Arsia has been coming to Z Car Garage for over 10 years with his 1994 Z32 Convertible. This was his first car and it has been a pleasure helping him maintain and modify it.

“When I first went to ZCG I was incredibly happy to have found a place that I could completely trust with my Z. Working with Rob is like finding a doctor that you trust and listen to any advice they give.” 

  

“I got the Z in 1996 while I was in high school. My parents were open to me getting a sporty car, but nothing too crazy. I have an uncle in San Diego that sold used cars and he told my parents he had a great deal on a used 1994 Convertible Z. Lucky for me, my parents had no idea what type of car this was, but assumed it was something mild given my uncle was recommending it. In high school the car was used in one of our school parades. Today, the Z is still my daily driver and me and my girlfriend love taking the car out together on weekends for a drive or road trip.”

 

Making It His Own

Over the last decade Arsia would come to the shop for little projects, slowly giving the 300 his personal touch and building a really nice convertible. The body received a KarumaZ rear spoiler and we called upon our man William from William’s Auto Body to mold-in the side skirts and correct paint work.

 

Engine

At 93k miles, routine maintenance and upgrades commenced. We fixed all the little things he asked of us and performed timing belt services. Power upgrades included JWT 400 cams, POP charger, JWT ecu (tuned by Rob) rob tune, aftermarket cat and a SpecialtyZ 2.5″ exhaust:

 

With Rob’s dyno tuning the VG30DE made 206hp/185hp at the wheels. Solid gains of 24hp/34tq from baseline!

Suspension

Early on we installed Tokico 5-way shocks with an Eibach pro-kit, SPL T/C Rods, z32 rack bushings, and Stillen sway bars:

 

In 2015  we upgraded to TEIN Street Flex coil-overs with EDFC and GPS active suspension:

 

More maintenance followed with  a new convertible top, smog, fuel hoses, 02 sensors and oil change in 2016.

 

In 2019 we replaced the injectors,  cleaned up wear and tear. The transmission got tired so we did a Level 1 hot rod unit with torque converter. 10 years had passed so we serviced timing belt:

 

Stoptech Big-Brakes

 

As every Z32 owner knows, the stock brakes just aren’t up to the task. More power exacerbates the issue and you know how we feel at ZCG:  It’s Stoptech Or Don’t Stop At All.  Arsia’s Z got the 328mm Big-Brake Kit using red ST40 calipers and slotted rotors. A Stoptech sport kit in back with color matched stock calipers completes the system:

  

Wheels

Wheels make the car. Arsia had a set of  OEM (’05-09) 18″ Z33 wheels on the 300. After much research, in Fall 2019 we ordered a set of Volk CE28N SL 18×8.5 front, 18x 9.5 rear finished in Pressed Graphite:

“Finding the CE28N wheels was a long hard process that honestly took hours of research over many days (thankfully Rob was there to help). I kept looking through tons of sites and hundreds of wheel options. Wheel after wheel either didn’t fit, had been discontinued, or wasn’t available in the color I wanted. I knew that whatever wheel I chose would be on the car for 10+ years, so I wanted to ensure it was high quality, extremely light and matched the aesthetics of a pearl Z. I was soooo happy with the result and the help from Rob to really perfect the look of the car.”

The CE28N wheels are light, at 17.8 lbs and they they look fantastic against the pearl white and gleaming Stoptech calipers behind those iconic spokes.

 

 

An alignment was performed after wheels/tire installation and we also installed center caps. The SL series wheels are not designed to accept a center cap so we used a hub adapter for that icing on the cake:

“The thing that I’ve loved with my journey with Rob is that not only is the car well maintained after being 26yrs old, but that it just keeps getting better. With the addition of Stoptech brakes, TEIN suspension, new cams, transmission upgrade, etc, the car feels better than new, while still being a capable daily driver. Rob really knows what maintenance and upgrades work best!”

