The 2020 Solvang Datsun Roadster Classic will be held on April 24-25 in Solvang, CA. Now in its 33rd year, this event continues a tradition of uniting owners from all parts of the world in a little town just outside of Santa Barbara. There is something for everyone here: shopping, food, wine-tasting, outdoor activities, and in the last weekend of April an epic gathering of Datsuns! We are only two months away from the big show so prep your cars and book those hotels!
Come check out roadsters and other vintage Datsuns April 24-25. Reminder: ALL DATSUNS are welcome! There are even award categories for non-roadsters. For registration and show info please go HERE.
To catch a glimpse of the show check out Last Year’s Show Report and movie( By Michael Anderson) below. Admission is free to the general public, see you in Solvang!
Jay H has been our customer since the beginning. He has a Datsun 240z, Mazda (FD) RX-7 and this 1990 Aztec Red 300ZX Twin Turbo that he’s owned for many years. Living in a rural, wooded area the Z’s wiring got chewed on by rodents. We fixed the wiring and got the car running again but more issues surfaced. Jay loves this Z so much and it had 122k miles so he decided it was time give it some serious attention.
Z Car Garage was happy to oblige as we think the Z32 is one of the best Japanese sports car of the 90’s.
Engine Bay and Drivetrain
The engine bay was in need of major cleaning and restoration. First, we performed a compression/leakdown test and the Z passed. With the engine out now we could focus on cleanup:
We installed a new engine room wiring harness. Every coolant hose, bypass hose, vacuum hose was replaced. A new underhood insulator with clips replaced the torn oem piece.
All p/s hoses were replaced and we modified the p/s steering pump to reduce clutter and eliminate the HICAS completely:
The engine was treated to full reseal and timing belt services, more pictures of the engine build in the gallery!
With a clean bill of health we installed several performance upgrades including JWT sport 500 turbos, BDE billet half moons/motor mounts, Ashpsec inlet piping, Selin dual-MAF with HR low-profiles filters/two Z32 MAFs and Nismo 740cc injectors:
No turbo upgrade is complete without the Mike Smith turbo manifolds with EGR ( to pass emissions). Unfortunately we will install the last set of these on Felix C’s 300, and that’s it!
BDE motor mounts:
Nismo 740cc injectors:
Ashspec inlet piping:
Selin dual-MAF with HR low-profile filters:
Before the engine went back in we installed a new JWT HD clutch and aluminum flywheel:
The drivetrain was re-installed with numerous items like a new fan and engine cover:
Exhaust upgrades included a full SpecialtyZ 3″ exhaust with 3″midpipes:
Finally, a GReddy Profec boost controller was installed in the super tidy interior:
Rob dyno tuned the Z, making 384hp/348tq to the wheels:
Exterior
With the engine bay and drivetrain sorted we turned to the body and and exterior trim. Jay wanted to do a full repaint on the car so we had it had it towed engine-out to our man William. Some before shots showing the faded paint and cracked/peeling tail light panel:
At William’s the body got some choice parts to make it look like 1990 again: Wings West Pre-’94 rear wing, JDM front fascia (with shaved license plate mount) and Jspec tail lights. With the freshly painted Z back at the shop we tackled re-assembly of new cowl panels, mouldings and various trim. All of these parts really make this Z pop:
Extensive moulding/trim replacement: T-top trim before/after shown below
Door and window trim:
Jspec rear and front looking sharp!
Icing on the cake are Jay’s super cool set of old WORK Equip 05 wheels. We re-finished and polished/painted them running Bridgestone S-04 tires.
Wheels make the car and this Z looks incredible standing still and on the road:
Suspension
The chassis received a few upgrades including Stillen sways and SPL titanium HICAS delete We also replaced ABS module the clutch and brake master cylinders
One Z Car…Coming Up!
Jay didn’t have a car for the duration of the revival and he was on foot running errands near his home. We handled all of the DMV fees foe him and Rob and Alvin delivered the Z to Jay at his residence.
It was a great experience to pull up in the 510 and Z to present it to Jay, he was all smiles:
Thank you Jay for bringing your 300zx to Z Car Garage. We admire your love for the Z and passion to keep it on the road in top form! Z32s ROCK! Enjoy the extensive photo gallery below:
Rommel came to Z Car Garage in 2014 to have work done on his 2013 Nismo 370z. He’s a big car enthusiast with a Camaro ZL1 and Viper ACR and after a few years he reached out to us about his 1971 Datsun 240z.
