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!
Lou S is no stranger to Z Car Garage, having built several cars with us since we opened our doors in 2004. Although the red Z shown above is the focus of this blog post, let’s spend a moment recalling Lou’s 1973 Fairlady Z . You might recognize this RHD Z from local Bay Area fun runs and car shows over the years. What started out as a fairly stock car evolved into a canyon-carving street machine as we began modifications in 2011:
The Z featured a 250whp Rebello 3.2L engine, 240sx KA24 5-speed, Recaro seats, LSD, full-suspension, our ZCG Big-Brake Kit and Panasport C8 wheels.
Enjoy this short video showing the mellifluous sounds coming from the 3.2 engine:
The pretty triple Weber carb setup on the 3.2L was pictured on SpeedHunters and the Z was a feature car in JNC’s booth at the highly-successful Bayline show:
Enter The Monte Carlo
Lou enjoyed his Fairlady Z for many years and after ZCG’s 2nd SEMA build in 2016, Lou was inspired to take his car to the next level. The 3.2L drivetrain was sold to our customer Tim Ng to be used in his ’72 S30 build. We are currently building an IMSA-flared body Fairlady Z featuring wider Panasport C8 wheels and a stroker RB engine backed by either a close-ratio 5-Speed or 6-speed.
While Lou’s Fairlady Z was being torn down, Rob had been daily-driving his Monte Carlo Red (#905) 1970 Series 1 S30. Rob had this car for a few years and every time Lou saw it he would hound Rob to sell it to him. Here is the low vin (6143) S30 back when Rob acquired it, before a cut and buff, stock hubcaps and refreshening:
Lou finally acquired Monte Carlo from Rob. While the Fairlady Z sat in storage Lou was driving around in the bone-stock Monte Carlo. We thought, why not take the pieces in storage and upgrade Monte Carlo? ZCG went to work and transferred all of the suspension, wheel/tires and Big-Brakes from the Fairlady Z to Monte Carlo:
Z Car Garage Big-Brakes
Lou has our ZCG Big-Brake kit. Not to be confused with our current Z Car Garage Big-Brakes (for small wheels), this Big-Brake kit was our initial setup from over a decade ago. This 328mm sized kit requires 17″ diameter wheels and the massive ST-42 calipers are finished in bright red. We actually did all the R&D in-house for this setup…using a 280ZX master cylinder and our own mounting brackets. Full suspension (Coil-overs) and ZCG Big-Brakes F/R replace OEM parts:
Another look at those massive ZCG Big-Brakes!
The 280z 2.8L engine received a 5-speed transmission with new clutch/flywheel.
5-speed transmission fitment required trimming the shifter area as early cars came with 4-speeds:
While the Z was on the lift we also addressed a few engine bay items like a new brake booster:
The interior also got attention with nicer, complete seats from our parts supply. The original seats were badly torn:
The resulting transformation is impressive. From a stock, early series 1 Z to a hot rod with killer brakes, suspension and footwork that is familiar to Lou. We know these upgrades to Monte Carlo will keep him Enjoying The Ride while his Fairlady Z gets built.
We love Lou’s passion for Z’s and he is a Z car fanatic. Thanks for letting us work on Monte Carlo!
For classic car enthusiasts across the globe, visiting the site BringaTrailer.com is part of our daily routine. Z Car Garage has been a big fan of BaT since its inception in 2007, having referred our customers and serviced several BaT auction vehicles. We happily obliged when they reached out to us for help in finding a Z-car to drive cross-country for a historic racing event.
Roadtrip to The Mitty
ZCG recently announced our participation at The Mitty April 27-29 at Road Atlanta in Georgia. Nissan is the featured marque at this historic vintage racing event, so naturally a Datsun would be the ideal driving partner, right? For BaT founder Randy Nonnenberg, taking a roadtrip to the Mitty in a Datsun goes further than just arriving in style:
“The Mitty has been an event I’ve personally been interested in attending for a long time. I love seeing new racing venues and meeting BaT community members in different parts of the world. I have never been to Road Atlanta so this seemed like a great opportunity to host a BaT Alumni Gathering at the track. The teams from HSR and Classic Motorsports run some very fun events, so we are thrilled to join.
