We love to see our parts installed on client’s cars. Nino Tecson just received three sets of our Z Car Garage Big-Brakes for three of his own client’s Datsun 240Z builds:
Nino was pleased with the Z Car Garage brake kit upon arrival and shared some installation photos from his client’s Series 1 Datsun 240Z:
“Been hearing nothing but good things about this BBK from @zcargarage ever since it came out. Time to put these on some cars. Kit looks great, of course @zcargarage covered the basics, good packaging, no missing parts etc. Looking at the quality I don’t think there’s gonna be any fitment issues at all. Also I know @rawbfuller put in the time and thought into putting this kit together so I don’t have to deal with proportioning valves and brake bias etc.”
Nice touch with the Stoptech calipers in “Z” formation, Nino…
Nino is also an S30 owner/enthusiast with a very pretty Series 1 Z. You can learn more about his Datsun story in this Speedhunters feature with photos by Sara Ryan:
See Nino’s Z car builds and give him a follow on Instagram for more updates. Thanks for your support Nino we really appreciate your passion and Long Live The Z!
We have great news for clients that have purchased our Z Car Garage Big-Brakes. Happy to report that the product is now in-house and we will begin fulfilling all backorders in the next coming weeks. We sincerely apologize for the delay. Thank you all for your patience, believing in us and supporting ZCG.
The Last Stop in Braking for your Z
Z Car Garage Big Brakes are one of the best systems available for your S30 Z Car with over 200 kits sold worldwide and unanimous positive feedback. See our ZCG Big-Brakes on client cars HERE and enjoy the photos below:
On Saturday, August 26 we attended the Tokyo Calling 3 event hosted by Breakfast Club Rally. Z Car Garage participated with a group of client cars and enjoyed a wonderful day of driving through the foothills of Northern California. The event also featured 200+ Japanese classics and 90’s-era wonders to appreciate during the morning social gathering and rest stops. Enjoy our report with mega-photo gallery and video!
Breakfast Club Rally
The Breakfast Club Rally (BCR) started 3 years ago as a small group enjoying weekend drives. It blossomed into a monthly event with one hour of hanging out drinking coffee, followed by two hours of driving on the second Saturday of the month. Registration is free and always open to all makes. I highly recommend it for anyone looking to enjoy the beautiful Northern California roads and scenery. You can see our previous BCR reports HERE!
The initial BCR Tokyo Calling event and Tokyo Calling 2 follow-up were a huge success. We did not want to miss their third all-Japanese, mostly-vintage rally so I assembled a group of Z Car Garage clients and friends to participate in TC3. We left the shop at 6:15am heading to Sonoma, here is a preview of our cars:
Beau’s 1976 Datsun 280Z
Beau’s Datsun 280Z is fresh from Z Car Garage full cosmetic and mechanical restoration featuring Recaro Specialist seats, our Z Car Garage Big-Brakes (for small wheels) and Z Car Garage CV Axles!
Ken’s 1970 Datsun 240Z
Rob drove our client Ken’s 1970 Datsun 240z. This is VIN#1762 Series 1 features our Z Car Garage Big-Brakes (for small wheels), Z Car Garage CV Axles, L28 with Jenvey ITB EFI and KA24 5-speed transmission.
Armon’s Z has a great story we will share in its own feature. He got this car running on his own and even performed rust repairs. He’s running our ZCG Heat Shield on his triple-Weber carb’d L28:
Rob’s 1971 Datsun 510 Wagon
I drove Rob’s Datsun 510 Wagon. It features a 2.4-liter KA24DE engine with five-speed manual transmission sourced from a Nissan 240SX. The car is a wonderful driver and it is FOR SALE.
Linda’s 2023 Nissan Z
Linda Williams drove her 2023 Nissan Z. This is the special,”Proto Spec” edition limited to just 240 units. We love her “1OF240Z” tribute license plate. Linda joined us on the last two Tokyo Calling events in her 1972 Datsun 240Z OMS Pace Car Duplicate. She loves driving it everywhere.
Nick’s 1972 Datsun 510
Nick drove his 510 Wagon with recently added L18/twin mikuni ph44s and dyno tuning. In true rally-style, Nick and co-pilot Ben wore their headsets to communicate. This Dime has so much character!
Bluebird
Our client drove this Bluebird Coupe. It is a RHD example that was not sold here. Built by our friends at RacecraftNW it features an S15 SR20DET with 6-speed transmission, TSR Brembo brakes and VOLK wheels. Full feature coming to zcarblog.com soon!
The Z Car Garage Nissan Z
Josh drove our shop 2023 Nissan Z with Fast Intention TDX cat-back exhaust system. Full report with audio coming to zcarblog.com. Our morning caravan of 11 cars enjoyed cruising up I-280 through the Golden Gate Bridge. Nothing beats driving with fellow Z car owners!
Tokyo is Calling before the Rally!
Our crew arrived at the rally start in Sonoma and it was already filled with fabulous J-Tin nestled between the vineyards of Gundlach Bundschu winery. BCR hosted a “social gathering” from 7:30-9am so we could take in all the glorious cars. The vibe was tremendous, and as usual it went by too quickly. Let’s go through some of the highlights, with more photos in the gallery below!
