Vincent S’ 1973 Datsun 240Z has a long history with Z Car Garage having received upgrades like our Z Car Garage Big-Brakes, Z Car Garage CV Axles, full suspension refresh and dyno tuning.

 

The Z came back to us in March of 2022 for more power, drivetrain and interior improvements. Before we explore these upgrades, let’s take a look at how Vincent found the Z car of his dreams…

Z Destiny

 

Vincent: “I’m from Le Mans, France and attended the 24 hours race, or Le Mans Classic numerous times. In 2016, I was on the Le Mans racetrack with the car I had then (a Lotus Elise 220), and one of my very best friends, Fabrice. That day, we saw a gorgeous blue, track prepared 240Z that we loved. I took several pics and videos of it.”

 

A few months later, Vincent saw our friend Dave Scholz’ video on Petrolicious and found his Z highly inspirational. In Summer 2019, Vincent’s job offered him the opportunity to move to San Diego for a few years and he decided this is where he would search for his own Z car, and eventually send it back to France. It truly is a small world, and our client Brian P had listed his ’73 S30 on Bring a Trailer in September of 2000. Vincent saw the Z, bid and won the auction!

 

Vincent: “I bought my Z on BaT, from Brian P, who had Z Car Garage restore it. He loved his car and had to sell it, but the modifications he wanted to do included a Rebello stroker with Mikunis, etc…Living in the US for only 3 years, I decided to continue the story with Rob, and the Z is now what I wanted and what Brian wanted (I’m still in touch with him). Knowing that I was going to relocate to FR, I also became a member of the Datsun Club of France. ZCG was highly recommended by the group, and is a worldwide reference for Zs! The posts on zcarblog.com with all the pics, etc….are also great to see how the work is done.”

 

Back for the Z Car Garage Touch

While previous owner Brian P was a little bummed about selling the car, he was stoked that Vince shared his vision and dream to take it the rest of the way. We spoke with Vince and discussed all the upgrades he wanted to do, knowing it had to be completed before his expatriation June 30, 2022. The Z arrived at Z Car Garage from SoCal on March 1, and it was so good to see it again:

 

Drivetrain

 

When Brian was coming to ZCG it was during the “Butters” phenomenon: our clients wanted a similar setup for their own S30s. Our 1971 shop demo Z Mrs. Butters proudly features our Z Car Garage Big-Brakes, Z Car Garage CV Axles, ZCG Heat Shield, 6-speed transmission, full KW suspension (releasing soon) and 3.2L engine with triple-Mikuni induction. While Vince’s Z had the upgraded brakes, CV axles and suspension, the drivetrain was not touched.

We began drivetrain upgrades by replacing the stock L24 with twin-SUs/4-speed transmission with a Rebello 3L, triple-Mikuni induction and KA24 5-speed transmission. ZCG supplied the ph44 Mikuni carbs (jetted) with velocity stacks, ZCG mesh filters, Harada intake manifold, ZCG fuel rail and all of the things we do on the intake/exhaust side of the engine. Spark is provided by an MSD6AL ignition box. We also installed what every triple-carbed L-series needs: a ZCG Heat Shield!

 

A Moroso competition baffled oil pan prevents oil starvation with high cornering loads:

 

The Fujitsubo exhaust system from exhaust header to muffler was installed. These newer units have better fitment.

 

With the engine out we had our man William repaint the engine bay. ZCG engine bay services followed with freshly plated and plumbed hydraulic lines, hoses and general clean-up:

 

The engine bay turned out great and Vince wanted a red, powdercoated wrinkle valve cover. More photos of the engine bay details in the gallery below!

 

Driveline Upgrades

With the 3L engine in we focused on the transmission and rear axle. To handle the power from the 3L engine we replaced the stock 4-speed with a Nissan KA24 (FS5W71C) transmission. This was a common swap (before the CD009a came to market) performed by modifying a 280Z L-series bell housing. When we upgraded the transmission we also installed a JWT HD clutch with aluminum flywheel:

 

Helping put the power down efficiently is an OS Giken LSD. The R180 houses a 4.11 R&P and the assembly is setup in-house (by Joshua Corwin):

 

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 200 CV axle kits on customer cars and we are stoked with all of the positive feedback.