Enjoying the Ride

 

Arsia can be found cruising around the Bay Area backroads, top down Enjoying The Ride. We love that after all these years he’s still passionate about his 300. More pictures in the gallery below!

 

“Rob is always super knowledgeable and understands what your goals are. I love the fact that he knows these cars so well and his top priority is having customers drive away with a smile. Every single time I’ve got the car back after service, I feel the same way I did the day I first drove the car….just grinning ear to ear! I really am thankful for the entire ZCG team, if it wasn’t for them, I truly don’t know if I would be able to still have this car today.”

Thank you Arsia, it’s been an absolute pleasure working with you. Long Live The Z!

…[read more]

 

It takes teamwork to make the Dream work. We want to thank Love20bee for sourcing and re-finishing these SSR Watanabe RS8 wheels for James’ 1972 Datsun 240z.

 

It has been said that “wheels make the car”. Matt and his team nailed it with these RS8s sized 10.5 (F) and 12.5 (R) on massive 275/315 width Nitto NT-01 tires.

 

While they look killer standing still, they are even sweeter in motion as seen in the video below:

 

Rob and owner James are proudly wearing Love20bee hoodies. We highly recommend Love20bee for your wheel needs. Check them out on Instagram and Hoonigan Autofocus.

 

You can see more of James Stephens’ turbocharged 1972 Datsun 240z on Hoonigan Autofocus and Speedhunters.

 

This Z also packs parts and support from numerous folks we are happy to work with including KAD Models, Stoptech, Haltech,Rebello, Os Giken, Skillard, TechnoToyTuning, Hoke Performance and Retro-Spec Carbon.

Stay tuned for a full report on zcarblog.com. More pics in the gallery below!

 
…[read more]

 

We met Lehan in the summer of 2018 when he came to Z Car Garage with his newly acquired (KH2) 1991 Skyline GTR. After learning that these cars can be made smog compliant, he found this car locally (originally imported by our friend Sean and his team at Toprank International Vehicle Importers) and picked it up right away. We replaced the clutch and flywheel with an OS Giken TS2CD setup, replaced the rear main seal and fresh clutch hydraulics.

 

“I’ve changed the wheels and exhaust to more of my liking, replaced worn rubber parts and trim pieces, and added some Nismo bling. My goal with the car is to keep it looking mostly stock, but update the drivetrain to more modern tech, hence the Haltech ecu. In the future I may replace the 30 year old turbos but keep it to a modest hp gain, and replace the Attesa G-sensor with a digital unit. I will probably keep the HICAS system just because, and learn to drive with it on the track.”

 

Haltech ECU and Tuning

 

In March of 2019 we installed a Haltch Platium Pro Plug-in. It was set up to run MAP-based with the Haltech WB1 single channel wideband 02. We are huge fans of Haltech engine management. Rob performed street/dyno tuning tuned on 91 octane with baseline numbers of 260hp/253tq and with the Haltech making 337hp/280tq at the rear wheels:

 

Enjoy the dyno video!

Stoptech Big Brakes

All 90’s Nissan sports cars can benefit from larger brakes and Stoptech has got you covered. Another Norcal Skyline member Kurt W also had Stoptech brakes installed at ZCG, and he highly recommended them. Lehan’s R32 received ST40 calipers with 332mm rotors up front and ST22 caliper with 328mm rotors at the rear.

 

A few pictures of the brake installation:

 

The brakes look great behind the BBS wheels. During the brake upgrade we replaced all fluids: both diffs, tranny and transfer case.

 

Lehan took the R32 to a track day it performed admirably. He did experienced high oil temps, another common issue when tracking these cars. A new oil cooler will be installed next. Over all he’s please with the Skyline’s upgrades:

“Every visit to fix or update something just makes the car more awesome to drive. It feels much more lively and torquey after the tune. Best part is I can drive it as hard as I can knowing it’s been tuned safely and backed by modern engine management. It’s a similar feeling with the StopTech brakes on track – without it I would not have been able to push braking points. The steering feel and overall composure of the car is top notch, especially after the tune. I’m very happy with the car as is, but definitely looking forward to any future mods.”

