Shop Talk for
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Happy 3/11 day to all Datsun Roadster owners across the globe! Give your Fairlady a hug and get out and drive! Here are a few memorable roadsters that have been at Z Car Garage over the years. Of course, Eric Straw’s SR20VET-powered beauty is high on our list:
Michael Spreadbury’s “Stingrey” SR20-powered ’66 SPL
Rob and myself have been Enjoying The Ride in our roadsters. His 1967 Datsun 2000 and my 1967.5 SPL:
More roadster-related content HERE
Let’s hear from Dirk about his journey for optimal chassis settings enabling both spirited street and track driving…
DIRK: “Shortly after I first got my Z, I broke the factory open diff on a windy road, and started working on the suspension. It was on stock struts and lowering springs, and the car bottomed out badly under braking while going downhill. So, it went to its first track day with an R180 diff from a Subaru WRX (3.54 Torsen), the factory 4-speed, stock L24, rebuilt stock brakes with high-temp brake fluid, and a set of T3 coilovers with 200# front and 250# rear springs (see that roll)”
“After that, I went to 300# and 350# springs to reduce roll and improve overall handling, note much less body roll below”
First, there was work to upgrade the steering geometry and suspension. With the car being lowered quite a bit, despite having 1″ RCAs installed, it had a ton of bump steer. Rob installed DP racing adjustable tie rods, removed the front springs, and completely eliminated the bump steer on the alignment rack while moving the suspension through its full range of motion.
New DP Racing tie-rods and in-house alignment:
We also refurbished Dirk’s steering rack with fresh parts from our stash:
With the Z back in the shop for bodywork we took the opportunity to make more suspension changes. New Koni Race shocks from T3 were installed, which were a much better match for the 300# and 350# spring rates than the Koni Sport shocks they replaced (as Dirk initially ordered the coil overs with lower spring rates, he never replaced the shocks after adjusting the spring rates, and the car always felt underdamped, particularly on the not-adjustable compression stroke):
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 Dirk’s stock brakes and installed our ZCG Big-Brake kit.
At the rear, the factory drum brakes were replaced with our ZCG Big-Brakes. Factory handbrake functionality retained!
After comparing the Z to his Subaru BRZ on the track, it was clear the Z was better at everything except for shifting gears. Since his engine made a healthy amount of torque, but not enough to warrant a CD009 (350z) transmission, Dirk kept looking for alternatives. He also wanted something with slightly closer gear ratios to better suit the engine’s power band. An S15 Silvia 6-speed seemed like the perfect fit and we installed it back in 2019.
The first S15 box had some weak synchros, so Dirk sourced another one that was installed with OE trans fluid, as well as a set of fresh OE motor and trans mounts to help with shifter feel and reduce vibrations in the car.
“The S15 transmission fit surprisingly well. ZCG built a custom crossmember to locate it, and the shifter lined up almost perfectly. No transmission tunnel mods were necessary. The modern shifter looked out of place, so ZCG built a custom unit that would look stock, and work with the Datsun competition shift knob. A small 6-speed shift pattern sticker modeled after the one used in the Silvia is the only clue there’s something different going on under this car. And of course the driving experience.”
Making the S15 shifter look factory, we are happy with the result and Dirk’s subtle shift pattern sticker:
Our Z Car Garage CV Axles help transmit power to the ground and ensure smoother operation compared to your standard half shafts. We have over 70 CV axle kits on customer cars and we are stoked with all of the positive feedback.
Also visible on Dirk’s Z are the excellent adjustable lower control arms from Techno Toy Tuning.
DIRK: “The Z has seen a few different tracks. Laguna Seca, Thunderhill in the dry, Sonoma in the dry and the wet. After quite a few street miles on the car with the ZCG big brakes, an 4.11 OS Giken diff, we sorted a few more things with the car. Most notably, we redid the front suspension, and installed a fresh set of Koni race shocks all around the car. These were a much better match for the 300/350 lb/in springs than the Koni sport shocks I originally bought with the coil overs.”