  

Stock half shafts (L) and Vincent’s ZCG units, set #00295. Also visible are the T3 control arms:

     

Dyno Tuning

 

Rob dyno tuned the Rebello 3L engine making a stout 239hp/211tq to the wheels:

 

Enjoy the L-series music in this extended video of Vincent’s Z including dyno runs, test drive with Rob and drive-bys:

ZCG Big-Brakes

We are proud to have several of our ZCG products on Vincent’s 240z. We installed our Z Car Garage Big-Brakes (for small wheels) which have the been standard on numerous ZCG builds.

    We removed the stock brakes and installed our ZCG Big-Brake kit.  We also installed a full coil-over (Koni) suspension 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 T3 coil-overs replacing stock setup:

     At the rear, the factory drum brakes were replaced with our ZCG Big-Brakes. New OEM Nissan master cylinder and Factory handbrake functionality IS retained!

   

Panasport Wheels

Complementing the new coilover suspension on Vincent’s Z are 16×7 Panasports and Hankook R-S3 tires in 225/50/16. We wanted the look and feel of Mrs. Butters Z so we obsessed over ride height until we got it exactly where he wanted it. The Z looks fabulous from any angle:

   

Recaro Seats

The stock seats were replaced with Euro-spec RECARO Pole Position in leather:

 

Driving is Believing

Vincent visited Z Car Garage for the first time when he picked up his Z on 6/22. Here is Rob showing Vincent the engine bay and going on a test drive:

  

Vincent:  “Rob and team ended up working 24/7 in the last few days so that this could happen. I picked it up on the 22 of June, early morning, when I believe I also met Alvin. It was amazing to meet you, Rob, and ZCG ! I then drove down the Pacific Coast Highway, to drop the auto in LA, where the logistics/freight company is. They finally put it on a boat 3 months later (and I now live in FR).”

 

Vincent was impressed with the upgrades from Z Car Garage:

Vincent:“What’s it like to drive??! Brian already had the brakes and axles done, so all good there. With the engine, gearbox, clutch, exhaust done + Recaros, it’s a complete different car to drive. Much more lively, direct, raw…the Recaros filter less than the original seats, but are now on par with the global performance and grip of the Z. I feel much more connected to the road.”

 

We are happy to report that the Z is now in France! Vincent picked it up in Le Havre (north of FR) and drove it all the way to Lyon (South east, where he resides). The engine started right away, and trip was a pleasure. He sent us some great photos (above):

Vincent:“Hey Alvin, I believe only 750 240Zs were ever sold in France back in the day…so you can imagine the looks I got! Some people thought it was a Ferrari 275 or a Type E…So grateful to Rob and the awesome job he’s done on the auto, and Brian, to whom I bought it, can be reassured…The Z’s being taken care of!”

 

Since owning the Z Vincent found out that the Blue Z he saw in Le Mans belongs to another member of the Datsun club of France, David Donne. Vincent also has been in touch with Dave Scholz, via Instagram who has been super friendly and helpful.

We enjoyed working with Vincent:

Rob: “All in all Brian would be super proud. Car was scheduled to be put on a container to go back to France and we made it with 1 day to spare. Huge thanks to Brian and Vincent. Super excited about this car and my only regret is that he doesn’t live local so we could enjoy it together.”

Thank you for entrusting us with your S30 Vincent and LONG LIVE THE Z!

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We have great news for clients that have purchased our Z Car Garage Big Brakes. The calipers recently left the forging company and they are now being machined at Stoptech. Once calipers are anodized they will be ready to ship in the coming weeks, fulfilling all back orders. We apologize as parts supply issues have caused delays. 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 140 kits sold worldwide and unanimous positive feedback. See our ZCG Big-Brakes on client cars HERE and enjoy the photos below:

   

 

 

Jack Atkinson, friend, extraordinary designer, fabricator and creator of the Primadonna Z, left this world on July 15, 2022. He was 68. Jack and his wife Yolanda have been a part of our lives since the beginning of Z Car Garage. We send our deepest condolences to Yolanda and their family.

