Our Z Car Garage Big Brakes have been winning over Z-car enthusiasts locally and globally. Jason purchased a set for his 1974 Datsun 260Z and performed the installation himself. Before we go into his Big-Brake experience let’s hear his Z-story…

JASON: “I first heard about Z Car Garage by following Larry Chen’s 240z build on his YouTube Channel. I saw his various interviews with Rob Fuller and was really impressed with his knowledge and passion for the Datsun 510 and s30 chassis. Quickly, I started researching more about the pain points of the s30’s, and noted the lack of support from many other companies in the area of suspension and braking locally. The kits available were Wilwood, Endless, Star Road, among others. No complete kits that were torture tested and raced like what Z Car Garage was doing with their ZCG CV Axles , Brake Kits and other components they were selling. Research and development are key to me, and I was thrilled to see ZCG taking this on themselves. In addition, Rob is a real human being who’s on top of answering questions via email and in person at Z car events. That’s a HUGE deal to me, and it’s so rare to meet someone that of course is just as passionate about his cars as the enthusiasts building them.”

“My 1974 Datsun 260z is an Early model s30. When I purchased it, a few years ago I quickly removed the stock seats and reupholstered Recaro LX vintage seats in Black. I loved the netted headrest, and the clean recaro stitching at the center of the seat. I also removed the Greddy Oni wheel that was originally in the car and swapped it out with a new old stock Nardi Nismo Deep steering wheel with a Black and Gold finish. I went through the interior and purchased a NOS Datsun center console, and replaced the stock door cards with Skillard flat cards with leather pull straps.”

“In addition to the door cards, I added Skillard powder coated heel plates. The car came with BC adjustable coil-overs and Swift Springs which I will be updating in the near future. The BC Coilovers are perfectly fine for the street applications I’m using the car for currently. My suspension underneath the car is the full T3 catalog including the power cradle, control arms, bushings, and even their steering elements. It’s finally sorted, and I really enjoy driving the car the way it currently feels.”

“The car is equipped with a L28, ZX 5 Speed transmission, and 44pHH Mikuni triple carbs built by Taka at Kyusha House. The header and exhaust system are Fujitsubo Legalis R. The engine has since been updated in every way from the ignition system, oil pump, spark plug cables, and brake new seals and belt. The oil pan was replaced with a Moroso baffled racing pan with higher oil capacity.” 

 

“I have two sets of wheels and tires for the car. One set is Volk Racing TE37v custom gold 15×9 at 0 offset on Toyo Proxes R888 205/50/15, and the other set is Work Racing Equip 03 15×8.5 at -3 offset custom bronzed lip, and Gold Center on Falken Azenis RT660 205/50/15. The front bumper is a carbon MSA, and the rear tail light bezels are carbon fiber made by Vintage Carbon. The wing is a Carbon Fiber BRE spoiler.”

You can see Jason’s Z in action in the video below:

Z Car Garage Big-Brakes

 

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.

 

Big-Brake Kits Available For DIY Install!

Z Car Garage is proud to offer our Big-Brake Kit to Z-Car owners that want to perform the installation themselves. We can ship worldwide and each kit contains everything needed with a comprehensive (40-page) installation guide. Blog posts documenting all of our customers running the ZCG Big-Brakes can be found HERE. Enjoy these pictures of Jason’s beautiful S30 and his ZCG Big-Brake installation:

Our ZCG Big-Brake kit ships with everything needed to install and retains the factory parking brake function. Jason successfully installed the BBK on his Z with PitstopMotorTuning, and they look great behind both the Work Equip 03 and Volk TE37 wheels:

   

Beyond ease of installation and quality components, our Big-Brakes perform by offering superb pedal feel…everyone that drives our demo Z confirms! 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. Jason shares his feedback after replacing his existing Wilwood brakes with the ZCG BBK:

JASON: “The Stoptech ZCG Big-Brakes are really a solid kit. The lead time was pretty rough, but again Rob reassured me every month over the course of a year of waiting that it would be worth it. He was right! These brakes do not disappoint. Once the kit was completely bedded and broken in, I quickly put the brakes to the test on Angeles Crest highway here in Los Angeles. I know this road well, and that’s where I usually push the car at a safe limit, and see where the pain points lie. The ZCG brakes are worth every penny. They are precise, they are confidence inspiring, and also feel great under late braking situations. I had a blast carving around the canyon knowing my brakes would safely hold up. My next test would be to get a couple of track days on them, and see how they hold up under extreme conditions and multiple sessions.”