The Z had an EFI setup with Megasquirt and would not start. He made an appointment with us and got the car towed here where we found an ECU failure. Rob and Mel discussed doing an upgrade to Haltech and fixing all the things wrong with the car from sorting the suspension, better braking and engine bay cleanup.
Mel was hesitant to do everything all at once, yet we wanted to avoid future trips back to the shop. Jokingly, Mel said what “I’d really like are some ph44 Mikuni’s.” Ask and you shall receive as Rob had a set ready to go. So we cancelled the tow truck and made a plan to go back to vintage.
All of the existing EFI parts were removed from the car. We hooked Mel up with a Harada intake manifold, triple ph44 Mikuni carbs correctly setup for his 2.8 engine, a ZCG heat shield and corrected all fuel system issues:
Often utilized on vintage race cars, the fuel lines were plumbed from a junction block on the firewall. Black AN fittings on black fuel lines supply each carb:
We think the new triple Mikuni’s look much better than the old setup!
The existing fuel pump system (Left) was removed and a cleaner Holley setup installed:
Dyno Tuning
Aside from the exhaust header, this is a stock 2.8L engine running Mikuni ph44s. With timing and A/F adjustments we picked up more power making 150hp/167tq to the wheels:
Listen to those triple Mikuni’s sing on the dyno:
Minor Sorting
The rear fenders were cut badly to fit flares, revealing an inner fender gap that would allow air/fuel vapors to entire cabin:
We pulled it back, welded the metal and sealed everything up. The exhaust was also rubbing at the rear valance so re-fitted it.
Chassis
The chassis was treated to a suspension refresh. We installed lower adjustable control arms and T/C rods 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. Lower control arms replacing OEM parts:
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 got Mel dialed in with the ZCG big-brake kit for small wheels with parking brake and a new master cylinder. More pics in the gallery!
Front brake installation:
The ZCG brakes fit under the 15×9 Atara Racing wheels:
At the rear, the existing old-school disc setup was 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 70 CV axle kits on customer cars and we are stoked with all of the positive feedback.
The differential area was a mess on Mel’s Z. We corrected the side-flange issues with his R200 and installed our CV axles. Stock half shafts (L) and ZCG units:
Vintage is Best!
Once running we performed a full alignment and dialed in the brakes. Mel’s initial feedback on the car made us happy:
“Well, I’m very happy how my car turned out after picking it up from ZCG. Hearing my baby runs on old school NA triple carbs is very heart warming, the ZCG Big-Brake kit is amazing, the CV axles are beefy and the suspension tweaks made a lot of difference on handling. I can’t thank Rob enough for what he did to my Z. It feels like a totally different car now (in a good way) compared to when I drop it off. Job well done ZCG! Thank you for taking care of my 240Z ZCG. 👍👏🙏”
This was a very rewarding project and we are excited to see Mel’s Z evolve into a well-rounded sports car. He’s already thinking about his next upgrade…a 3.0 or 3.2L motor. Thanks for bringing your Z to us Mel! More pictures in the gallery below.
We had the pleasure of working with Jeff to help get his Z back on the road after sitting for many years. Our Z Car Garage Big-Brakes (for small wheels) and Z Car Garage CV Axles grace this Z along with upgraded suspension and drivetrain parts.
Long Term Project
Jeff visited Z Car Garage early this year with his 1971 S30 for revival from a stalled restoration. Before we delve into our efforts to bring it back to life here is Jeff’s brief history:
“I purchased the car in 2006 and it was white and worn out with a blown engine. I purchased it with the intention of tearing it down to bare metal and restoring it. This is my third 1971 240z and by far the best finished product of the three. It took thirteen years from the time I purchased the car in Clovis until I picked it up from the Z Car Garage in March of 2019. I have had six different cars that were restored over the years and this Z was one of the harder restorations which seemed to fight me at every turn along the way.”
As with any restoration project Jeff experienced his share of setbacks. A new dashboard had fitment issues and the rebuilt engine failed requiring more machine shop time. Unfortunately with all of time/effort invested, Jeff’s friend passed away and the project halted:
“I had a friend that owned a body shop that I had paint it. Well my buddy decided that the color chip I picked out was not dark enough so he took it upon himself to change it to a darker color blue. The end result is what I call blurple or blue and purple. My buddy was diagnosed with cancer right after he did the blurple paint job and passed away shortly thereafter. It’s not my favorite color but I am living with it.”
Fast forward to 2019, Jeff made an appointment to bring his Z in to us:
“I did my research and Rob and the Z Car Garage had the best reviews. I called Rob and made an appointment for the blurple Z which was three months out due to their big customer base and quality of their work. Like the old saying goes ” good things come to those who wait” and I loaded the blurple Z onto my car hauler and drove to San Jose.