 

Being lifetime members of The Z Owners of Northern California (ZONC) and supporting our shop along the way, we are forever grateful to them. This is our tribute to you, Jack. We miss you and know you are out there Enjoying The Ride!

Design and Fabrication

 

In the automotive space, Jack was a visionary designer and self-taught fabricator. Many enthusiasts in the Nissan/Datsun community to this day are still impressed with his iconic “Primadonna Z” based on the 1970’s Datsun 240Z sportscars. This is a very special Z car with a history that will be shared in a (deservedly) separate blog post. Briefly, Jack Atkinson built three totally custom 240z cars in the early 80’s. In 2021, Z Car Garage helped reunite Jack and Yolanda with his first Primadonna Z build:

 

Heavily influenced by the wild IMSA Z ‘s and Porsche 935 bodywork, Jack hand-fabricated the body pieces and affectionately named the cars “Primadonna Z’s”. Only three Primadonna Zs were made. This red car is the first one Jack built, here is a period photo of it:

 

Jack would go on to build and eventually sell the Primadonna kit, spawning black and white versions:

 

The whereabouts of the black and white cars have been fairly well-documented over the years, eventually landing (and thankfully) in the hands of caring owners. The white car (known as Jettlag) and red car (known as Z Bait) are currently with Eric and Allison Knutsen of Southern Florida Z. We have so much to tell you about this car’s history, from its current whereabouts back to inception in the skillful hands of Jack. For now, a nice primer can be seen HERE.

 

Datsun Destiny

 

Thirty-six years later Jack was reunited with his first creation, Primadonna Z #1. The Z arrived at Z Car Garage and we were able to get it started and take both Jack and Yolanda for a spin. It was incredible to see this Z in person and even sweeter to witness the reunion. This would be Jack’s last ride in the car he built by hand before he passed.

 

Here is short video of Rob and crew getting the Z started and rolling on the street:

 

Back in Z Game

After a 20 year hiatus, Jack’s creative mind and passion urged him to get back into modifying Z cars. This time he chose the Nissan 300ZX (Z32) as his canvas, building two “Primadonna Z32” sportscars.

 

The first Z32 was a 1993 convertible (above) that was transformed into a widebody with several iterations of livery, wheels and color schemes. That was Jack: always seeking to improve his designs:

“I wanted to take an already nice looking Z and make it look like a super car. Even though this car is a one off, my insurance is the complete set of molds, from which the components you see were made. I made the fiberglass molds from the hand-sculpted prototype body of wood, aluminum, styrofoam, fiberglass and bondo. Body components were constructed using hand laid S-Fiberglass, Carbon Fiber and Kevlar and rolled out with a high temperature resin.”

The build started in July of 2005 under a canopy in his backyard and took 6-months to complete-including paint. Below, build documentation and the Primadonna Z32 in all-black:

 

The second Z32 was a 1996 Twin-Turbo with only 13,400 miles on it. This stunning ZX was one of the last Z32s to roll off the line (#247 of the last 300) and Jack’s hand-made body-work highlighted the car’s lines, while leaving the ‘looks-new’ interior in full view through the windows and t-top. Jack garnered many awards for both Primadonna Z’s including Best of Show and First Place at ZDay in Pismo Beach:

 

Jack’s LS3-Powered Z32

 

Jack developed a love for Corvettes and we helped him bridge his passion for the Z by performing an LS3 engine swap into his Primadonna Z32 Convertible. This was a dream come true for Jack, earning him a prize in the Z32 Ultra Modified category at ZCON 2021. Here are a few photos of us wrapping up the LS3 swap with road-testing and dyno tuning. Full report soon!

 

It even sports full A/C and OEM shifter for the automatic transmission. The Z was loaded up with the OMS pace car and heading to ZCON 2021! You can hear Rob discuss Jack’s LS-powered Z on this episode of Hoonigan Autofocus with Larry Chen from the 34th Annual Z Car Convention (ZCON) hosted by ZCCA in Colorado Springs.

