We are excited to sponsor and be a part of the 2018 Japanese Classic Car Show this Saturday 9/15 in Long Beach. Stop by the Z Car Garage booth to see our Big-Brake kit for small wheels, CV Axles and pick up some free swag.
On display in the ZCG booth is one of our latest builds, Randy Jaffe’s 1970 Series 1 240z:
We are also very proud of ZCG customer James S’ 1972 240z. He will be driving his turbocharged L-series down to JCCS and displaying it with fellow owners.
The show takes place from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm in Marina Green Park, and it is the highlight of all J-Tin shows! Catch a glimpse of what JCCS is all about in our report Last year’s show. Z you there!
Brian K is an avid Datsun fan and talented machinist. He is also the man behind our Z Car Garage CV Axles. When he’s not enjoying Datsuns, Brian owns/operates KaD Models machine shop in Berkeley, CA. In addition to the fully restored yellow S30 shown above, here are a few cars in his stable:
We are proud of Brian as his 1967 Nissan Patrol was displayed last weekend at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance! Brian visited Z Car Garage for a few things on his Z including our Big-Brakes for small wheels, door seals and dyno tuning.
Finding the ’72
Let’s start with a brief history of Brian’s 240z. It’s an early ’72 built in 11/71, early enough to still have vertical defrosters and elastic strapped seats. Brian bought the car with the intention of doing a period correct restoration with some current tech modification.
In June of 2016 I found a very good candidate for this build. A factory 112 colored 240z. The car was purchased in Los Altos and driven home. For 5 months I drove the car and made notes of trouble areas. In December I stripped it, sent the body to the body shop and engine to Rebello.
Meanwhile I had my 1967 Datsun 2000 to build so I was happy knowing I had storage. The body work took a solid 14 months and the engine was ready in about the same time. The engine is a numbers matching “purists” build making 302hp on the engine dyno. The transmission is a zx 5 speed…a rebuilt Craigslist find:
The clean aesthetic and details in the engine bay showcase Brian’s restoration skills:
Z Car Garage CV Axles
With significantly more power than stock, upgrading the stock half shafts adds piece of mind as well as smoother operation. Power is sent to an open 3.54 R200 courtesy of Junkyard Jenn, and transferred to the rear wheels via Z Car Garage CV Axles. Brian installed the CV axles himself (with our blessing) 🙂 Note the Z story exhaust, more on this later:
Brian visits Z Car Garage
Upon completion of my ’67 Datsun 2000 I had the opportunity to meet Rob at ZCG for a dyno tune that Alvin set up. This was my first face to face with their shop. What I found was a lot of Datsun/Nissan passion and a shop that is well presented. I found many similarities in speaking with Rob. When researching brakes for Z cars I found many types…and because of the web I found all sorts of confusing and conflicting arguments. I knew ZCG made a big brake kit but my temporary Konig Rewinds were to be replaced with my still in process 15″ Volk Racing centerlocks.
ZCG Big Brakes for Brian’s 240z
A couple months later there was a write up on Glenn Chiou’s Fairlady 240Z-L…this was about big brakes for small wheels and that’s all I needed to hear. From what I know of Rob and ZCG, they don’t sell things until they are sure to perform better than other options with little chance of failure. My car wasn’t yet running but I made an appointment for the install.
Brian came in to ZCG and we installed the ZCG Big Brakes, replacing the factory disc/drum setup:
Front:
Rear, including the fully-functioning parking brake:
A few more detail shots of the 4-wheel discs:
Brian also had a few things on his mind and we took care of them:
When I arrived at Zcar Rob asked if there was anything else he should be aware of or I was concerned about. Mind you I had had the car together for all of 8 days and 78 now 134 miles. I gave him a list: Speedo drive is not engaging, precision rubber door seals are making me cry, one stripped rear stud and exhaust hitting things issue.