Over 25 S30 Z cars were present!
I am always on the lookout for Nissans and Datsuns, and roadsters get my attention. There were at least 7 in attendance including a genuine 1967 2000. 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.
Ian’s SRL is #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, attending monthly rally events. The (655) Off-white paint with red interior is one of my favorites. Yes, it even sports a factory Nissan hardtop with all the stainless trim!
This familiar Honda S2000-powered ’69 2000 is now local with current owner Mark, nice meeting you!
A right-hand drive ’69 2000:
High and low-windshield roadsters models were present:
There were 15 Datsun 510s in wagon and sedan form. Our client Jay installed a set of our Z Car Garage CV Axles on his Green 510. Jay is a hardcore rally driver and also brought his mint wagon with family!
Back to Z cars, Pratibha and Andre recently acquired this ’73 240Z, welcome to Z family!
Our client Cameron’s Z32 Twin Turbo visited Z Car Garage for maintenance work, downpipes, inlet piping, larger intercoolers all from Specialty Z. Cameron has been bringing his 300 to us for many years and we we are really glad to see him driving again. More Z32s were on the rally!
Leo’s Nissan Pulsar GTi-R
We were pleasantly surprised to see Leo and his Nissan Pulsar GTi-R at Tokyo Calling 2 and he returned again for TC3! This RHD, JDM hot-hatch is known as “Baby Godzilla”, sporting all-wheel drive and an SR20DET drivetrain. What’s wild is that this Pulsar used to be owned by our very own Gary at Z Car Garage! Leo purchased it back in 2017 and drove it all the way from Reno, NV.
There were a handful of S14 and S13 240SX:
Nissan Skyline
Race car driver, restorer and Datsun Historian Glenn Chiou has been a friend and client of Z Car Garage for many years. He drove his R32 Skyline GT-R with BBS LeMans wheels and period exhaust/aero. It was great to see our R32 Skyline clients Miles (Rays wheels) and Kurt W. (in his GC8 Subaru). All will be getting zcarblog updates:
The lone S130, with T-tops off for proper Napa motoring!
Enjoy this walk-around and driving video from Tokyo Calling 3:
So many cool cars please check the gallery for more photos! Next, let’s check out some non-Nissan/Datsun action…
Kei Classics
Suzuki Cappuchino and Autozam AZ-1 and mesmerizing the crowd with their size and neat features.
Honda
There were no less than 25 Honda S2000 sports cars on the rally!
Honda was well-represented including late model DC2 Integras, a few NSXs, CRXs and EF/EG hatches rounded out the display:
Toyota
Some of our favorite Toyota’s including Supra (A60, A70, A80), first gen MR2s, and AE86s! The Lexus IS300 SportCross with A80 Supra wheels was sweet!
Trucks and Vans
Let’s not forget the Japanese classic trucks and vans! Pajero Evolution, HiACE, REPU and Nissan:
The wildest car I found was this 4th gen Toyota Corona Coupe:
Rally On!
Photo by Zach Hubbell
The rally started at 9am and I was tasked with leading our group. There was no cell phone reception but I was armed with a turn-by-turn rally printout. I enjoyed hustling the green 510 Wagon through the backroads:
One of the perks of BCR events is their team of professional photographers at various stages capturing epic rolling and detail shots so people can focus on enjoying the drive. I encourage you to visit each of these SIX photographer’s photo albums to see shots of your rides:Blaine Olguin, Ben Kim, Alex Nibyt, Vijay Sankar, Everett Lederer, and Zack Hubbell.
Arriving at Sam’s General Store in Calistoga was another opportunity to see cars I missed at the starting point. Folks took a snack/coffee break here in the quaint town. I was just admiring each vintage ride cruise by…like this Isuzu Vehicross!
The rally concluded back at the Gundlach winery where BCR arranged for lunch from Kinoko Japanese Home Cooking. Folks enjoyed Donburi surrounded J-Tin everywhere. It was a superb venue to enjoy cool cars and great company.
Thanks BCR!
Many thanks to the organizers, we had a blast and 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. Here are a few thoughts from Rob re-capping the Tokyo Calling 3 event:
“We headed out from Z Car Garage with our clients and friends and made the 100-mile drive up to Sonoma wine country. Saw familiar faces and new ones it was really cool to see the Non-Datsuns. There was a REPU rotary-powerd truck which I really love. I grabbed some coffee, chatted and had fun admiring the variety of cars with friends. We got on the road and the routes BCR selects are really fun with great scenery and people along the way. “
“We met up in Calistoga, had lunch with friends. Loved seeing our clients on the drive… and one car had an exhaust weld failure. I took one of my shoelaces to secure it and this temporary exhaust bracket got us back on the road. I love Datsun adventures and we do anything to keep driving! Highly recommend the Tokyo Calling events, actually all the BCR events are loads of fun. They are a great group and we will Z you at the next rally!”
The Drive Home
Our adventure was not over as we had to travel another 100 miles South to the shop. We caravanned back, traveling through the iconic Golden Gate Bridge and through San Francisco.