Finally, an opportunity to take the car to the track again came up, and Dirk with the S30, and his friend Joey with his E30 went to Sonoma Raceway:
DIRK: “The car was obviously a lot more capable than the last time it visited a track. The driver, however, was a little rusty, so with each session lap times started to come down but there is plenty more left on the table. The brakes were extremely consistent throughout the day, with not a sign of fade. And the whole car performed admirably. The temp gauge was steady right below the middle of the range all day long. I got fuel starvation in turn 11 once, which is somewhat expected with an unmodified set of Mikuni 44 PHHs, but other than that the Z didn’t skip a beat.”
We were stoked to see Dirk happy with our Z Car Garage Big-Brakes! Enjoy the video below showing in-car action from Sonoma Raceway, dyno run and more, volume up!
After many more tweaks, different induction setups, spring rate changes, rebuilt stock brakes, and 24K miles of driving including a few track days, Dirk’s Z was inching closer and closer to his vision. The next step in making the car faster would be to put in a more supportive driver’s seat.
Unfortunately, the Datsun Spirit engine developed rod knock which was the impetus for a big drivetrain upgrade. Several other parts of the car where refined as well.
The L28 engine was pulled, sent to Rebello, and built into a 3L powerhouse. Dave bored out the 44PHH venturis to a custom 38.5mm, to hit the perfect compromise between peak power and drivability. We also installed a fresh water pump, alternator, new fan blade, OEM fan clutch and fresh air filters. The beautiful DP Racing oil pan remained. More photos in the gallery below:
“The STR-3 already was able to slip the Exedy clutch and we were never fans of the Chromoly steel flywheel. A Jim Wolf Technologies clutch and flywheel combo was installed after first trying a newly developed Kameari single plate street clutch kit, which we both found too loud and racy for this street car. While the JWT pressure plate yielded a different pedal feel that took some getting used too, it was not too heavy and perfectly comfortable to drive in traffic. More importantly, it never slipped under any kind of abuse.”
The clutch hydraulics were replaced to work with new alumimum flywheel/JWT HD clutch combo:
We installed a ZCG-built 4.11 OS Giken limited-slip differential in the R180 along with a custom aluminum driveshaft:
The previous L28 made 202hp/194tq at the wheels with Rob’s tuning. Now with the fresh 3L it baselined at 245hp/226tq with more area under the curve:
Rob tuned the car further on the chassis dyno, setting it up with a very lean idle at Dirk’s request (to minimize gasoline fumes at idle). With A/F optimized and Nismo Mikuni carbs massaged, Rob unlocked another 20hp yielding a stout 265hp/232tq to the wheels:
With gains of 62hp/37tq at the wheels over the L28, Dirk is very happy with the new 3L:
“While the Datsun Spirit engine had a very peppy mid-range and made more delicious induction noises, there’s no argument that the more powerful Rebello engine elevated the car to the next level of performance and fun. The entire setup worked incredibly well together, and we hit an impressive 265hp at the rear wheels, or 60hp more than the engine made in its previous iteration, putting it in the 100hp/liter ballpark at the crank. Not bad for a dinosaur engine on California pump gas!”
Dirk bought his first Datsun in 2014, a 1970 510, to learn how to work on cars himself. After learning more about the history of Datsun, and the significance of both the 510 and the 240Z in establishing Japanese cars in the American market, he knew he had to own a Z as well.
A year later, the right Z showed up on eBay in Texas, a 1973 in silver gray. After pouring over the photos and talking to the seller, Dirk bought the car sight unseen. The idea was to have a nice Z to enjoy and drive, while continuing to work on the (sometimes not) rolling restoration of his 510. The car was lovingly restored by a dad and his children and in mostly stock condition. Dirk also has Datsun 620 work truck complete with dual-Mikuni’s:
Dirk shares his experience working with us:
“Collaborating closely with Rob and ZCG has elevated the optimization process. Rob will frequently talk me out of a bad idea, or into a good one (like the OS Giken LSD). Sometimes I talk him into a bad idea and it turns out to work really well, like the S15 gearbox. The most fun is when we brainstorm stuff together like turning the catch can setup into an improvised simple PCV system, eliminating all hints of oil fumes from the car while running.”
Dirk’s been driving his Z-car pretty much every day since the latest upgrades, and it’s been working phenomenally well:
“The drivetrain + brakes make it as happy to accelerate as it is to stop, and with the quick, closely spaced shifts and eager engine, it’s fun to do a casual grocery run, and to drive quickly. With the electrical systems and all fumes well under control, it’s truly a car you can do anything with, and probably more reliable than my BMW.”
