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]

 

Paul Ferrari has been in our life since 2002. Prior to launching Z Car Garage, as a young man Rob worked on Paul’s 1991 Nissan 300zx Twin Turbo. Paul is super enthusiastic and he is similar to Rob—there’s never enough power.

 

Our journey with Paul’s Z32TT spans almost two decades. It made plenty of power back in an era where it was uncommon; nowadays 500hp is easy to achieve with current performance parts.  From a NA-TT setup to full disassembly and restoration with lessons and tricks learned along the way…Paul has been a devoted friend and customer. Folks like Paul contribute to the success of Z Car Garage and we love when customers see ZCG as “their own” garage. Let’s take a look at how Paul found his 300…

Z32 Destiny

 

Paul recalls how we acquired the Z in December 2002, after passing on a MkIV Supra:

“When I first saw the Z in the seller’s driveway…It was one of those moments that is burned into my memory! I was amazed! The look! The stance! Even the license plate, “500HP”!  It had all the typical import performance parts of the era:  JWT Sport 500 turbos and test pipes, Stillen intercoolers, Stillen “dual pop chargers”, RCE 550 injectors, JWT ECU, HKS EVC, Apex’I Super AVC-R, Greddy Turbo timer, and OZ 17 inch-5 spokes. There was no doubt in my mind; this was going to be my car. It was so sexy, sleek and fast!” 

 

He reached out to Rob for a commensurate pre-purchase inspection and eventually purchased the Z:

“It only took a few phone calls to dealerships and other import shops to zero in on a guy named Rob Fuller at Scott Performance.  I think Rob’s name was mentioned in 3 out of 4 calls. It was well known, even before Z Car Garage that if you needed someone to look at your performance Nissan that Rob was the guy you wanted looking at it.” 

In 2004, Rob started his own performance shop, Z Car Garage. Paul Ferrari was one of many customers that followed and he certainly had the itch for more power. This led to the first high performance engine build, circa 2004:

  

We had Rebello build the VG30 with H-beam Rods, forged pistons, rebuilt the bottom end and heads, ordered JWT Sport 700 ball bearing turbos along with a set of big JWT cams, bigger intercoolers, bigger injectors and a laundry list of miscellaneous items.  It was good for 570hp/483tq at the wheels. Paul enjoyed it but shortly after he had run it on high boost without race fuel causing engine failure…

“Proof of my escapade that day still hangs on the wall between the shop and the office at Z Car Garage in the form of a stout, but severely bent H beam Rod attached to a piston with broken ring lands.  Correct me if I’m wrong, but I think mine was the first installment ever on the Z Car Garage wall of shame. ” 

The NATT is Born

Rob offered Paul a loaner motor out of a naturally aspirated Z32. Through some interesting twists and turns in Paul’s life, he was even a ZCG employee at the time. The crew discussed hanging his turbos on it, and to install the turbo cams since they were still at the shop. We all agreed, and it would be affectionately called the NATT    (Naturally Aspirated Twin Turbo). It was surprisingly good, and still a fond memory for many of us.

 

Paul’s life changed and he moved out of the Bay Area. With his life in transition eventually the NATT was pulled, and the Z sat in storage from 2008 to 2012. In this period we had the engine refreshed by Rebello, and had the car sent off to Williams Autobody for paint and installation of a new Veilside EC-01 front bumper and Karuma rear spoiler.

“During the time my car was mothballed, innovations at Z Car Garage never ceased. And since my car was just sitting, Rob and I were able to add almost everything to my build sheet.  Some of these innovations disappeared as fast as they came, some stayed. CZP 2.5 inch intercooler piping, larger throttle bodies, Bell intercoolers, a 4.08:1 Leaders gear set and KAAZ Limited slip diff; smaller exhaust housings and modified impellers on the turbos, Mike Smith high flow cast exhaust manifolds, a Selin dual MAF, ASHspec dual inlet piping, and several items from Specialty Z. ” 

Final Form

 

In 2012, Rob had started using Haltech ECU’s to unlock the power of his builds and was getting amazing performance results across the board.  He’d also been experimenting with Turbo exhaust housings, and modified impellers, cam profiles, and cam timing, along with a whole host of innovations for S30’s to Z34’s. We called up Paul and asked him to drive Rob’s newly-built Z32TT ( with tuning thanks to Seb of SpecialtyZ)

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0UT3lwlZw4

Paul recalls the experience

“So, he calls me one day and says, ‘Man you need to come down and drive my Z.  You’ve got to experience the gains we’re getting with these Haltech’s.’  That car broke loose at 70 plus and went beyond 100 faster than anything I’d ever driven, and far faster than any Ferrari I’d ever ridden in, and for me, from that moment on, that’s all I could talk about and think about. During the era that my car was mothballed I had sold a house, changed careers, retired, moved to a different city, and had taken up off roading and traveling in a big way, so by the time I was able to house my Z, it was ready to be finished up and delivered.  And along with all the innovations that had taken place I was now going to have My Monster.”