The Z story exhaust system was hitting the chassis so we re-aligned it eliminate rubbing:
ZCG Door Seals
Brian was having trouble with door fitment so we put the ZCG door seals on it:
All doors were aligned to make it open/close nicely. Before/after:
Brian was happy with the results and he doesn’t let just anyone work on his cars. Actually, he’s always done it himself:
I was a Honda then Chrysler ASE mechanic prior to becoming machinist. This was the first time I was leaving my car in the hands of another shop aside from Factory maintenance on my late model cars. Was I worried…. slightly. I left though in a loaner. I received pictures throughout the day on status and was invited to pick the car up and run a dyno tune. There were some issues that I was sent away as homework so the dyno tune although showing a healthy 235 whp was full of scatter.
You can watch the dyno run and hear the Z story exhaust in this video below:
Getting Brian back on the road
Brian was heading back to our shop for a quick dyno tune on his way to the Mt. Shasta Datsun Roadster Meet when a last minute setback occurred:
I was invited to return the following Wednesday before the annual Mt Shasta Datsun roadster meet. I’d opted to bring the 112 z and my 67.5 2000. The previous weekend I I had driven many miles, had done a Fun Run had put an additional 600 miles on the car. While running down 880 I was zipping along in 5th gear and just before exiting to ZCG I was in neutral. I knew right away…. someone forgot to stake the nut. It was 730AM and the day was not going well. I arrived at Z car and Rob greeted me and said let’s do this… I said I have bigger problems. 5th isn’t with us anymore but I think the nut backed off and I am pretty sure it’s okay but no dyno. Rob said “ do you want me to yank it and put it back together today?”
Brian indeed had an early Z 5-speed and they are known to have the mainshaft nut back off resulting in 5th gear loss:
We removed and replaced the transmission, got on the dyno at 3pm and put him back on the road to Shasta where the Z won 2nd in its class! Thanks for trusting us to work on your freshly restored beauty. More pictures in the gallery below and you can follow Brian on Instagram. Enjoy The Ride Brian!
For reports on other customer cars running Z Car Garage Big Brakes and CV Axles, please visit the links below:
This 1973 Datsun 240z has been in owner Erich C’s family since new. He is also a good friend of fellow Z-car racer Glenn and both enjoy carving through the winding back roads of the Bay Area. Erich decided to finally restore his S30 and placed it in the capable hands of racer and Datsun guru Troy Ermish. Fresh from a restoration at his shop the Z had plenty of hot rod parts including a Rebello 3L with triple Mikuni carbs:
Erich came to Z Car Garage for inspection services and sorting before entering the car in the fabled Coastal Range Rally held on Feb. 22. His Z came to us at a great time with plenty of familiar company in the shop:
On the short list of items needing attention: clutch hydraulics, brake booster issue, wiring issues, speedometer not working, exhaust leaks, engine oil leak and transmission leak.
We addressed the clutch hydraulics by replacing the clutch M/C and re-drilling the clutch slave cylinder mounting holes. The system was bled and we adjusted everything to ensure the clutch pedal worked beautifully. The brake booster was also adjusted to allow full travel and full pressure with pedal application:
Next, we diagnosed a leak at the bellhousing. First, we removed the transmission and confirmed that the clutch/flywheel surfaces were dry and unaffected:
The source of the leak was from the transmission’s front seal:
We separated the transmission to replace the seal:
Bellhousing cleaned and front cover assembled:
The reverse switch was not operable. On the KA24 transmission conversion the reverse gear switch is located about 22mm further back on the F4W71B than on the FS5W71B or C. While the transmission was out we relocated the reverse switch and it now functions:
Let’s take a brief pause for this beauty:
A few wiring issues were diagnosed like the the brake lights: we found a broken wire at the pedal switch, removed all the bolts cleaned up the connections and replaced the switch with a NOS Nissan part. Brake lights work now!
The speedometer was not functioning so we replaced the speedo cable assembly with some ZCG stock. We also traced wiring from the tachometer to engine bay and got it working. Tach and speedo now operable!
Moving towards the rear of the Z, look how ultra-clean it is!