  

Fellow Z car enthusiast and ZONC board member Ann Devor on Jack’s creative work. Jack inspired many Z-car enthusiasts, including younger folks:

“Jack, with Yolanda’s assistance with fiberglass molding, designed and fabricated all manner of auto body parts – fenders, noses, tails, splitters, wings, all to accommodate the bigger wheels that were necessary for his aerodynamic designs. And the wheels were big! Wheels for Jack’s cars were custom made and it was always one of his favorite jobs to put his new wheels on for the first time. And to his last days, he wanted a set of new wheels for one of his cars. Jack was always thinking about the next big thing he wanted to do, whether it was a road trip or a new design for a car.”

“When Jack started working with vinyl applications and graphics, a whole new world opened up and added to Jack’s already respectable number of design innovations. Jack’s cars visually popped with their huge wheels covered by muscular fenders, big wings, splitters just barely clearing the asphalt, and car paint clothed in colorful spears, stripes, arrows, and emblems. There is nothing else like Jack’s cars.”

Roadtrip Leader

 

Some of our greatest memories of Jack are the numerous roadtrips he led (with Yolanda’s help, of course) with ZONC. These memorable drives would kick-off at Z Car Garage, with Jack briefing a large group of enthusiasts. You could also count on seeing Jack’s car equipped with a CB radio antenna, whether it was a Z car or NSX. This desire to share the road and its adventures carried with him later in life to the Santa Clara Corvette club where he would lead them on epic cross-country drives.

 

Datsun Family

 

Jack and Yolanda have supported Z Car Garage since we opened our doors in 2004. They helped us design and produce special t-shirts and swag (more on the way!) that you may have seen at various race events and gatherings. We are forever grateful for their friendship.

 

Love. Jack and Yolanda were in love for 43 years. Their partnership was inspirational, doing everything together including working side by side as business partners and enjoying automotive hobbies. Indeed, it was tough to get a picture of them apart, so most of my photos are of them together 🙂 Here are Jack and Yolanda in 2008 at a Z Car Garage dyno day, in their NSX:

 

We Miss You Jack

 

On October 22, Z Car Garage attended a Celebration of Jack’s Life in Bakersfield, Ca. There was an incredible outpouring of love from friends and family at the event. Jack’s passion and love for sharing spanned across different marques, eventually reaching NSX and Corvette clubs.

 

The celebration of life also brought people together. We met Eric and Allison Knutsen, current caretakers of the Primadonna Z cars all the way from Florida. The parking lot was a mini car show with Jack and Yolanda’s cars as well as friend’s rides. We think Jack would be right at home seeing the gathering of cars and people. Enjoy the photo gallery below:

 

Jack is at peace, and his story will continue to be told. We were fortunate to be in his presence and cherish the time we spent Enjoying The Ride. He truly embodied the words Mr. K said best, “Love cars. Love people. Love life.” Our sincerest condolences go out to Yolanda and Jack’s family. We will miss you Jack!

 

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On Saturday, September 24 we attended the Tokyo Calling 2 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 just over 2 years ago. What started out as a small group enjoying weekend drives blossomed into a full-on Cars and Coffee (still unofficial) meet just before rally participants head out according to run group. The monthly BCR is always free/open to all makes and I highly recommend it for anyone looking to enjoy the beautiful Northern California roads and scenery. You can see my previous BCR reports HERE!

 

The initial BCR Tokyo Calling event held back in March was a success. We did not want to miss this all-Japanese, mostly-vintage rally so I assembled a group of Z Car Garage clients and friends to participate in TC2. We left the shop at 6:30am heading to San Rafael, here is a preview of our cars:

 

Gary’s 1971 Datsun 240Z

Rob Fuller drove our client Gary’s S30 with the Datsunworks KN20 twincam cylinder head. Supporting the 3.1L engine are our Z Car Garage Big-Brakes, Z Car Garage CV Axles, Jenvey ITB EFI with Haltech Elite management, Nissan 6-speed CD009s transmission and OS Giken 4.11 LSD.

 

While ZCG has performed many tests with the KN20 engine this was the first time we were able to do a 300-mile trip and really wring its neck. It just keeps getting better and better…watch the video below and turn those speakers up!

Datsunworks in action

Vince’s 1973 Datsun 240Z

 

Vince’s 1973 Datsun 240z is Enjoying The Ride with our Z Car Garage Big-Brakes (for small wheels) and Z Car Garage CV Axles.  He scored this Z from our friends at Bring a Trailer and regularly drives on rally events.

