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Happy 3/11 day to all Datsun Roadster owners across the globe! Give your Fairlady a hug and get out and drive! Here are a few memorable roadsters that have been at Z Car Garage over the years. Of course, Eric Straw’s SR20VET-powered beauty is high on our list:
Rob and myself have been Enjoying The Ride in our roadsters. His 1967 Datsun 2000 and my 1967.5 SPL:
More roadster-related content HERE
If you are a fan of Datsuns and John Morton, The Stainless Steel Carrot is required reading. The essential nonfiction book by motorsports journalist Sylvia Wilkinson follows the true story of up and coming racer John Morton during his 1971-72 championships that turned Datsun and Brock Racing Enterprises (BRE) into household names. For the first time since publishing in 1973, the book will be released digitally on April 5th. If you want to pre-order your own e-book copy, visit Carrara Media now.
This is great news especially if you were not lucky to grab a hard copy of the book. We don’t blame you, as prices of the print versions are fetching almost $300 now. Who knows, maybe Sylvia and John can electronically sign your E-book edition! While you are getting your copy, check out these autographed bookmarks and commemorative postcards:
We have been fortunate to gain their friendship over the years:
At 79 years of age John Morton is still formidable behind the wheel.
Here is an extended video with in-car footage of John dicing it up with Porsche RSRs and BMW CSLs…Long Live The Z!
Enjoy these photos of John and Sylvia we snapped at various racing events. Sylvia amazingly is still immersed in racing.
Without spoiling the behind-the-scenes level of detail Sylvia reveals in The Stainless Steel Carrot, she can still be seen clocking lap times for John:
Official press release from Carrara below:
LONG BEACH, Calif., March 8, 2021—Carrara Media will publish the classic motorsports book The Stainless Steel Carrot, by motorsports journalist and author Sylvia Wilkinson, in digital eBook format for the first time.
Releasing in eBook exclusively on April 5, 2021, The Stainless Steel Carrot provides unparalleled access behind the curtain of a championship-winning race team and its star driver, John Morton, chronicling their adventures during the 1971-72 SCCA seasons in iconic vehicles such as the BRE Datsun 510, Datsun 240Z and others.
The eBook is open for preorder now at CarraraBooks.com. In the near future it will also be available wherever eBooks are sold. Excerpts are available for publication by request.
Wilkinson, a longtime advocate and care-provider for animals of all kinds, is donating proceeds from the sale of The Stainless Steel Carrot to animal welfare organizations.
“I never pass up a chance to provide financial aid for food, shelter and care for the wild and tame critters of the earth,” Wilkinson said.
The Stainless Steel Carrot was originally published in 1973, with an expanded version publishing in 2012. However, both of these print editions are now extremely rare and difficult to find. They frequently command prices up to $300 in online marketplaces. This will mark the first time that The Stainless Steel Carrot has been published as an eBook, at its most affordable price ever, with hopes to inspire a new generation of automotive enthusiasts.
“Nearly 50 years later, The Stainless Steel Carrot is as relevant as ever due to Wilkinson’s tireless on-scene reporting,” said Ryan K. ZumMallen, president and founder of Carrara Media.
“There is still nothing like The Stainless Steel Carrot, and now it will be available to modern audiences at its most affordable price ever. We are honored to play a role in preserving this classic tale.”
The Stainless Steel Carrot was written over the course of two years, during the 1971 and 1972 racing seasons. Wilkinson embedded herself with the Brock Racing Enterprises team, an upstart band of characters with big dreams and motor oil in their veins. Their leader – Pete Brock, a hard-charging former designer who penned such automobiles as the Shelby Daytona Coupe, and the man in charge. Their star – John Morton, a young driver with glasses and a mop-cut who captured consecutive SCCA championships in the pursuit of motorsports stardom.
Against this backdrop the BRE team hustles to achieve greatness, fend off hungry rivals and establish themselves and the Datsun 510 as forces to be reckoned with. Wilkinson deftly captures their feverish work, all while painting these real-life personalities with depth and compassion, relating their hopes, their fears, their celebrations and frustrations with the craft and care of a premier storyteller.
Racing fans the world over have enjoyed The Stainless Steel Carrot for decades.
The Stainless Steel Carrot is available for preorder now at CarraraBooks.com
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 with two open positions available. 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.
Gary’s 1971 Datsun 240Z is back on the road with twin-cam L-Series Power! Turn your speakers up and enjoy.