What may not be apparent from the photo above is the exhaust was hitting the diff, so we clearanced it:
The differential “fill” bolt with was replaced with the correct square plug:
On high power Z’s like Erich’s the diff fluid can overflow out of the vent, so we add a little hose here:
There was an oil leak at the oil pump so this part was replaced, no more leaks:
Erich’s excellent choice of RS Watanabe wheels really complete the look for this car.
The combination of 15×8 wheels with 225/50/15 Toyo R888 tires was rubbing badly on the rear fender lips:
We rolled the lips and confirmed no rubbing:
Before tuning the car we identified and fixed exhaust leaks at the header flange and collectors:
Fresh spark plugs, an O2 sensor and we were ready for some dyno time.
After we corrected some jetting issues Erich’s S30 made a stout 261hp/234tq to the wheels!
Erich’s S30 left Z Car Garage just in time to participate in the Coast Range Rally and we are happy to report that he completed it!
We are proud of Troy and his restoration of this Z. It is also great to see Erich out Enjoying The Ride where these cars are meant to be. Thank you Erich and Troy for letting us work on this canyon carver. Stay tuned as Erich made another appointment with us to replace his Wilwood brakes with…our ZCG Big Brake Kit!
Ty and Christine also joined us in their 991 Porsche:
Naveed has a cool collection of sports cars including an Nissan R32 Skyline and recently acquired this Fairlady Z:
He has been driving this S30 religiously and organized the day’s fun run, starting in Cupertino and heading up HWY 9. It was a gorgeous day to be driving Datsuns!
We stopped at a vista point just after the 9/35 junction and headed to Alice’s:
From Alice’s we drove down 84 and to the coast via Pescadero Rd. Though foggy it was quite warm and we had fun staging the cars for photos.
Naveed captured some great shots!
Naveed’s RHD S30 sported a triple-Mikuni carb’d L20A with a full Fujitsubo exhaust. Stay tuned as we report on the dyno performance of the Fujitsubo exhaust system on our shop S30:
Naveed’s Z sounded wonderful echoing off the forest-lined roads. Listen to the exhaust and watch a short sample of the fun run in the video below.
We had a blast, thanks for inviting us Naveed!
Enjoy more pictures from Naveed and us in the gallery below:
Steve M lives in the North Bay and has a really sweet collection of cars. His favorite car has always been this one-owner 1972 Datsun 240z with 50k original miles. Before we describe how Z Car Garage brought it back to life, let’s hear the history from Steve:
Back in mid-70s I was a car-crazy teenager already working on cars, buying and selling them, and always dreaming of my next sports car. With all the money I had saved from my paper routes I purchased my first car for $500, a red 1965 Ford Mustang and later a 1964 Triumph Spitfire. Shortly after I acquired these two cars, my parents moved. Our new next-door neighbor, Bob, had an amazing 1972 240Z that was white with a red interior. Other than an early E-Type Jaguar, I thought that the 240Z was the most beautiful car I had ever seen. Bob had bought it new, driving it mostly on weekends. I wanted a Z of my own.
Eventually I bought a midnight blue 1971 240z and Bob and I started to figure out ways to make our cars faster. We did everything ourselves from headers to suspension work. We even took a trip down the peninsula to FAR Performanceto see if they might sell me a race engine for my Z. Bob was an avid sailor and he had the “240Z” of sailboats: A 505. These dinghies were really fast but they needed a two-man crew and he asked me if I wanted to learn to sail. I said yes, and it wasn’t long before Bob and I had become the best of friends. I went through high school and college. Racing sail boats with Bob on the weekends, cars on the street and vintage cars on the track. I kept buying, fixing up, and selling cars. But in the early 1980s I sold them all, including the Z, an old vintage race car, and even an old E-Type Jaguar, to move to Europe for a few years.
When I returned, I started my own business and it went well enough that I was able to start another with Bob. Unfortunately, soon after it was evident that our first venture was going to be a home run, Bob was diagnosed with a very rare neurological disease. Within a year he had passed away, leaving his widow and two young sons. In his will, he asked that I take his sons out on my sailboat, to the spot in the San Francisco Bay where he taught me how to sail, so they could spread his ashes there.