Mrs. Butters

 

Leading the caravan was yours truly in Mrs. Butters, our Series 1 shop 240z. This Series 1 S30 features a 3.2L with triple-Mikuni induction, Z Car Garage Big-Brakes, Z Car Garage CV Axles, ZCG Heat Shield, 6-speed transmission and full KW suspension (releasing soon).

Jim’s 1971 Datsun 240Z

 

Jim’s 1971 Datsun 240z is now sporting a Rebello 3.2L with triple-Mikuni carbs on a Harada intake, Recaro Specialist seats, CD009a 6-speed transmission, our Z Car Garage Big-Brakes (for small wheels) and Z Car Garage CV Axles!

 

Linda’s 1972 Datsun 240Z

Linda Williams drove her 1972 Datsun 240Z OMS Pace Car Duplicate. Z Car Garage revived this historically-significant Z from its slumber to make it a nice driver for Linda while retaining its survivor status. She loves driving it everywhere.

 

Henry’s supercharged Nissan 370Z

Henry drove his Stillen-supercharged 370Z. This was his first time attending a vintage rally and he had a blast! Henry recently visited ZCG for a re-tune and upgrades, making even more power stay tuned for an update! Rolling photo by Gregory Veizades:

  

Mr. C, a 1970 Datsun 240Z

Our guest Herbert P piloted  “Mr. C”, our stock, one-owner Series 1 Z. We put some 14″ Panasports on this time as the stock hubcaps have a habit of coming off during spirited driving!

 

Our morning caravan of 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 San Rafael and it was already filled with fabulous J-Tin. BCR hosted a “social gathering” from 8-9am (usually 1 hr) 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!

 

Tom K’s Nissan Fairlady Z432 stunned the crowd. This rare, RHD gem is powered by the unicorn-status S20 engine:

 

I am always on the lookout for Nissans and Datsuns, and roadsters always get my attention. There were at least 8 in attendance including two genuine 1967 2000s. 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. 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!

 

Our client Erik drove his hot-rod R16 stroker-powered ’70. We dyno tuned this little beast recently, check it out HERE:

  

There were handful of 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 (just completing the Faultline 500) and also brought his mint wagon with family! Check out his sweet set of Devil Shadow wheels:

   

Our very own Nick F drove his 510 wagon and went full rally-style with intercoms:

 

Back to Z cars, and with many cool examples like this pair of S30s with classy Campagnolo and 432s-style wheels:

 

Our client Kevin’s Slicktop Z32 on WORK XD9 wheels and Stoptech brakes. A pair of clean Zenki Z31 300ZX, one LS-powered:

 

Leo’s Nissan Pulsar GTi-R

 

We were pleasantly surprised to see Leo and his Nissan Pulsar GTi-R at Tokyo Calling 2. 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.

 

Leo is an avid Pulsar fan having owned several and he really kept this one in pristine condition. He added a few upgrades including Stoptech Big-Brakes. He ven kept the Z Car Garage license plate frame!

 

A pair of S13 240SXs:

 

It was great to see our R32 Skyline clients Mike’s R32 (TE37 wheels), Miles (Rays wheels) and Kurt W. (in his GC8 Subaru) and . All will be getting zcarblog udpates:

 

So many cool cars please check the gallery for more photos! Next, let’s check out some non-Nissan/Datsun action…

Kei Classics

Autozam AZ-1 and Suzuki Cappuchino mesmerizing the crowd with their size and neat features:

 

Honda

 
Honda was well-represented including late model DC2 Integras and S2000s. A few NSXs, CRXs and EF/EG hatches rounded out the display:

Toyota

 

Supra (A60 and A80) and even first gen MR2s, turbocharged Beams-powered Celica and AE86s!

    

Enjoy this walk-around of the pre-rally social hour at Tokyo Calling 2:

 

Trucks and Vans

Let’s not forget the Japanese classic trucks and vans!

 

The wildest car I found was this Nissan Leaf with motorcycle engine:

 

Rally On!

