We are happy to see more Z car owners enjoying innovative products from Z Car Garage. The Bring a Trailer Datsun 240z recently visited us for a ZCG Big-Brake kit installation after an eventful driving season. We found and prepped this car for BaT Co-Founder and CEO Randy Nonnenberg just in time for an epic road trip to The Mitty. If you missed the introduction to this Z please visit our initial blog post HERE.

 

Keeping up with the BaT 240z

Before we get into the Big-Brake kit details, let’s catch up with the BaT 240z since it left our shop heading to Road Atlanta in April. The Z’s first duty was to serve as photo/chase car participating in the Copperstate 1000 rallye in Tempe, AZ:

  

The journey to The Mitty was more than a destination where Datsun was the featured marque. Along the way, the Z would visit “BaT Alumni” and fans for interviews to share their automotive stories. We were stoked to see the Z made it all the way to Road Atlanta!

 

BaT’s entire Mitty road trip is wonderfully documented in several installments HERE, enjoy this video too:

 

Rallye Prep Services

After the 4000+ mile road trip the BaT Z came back to us for sorting and a refresh.  Despite losing 5th gear in Nashville, Randy was able to cross the finish line at Road Atlanta using 4th. At the shop we confirmed the mainshaft nut had backed off (very common on early 5-speeds) creating situation where all the gears become misaligned.  We removed it and installed a really nice 280z 5-speed transmission.

  

A few more items needing attention that we sorted:

-all fluids
-fixed headlight switch
-replaced/rebuilt hatch strut
-A/C wiring and power switch corrected + system re-charged (performed in-house)

Back in April, Randy and Rob both agreed on returning the Z back to its original aesthetics before the epic road trip. We swapped out the air dam for a factory valance and installed the stock steering wheel, but we didn’t have time to replace the dated black mirrors. On this visit we tackled the installation of factory Nissan mirrors:

  

Removal of the black plastic mirrors and installing OEM units required minor bodywork. Our man William took care of the 112 paint. Hard to beat these beautiful mirrors on the S30, more pics in the gallery!

 

With the Z sorted, Randy and his father drove it on yet another rallye in July, the Faultine 500.

 

ZCG Big Brakes

In September we met BaT at the Porsche Rennsport Reunion at Laguna Seca.  Randy and the crew discussed using ZCG products on their Z as it had an older Wilwood brake kit. The plan was to install and run our ZCG Big-Brake kit for the Targa Baja California rallye coming in October.

  

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 14″ Watanabe or Panasport wheel! 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.

Randy brought the Z to the shop and we removed the existing Wilwood setup:

  

Front setup:

  

The proportioning valve that was required for the old Wilwood kit was removed:  ZCG Brakes do NOT require a proportioning valve!

  

Big-Brakes at the rear as well. The Z had a weird hydraulic parking brake and this was removed so we could install the factory brake lever setup.

 

  Randy’s Z now has a fully functioning parking brake:

  

Before leaving the shop we replaced a failed u-joint in the driveshaft and balanced it. We were stoked to hear how well the Z and the Big-Brake kit performed on the Targa Baja California rallye in October:

“Big thanks to Rob Fuller and his team at Z Car Garage for preparing our 1972 Datsun 240Z which ran flawlessly the entire time at sustained high RPMs and in hot weather. Prior to the event he outfitted the car with his custom in-house developed Z brake kit which provided excellent stopping power and near-perfect pedal feel. After it was all over, we woke up early Sunday morning in Ensenada and drove 600 miles straight back to San Francisco!”

 

Thanks to Randy and the crew at Bring a Trailer for the support and sharing their Z car experience with the world. They are truly Enjoying the Ride, proving that Datsuns ARE DRIVEN!

More pictures in the gallery below
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The 2018 Japanese Classic Car Show was held on September 15, in Long Beach, CA. This is the original vintage Japanese-car event in SoCal and in its 14th year, JCCS has grown incredibly–over 430 cars covered the lawn of Marina Green Park. The vehicles themselves remained a fantastic blend of stock, modified and restored. This is the most important show for Japanese cars, and the Z Car Garage crew keeps coming back every year to soak up the sun, see old friends and drool over some spectacular vintage builds.

   

ZCG Displays Two Z Cars!

 

Z Car Garage displayed two customer cars at the show: Randy Jaffe’s 1970 Datsun 240z and James Stevens’ 1972 Datsun 240z.  Randy’s Z was completed in time to be our booth car. This Series 1 S30 started as a project car 4-years ago with paint/bodywork performed by Bryson Richards of Classic Livery. The Z was shipped to us from Georgia for finishing Randy’s vision of a wild show/go race car:

 

Inspiration for the Jagermeister livery came from Randy’s obsession with Porsche, and the Max Moritz Racing Porsche 934.

  

We will take an in-depth look at this Z in separate post, but here are a few key details. Providing room for the 275/315-width tires is an authentic Pandem Rocketbunny aero kit. Randy channeled his passion for racing into this build and the chassis is virtually identical to his #46 BRE Datsun 240z, using zinc’d DP Racing suspension parts. The engine is a big displacement L-series running 13:5:1 compression, triple-Mikuni ph44s, a Fujitsubo header and glorious BRE-style exhaust. Running gear includes a close-ratio ZX transmission, OS Giken LSD for the 4.11 R180, our ZCG CV Axles and ZCG Big-Brake Kit (race version).

   

We are happy to report that Randy’s Z won 1st place, Best 240z in a class filled with incredible Z cars!

 

James’s 1972 S30 was displayed with fellow Z car owners in the show. At the heart of this beast is a turbocharged L-series managed by Haltech. Chassis upgrades include custom full-length subframe connectors, our ZCG CV Axles and Big-Brake Kit (328mm) behind Volk TE37V wheels.

 

A stack instrument cluster was integrated into the gauge pod, viewed from leather Recaro Pole Position seats. This Z has a very unique sound. We recently tuned it on E85, dyno results and videos coming soon!

   

We are very happy for James as he won the award for Best of JC Speed!

 

Stay tuned for in-depth reports on both of these Z cars coming to zcarblog.com.

Showtime!

Our friend and talented racer Troy Ermish transported both of our Z cars (and his 510) down to Long Beach Friday afternoon. Below is a video of the Z’s loading from the shop:

We unloaded early Saturday morning from the expansive parking lot near the new venue in Marina Green Park.  Immediately we could tell this location was larger and more vendor-friendly than The Queen Mary of past shows. Our booth was situated in a great spot, at the mid-point of the show with our neighbors from OS Giken.
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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!

Long Live The Z!

More pictures in the gallery

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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!

  

More pictures in the gallery below:
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