As for the car, I have wanted a Datsun for a long time and even though I like the roadsters and 510s, the 240z has always spoken to me the most. Once we found out that both the Mitty and Monterey would be featuring Nissan/Datsun, it was clear that we needed to have one to help celebrate. It also seems like a very useable classic for a road trip and driving events, so we are excited to put it on the road and document its travels on BaT.”
Finding the right Z
A few weeks ago Michael Emery from BaT reached out to ZCG looking for a car to make the journey to The Mitty. Rob immediately had the perfect car in mind, our customer Kevin F’s 1973 240z finished in 112 Yellow and affectionately known as the “Gimlet”. This is a Z we have serviced, maintained and modified over several years.
After Randy and Michael visited ZCG to inspect the Z, a deal was struck. Kevin had passed the torch on to BaT for the Z’s next chapter in life. We asked Randy what brought him to Z Car Garage:
“We are lucky to have many Datsun fans in the BaT community, so we reached out to them to see who might know of a good 240Z for sale. We checked out a few cars, and the ability to buy one from a specialist clearly became the most attractive option. Rob at Z Car Garage knew of a car that was not only in great condition, but he had done much of the work on the car and knew the history and build very well. I tend to want to sort out some details to my liking on almost any car I buy, and his ability to make some key changes was a huge benefit. He had the wheels I wanted in stock, had the know-how to make some components swap quickly, and most importantly was able to ready the car for immediate use. All this plus the car was terrific in person!”
Preparing the Z for BaT
As Randy mentioned, he was particular about how he wanted the Z to be set up. We addressed his list of needs and performed a total vehicle inspection to ensure the Z was ready for the long journey from California to Georgia.
By request, the front valance was returned to stock, 16″ Panasport wheels mounted and stock steering wheel installed. Kevin had kept the original front valance parts making installation straightforward:
16×7 Panasport wheels with 225/50/16 tires:
A stock steering wheel replaced the aftermarket unit:
The car was mechanically sound needing only a new clutch M/C and slave. We flushed and replaced fluids with Stoptech 600f. The exhaust was adjusted to increase clearance near the larger R200 diff cover. A new windshield and stainless trim pieces were installed:
A few detail items like underbody coating and cleanup:
Finally, the Z’s ride height was adjusted and engine health confirmed on our dyno. Looking perfect! More pictures in the gallery:
On the dyno the 2.7L made a stout 191p/181tq to the wheels:
Listen to that triple-carb’d L-series sing in the video below! You can also see Randy driving off from the shop:
We were curious how Randy felt about his new Z car, asking him how it compares to his Euro/US cars of the same era:
“I drove the car away from the Z Car Garage shop and was instantly pleased with the purchase. The modified 2.7L in this car has great power and sound, and I like the low seating position and long hood to peer over from the driver seat. I’ve spend plenty of time in early 911s, BMWs, and muscle cars from the same era and with these modifications the S30 can run with any of them. I can’t wait to enter this car in some fast road events with my buddies who all drive European stuff. I think they will respect this car quickly.”
My last question for Randy was to see how Z fits into BaT’s very own car collection:
“Just like you can see on our website, we have very diverse (skitzophrenic?) tastes in cars, trucks, projects, and types of vehicles. We wanted to add a car that was turn-key, could run well on road events, was an iconic design, would represent BaT well, and was in impressive condition. This 240Z checked all those boxes. Plus we don’t currently have a fast 70s coupe in the stable, so our team was excited for this one to arrive.”
Follow The Z!
The BaT 240z has already begun its journey to The Mitty! Look for real-time updates along the way from Michael and Randy as they visit BaT buyers, sellers, and community members to hear their stories:
Pictures and videos will be posted on BaT’s main site, Facebook and Instagram accounts. We are looking forward to seeing BaT at Road Atlanta with fellow Datsun enthusiasts. Big thanks to Randy and Michael for letting us be a part of their trip.