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 rallye printout. I enjoyed hustling Mrs. Butters 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 photographer’s photo albums to see shots of your rides: Alex Nibyt, Gregory Veizades, Everett Lederer, and Zack Hubbell.

   

Arriving at Point Reyes 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 Nissan Figaro!

 

Henry’s 370Z and an FD RX-7

  

After chatting we resumed the rally. This final stage was my favorite with winding roads going through Petaluma. This is where the KW Suspension, ZCG Big-Brakes and 6-speed transmission in Mrs. Butters really shine. Every gear shift, squeeze of the throttle and confidence of the brakes makes for a sublime driving experience.

   

The rally concluded in Tomales. Total mileage for our San Jose crew thus far was 200 miles. BCR arranged for lunch at William Tell House as their clever motto is #DoneByNoon. The intersection here was yet another car show with J-Tin everywhere. It was a superb venue to enjoy cool cars and great company.

  

Our client Kevin’s Slicktop Z32

 

People got a kick out of the Behemoth:

 

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 2 event:

“Loved TC2 and my favorite part is connecting with people, seeing their passion and all the other cool cars…I’m a huge Miata fan and NA/NBs were out in full force. Subaru XT…I really wanted one as a kid. Little fun fact…that rear end bolts into a Datsun 510. The Leaf with motorcycle engine was wild. Great to see our clients also on the drive. Got to see Leo and get reunited with the GTi-R, chat with Mike Young…”

“…Such a proud feeling of driving up 280 through the city and looking over to see Linda Wiliams in the OMS Pace Car, Vince S and Jim and Herb driving Mr.C. and Alex in his Sunny. The amount of community we have is tremendous. Loved how organized BCR is, so well thought out. The last 20+ years of my life I’ve been doing car meets/car adventures…the BCR guys got it down….from the registration stickers to rally directions. Little things like making sure there is enough room for folks at the meetup points…or always having clean restrooms available…these are details between enjoying yourself in a vintage car or not. The roads were incredible and scenery unreal. Sounds of L-series everywhere! Cant wait for next Tokyo Calling.”

 

 

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. I’m sure traffic had a field day with our group of Datsuns/Nissans:

 At the shop, Rob gave everyone rides in the Datsunworks-powered Behemoth. It was fun to see the permanent smiles on passengers’ faces after returning:

After a full day of driving Mr. C, our stock Series 1 240Z,  we gave Herbert the keys to take Butters out for spin:

    

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!

 

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We have the pleasure of continually developing Dirk’s 1973 Datsun 240z to help achieve his vision of a Z car that is adept on the street and track. Improving the driving experience are our Z Car Garage Big-Brakes, Z Car Garage CV Axles, Silvia 6-speed transmission and a host of chassis and driveline upgrades.

 

Dirk shares his experience working with us:

“Collaborating closely with Rob and ZCG has elevated the optimization process. Rob will frequently talk me out of a bad idea, or into a good one (like the OS Giken LSD). Sometimes I talk him into a bad idea and it turns out to work really well, like the S15 gearbox. The most fun is when we brainstorm stuff together like turning the catch can setup into an improvised simple PCV system, eliminating all hints of oil fumes from the car while running.”

Datsun 510, 620 and Z car love

Since our last iteration, Dirk as been back to Z Car Garage for a few major projects. Let’s take a look at his Datsun story first. Dirk bought his first Datsun in 2014, a 1970 510, to learn how to work on cars himself. After learning more about the history of Datsun, and the significance of both the 510 and the 240Z in establishing Japanese cars in the American market, he knew he had to own a Z as well.

  

A year later, the right Z showed up on eBay in Texas, a 1973 in silver gray. After pouring over the photos and talking to the seller, Dirk bought the car sight unseen. The idea was to have a nice Z to enjoy and drive, while continuing to work on the (sometimes not) rolling restoration of his 510. The car was lovingly restored by a dad and his children and in mostly stock condition. Dirk also has Datsun 620 work truck complete with dual-Mikuni’s:

  After many more tweaks, different induction setups, spring rate changes, rebuilt stock brakes, and 24K miles of driving including a few track days, Dirk’s Z was inching closer and closer to his vision.