 

Our 1971 shop demo Z, Mrs. Butters, is now featured on Petrolicious. In addition to a 3.2L, triple-Mikuni engine this S30 proudly wears Z Car Garage Big-Brakes, Z Car Garage CV Axles, ZCG Heat Shield, 6-speed transmission and full KW suspension (releasing soon).

 

All of these parts were developed on Mrs. Butters to offer our clients a balanced performance package. Enjoy the article with photos and interview with Rob Fuller by photographer Naveed Yousufzai HERE.

 

 

We met Ken W last summer when he stopped by Z Car Garage to meet Rob and have his S30 inspected. Our Z Car Garage Big-Brakes and Z Car Garage CV Axles along with upgraded suspension parts and a Rebello 3L engine transformed his 1971 240Z into a fantastic sports car.

 

The Right Z

Before we dive in to the upgrades let’s take a look at how Ken got into Z cars and finally found the right one…

“When I was a junior in High School, the cool kids were driving Mustangs, Camaros, and ‘Cudas. Always different, my imagination was captured by the ’71 Datsun 240z. Being a Kansas farm boy on the lower end of the economic scale, had to settle for a ’64 Ford Fairlane 500 4-door with the 269 V-8. Knew that someday I’d own a 240z. Spent 2018 researching the 240z market. In January 2019, bought a red ’72 240z with Wilwood brakes, QA1 coil-over suspension, 17” wheels. A little rough but convinced me that owning a 240z as a daily driver, was going to make me happy.”

 

We inspected Ken’s red ’72 240z and found many problems. Rob suggested finding a chassis in better shape to make his own. After our evaluation Ken consulted with fellow S30 owner/racer Glenn C to affirm that ZCG was the right place to be. Ken was convinced that the S30 is a great rally car and began searching again, finding this green ’71 on Craigslist, near Sacramento.

“Rob gave this car his approval as a basis for the rally car that I wanted to build. ZCG is so popular that we weren’t able to get it in for the chassis upgrades before the Mother Lode 400 rally in June 2019 . The car was fine, but only fine. Yes, the brakes and suspension worked and the motor was dependable, but with the enthusiastic style of rally driving, showed they really weren’t up to the task.”

 

ZCG Big-Brakes and CV Axles

The upgrade process began, giving Ken the ability to brake on a dime, perform well and daily drive. We handed him the keys to “Mrs. Butters”, our 1971 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 Ken’s brakes and installed our ZCG Big-Brake kit. The Z also received Tokico 5-way struts with Eibach springs and suspension parts from Techno Toy Tuning. New parts included adjustable T/C rods, rear control arms, new bushings, rack bushings, steering coupler, factory Nissan ball joints, new wheel bearings and more.  We really appreciate Gabriel and his staff. They make some of the best suspension parts out there for Z cars.

 

ZCG Big-brakes up front:

 

T3 T/C rods and new brake master cylinder/booster:

 

Suspension Techniques sway bars installed front and rear:

 

At the rear, the factory drum brakes were replaced with our ZCG Big-Brakes. Factory handbrake functionality retained! Ken was pleased with the brakes:

“I really the brakes. Having experienced stock brakes and the Wilwood’s (Stage 4 front and rear), was really interested to discover if the ZCG Big Brake kit was all that I’d heard about. I’m here to say that the Big Brake kit exceeded all expectations. Under hard braking, feels like I’ve just driven into a huge pool of thick super glue or that someone immediately behind me has just switched on a huge electromagnet. Undeniably shorter braking distances. Huge confidence when diving deep into corners.”

 

Our Z Car Garage CV Axles help transmit power to the ground and ensure smoother operation compared to your standard half shafts. Ken’s Z received set #298. We have over 100 CV axle kits on customer cars and we are stoked with all of the positive feedback.