 

“The goal for the 260z is to refine my current setup. The paint is a bit rough since it was a garage paint job, and I would love to repaint the whole car including the interior. At the moment, I’m building a high compression 3.1L stroker motor with Jenvey 50mm ITB being managed by a Haltech Elite 750 stand alone ECU. My goals long term are for big power, but with street car reliability. I would love to confidently do a track day, but also be comfortable driving my wife to car shows, and even to grab a cup of coffee together. The engine has a custom designed valve cover designed by myself, and commissioned to be created by BSpeed in New Zealand. Big updates to come in the new year!”

Thanks for your support Jason we love that you are Enjoying The Ride and Long Live The Z! More photos in the gallery below

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 200 kits sold worldwide and unanimous positive feedback. See our ZCG Big-Brakes on client cars HERE and enjoy the photos below:

 

  

Our Z Car Garage Big Brakes have been winning over Z-car enthusiasts locally and globally. Kim recently purchased a set for his 1970 Datsun 240Z and performed the installation himself at home in Norway. Before we go into his Big-Brake experience let’s hear his Z-story…

Like many enthusiasts, Kim started with a Miata…

“After owning a modified Miata for several years it was time for another project car. I still have the Miata, but that is more for track use now. I was not actively looking for a 240z, but I came across my Z car on a Norwegian sales site. I went to have a look and the car was in good shape, and the price was so low that I just had to buy it. It was repainted in 2005. The paint job was ok, but not perfect. All interior panels, dash and seats were re-trimmed in leather.”

Modifications include Tokico dampers with Ground Control coil-overs and a Nissan 6-speed CD009a transmission using the Hoke Performance kit. Kim was heading to the track and eventually installed a Datsun Spirit 3.1L engine with Jenvey ITB EFI, ported head and custom exhaust. Yes, that’s Kim’s Z on the Nurburging!

You can see the dyno run and acceleration in Kim’s Z in the video below:

See the full video from Misha Choudrin.

Z Car Garage Big-Brakes

 

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.

 

Big-Brake Kits Available For DIY Install!

Z Car Garage is proud to offer our Big-Brake Kit to Z-Car owners that want to perform the installation themselves. We can ship worldwide and each kit contains everything needed with a comprehensive (40-page) installation guide. Blog posts documenting all of our customers running the ZCG Big-Brakes can be found HERE. Enjoy these pictures of Kim’s beautiful Series 1 S30 and his ZCG Big-Brake installation:

As mentioned, our ZCG Big-Brake kit ships with everything needed to install and retains the factory parking brake. Kim successfully installed the BBK on his Z, and they also look great behind the Work Equip 03 wheels and newly installed fender flares:

 

 

Beyond ease of installation and quality components, our Big-Brakes perform by offering superb pedal feel…everyone that drives our demo Z confirms! 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.

“I take everything as they come, and find a new upgrade I like to try from time to time. Well, the goal is to have a car that works every year and I can modify during the winter. All lights are upgraded to LED from Classic Car Leds. AC from Vintage Air, upgrading the engine wiring harness, and consider some wider tires to fill the arches a bit more.”

Thanks for your support Kim we love that you are Enjoying The Ride and Long Live The Z! More photos in the gallery below

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 200 kits sold worldwide and unanimous positive feedback. See our ZCG Big-Brakes on client cars HERE and enjoy the photos below:

 

   

The 1990 to 1996 Nissan 300zx Twin-Turbo is the underdog of 90’s Japanese supercars. Sure the RX7, Supra and NSX get all the attention – but the Z32 (yes we are biased) represents the best balance of performance, reliability and comfort.  From the intimate feeling of the power leather seats and gauge cluster to the addictive power that evokes a familiar Nissan commercial…

…the Z32 is magical. It is hard to describe how rad these cars are after ZCG has gone through one. Let’s take a look at our customer Chris V. and see of what our 20yrs+ of experience with this chassis can create.