 Photos: Dito Milian/Gotbluemilk.com 

“After installing a Datsun Spirit STR-3 engine with a set of Nismo Mikuni PHH44 carburetors, the biggest weak spots left were the rest of the drivetrain (especially the stock 4-speed transmission, but the Subaru diff had also developed some bearing issues), the stock brakes, and of course the loose nut behind the wheel – but sadly that last component typically takes too much money and time to modify thoroughly.”

  

After comparing the Z to his Subaru BRZ on the track, it was clear the Z was better at everything except for shifting gears. Since his engine made a healthy amount of torque, but not enough to warrant a CD009 (350z) transmission, Dirk kept looking for alternatives. He also wanted something with slightly closer gear ratios to better suit the engine’s power band. An S15 Silvia 6-speed seemed like the perfect fit and we installed it back in 2019.

S15 6-speed transmission

  

The first S15 box had some weak synchros, so Dirk sourced another one that was installed with OE trans fluid, as well as a set of fresh OE motor and trans mounts to help with shifter feel and reduce vibrations in the car.

“The S15 transmission fit surprisingly well. ZCG built a custom crossmember to locate it, and the shifter lined up almost perfectly. No transmission tunnel mods were necessary. The modern shifter looked out of place, so ZCG built a custom unit that would look stock, and work with the Datsun competition shift knob. A small 6-speed shift pattern sticker modeled after the one used in the Silvia is the only clue there’s something different going on under this car. And of course the driving experience.”

Making the S15 shifter look factory, we are happy with the result and Dirk’s subtle shift pattern sticker:

   

The Datsun Comp shift knob complements the steering wheel:

 

Chassis and Driveline Upgrades

First, there was work to upgrade the steering geometry and suspension. With the car being lowered quite a bit, despite having 1″ RCAs installed, it had a ton of bump steer. Rob installed DP racing adjustable tie rods, removed the front springs, and completely eliminated the bump steer on the alignment rack while moving the suspension through its full range of motion.

New DP Racing tie-rods and in-house alignment:

 

We also refurbished Dirk’s steering rack with fresh parts from our stash:

 

With the Z back in the shop for bodywork we took the opportunity to make more suspension changes. New Koni Race shocks from T3 were installed, which were a much better match for the 300# and 350# spring rates than the Koni Sport shocks they replaced (as Dirk initially ordered the coil overs with lower spring rates, he never replaced the shocks after adjusting the spring rates, and the car always felt underdamped, particularly on the not-adjustable compression stroke):

 

ZCG Big-Brakes and CV Axles

    Dirk visited ZCG and drove “Mrs. Butters”, our 1970 Series 1 240z shop demo car and 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 removed Dirk’s stock brakes and installed our ZCG Big-Brake kit.

 ZCG Big-brakes replacing stock setup up front:

   

At the rear, the factory drum brakes were replaced with our ZCG Big-Brakes. Factory handbrake functionality 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.

  

Also visible on Dirk’s Z are the excellent adjustable lower control arms from Techno Toy Tuning.

  

3 Liter L-Series Power

Unfortunately, the Datsun Spirit engine developed rod knock which was the impetus for a big drivetrain upgrade. Several other parts of the car where refined as well.

 

The L28 engine was pulled, sent to Rebello, and built into a 3L powerhouse. Dave bored out the 44PHH venturis to a custom 38.5mm, to hit the perfect compromise between peak power and drivability. We also installed a fresh water pump, alternator, new fan blade, OEM fan clutch and fresh air filters. The beautiful DP Racing oil pan remained. More photos in the gallery below:

 A custom stainless 2.5″ mandrel-bent exhaust mates with a new set of coated Pacesetter headers and Z Story Street muffler (in a search for a reduction in volume while keeping a nice note). Dirk discusses the clutch/flywheel combo below:

 

“The STR-3 already was able to slip the Exedy clutch and we were never fans of the Chromoly steel flywheel. A Jim Wolf Technologies clutch and flywheel combo was installed after first trying a newly developed Kameari single plate street clutch kit, which we both found too loud and racy for this street car. While the JWT pressure plate yielded a different pedal feel that took some getting used too, it was not too heavy and perfectly comfortable to drive in traffic. More importantly, it never slipped under any kind of abuse.”