Engine Bay and Sorting
After sitting for over a decade, we began the process of making Jeff’s Z roadworthy. We went through the car top to bottom, starting with the drivetrain. It came to us with a previously rebuilt (though never operated) engine requiring a freshened fuel system, re-worked carb linkage and general sorting.
With new clutch hydraulics and a repaired speedometer we got the rebuilt engine up and running quite well, until carb issues:
“I had purchased triple 40 mm Webers but the car sat for so long the gas went bad and there was build-up in the fuel system which kept fouling the Webers so I had Rob purchase and install 45 mm Webers and dial them in on his dyno.”
We replaced the 40s with new Weber 45 DCOE carbs and velocity stacks, an MSD box and ZCG heat shield. Pictures of the old 40’s and more in the gallery below:
MSD ignition and wiring:
New induction setup compete:
Dyno Tuning
Rob dyno tuned the rebuilt engine with triple Weber 40s and after the addition of triple Weber 45s. We saw gains of 19hp/17tq and improved power throughout the rev range:
Listen to the L-series sing on this video showing the dyno runs, in-car driving and comments from Rob. You can also see a very happy Jeff enjoying his Z:
Backing the L-series was a tired 4-speed transmission:
“I originally took it so Rob could get the triple Webers dialed in on his dyno and a couple other little items. I was so impressed by the operation that I had them swap out a four speed that had been gone through with a five speed transmission.”
This is an early 5-speed from a ’77-78 280z (0.86 overdrive) rebuilt by expert Steve Pettersen of Pettersen Motorworks in Chico, CA. We also installed a new clutch/flywheel and slave. The trans tunnel was slightly trimmed along with the console to accept the shifter.
Chassis
The chassis was treated to a full suspension refresh with new parts, bushings and Koni Reds with Eibach springs. We installed lower adjustable control arms and T/C rods 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 CV Axles
Since Jeff’s Z had been sitting for a long time, he had seen some of the cool stuff we’ve been doing and stopped by to sample “Mrs. Butters”, our 1970 Series 1 240z shop demo car. After handing him the keys 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 went ahead got him dialed in with the ZCG big-brake kit for small wheels, parking brake, and ZCG full exhaust system. We removed Jeff’s stock brakes and installed our ZCG Big-Brake kit:
At the rear, the existing old-school disc setup was 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 70 CV axle kits on customer cars and we are stoked with all of the positive feedback. Jeff has set #00271
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 using 2.5″ piping to a stainless resonator and Magnaflow muffler with slash-cut tip.
The interior receive attention as well with our ZCG upgraded door seal and door treatment. A nice touch that makes solid “thud” sound that we are known for. We dialed Jef in with new tires and he was off Enjoying The Ride:
“The car was done when he said it would be and it runs great. I had my first 71 Z when my wife and I started dating and she has loved Zs ever since. The wife loves to drive it too. I would recommend Rob and the Z Car Garage crew for any repair or a full restoration. Had I known about the Z Car Garage prior to starting the restoration I would have had them do it. If Rob tells you something he does everything in his power to make it happen.”
Jeff was really stoked. He’s still excited, with plans for a more powerful engine. Thanks for letting us revive your Z, Jeff! More pictures in the gallery below and Long Live The Z!
Frank B is no stranger to Z Car Garage having been a customer for more than a decade. Since 2006, we helped build his Fuelie Z, a modified 1972 S30 with ZCG Big-Brakes and CV Axles, 231whp fuel-injected L-series and 6-speed Nissan 350z transmission:
To accompany his hot rod Z, Frank searched for an early S30 project for a stock-style restoration. Before the Z car craze caught on with S30’s fetching big money (ie Bring a Trailer), Frank found an unmolested early Series 1 240z (11/69 production: HLS30 00486, Original Engine: L24-2189):
“For SN 486, a friend found it on Craigslist and sent me an email. I actually got it for a good price. What I found when I went to inspect the car was a well worn early z with all but one of the original badges, no real rust other than under battery tray, and some spare parts including a perfect dash, stroker crank, spare transmission, set of period 2-piece wheels… A nice project kit somebody had lost interest in and left behind. I arranged to store with the seller for a month while I got myself ready to start the project.”
Restoring the “Original Z”
Frank is a very capable man, and jumped right into the disassembly with a plan to perform a total ground-up restoration himself.