Thank you to all of the Z Car Garage clients that made the journey with us. Huge thanks to BCR for extending their hospitality to our crew, everyone was thrilled. Here’s to the next rally and always, always #DoitInADatsun! More photos in the gallery below…
Filed under: 240z,510,Racing
by Alvin G @ 5:10 pm on September 5, 2023
WE LOVE RACING! Classic Sports Racing Group (CSRG) is hosting the 20th Charity Challenge at Sonoma Raceway, this weekend September 8-10. Z Car Garage is participating and supporting several client’s Datsun 510 race cars running in B-Sedan Group (John Morton Cup). This vintage racing event is totally FREE to spectators so please join us! Bring the family, enjoy cool cars and charity rides around the track.
See our 2023 Nissan Z as Pace Car!
Z Car Garage is happy to announce our 2023 Nissan Z will be on Pace Car duty at the Charity Challenge. Again, admission is FREE for this event and you will have access to all spectator areas on track, race cars and drivers. Parking is in Lot 2 overlooking the paddock. You can see our report from the 2022 Charity Challenge HERE
Z Car Garage Supports Five Datsun 510s!
It is our pleasure to bring more enthusiasts into the world of vintage racing. Our services do include full race support and car-preparation to help make client’s race days seamless and worry-free so they can focus on driving. One of our specialties is dyno tuning. Before a race weekend we confirm that your car is running well and make necessary adjustments while on the chassis dyno:
#88 Todd Rueppel
Todd enjoyed his Z Car Garage trackside support experience with us at the Laps For Laguna event!
#7 Kelvin Tse
Kelvin and his brother Kenny are regular ZCG trackside support clients…
Gabe’s B-Sedan and his Dad’s B-Sedan:
#7 Rob Fuller
ZCG owner Rob Fuller, Bay Area Datsun Dealers tribute car
Filed under: 260Z
by Alvin G @ 2:40 pm on August 24, 2023
Our client Randy Jaffe is selling his 1974 Datsun 260Z with 48K original miles. It is a rare Metallic Green (Datsun paint code 303) exterior color with tan interior and factory A/C. The engine and chassis are stock, untouched with factory markings and 4-speed manual transmission:
For pricing and additional phots/details please visit our FOR SALE page
Rick’s Nissan Silvia returned to Z Car Garage for a suspension upgrade and sorting. This is not the 90’s Silvia (US-Market Nissan 240sx) we know and love, it is the ultra-rare 1965 Silvia CSP311. Only 554 examples were made from ’65 -’67 and never imported to the US.
The Silvia is special for many reasons. This car was built on the Datsun Sports Roadster chassis, meaning it is a body-on-frame platform sharing the same R16 drivetrain as the Datsun 1600 (SP311). All were hand built and right hand drive with a gorgeous interior. Fairlady owners will notice familiar gauges and switchgear–all borrowed from the contemporary Datsun Roadster.
A rare specimen indeed, fortunately owner Rick K was able to acquire this Silvia from our friends at JDM Legends and have Z Car Garage maintain it. See our report from Rick’s initial visit (inspection, dyno tune etc,) all on zcarblog.com.
Bilstein Suspension
Rick visited us earlier this year for installation of upgraded Bilstein shocks on the Silvia. We have had a great experience running these units on my personal SR20-powered roadster and the ZCG 1967 Datsun 2000 Roadster:
The Bilsteins are available Datsun Restoration Products. Theses are high-quality, fully rebuildable and most importantly custom-valved for the Datsun Roadster for touring to race applications. Rick’s custom-valved set both front and rear for his Silvia:
Installation was a breeze. You’ll notice the supplied lower spring mount. Once installed, these shocks can be removed and replaced through the lower A-arm, no need to disassemble the front suspension to change shocks:
The car was fully aligned following the new shocks:
We also sorted some minor things for Rick. Our electronics master Joshua Corwin fixed the wiring to enable all exterior lighting to function, and we fixed his license plate bracket:
Driving is Believing
The Bilstein shocks transformed the ride quality of the Silvia. Much like our experience with these on our personal Datsun Roadsters, the dampening ability of the Bilsteins is superior to off-the-shelf shock absorbers for this chassis. No more “po-going” or high-frequency jarring on the freeway. I had a blast driving this RHD gem on the Tokyo Calling Tokyo Calling Event with Breakfast Club Rally back in March and the difference was night/day. The Bilsteins are that good.
Rick was kind enough to let me experience the Silvia with the new shocks on one of my favorite roads here the local foothills. It was so much fun. Now Rick needs some nice sticky, vintage rubber to take full advantage, enjoy!
We are so happy to see Rick still Enjoying the Ride. It was a real pleasure to see Rick’s Silvia driven by his son Matthew at the local Morning Motors hosted by DrivingWhileAwesome:
The Silvia is in good company with Rick’s family C1 Corvette. He’s enamored with the Silvia and even found a way to get the unobtanium OEM hubcaps reproduced. For now, the Watanabe’s will be used for spirited-drives!
Huge thanks to our client Rick K for giving us the opportunity to enjoy this gorgeous (and rare) slice of JDM forbidden fruit. We look forward to seeing you on the road! More photos in the gallery below.