Chris Finds a 300zx

We started working with Chris in 2014 and this is his Z car story:

“I was a huge 510 fan (I still am). In 1990 I was at Sunnyvale Nissan picking up some parts when I saw my first 300ZX. My jaw dropped at it’s gorgeous yet subtle shape. It was such a welcome departure from the angular late 80’s Z body styles. I sat in it, and marveled at the organic dash design. I distinctly remember thinking to myself, “What an awesome car, I’ll never be able to afford one of these.”

“Fast forward to 1996, my commute was a 100 mile round trip, and it was killing my beloved 510. I started looking around for a newer car that would make a good commuter. Well, the “commuter” I found was a ’92 300ZX TT, offered at a local BMW dealer. The price was right, and it came home with me. Dream come true. It had about 40k on it when I bought it, and was in great shape. It was my trusted commute car for years, and the miles piled on. I was diligent with maintenance, and never had any issues until about 165k miles, when one of my turbos died.”

In 2001 Chris was confronted with fuel injector replacement, a task that he wanted to tackle himself but work/life kept his project from moving. Eventually boxes and blankets covered the car while it sat on jackstands in the garage. It remained this way for 12 years.

He decided it was time to bring back his Z32 and came to us for a Z Car Garage-style resurrection in 2014.  We collaborated on one of the coolest 300s to leave the shop. Our plan, on top of a restoration, was to build an “adult’s Hot Rod”…a Z with great power and handling that could still be driven daily and last for many thousands of miles worry-free.

Engine

Virtually everything was updated or replaced in the engine bay. The engine followed a similar recipe as Rob’s personal Z32TT: a Rebello Racing VG30 with all new internals including JE pistons, Eagle rods, all new bearings, Nissan headgasket and JWT sport 500 cams with HD valve springs. Everything was built to go to 800hp if necessary, for durability and reliability.

The entire engine room wiring harness (Wiring Specialties) was replaced for peace of mind. Shown below are BDE cam gears and exhaust gears so we could improve boost spool and make a wider powerband. BDE engine mounts are fantastic pieces that have become a staple on our Z32 builds:

Providing boost are JWT BB700s (GT2860RS turbos, known as Disco Potato) mounted to a set of killer Mike Smith exhaust manifolds with EGR( for smog compliance)

Impossibly trick and beautiful 5-bolt 3″ downpipes from SpecialtyZ…it’s shame they are not visible from the engine bay!

New turbos, exhaust manifolds and downpipes mounted:

From the downpipes the SpecialtyZ exhaust system continues with  3″ mid pipes, and their 2.5″ cat-back system w/resonated X-pipe:

Everything in the fuel system and induction was brand new. Fueling duties are handled by an Aeromotive 340lph pump and Nismo 740cc injectors with JWT adapter to allow late-style injectors in the early car.  Brand new induction consist of Ashspec inlet piping and Massive intercoolers with 2.5″ piping:

Backing the new engine is a JWT lightweight aluminum flywheel and HD street clutch:

Drivetrain all buttoned up and ready for dyno tuning:

Dyno Tuning

Rob dyno tuned the Z using Nistune ECU board and Greddy Profec boost controller. On 91 octane it made 503hp/425tq at the wheels:

We can’t cover every detail that was handled in the engine bay so please check the photo gallery below! Every piece in this engine that is available from Nissan was replaced: new clutch hydraulics, O2 sensors, new fan clutch, new cooling fan, new power steering hoses, a Koyo race radiator and A/C charge/retrofit to R134A. All parts in front of the engine were replaced so this car won’t need anything for the next 30-60k miles.

Chassis

The stock brakes on the 300zx are a weak point of the car, especially with increased power levels. We were stoked that Chris picked the Stoptech Trophy kit featuring 332mm slotted rotors and that super sexy lightweight caliper. He’s really impressed:

“One of my favorite parts of the build was the aforementioned brake upgrade, we used StopTech Trophy billet four piston calipers up front on 320mm floating rotors, with rebuilt OEM rear calipers painted to match the color of the new fronts, on slotted OEM diameter StopTech rotors, with braided lines all around.” 