 

Stock half shafts and control arms (L):

   

Before/After suspension upgrades. Not shown is the ZCG exhaust system using 2.5″ piping to a stainless resonator and Magnaflow muffler with slash-cut tip:

 

Great feedback again from Ken regarding the suspension upgrades:

“In August 2019 it went into ZCG shop for the upgrades. Let’s talk about the suspension first. My red ’72 had QA1 coil-overs and it wasn’t particularly balanced or optimized. Too soft in front, too harsh in back, little squirrely under brake or gas. By comparison the ZCG components showed care in selection, thought in design and clear goals in creation of a balanced package. The car is impressive under braking, squatting uniformly and smoothly. Under hard acceleration, it tracks straight. The CV axles are works of art and well suited to handle the Rebello motor to come.”

 

More Power

 

With braking and suspension sorted all Ken needed was power to match. Without going too wild we opted for a Rebello 3L, retaining SU induction. The 3L still leaves room for aggressive cam/Mikuni induction upgrades should he feel the need. A few pictures of the fresh motor, more in the gallery below:

 

Ken enjoys tinkering with vintage motorcycles and rallying. While running the Snowball Rally the car did really well and he had a great time but unfortunately, it was hit by a motorist (not part of the rally). We called upon our man William from William’s Auto Body to fix everything and re-spray.

 

While the motor was out, we cleaned up the engine bay. Everything came out, the bay was painted, new seals around all hoses going through the firewall. The engine got an MSA 6 to 1 header, all intake/exhaust gaskets, MSD6Al box with tach adapter, Koyo race radiator, zinc’d hardware and new alternator/starter. We  ensured that he would be able to rally wherever and whenever.

 

Backing the 3L is a 5-speed with JWT aluminum flywheel and Exedy clutch:

 

Rob dyno-tuned the Z with the stock L24 (109hp/128tq) and the 3L, now making 199hp/209tq to the wheels:

 

Enjoy the L-Series music!

 

Panasport Wheels

 

What is the perfect companion for Ken’s Z, now that it has full suspension and wicked brakes and fresh paint? Panasport wheels! We replaced the old-school slotted wheels with 16×7 Panasports and Bridgestone’s killer S-007a tire in 225/50/16.

“The Wilwood Stage 4 front brakes required a spacer to move the generic Japanese front wheels out far enough to avoid fouling the calipers. This meant running 215/45/17 tires. A drawback to the 17” wheels is that the space-saving spare can’t exceed 16” in the spare tire well.  I totally love the beautiful Panasport wheels! When I take the car to Z car meet-ups, everyone says “this car has been to ZCG, right?” The wheel and brake combo means I gained 10mm tire width and no spacers. We agreed that for rally purposes, I’d change the tires every 3 years, so Rob picked out some nice sticky ones.”

 

Rallye On!

 

Ken was smiling ear to ear and told us we built him a Z car he really enjoyed:

“The results are fabulous! My car is such a hoot to drive. Quick off the line, easy to spin the tires. Now I understand why Rob recommended the CV shafts. The car was awesome on the 2019 California Melee. Had so much fun driving the rally with my brother who flew in from Kansas. He drove it much slower than I did, so when I took my first shift, diving it deeper and deeper into the corners, accelerating harder and harder out of the corners, that I proposed establishing a safe word if he wanted me to ease off the fun.”

 

 

We have been checking in with Ken and he’s happily Enjoying The Ride. We even spotted his Z cars while cruising through the neighborhood.

 

“I’m so happy to have met Rob and provided him with a car that has ‘good bones’. Enjoyed working with ZCG. A key for me is that ZCG has been able to provide all the upgrades, in an integrated package. Didn’t want to use multiple shops and fight through finger pointing. Trust Rob and his crew, they’ve done these upgrades 100 times or more. They know what works and what doesn’t. Personally, I care more about the quality of work performed and the result, rather than shopping for the lowest price.”

 

Thank you Ken for allowing us to help you achieve your vision of the ultimate Z car. We loved working with you. Long Live The Z!

More pictures in the gallery below:
…[read more]