LONG LIVE THE Z!
UPDATE
4/8/18: We are happy to report the BaT 240Z is now in Tempe, AZ attending the Copperstate1000 event on chase-car duty!
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
At Z Car Garage we are fortunate to be a part of many Nissan/Datsun enthusiasts lives. Here is another amazing story of how we helped a passionate couple reunite with their Z just in time for their wedding.
Sharing The Datsun Love
Over 20 years ago Rob Fuller migrated to the Bay Area to surround himself with Datsuns and he recalled being driven by one thing: Passion. What helped him build his 510 in his early 20’s and build cars period was the passion of older folks eagerly sharing their love and knowledge. It has been our code and a great source of motivation to share ZCG’s passion and cool customer cars with others. Courtney and Dustin came to ZCG for a shop tour in 2016 and we had a great time hanging out and telling Datsun stories from back in the day. It made us proud to see two young enthusiasts totally into vintage cars.
Courtney is a well-known photographer and her then-boyfriend Dustin is a fellow Datsun 510 owner. We gave the couple rides in several customer cars including Gary’s OS Giken TC24-powered 240z. Smiles were abound! Fast forward to 2017 when Courtney reached out to us about getting her Z back on the road in time for her wedding. This was right up Rob’s alley (remember how we surprised Ken on his 50th Birthday with a restoration of his 240z?), so we happily obliged. Courtney and Dustin arranged to have the Z towed to ZCG. Now, let’s hear Courtney’s story…
Courtney’s Z Story
Growing up, I was very sheltered when it came to cars. Once I was old enough to drive, I was only allowed to pilot vehicles that my family considered “big” and “safe” enough. This lineup throughout the years consisted of a ’92 Cadillac Sedan de Ville, a 2000 Toyota Camry, and a 2001 Acura TL. My one time suggestion of a MK4 GTI was met with reluctancy due to the fact that it was “a little too small.” While my family had good intentions, they never really allowed me to branch out and get something a little more… exciting. By the time I was 21, I was ready for change.
I had my eye on the 240z for a long time, obsessed with its iconic silhouette and timeless style. While it took some searching with the help of my then-boyfriend/now-husband and another friend, I finally bought my 1973 240z in 2014. I found it on Craigslist in Medford, Oregon with only two photos in the listing. The photos were extremely poor quality and the description sounded too good to be real. Less than 100k original miles, very little rust, straight body, and mostly original. After connecting with the owner and coming to a deal, we set a date to drive up to Oregon from the Bay Area. A long story short, the trip was nightmarish and almost anything that could go wrong, did go wrong. The previous owner wasn’t entirely honest with me about the mechanical condition of the car. We found that overheating on a steep mountain pass and getting stuck in the semi lane isn’t our idea of a fun Sunday night. Ultimately though, we made it home with the car after an exhausting weekend.
Once the car was home, we tinkered on a few small things that needed to be addressed. The car just had a few too many hiccups, with a set of finicky Webers installed, and life happened as it usually does. So, the car ended up sitting in my parents’ driveway for just about two years. There were plans to do a rather unorthodox engine swap with some other bold mods, but we all know that sometimes things don’t work out as planned. The longer I stared at this orange machine, sitting dormant, the more I longed to enjoy the car the way it came from the factory. It was at that point that we decided it was time to start thinking of reviving it.
Then, I got engaged in August of 2016. A big jump, but stay with me for a minute. Because my husband and I are such admittedly insane car nuts, we knew we had to have one of our Datsuns in our wedding. I originally thought his blue four door 510 would be well suited, but then he suggested that we bring my Z back to life in time for our July 2017 wedding. By this time, it was late in 2016 and time was ticking. If you’ve ever planned a wedding all by yourselves before, you’ll understand me when I say that there was plenty to occupy myself with. Getting a classic car running again after years of sitting/not running well was a task, but it was amplified by the fact that we never truly could diagnose its problems before. But my husband was adamant that the Z’s place was in our ceremony—not just because it was special to me, but because it was a special part of our relationship as a whole. We went through a lot to bring that car home from Oregon, and since then it has always sort of felt like a child to us. (Is that weird?)