OEM Z32 caliper and Stoptech Trophy setup:

Color matched rear calipers:

Suspension

The suspension was gone through completely with all new parts. KW V3s are our favorite coil-over setup. Stillen sway bars are also shown:

Stock vs KW V3s installed front:

Rear:

Every little nook and cranny of the suspension was handled. New SPL tension rods, upper front control arms, new rear wheel bearings and HICAS removal/eliminator:

 

T/C rods, Stillen sway bar:

Wheels

Wheel choice can really impact the look of any car.  Thankfully Chris has excellent taste and with some perseverance we got our hands on a set of Work VSxx in Burning Silver with silver hardware. Sized  18x9F and 18x10R with our favorite summer tire, the Bridgestone S-04PP:

What a difference the new wheels make! Well done, Chris:

“I wanted wheels that would be appropriate for the age and design of the car, a lot of modern wheel designs would look out of place on a 28 year old car. I ended up with Work Wheels from Japan. Their 3 piece VS-XX wheel fit my idea perfectly. The wheels would have to be made to order, and the offset had to be perfect to get them to look right. Turned out that their forging die was worn out for the rear centers, and a new forging die had to be made, extending the time it took to get them. In the end, it was definitely worth the wait. I think they are a perfect match for the car. Racy, but subtle, and a great period look for my ZX.”

Body

With most of the mechanical bits sorted, it was time to also make the car look as good as it ran. We had our man William re-painted the car and fix all the flaws, erasing years of minor dings and dents. A new JDM MY 2000 front bumper and a new OE shape fiberglass rear spoiler were installed and William did an amazing job blending the spoiler into the trunk.  It appears stock, but the blended shapes make for a unique look.

Chris decided to stick with the original OEM anthracite gray color with a subtle pearl on top:

A complete KarumaZ molding kit and OEM parts allow all those trim pieces to pop against that new paint:

Windshield trim detail:

The T-Tops got some love as well:

Boost Saves

From start to finish this was an outstanding project. Chris is a fellow enthusiast who races motorcycles and it was such a pleasure to work with another motorsports/gearhead. He’s since moved up to Roseville and still takes the Z out a few times a week, sending us e-mails telling it was worth the wait:

“Of course the project and the budget went through several revisions and expansions, but I loved the way it was going. The project had a slow pace, and that was fine by me. I wanted it done right, not quickly. Virtually everything was updated or replaced.”

We love hearing and seeing him Enjoy The Ride…

“I’m living in Roseville east of Sacramento now, so the long drive home from San Jose in my newly restored car was one of the best drives of my life. It had been 15 years since I had driven it. Loved every minute of the drive. I managed to be a law abiding citizen ALMOST all the way, until a deserted stretch of Hwy 99. We hit 145 pretty quick, and I was amazed at the acceleration from 500+ hp. The StopTech brakes are something else too, and absolutely necessary with that kind of power on tap.

In the nearly two years since it’s been back home, it gets driven once a week or so when the weather is nice, and I am more in love with the car than ever. Up here in the foothills there are miles of curvy, lightly traveled roads. It’s the perfect placer for my Z, riding that huge power curve and taking advantage of the upgraded suspension. It’s so neutral handling, and the larger and wider Bridgestones stick like glue. Rob continues to take great care of the car, and takes good care of me too, when I make the long drive down to have it serviced.”

This is a testament to an epic sports car Nissan built when ruling the 90’s. From country roads to the race track Nissan was it. We love preserving that legacy and keeping these legends alive.