Then one afternoon I received a call from Bob’s wife, Susan. She called my office to ask if I would be there that day and I looked out of my office window to the street below, as a flatbed truck was hauling Bob’s 1972 240 Z to my home. Bob and Susan’s boys had grown, married, and had kids of their own, but they all graciously decided that Bob would have wanted his Z to go to me. Over the next few of years, I managed to get it up and running, but don’t have the time I once did to tinker with cars, so never got it running as well as it deserved because it had been sitting for decades.
Making Steve’s Z a well-sorted driver
Steve brought his S30 into Z Car Garage in December 2015 and we essentially went through the entire car top to bottom to make it a good driver. He expressed his goal for the restoration and we worked with him to achieve it:
Rob seemed to be able to do miracles with my limited budget. Our plan was something akin to my plan in the 70s. Suspension and exhaust came first, then carburation, tranny, wheels/tires, then a bigger better engine, and a replacement of the Webers with Mikunis. Suddenly, the monster is back… only this time, it is under the skin of a totally stock 1972 Datsun 240Z.
We performed a full engine tune-up and got the car running after many years of sitting idle. The Z received a suspension refresh with 5-way Tokico struts, Eibach springs and a sway bar set from MSA. All bushings were replaced including T3 lower control arm bushings and new ball joints. The exterior was treated to Paintless Dent Removal and a new PPG windshield was installed.
Completing the vintage look are a set of 16×7 Panasports with 225/50/16 Yokohama S-drive tires. At Steve’s request we also installed a BRE spook.
That lovely red interior was revived with new seats and a carpet kit:
The engine bay and drivetrain needed some attention as well. Cooling system issues were addressed by correcting several leaks, installing new hoses and a Koyo race radiator. The L24 was mated to a 280Z 5-speed transmission and clutch. New triple-Weber carbs were installed and fed by our ZCG fuel line. A ZCG heat shield protects the carbs from a new MSA exhaust header that was finished with our custom exhaust system:
Despite the new Weber carbs we did not make power we were hoping for since the L24 was tired. All the work that was performed on the entire car made Steve happy, and he enjoyed the Z for a few years knowing a more powerful engine upgrade was in the works:
Everything about the form and function of this car is beautiful, and you have made it even better than originally intended. The smells, the sound, the feel, are all just right. The throttle response, the smooth shifts, the braking, and especially the handling are awe inspiring.
Time for more power
Fast forward to early 2018 and Steve had been enjoying this wonderful Z car since we worked on it. Over the last year Rob had been collecting parts and found a nice L28 engine that would be perfect for Steve. We removed the L24 engine:
Steve’s old L24 (left) and the refreshed L28 (right):
We gave the L28 a little refresh with a small cam and nice bottom end parts. The engine block was cleaned and painted Nissan Blue. A Mallory Unilite distributor and 280zx starter were installed:
A key change was switching from the new Weber carbs to triple phh44 Mikuni’s. This set was sourced from customer Tim N’s 240z as he is getting EFI.
With the new Mikuni’s and everything reinstalled the engine bay still looks great:
The Z ran extremely well with the Mikuni’s and combined with Rob’s tuning this Z had a dramatic boost in power. On the dyno the old L24 with Webers made 141hp/147tq to the wheels. The new L28 with triple Mikuni’s carbs put down 205p/200tq to the wheels:
I had a chance to take Steve’s Z out for a spin and it blew my mind. This is the kind of Z that makes me (a hardcore Datsun Roadster fan) want one for myself. It is the embodiment of just enough power, solidness, and vintage feel. Listen to this Z:
What more can I say? I really love my Z, and consider myself to be one of the luckiest guys on earth, to have found artists like Rob that help me keep my own dreams alive, running; well; and still ripping up the roads.
Thank you Steve, for sharing your story and letting us bring your Z back on the road. Tune in for the next chapter as Steve gets ZCG big brakes for small wheels!
Long Live The Z
