Shop Talk for
Z-Car enthusiasts!

Click here to go to the Z Car Garage home page...Click here to go to the Z Car Blog home page...
Performance Parts for Nissan, Inifiniti and Datsun Cars
Search:

Hakosuka Skyline Finds a New Home

Filed under: Featured Cars and Projects,Performance
by Alvin G @ 5:20 pm on May 15, 2016

Z-Car-Garage-183-copy (1)
 

We recently put Gary’s C10 Skyline up for sale. After a long, memorable journey Z Car Garage thanks Gary for importing this hakosuka and sharing his build. Though it is tough to part with this iconic 2-door we are excited for the new owner, Alex M.

Alex was looking for a street-prepped C10 Skyline for several years. After consulting with Skyline expert Eric B. over at JDM Legends he was referred to our black Hako at ZCG. Thanks Eric!

“I called Rob right after I got off the phone with Eric, he said it was still available. I’ll never forget how funny it was when I first spoke to Rob. He was very nice on the phone, but reserved. So to show him I wasn’t just wasting time, I told him about my race car. It was a pretty cool moment, to hear that he was right next to it at the Historics with his Z. “

Sure enough, the race car Alex was referring to was the C10 Skyline prepared and raced by Jim Froula of
Racecraft! You can see the race-prepped Hako and our #49 IMSA Z below at the Rolex Monterey Historics last year:

DSC01563 IMG_4558
 

The car was also raced at the 2014 Historics and several tracks on the Pacific Coast. It is a sweet Hako:

DSC08146-e1409604543450
IMG_4831 DSC07945 DSC07974 (1)
 

Alex flew across the country to check out our Skyline at ZCG:

“When I arrived at Z Car Garage, I saw the Hako outside, and took a moment to admire her, before walking into the shop. Rob greeted me at the door. We walked around the car, and then took it for a drive. I was sold, if it wasn’t from the moment I heard about it on the phone, hearing the car, and driving it sealed its fate. It felt like it was meant to be.”

Z-Car-Garage-11-copy-800x533
 

 

Rob gave Alex a tour of the shop and took him for a spin in a few of the shop cars.

“My favorite other than the Hako was Ms Butter Z. A wolf in sheeps clothing, the entire look and feel of the car was magic.”

IMG_6464 IMG_6446
 

Alex is the proud new owner of the black C10 Skyline. You might be wondering where the car now resides…it is still at our shop!

 

IMG_6383 IMG_6414
 

Alex has big plans for the car and wants ZCG to carry out his vision.  We won’t divulge too many details but Alex wants to make the Hako “very special”.  Stay tuned 🙂  We are really excited to see the car going to a Skyline fanatic. In addition to the race and street Hakos, Alex also has a Kenmeri Skyline from JDM Legends.

“The one thing I love about Z Car Garage, and is apparent from the moment you speak with Rob, even more so when you see the shop, is the energy over there is great. They love these cars, and their passion is so infectious. I love it over there, and I’m very lucky to work with them.”

Thanks for the kind words Alex and we look forward to working with you. Enjoy The Ride!

 

Z-Car-Garage-141-copy-800x533




EVENTS: Classic Car Show May 21

Filed under: Events
by Alvin G @ 11:38 am on May 11, 2016

nsmail
 

Join us for the Classic Car Show at Sunnyview in Cupertino on Saturday, May 21. All makes/models are welcome and registration is free! Show is from noon to 3pm and we will be there with our #49 IMSA 240z.

Z-Car-Garage-30-copy-800x533

Registration and e-mail info is below:

nsmail-1




Happy 510 Day!

Filed under: 510,Events,Featured Cars and Projects
by Alvin G @ 8:19 pm on May 10, 2016

IMG_0670-e1431367025281
 

Happy 510 Day! Rob made a few changes to the turbo setup on his SR20DET-powered dime:

IMG_2771 IMG_2770
 

Earlier this morning in celebration of 5/10 day the Go Green made a few dyno passes. Traction was becoming an issue!

 

 

We hope you are enjoying your Datsun 510s today too!




EVENTS: The Return Trip From Touge California

Filed under: Events
by Alvin G @ 2:41 pm on May 8, 2016

IMG_4372

In April I drove my Datsun Roadster from San Jose down to SoCal to run the Touge California rally hosted by Japanese Nostalgic Car.  We had a blast and chronicled the grueling, 200 mile journey. Check out JNC’s fantastic coverage as well:

Touge_California_CH0110_Datsun-Fairlady-Roadster (1)Touge_California_112-9133
 

After completing the rally on Saturday, I originally planned for a Sunday visit to the Petersen Museum in LA on the way up to San Jose. What I didn’t envision was making a stop at Nissan Design America, and here’s how I got there!

While on the Touge I met fellow Datsun Roadster owner John Sahs. His gorgeous blue 1965 Datsun 1500 Roadster was hard to miss:

togue-ca-5

The 1500 was nearly stock, down to its G15 1.5L engine and rare, OEM hubcaps.  In place of the factory 4-speed John was running a 5-speed from the burlier 2000 model, cleverly hidden by the original 1500 shifter/trim. John is on the left, wearing Datsun-matching shoes:

Touge_California_LARY0673_Datsun-Fairlady-Roadster-1500 IMG_4214 IMG_4087
 

At the end of the rally we were treated to dinner at Mazda Headquarters. There I learned that John was a lead designer over at Nissan Design America!  He suggested we take our roadsters to Nissan for a mini-photo shoot, citing the building’s interesting architecture as a nice backdrop.

IMG_4086
 

Sunday morning I hopped in the roadster and drove a few minutes South to La Jolla to meet up with John. We took some fun photos. Although he didn’t bring his roadster,  John was kind enough to show me around and I was thoroughly impressed. Thank you John!

IMG_4390
 

IMG_4381IMG_4395
 

I left La Jolla around 9:30am heading to LA for the Petersen Museum Japanese Cruise in. I arrived just as cars were leaving the venue, even missing my fellow SoCal roadster owners by a few seconds. The Petersen Museum has an enormous parking garage and almost each level was packed with eye candy both old and new.

Just an R34 Skyline in Bayside blue sitting on BBS wheels:

 

The Nissan/Datsun presence was fantastic! I was excited to meet Dominic Le, creator of this now-famous “hakotora”…

IMG_4428
 

It is a 1974 Datsun Sunny truck with a Skyline front end, full SR20DET drivetrain, TE37V wheels and CF everywhere. Lots of details on this one! Dominic was featured on Jay Leno’s Garage.

IMG_4426 IMG_4429 IMG_4434
 

4-door Hakosuka with rear, molded flares and barreled SSR MK2s:

IMG_4446
 

Nissan Cedric 130 from the Petersen Museum’s own collection:

IMG_4425
 

Bluebird Coupe and Hakosuka 2-door both sitting on Watanabe wheels:

IMG_4448 IMG_4447
 

S12 (200sx), S13 (240sx) and S14 Nissans:

IMG_4421IMG_4409IMG_4408
 

Toyota, Honda,  Mazda, Subaru all had great showings as well so please check out the gallery!

IMG_4440IMG_4410

 

After checking out the remaining cars I continued my trek home to San Jose to complete my ~1300-mile, 3-day roadtrip! Found this S30 sitting behind a gas station off I-5:

IMG_4457IMG_4458
 

Enjoy the pics, and stay tuned as I report from another April car event: The Solvang Datsun Roadster Show!

 

…[read more]