“I immediately pressure washed off gunk and started taking things apart. I also ordered a rotisserie, fabricated mounts to attach at the bumpers, and removed everything that wasn’t welded to the unibody. I was pretty careful to bag up assemblies and keep fasteners with the parts they belonged to… lots of detailed work and hundreds of baggies later, I was ready to start restoring stuff!”
Frank connected with several folks in the Z Car community he had met through the years to source parts for the restoration:
“Les Cannaday was able to get reportedly the last of the butterscotch interiors (vinyl bits) made for the Z restoration program Nissan had done. I had Patrick Shank (Patrick Restorations) completely go through all gauges, main and other wiring harnesses, and acquired the correct radio for that car (some other electrical bits too). Norm Murphy got all of the plating business and had or helped me find some hard to find items like a NOS cover for the wiper motor, a new double lever choke/throttle assembly, a pair of the early taillights, etc.”
The stripped body and all associated body parts went to Andy Schenk for painting while on the rotisserie…Frank was also able to get a complete set of stainless brake and fuel lines made to the original pattern, greatly simplifying restoration of these systems.
“Once the bottom was done, I took the car off the rotisserie and put it back on it newly restored suspension and the restoration of the inside began (other than the headliner which I also installed while on rotisserie while car was upside-down). The detailed assembly of the car took a couple of years total since I prioritized getting the car right over getting it done…”
The end result of Frank’s efforts was an outstanding restoration. You can see more in-progress pictures in the gallery.
Finishing Touches With Z Car Garage
At the very end of his restoration, Frank realized for that last 10% it was time to call up his friends at Z Car Garage. He brought his freshly restored, low-vin S30 in for us to sort out all the little things.
He had an early transmission that was making noise so we replaced it with another unit fro our supply. We replaced his lower control arm and moustache bar bushings. The entire underside of the car was nut and bolted, and his work was double-checked. A ZCG exhaust was also installed.
Key items in the restoration process were reviewed: verifying brake lines, clutch lines, bleeding the hydraulics, and adjusting the rear brakes.
Dyno Tuning
Frank identified what was needed to make a “Canada” car without the emissions controls of US models. He restored all of the “smog” stuff so it can stay with the car and be put back on one day if desired… but fully original wasn’t what he had in mind for the drivetrain…
The engine went to Dave Rebello for the 2.7l “purist” build: this is the original L24 block stroked (E31 head) so numbers still match while gaining more power. Otherwise stock when you open the hood:
We installed a Pertronix ignition, changed the plugs to hotter range, adjusted the valves, set the timing, installed a new alternator and starter and made the wiring at the distributor look OEM. Rob performed a street tune on the dyno yielding 179hp/172tq to the wheels:
We also installed an LSD to help get the newfound power to the ground effectively. Next items on the list were electrical issues and interior bits. We got the turn signals operational and replaced the flasher. We went through his interior and got all the missing rivets and cowl clips. Kick panels were installed. The clevis pin in the clutch-pedal assembly was removed, sanded and lubed to eliminate any noise.
Time to Enjoy The Ride!
With minor sorting complete we focused on a few aesthetic items like final adjustments of the hood and doors. Frank’s stock wheels were mounted/balanced, ensuring the “D” hubcaps were secure. He had lowered the car from stock height with Eibach springs, so we did our trim to the fronts for a nice stance.
16×7 Panasports were installed for daily driving:
Frank did a fantastic job on this Z:
It was great to see Frank driving, here he is on the freeway en route to the ZONC Annual Car Show.
“Three years from when I started the project, I took the car to Rob Fuller to help me bring it back to life… after a couple weeks of dealing with somewhat funky carbs and an improperly rebuild transmission, SN 486 was on the road again and, maybe not surprisingly, drove like a new car from the beginning… everything worked as it should and 80mph freeway travel was delightful. We do drive the car… for now it is being kept as perfect as possible for shows. Here’s where it resides in one of my shops in Oregon.”
Here is a short video of Frank in his Z and his wife in the Fuelie Z, enjoy!
The “Original Z”
If you are wondering about that license plate… “Ur” is a slang German term for “Original”.
“The first Audi Quattros are referred to as the UrQuattro. Since the legend of the z includes some design work by Goetz, a German designer reportedly hired by Katayama-san to develop initial concepts, I took the liberty of naming my z the “Original 240z” or UR 240Z for short… got the same plate in Oregon.”
Frank and his wife retired to Oregon and we miss the enthusiastic couple. It was our pleasure working with Frank and we appreciate him being a customer and friend of Z Car Garage.
LONG LIVE THE Z!
More pictures in the gallery below …[read more]