6- speed transmission
6- individual throttle bodies
4- valves/cylinder
2- camshafts
Stay tuned for more…
This is Ed B’s 1971 Datsun 240Z in Sunshine Yellow. No, it does not have many performance parts such as our Z Car Garage Big-Brakes, Z Car Garage CV Axles or a triple-carb’d high-power engine. In fact, this Z is mostly original, just the way Ed has kept it since ordering it new 51 years ago!
We have known Ed for a long time, actually preceding the opening of Z Car Garage. A young 26 year-old Rob Fuller was helping maintain this “no frills” Z and that continued to present day. Simply put, Ed is a passionate owner who takes care of his Z so he can drive it regularly. When it was time, we handled his SU carbs. If a fuel pump failed we replaced it. Suspension issue? We took care of it to ensure he was always Enjoying The Ride. Let’s take a look at how Ed became a Z car enthusiast.
In 1970 just one year out of College, Ed was looking for new car. As a designer, a photographer and a race car fan he wanted a 2-seat sports car. There wasn’t much to choose from. The Triumph and the MG were too cramped. The Porsche and the Jaguar were too expensive. Then Road and Track ran a cover story on the New Datsun 240Z. It had everything, style, performance and it was affordable:
“I ordered one in late 1970 from Camino Datsun in Sunnyvale for $3500. There was a waiting list due to a dock strike in San Francisco and most of the cars were going to LA. When a truckload arrived, you could choose from 4 or 5 available. The only options were the color and I passed on several until I saw the Sunshine Yellow… the first one in San Jose. It was a one-year color and matched the cover photo on Road and Track. I took delivery in June of ’71 after just loosing my job at Ampex in the ’71 tech recession. I had little money but plenty of time to enjoy my summer in a new Z.”
Since purchasing new in 1970, Ed got to know his S30 and take it on many adventures.
“Learning to drive the Z in ‘71 and I found out I’m more of a cruiser than a racer. Early on I couldn’t afford expensive modifications. I added cast aluminum wheels, lowered the car with shorter springs, much stiffer anti sway bars rather than air dams, Talbot racing mirrors and custom exhaust headers. I stopped there and kept the original body profile unchanged thereafter. I kept it close to original for 50 years”
Below (L) Three Z’s in his family at one time and (R) SAE car show at the University of Santa Clara:
The Z has been in several car shows over the years and was even photographed by the famed Ron Kimball for Car Calendars and print material. The Ron Kimball Studio photo shoot was on the 17-mile drive in Carmel and one of these images appeared in the Newsweek article on the introduction of the new Nissan 350Z.
“In 50 years nearly everything has had maintenance issues from interior seat covers and carpet kits to a replaced cracked dash. Rob Fuller has been my go-to Z car expert since even before he opened the Z Car Garage.”
We happily obliged to maintain the Z with Ed’s blessing. Here are a few things we’ve done over the years:
2009- replaced leaking hoses in engine bay, new battery, clutch hydraulics repaired, replaced broken broken bolts in lower timing cover, maintenance work
2012- standard ignition failed and replaced with Pertronix, upgraded coil, new T/C rod bushings, front control arm bushings, rack bushings, new tie-rods, ball joints, rebuilt suspension, major service tune, adjusted his carbs and valves for best performance and lubed his choke cables
2014- differential rebuilt, gas tank re-lined/sealed and all recovery lines replaced, new Tokico shocks
The engine was rebuilt at 130K miles (Techcraft) including 5 angle cut on hardened valves and 280z piston rods. It now has 250K miles. The SU carbs were recently rebuilt. On the dyno the L24 made 137hp/142tq to the wheels:
Enjoy the dyno video!
Ed’s 240Z has been hit three times in the rear end at stop lights with only minor body damage that never took out the tail lights but resulted in three full body paint jobs. For the latest incident we had our man William re-paint the car in #919 Sunshine Yellow. He also repaired the right front fender and blended existing paint work and it turned out great.
On his most recent visit we repaired the transmission shift boot and performed a tune-up… and he’s off.
Now the car looks as good as it runs and Ed just drives while staying on top of maintenance.
We love when Ed sends us pictures of his drives in the Z:
“Still looks and drives good after 50 years. As Rob would say “Long live the Z”. Rob even introduced me to Peter Bock and John Morton and I now feel like I’m even more a part of the Z car family.”
Thanks to Ed for trusting us with your Z. We look forward to many more years of smiles behind the wheel! Your Z is a great example of how to Enjoy The Ride without all of the hot rod parts and we admire your efforts to keep it close to stock!