With the help of our amazing friends and their gracious donation of a garage, we got to work on Pumpkin (appropriately named, right?). We tore down the L24 and replaced everything that needed it. We also replaced the Webers with a set early SU carbs. This was all mostly in an attempt to take care of maintenance after sitting for so long. Our thought was that if we freshened up the motor and improved the carb situation, we might have a better chance of fixing what had always been wrong. After we were through, the car certainly ran better, but still had overheating issues, among other things.
Reviving Courtney’s 240z
Some time passed and before we knew it, we were a couple of months into 2017. July was fast approaching and I was feeling nervous about my husband and I finding the time to continue working on the car. It wasn’t until I met Alvin with his Roadster for a Petrolicious photo shoot that the idea of bringing the car to Z Car Garage was spoken.
From the get go, Rob and Alvin were incredibly helpful. I had known them for a while at that point through my freelance photo work, but had never done actual car business with them. Rob invited my husband and I to bring him the car to inspect, and of course, it ended up being more serious than I thought. We’d realized that the heater core was leaking, we needed to address a leaking fuel tank, the clutch was going, my transmission was leaking, alternator was overcharging… I could go on. Some of the problems we were aware of, others, not so much. By this time I had ordered a set of fresh SU carbs from ZTherapy (they’re a national treasure), so we discussed installing them and having Rob tune the car once the other issues were knocked out.
As Courtney mentioned above, what started out as routinely syncing their carbs, Rob found that the Z needed a bit of attention. The worst thing would be for it to breakdown during their wedding. We sat down with Courtney and Dustin and assessed the car, then made a budget that would work with them to get their Z car running, be safe and part of their wedding day.
We replaced the fuel systems’ recovery hoses, eliminating fuel odor from the cabin:
Cooling work included installation of a Koyo race radiator, heater control valve and replacing the heater core. A new clutch was also installed:
The carbs were sync’d and tuned on the dyno where it made 140hp/135tq to the wheels. Very healthy numbers for an essentially stock L24 with SUs:
Her Z sounds great, watch the dyno run video below:
Rob was nothing but honest during the timeline of the work. He kept me updated with emails and phone calls, explained everything they’d found each step of the way, and gave me options. He understood our budget and was just as excited for our wedding plans as we were. He truly made us feel like family, and his enthusiasm for this huge life event we were planning showed that he genuinely cared about getting this car running. He was mindful of our time and did everything in his power to provide the best experience possible.
Finally, we went through the entire car to ensure that there was absolutely no issue with the Z traveling to and from the wedding. We were super pumped to see Courtney with the Z on her special day. Icing on the cake was a nice set of 16″ Panasports and they do look fantastic on that orange paint!
I’ve never known anyone who is so passionate about these cars. You realize that Z Car Garage is a name which is more than deserved when you’re met with this caliber of enthusiast. The staff lives and breathes Datsun. In the end, Rob and his staff had my car running as if it were new again. The feeling I had when he fired it up for us and showed us everything they’d done is something near surreal. When he showed me the dyno video, I got butterflies. He had made our wedding dream come true, and for that, we are forever grateful.
I’m a firm believer in the idea that everything happens for a reason. All of my prior plans and obstacles with my Z were only guides that eventually brought me to ZCG. I couldn’t be happier with how this year has gone. From hearing my car roar to life to riding shotgun with my husband after our wedding ceremony, it has been perfect. Once again, a HUGE thank you to Rob, Alvin, and the outstanding staff at ZCG for making my Z dreams come true. Long Live the Z!
Thank you Courtney for letting us prepare your Z and it makes us happy to see you Enjoying The Ride! Good luck to both you and Dustin! ps love the license plate frame 🙂
