polyurethane bushings. Stock braking system with drilled slotted rotors. Interior is well preserved new carpet from long ago, Flow Fit Seats and Nardi leather and chrome spoke steering wheel. Body and Paint KANDY color (Wild Berry-House of Colors paints, Down to the Metal) by R Rated Motor Sports.
“This car is a life long project for me that I will continue to build on and to keep the 280zx not forgotten. Thanks for your service to the Z car nation.”
Thanks for your support Darius! We love your passion and determination to keep the S130 alive. Long Live The Z!
Learn more about our Z Car Garage CV Axles and see other customer cars running them HERE.
On Saturday, June 12 I attended the Breakfast Club Rally. This was my second time at the monthly event and I highly recommend it for anyone looking to enjoy the beautiful Northern California roads and scenery. I took my Datsun Roadster and left San Jose Saturday morning, driving 80 miles North to the starting point in Mill Valley. I spotted this MGA buzzing along the freeway, and many more vintage cars were on their way. Enjoy this report from the event.
Cars & Coffee? Yes Please!
The Breakfast Club Rally (BCR) started almost 1 year ago, now running its 15th rally event. What started out as a small group enjoying weekend drives blossomed into a full-on Cars and Coffee (still unofficial) meet just before rally participants head out according to run group (rally map available to pre-registrants only).
I arrived at 8:30am to an already packed parking lot. BCR is mostly vintage, “brand agnostic & 100% anti-snob”…and the scene was just as advertised. Cool cars everywhere. Of course, yours truly is always on the lookout for Nissans and Datsuns:
First up, this 1967 Datsun 2000, owned by Ian S. One of the most sought after Datsuns, these “half-year” models were introduced mid-1967 offering a 5-speed transmission and 150hp twin-Mikuni carb’d 2L engine…hot stuff for the era. This is SRL #601 (out of ~1000 cars) and it was fully restored years ago by Les Cannaday in San Diego. Ian is meticulous about maintaining this car, but it is no garage queen. The (655) Off-white paint with red interior is one of my favorites.
Met a fresh Datsun Roadster owner! This is Michael’s ’70 2000. He purchased and drove it from SoCal to San Francisco.
Two vintage Datsun Z cars. (top) is BCR founder Graham’s personal 280Z:
Two Datsun 510 wagons and Nissan 720 truck!
This was a total surprise…our client Mike’s R32 Skyline GT-R! Fresh from our shop with turbo, fueling and exhaust upgrades he is out Enjoying the Boost! Watch the video below for the sounds this beast makes…full report soon.
So many cool cars please check the gallery for more photos!
Rally On!
The rally started at 9am and somehow all of the cars gracefully exited the lot, heading towards the coast to Point Reyes Station. Weather and terrain changes abound and even a few route changes kept things interesting. Crazy machinery was always fun to see!
Arriving at Point Reyes Station was another opportunity to see cars I missed at the starting point. Folks took a snack/coffee break here in the quaint town. I sat down near the sidewalk, just admiring each vintage ride cruise by…like this Ferrari 250GT!
This is a grand, picaresque part of Northern California with rolling hills, pastures and Eucalyptus-lined blacktop. Coastal fog could be seen creeping into valleys and gentle rivers meandering through hillsides had me fighting to keep my eyes on the road!
One of BCR’s clever mottos is #DoneByNoon, and we eventually found our way to downtown Petaluma for lunch. I joined fellow roadster owner Ian (with his son) and Graham at Brewster’s Beer Garden in the historic district. Good food on the patio with great company.
Another perk of the BCR is the many talented photographers they have enlisted to capture rally goers in action. Your ride may have been immortalized so check out their work HERE! As we parted our ways, I snapped some rolling shots of Ian’s ’67 Datsun 2000 on the freeway. It’s hard not to take many photos of this roadster, it’s that pretty.
I headed back home to San Jose to complete the almost 270-mile trip. Driving across the Golden Gate Bridge and through San Francisco is always a treat.
A short video capturing the day:
Thanks BCR!
Many thanks to the organizers, I had a blast with Breakfast Club Rally. I urge you to register for their next event, especially if you are in the South Bay area like me and want to see what driving bliss lies North. #DoItInADatsun