It makes us smile to see Chris still having a good time in his dream car:

“My six year old daughter Maggie loves to ride in her Dad’s “race car” (as she calls it). One evening we had to drive to take dinner to my wife, who was working late unexpectedly. We pull up to a stop light, and there is a relatively new model Porsche Turbo in the lane next to us. I don’t really pay it any mind, after all, my (then) 4 year old is in the front seat. The light turns green, and the Porsche launches full throttle and goes blasting away. We get about halfway to the next light, and Maggie turns to me and says, “You’re not going to let him beat us, are you?” After a double take at her comment, I laugh. We pull up next to the Porsche, and I look down the road. It’s clear, no one is around. Okay, hell. The light changes, and we both launch. He gets the better of me off the line, then my boost comes in and we go past him like he’s standing still, my daughter laughing like a maniac the whole way. We get to the next light, and he arrives a few seconds later. Apparently waxing him was not enough for my daughter, as she rolls down her window, looks at him and waves, “Hi !!!!”

Like Rob says, Boost Saves…check out the photo gallery below and LONG LIVE THE Z!

For Sale: This Hakosuka Skyline was originally imported for our customer in 2011 and it has been modified and maintained exclusively by Z Car Garage. The drivetrain was updated with a 3.1L L-series with triple Mikuni induction, and 5-speed transmission. It is ready to be enjoyed. For more information please see our For Sale Ad HERE

Richard M has been our customer since he moved to California years ago and together we built his 2009 370z into a balanced sports car with power and style. We are really proud to see him enjoy his Z and be an active member of the community. Let’s take a look at the journey with a few highlights along the way…

Humble Beginnings Lead to Boost

“Then 2 months later we reached out to Stillen to bless the Z with the full Stillen Supercharger kit and oil cooler. The kit was installed and dyno’d making 433whp and 340wtq. We transformed the Z into a new car. The new driving characteristics were improved drastically and the kit, compared to the naturally aspirated setup was day and night.”

We added a Stillen 25-row oil cooler and GTR plugs:

The installation was seamlessly, before/after:

With a CAN tune out of the box we saw 376hp/284tq to the wheels. This wasn’t terribly impressive considering baseline NA numbers were 305hp/251tq, netting gains of 69hp/33tq:

Richard was happier now with over 400whp 🙂

“The performance of my Amuse 370Z from the beginning has met both my expectations and Rob’s expectations. Rob and I always talk about how this car has been a stand out in regards to reliability with added power enhancers.”

“Working with Rob was the best decision I could’ve made in allowing someone to tune my car and keep me grounded as it’s easy to get sucked into the battle of “who has the most horsepower”? Although it can always be done,  I am proud to daily drive and make repeated trips between Norcal/Socal without any issues.”

We thank Rich for the kind words, and the Z certainly has been a workhorse.  Here are some of Rich’s memorable moments with his 370z.

Highlights

• Landing the front cover of DSPORT Magazine (Feb. 2018) which was also their SEMA issue and my first car cover and centerfold.

• Being featured on Matt Farrah’s youtube channel “The Smoking Tire” which has over 500k views. We love to see our customer’s cars spotlighted in the media!   Check out the video:

• Winning 1st place Best Import at The San Jose Auto Show inside the “Spider Section” for custom cars at the Convention Center

• Being invited & featured by Super Street Magazine to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Nissan GTR & Z Heritage in Monterey California for car week

• The final and most special to Rich is being invited to be featured in the “2020 Toyo Tires X SuperStreet” calendar which has also been declared the very last Calendar that Toyo Tires and Super Street Magazine will do. SuperStreet has been such a pillar for all of us import enthusiasts so to be recognized by them has been a childhood dream come true.

Style

Rich added his own touch to the Z, including a full Powerhouse Amuse kit and custom paint job with Silver with Gold flakes:

“The PowerHouse Amuse body kit is a kit that is also functional for cooling purposes but is also one of those kits that I actually fell in love with. The sharp body lines that I think enhances the Z. I imported the kit from Japan after becoming friends with Hitoshi Matsui and becoming more confident in Amuse now known as R1 Titan.”

 

We love the Work Emotion CR KAI wheels (F: 19×9.5 +15 R: 19×11 +18) with Muteki 12×1.25 Neo Chrome Extended open lug nuts and Toyo Proxes T1 Tires 285/35/19R -255/35/19F:

Rich would like to thank his sponsors:  Toyo Tires, Stillen, ISC Suspension, Socal Z, and ZCG.

LONG LIVE THE Z!