We loved to see Dirk driving his Z on rallies and fun runs this year. Most recently we joined fellow Japanese vintage car owners on the Tokyo Calling event hosted by Breakfast Club Rally:
Dirk also joined us for a New Year’s Day drive through our favorite Bay Area Backroads:
We enjoyed working with you Dirk and it was rewarding to help improve your Z.
“Some say good is the enemy of great, but that’s true if you think you’re done. I don’t see my Z car less as a “build” that’s done. I’m always developing it, just like continually developing a race car (e.g. my Lemons car, http://instagram.com/bittersc243) to stay competitive. In this case the competition is merely for making the Z into the most fun driving experience I can imagine, and the journey of continuous refinement and improvement is a big part of the fun for me.”
We helped Dirk prepare both the 510 and Z for overseas shipment to the Netherlands. Stay tuned for a feature on Dirk’s Datsun 510, it’s a really neat little Dime with a screaming L-Series. Thanks for your support Dirk and LONG LIVE THE Z!
Looking for a Job? – How about a great career?
Z Car Garage is looking for an experienced technician to be part of our team. This is not an average 9 to 5 automotive job: the ideal candidate must be motivated, passionate and ready to put in the work so we can continue building classic Z cars and late model Nissans.
Interested or know someone who might be a good fit? PLEASE SHARE THIS and spread the word. Send your CV to rob@zcargarage.com and call us at (408)452-0350.
Check out our shop on this episode of Hoonigan Autofocus with Larry Chen:
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:
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.
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
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:
2024 marks the 20th Anniversary of Z Car Garage. From all of us at Z Car Garage we thank our friends, family and clients for another exciting and productive year! Enjoy our 2023 recap and upcoming projects. Please note our holiday closure below:
We had a busy year and though the shop will be closed, we won’t leave you hanging for the holidays. Many zcarblog features have yet to be published like our belated race report from the Velocity Invitational in addition to client stories. Before we take a look back at highlights from 2023, here are several exciting projects coming along at the shop:
Both Ryan and Beau’s Datsun 240Z cars left the shop recently. Ryan’s Z has LS3 V8 power while Beau’s 1976 280Z has an L28 with stock EFI. Both cars feature our Z Car Garage Big-Brakes (Stoptech), Z Car Garage CV Axles, Recaro Specialist seats, A/C and dyno tuning. Full features on both coming to zcarblog.com!
Ken’s Series 1 Datsun 240Z (#1762) is getting our Z Car Garage Big-Brakes, ZCG CV Axles, KA24 5-speed transmission and Fujitsubo exhaust. The L28 now has Jenvey ITB EFI managed by a Haltech 750:
Kevin’s Nismo 350Z got full KW V3 coil-overs and Recaro seats and more:
Kurt’s Kenmeri Skyline is in for sorting. We also helped Dirk prepare his ’73 Datsun 240Z. Full reports coming to zcarblog.com, enjoy the photos!
We are really excited to see our Z Car Garage parts on the JDM Legends Safari Gold Datsun 240Z build! This S30 features our Z Car Garage Big-Brakes, Z Car Garage CV Axles and our Z Car Garage Heat Shield on the 3.2 Rebello L-Series engine. Backing the drivetrain is our CD009a 6-speed transmission kit:
Rashid lives in Dubai and his Datsun 240Z is getting 3.2L L-Series with pH44 Mikuni induction and exhaust header, ZX 5-speed transmission, OS Giken 4.11 LSD, Z Car Garage KW coil-over suspension, our Z Car Garage Big-Brakes (Stoptech) and 16″ Panasport wheels:
David’s 1972 Datsun 240Z is getting a Rebello 3.0L, 240SX 5-speed transmission and 4.11 OS Giken LS. It is also getting our Z Car Garage KW coil-over suspension and already has our V1 (328m) Z Car Garage Big-Brakes. Both cars will feature the T3 steering rack that we are big fans of:
We have several Z32 NA and TT cars currently at the shop. Gary’s Twin Turbo (above) just got a new set of BBS LM wheels. Full update on this car soon! Paul Ferrari returned to ZCG since we completed his Epic Z32 Build in 2017. He’s ready for ethanol, after running this car on race fuel for many years. We will be installing dual fuel pumps, BDE top fuel rail and all the fixings:
Cameron’s Z32 is here for maintenance work and downpipes, inlet piping, larger intercoolers all from Specialty Z. Cameron has been bringing his 300 to us for many years and we we are really glad to have him back.
