Alix V comes from Salinas, CA and we first met him in 2014. With 4,641 miles on the clock he brought his 2012 370z in to have us correct several items from a dealership that tried to install a GTM Twin-Turbo kit.

We installed a Z1 25-row oil cooler, resolved the turbo kit installation issues and got it running well.  Over time the GTM exhaust manifold started to crack. With GTM going away we had to wait for the new company Gamma Motorsports to release a V2 of the manifold.

 

They changed the metallurgy with a new updated design as well and gave Alix a set for us to install. Although power levels stayed about the same (383whp/371tq), boost was no longer able to escape from an exhaust leak so we were able to make more area under the curve:

 

We also installed new Whiteline diff bushings:

 

Finally, the PLX Devices is a great product that is perfect for any owner with a forced induction setup on their 370z. We all know the clock is the clock.  No need to keep time when driving your Zed, just need the vitals:  coolant temp, air intake temp, and of course A/F ratio:

 

Enjoy The Boost, Alix!

We worked on Alex M’s 2004 Z33 ‘vert about 5 years ago and it is a familiar Z sporting Central20 bumpers, 5Zigen wheels and a host of bolt-ons. Alex travels around the world on business frequently so his car sat idle for a long time. With just 56k miles on the clock he brought it to ZCG for a thorough once-over.

A full 60k-mile service was performed, new battery installed, new thermostat and we sorted out all of the issues. First, the car was lowered without adjustable camber arms so we installed SPC f/r control arms and Whiteline diff bushings. A full alignment followed:

 

A few other issues were corrected like a failed oil pressure sending unit, passenger seat problem and blown stereo fuse. The Stoptech brakes were old/weathered since their install in 2004.  We upgraded them to yellow ST40/ST45 calipers, turned rotors and our favorite 309 pads:

 

The 5Zigen SMB wheels were re-refinished and wrapped in new Bridgestone S-04 tires:

The Z had many bolt-ons but had never been tuned so we put it on the dyno. Baseline numbers of 234hp/230tq to the wheels indicated it was low on power. Rob UPREV tuned picking up power everywhere in the rev range for a total of 254hp/257tq to the wheels, gains+20hp/27tq. This is a great example of having a proper tune to maximize gains from your bolt-ons whether it is DE, Rev-up, HR or 370. Alex is happy with the final product:

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:
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Eric Straw is a long time friend of the shop and hails from Oregon. Last year he visited Z Car Garage on the way down to the JCCS show where he debuted his latest masterpiece, this 1984 Nissan Skyline RS-X. Most Americans are familiar with the classic 70’s Skylines and later GT-R series, but this 6th generation (R30) chassis remains unknown unless you are a JDM-nerd. In Japan the R30 sold well and had a great following with Nissan enlisting the famous actor/racer Paul Newman to appear in ad campaigns. The R30 also formed the basis for the insanely cool SuperSilhouette race car:

  

The details of Eric’s R30 are endless. I don’t want to reveal too much as it deserves a major media feature first. It would be easy to write thousands, if not ten thousand words about the character, the touches, and the simple uniqueness that make the “Straw30” one of a kind. Where I fall short of storytelling, I hope photos suffice.

To get an appreciation of Eric’s talent as a fabricator and his build aesthetic take a quick look at his other Datsuns, a 1969 Datsun Roadster and 1971 Datsun 510:

 

Both deserve their own feature but can you see a theme starting to build here? Eric has a penchant for white paint and red valve covers…and turbocharged Nissan powerplants!

Finding A Skyline

It all started with an ad spotted on our good friend’s site, Bring A Trailer for a 1984 Skyline without an engine. This appeared to be the perfect specimen with the distinctive Tekkamen or “Iron Mask” front end compared to pre-facelift models with a conventional grille. Fellow Datsun enthusiast/restorer Michael Spreadbury of Spriso Motorsports joined Eric on the trek to Washington to pick up the R30.

As with most of these vintage Japanese cars, rust was a hidden issue as Eric discovered:

“When I first saw the car I wanted to make a really fun driver with lots of power and for sure RB powered. I didn’t plan on restoring the body when I bought it. After digging in, it was obvious I had to do a complete restoration as there was a lot of rust.”

Chassis restoration

What begun as an engine swap turned into a full blown bare metal restoration. Eric’s work simply goes beyond an OEM restoration. There are so many areas of custom fabrication throughout the chassis. We simply have not seen this level of care and love executed on an R30.  Here is Eric putting in work:
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We are both excited and humbled to have our Datsun Roadster featured on Petrolicious! Big thanks to Courtney Cutchen for the capitvating photography and a lively interview. Enjoy the article, link below:

petrolicious.com/this-datsun-roadster-has-a-new-heart-and-quite-a-few-stories-to-tell