Drivetrain

 

We removed the NATT from his Z and began the epic build, applying all the tricks we learned starting starting with a fully built Rebello 3L. The list includes: Sport 500 cams, HD springs all new lifters, and lots of headwork…

 

…3″ downpipes, 3″ mid pipes, SZ 2.5″ cat-back exhaust, BB700 turbos, BDE engine mounts, Ashspec inlet piping, Tomei exhaust cam gears, BDE cam gears, Mike Smith manifolds with EGR, SZ big IC piping and massive intercoolers, brand new transmission from Nissan, SZ high-five clutch/flywheel and a Haltech plugin Platinum Pro ECU with boost solenoids and map-based tuning:

 

More build pics in the gallery below! Here is the fresh, hot-rodded VG30DETT installed:

 

Rob dyno tuned using Haltech,  a Greddy boost controller and 100 octane yielding 630hp/539tq at the wheels:

Chassis

 

In addition to the full engine build, the entire car was restored from interior to exterior. The chassis was treated to Stoptech ST40 front and ST22 rear calipers, Volk SF Winning 18″ wheels with 245/275 Bridgestone RE-71R tires, new driveshaft assembly, Leader gears(4.08) with Quiafe LSD, Tein coil-overs with EDFC Active Pro controller, SPL tension rods and titanium HICAS eliminator and a full wiring harness.

 

The exterior restoration included all new mouldings, new front glass, all new cowl panel, and every weatherstrip piece that is available from Nissan. The interior is just as pristine as the exterior:

 

Paul was pleased with the Z, as delivered in 2017:

“When I took delivery, Rob wouldn’t tell me the horsepower I was making till well after I had had several months to drive the car.  He eventually told me 630 HP, and 540Lb/Ft TQ on a relatively conservative tune at near Sea Level in San Jose.  It’s strictly a VP110 car now.  Here at home in Reno at 4500 feet above Sea level the tires easily break loose on the freeway going 70, at this elevation it is truly amazing!”

 

 

Enjoying The Ride

 

Paul is very serious about motorsports and he is into LS-powered sand rails and Haybusa-powered buggies etc. so he has a 55 gallon of 110 race fuel at his house. His Z is tuned for 110 octane and he regularly tracks the car at Thunderhill Raceway. We love to see him Enjoying The Ride! Track photos by Gorilla Tornado Photography

 

“I track the car on club days, and I run it around the mountain roads of Tahoe and Virginia City, and take it to Cars and Coffee events.   I’ve gotten it up to 160mph, and maybe 170mph, and at the time of this writing the car is 29 years old, so I don’t think that’s too shabby!  It doesn’t need to go any faster, and neither do I.  It sits beautifully in the garage on a Battery Tender, along side a fuel jug full of VP110, waiting for its next rip.  It gets washed even when it doesn’t need it just for good measure.  It still rips and it still makes my heart race like nothing else. ” 

 

 

Enjoy this short video of the z in action:

 

“I found a Z Car that would not only invigorate my life but would lead me to the doorstep of such a long quest as a customer, friend, and supporter of Z Car Garage! I am honored and privileged to have been a part of the history of Z Car Garage.  I have a deep respect for Rob, the guys that started with Rob, and the guys who have cycled through in the shop, and I am privileged to have met so many great guys and gals that are passionate about performance Nissans.”

 

Thank you Paul Ferrari for being a part of the Z Car Garage family. It has been, and continues to be a rewarding journey working with you. LONG LIVE THE (twin turbo) Z!

 

More pictures in the gallery below:

 

This 2004 350z Touring is a ZCG customer car that has been maintained by us for many years. It has a new front bumper, 2007-2008 hood and Stillen rear wing. Full suspension including TEIN coil-overs with EDFC and Hotchkis sway bars. A full 4-wheel Rotora Big-Brake kit is framed behind VOLK SF Challenge wheels sized 19×9 and 19×10 running Toyo Proxes T1-R tires (245/275). It is ready to be enjoyed!

See the video and many more pictures on our for sale page here:
2004 Nissan 350z Touring

 

Nick K has been coming to Z Car Garage for several years. He makes the trek all the way from Sacramento and we’re proud to be the only shop that gets to work on his 2004 G35 Coupe. In 2012 we first met Nick, UPREV flashed his car and performed routine services.  He had daydreamed of one day doing a supercharger kit.

 

A year later Nick K’s engine was tired. With 209k miles on the clock he dropped the G35 off at ZCG in preparation for a fresh start and…boost!  We removed the ailing VQ35 engine and installed a complete VQ35 from a customer who wrecked his car with 50k miles on it:

 

With the engine out it was prudent to install a JWT HD clutch/aluminum flywheel. We did a Vortech tuner supercharger kit using our recipe of 1000cc injectors, GT MAF, and Aeromotive 340 fuel pump. To keep everything cool in Sactown heat we installed a 25-row oil cooler. In 2013, Nick was on his way with a new engine and boost, enjoying a nice 140hp/105tq bump in power for a total of 386hp/334tq to the wheels:
…[read more]

 

Scott N visited ZCG because he felt the suspension on his 1994 Z32 ‘Vert could be improved.  The Z33 Rays wheels look sharp on this 300! We installed TEIN coil-overs and a few other goodies:

Here are the existing shocks and the new TEIN street coil-overs going in front and rear:

Z1 upper control arms:

 

SPL tension rods so we could fully adjust camber up front:

 

The rack bushings are vey common problem on z32s so we replaced them. In the back: the aftermarket adjustable upper control arms were making noise so we replaced them with OEM parts and performed a full alignment.

Scott is super happy and Enjoying The Ride!