William’s Z32TT is getting 740cc injectors, downpipes and more:
Sebastian’s Skyline is at the shop and we are doing a suspension refresh, engine work adapting our Z Car Garage Big-Brakes (Stoptech) to this Hako. We hope to offer this in the future for C10 clients.
Rick’s BRE-inspired Datsun 240Z track car is getting a CD009 6-speed transmission, Z Car Garage Big-Brakes, coil-over suspension and track preparation.
Z Car Garage is excited to collaborate with Datsunworks and develop their brilliant KN20 dual-overhead cam (DOHC) cylinder head designed for the Nissan inline-6 L-Series engine. You can read all about it HERE. We continue to extract more power and run longevity testing with owner Gary’s Datsun 240Z, who has the pleasure of living daily with this beast affectionately named the “Behemoth”. This car has been sold and we will update you in the New Year
We have been dyno tuning your late model Nissan/Infiniti sports car daily. Bolt-ons, UPREV tuning. Our customers leave happy with more performance. Call us to schedule an appointment! Here are just a few cars:
R35s in for service and upgrades. Mike and Kurt’s R32 GT-Rs got power and chassis upgrades deserving their own blog features:
Several race cars to report on including the Transcendental Racing Datsun 240Z, Glenn Chiou’s Ex-Finn/Harris U2.5L Trans-Am ’68 510 (sporting ZCG CV Axles), the Corky Bell Trans-Am 510 and more!
Even though 2023 was crazy year for all of us we still managed to have fun on and off the track. The shop made some really great progress as well. Enjoy these highlights from the year and Z you in 2024!
Click on each link or photo to see the full features!
CJ’s 1971 Datsun 240Z features our Z Car Garage Big-Brakes, Z Car Garage CV Axles, and ZCG Heat Shield! We also installed triple-Mikuni induction and dyno tuned the Rebello 3L engine backed by a 240SX 5-speed transmission.
Huge thanks to Nissan for giving us the opportunity to experience the 2023 Nissan Z. We finally took delivery of our Performance 6MT in April:
To celebrate their 100,000 listing, Bring a Trailer is auctioning their 1973 Datsun 240Z, prepared by Z Car Garage. Finished in Lime Yellow (#112) paint over black vinyl upholstery, it is powered by a numbers-matching Rebello Racing-built 2.7-liter straight-six with triple Weber 40 DCOE carbs. The total sale amount for the auction will be donated to the Piston Foundation, a nonprofit that will use 100% of the funds to help young technicians build rewarding careers in the collector car industry by funding programs in the skilled trades.
At Z Car Garage we enjoy both modifying Z cars and restoring them back to factory spec. Mike’s 1970 Datsun 240Z came to us from North Carolina and we delivered it in July. This ’69 production VIN#193 is a beautiful driving example of how wonderful these cars were from the factory.
Vincent’s 1973 Datsun 240Z
Stan K (VIN #511) and Tony H’s Series Datsun 240Z cars came in for mechanical sorting, interior work and Z Car Garage CV Axles
We are stoked to see our #49 Joel Anderson IMSA GTU Datsun 240z currently on display at ZCON this week. It’s in great company next to our clients Linda Williams and her OMS Pace Car Tribute and Mike’s Fairlady Z432. Photos by Gary Savage.
Garrett’s 1972 Datsun 240Z
Rick’s 1965 Nissan Silvia
Bill’s 1973 Datsun 240Z
Kim’s 1970 Datsun 240z
Alex’s Sunny Truck
Adam’s RB25-powered 1971 Datsun 240Z
Yousef’s 1970 Datsun 240Z
Vince S’ 1973 Datsun 240Z
Updates on Mike and Kurt’s R32 Skylines!
Gary’s Datsunworks-powered Datsun 240Z featured in OPTION Magazine. ZCG was featured in Nostalgic Hero Magazine:
MEDIA: Gary’s Datsunworks DOHC 240Z featured in Option Magazine
LONG LIVE THE Z! Check out our Instagram story for more updates!