The clutch hydraulics were replaced to work with new alumimum flywheel/JWT HD clutch combo:

  

We installed a ZCG-built 4.11 OS Giken limited-slip differential in the R180 along with a custom aluminum driveshaft:

   

Dyno Tuning

 

The previous L28 made 202hp/194tq at the wheels with Rob’s tuning. Now with the fresh 3L it baselined at 245hp/226tq with more area under the curve:

 

Rob tuned the car further on the chassis dyno, setting it up with a very lean idle at Dirk’s request (to minimize gasoline fumes at idle). With A/F optimized and Nismo Mikuni carbs massaged, Rob unlocked another 20hp yielding a stout 265hp/232tq to the wheels:

  

With gains of 62hp/37tq at the wheels over the L28, Dirk is very happy with the new 3L:

“While the Datsun Spirit engine had a very peppy mid-range and made more delicious induction noises, there’s no argument that the more powerful Rebello engine elevated the car to the next level of performance and fun. The entire setup worked incredibly well together, and we hit an impressive 265hp at the rear wheels, or 60hp more than the engine made in its previous iteration, putting it in the 100hp/liter ballpark at the crank. Not bad for a dinosaur engine on California pump gas!”

Enjoy the dyno video and L-series music!

 

Sorting

The little things are what we excel at and Dirk had a list for us to knock out. While at ZCG, we replaced the heavily sandblasted OE windshield, and did some rust remediation in the cowl area, as Dirk had started noticing water making it into the interior fan assembly after washing the car. More photos in the gallery below:

  

The heater and blower motor assembly was refurbished with new ducting seals and lubed linkage:

 

The headlight switch had also developed some issues where sometimes the lights would turn off completely when switching between low and high beam, and was replaced with a good used example from the ZCG parts stash.

“The headlights now worked reliably, the new engine didn’t consume any significant amount of oil, and the whole drivetrain worked together even better than before with the new clutch and flywheel combo.”

 

Unfortunately, 7 months and many miles later, Dirk was back after a minor nighttime crash that took out the left fender, front bumper and valance, and dented the hood. After bodywork and paint from our man William from William’s Auto Body, we installed a euro front bumper, used turn signal assembly, cleaned up electrical wiring from alternator through firewall and sorted his Speedhut GPS speedo box.

  

To improve safety, comfort, and avoid future crashes, Dirk upgraded his headlights to a new set of Holley Retrobrights, and GTR Carbide 2.0 turn signal bulbs front and rear from Headlight Revolution.

“The headlights are a world ahead of the old Maxxima LED units, which themselves outperformed the Sylvania Halogen sealed beams, while staying very under the radar, with their sealed beam-inspired looks. And the turn signals are now highly noticeable, even in the brightest daylight.”

 

Enjoying the Ride

Dirk’s been driving his Z-car pretty much every day since the latest upgrades, and it’s been working phenomenally well:

“The drivetrain + brakes make it as happy to accelerate as it is to stop, and with the quick, closely spaced shifts and eager engine, it’s fun to do a casual grocery run, and to drive quickly. With the electrical systems and all fumes well under control, it’s truly a car you can do anything with, and probably more reliable than my BMW.”

 

We loved to see Dirk driving his Z on rallies and fun runs this year. Most recently we joined fellow Japanese vintage car owners on the Tokyo Calling event hosted by Breakfast Club Rally:

 

Dirk also joined us for a New Year’s Day drive through our favorite Bay Area Backroads:

 

We enjoyed working with you Dirk and it was rewarding to help improve your Z.

“Some say good is the enemy of great, but that’s true if you think you’re done. I don’t see my Z car less as a “build” that’s done. I’m always developing it, just like continually developing a race car (e.g. my Lemons car, http://instagram.com/bittersc243) to stay competitive. In this case the competition is merely for making the Z into the most fun driving experience I can imagine, and the journey of continuous refinement and improvement is a big part of the fun for me.”

 

While Dirk works through a few interior projects (new carpets, stereo upgrade) on his own, we’re getting ready to further revise the front suspension/steering, and wider wheel + tire options. Enjoy more photo documentation of our work in the gallery below. Thanks for your support Dirk and LONG LIVE THE Z!