This is Matthew’s 1973 Datsun 240Z featuring our Z Car Garage KW Suspension. He has kept the car mostly original aside from chassis and drivetrain upgrades including a triple-carb’d L-Series, Watanabe wheels and Recaro seats. Let’s take a look at how Matthew got into Z cars…
Matt is from Calgary, AB and we know him through his father, Rob from many years ago. Our good friend Herbert was selling his original paint, 87k-mile 240Z and Rob noticed it on zcarblog.com leading to his acquisition.
MATT: My Z car story is a family affair that began at a young age. Growing up, my parents both owned Z32 300ZX convertibles — which, incidentally, is how our connection with Z Car Garage began in 2004 when Rob and the team at Z Car Garage did a pre-purchase inspection on one of the Z32 Convertibles before being imported to Canada. We were active in a local Z car club in Calgary, Alberta, attending events with the 300ZX. At the time, the 350Z was new and exciting, and I even had a poster of one on my bedroom wall.
But to truly understand our story, it’s important to go back even further. When my dad was a teenager working at a local gas station, he fell in love with an orange 240Z with a white interior that often came through. He was 18 at the time and never forgot that car. Fast forward to 2009, when Rob from Z Car Garage called and told my dad he had to buy a 1973 240Z that had just been featured on ZcarBlog. My Dad flew down to Seattle, WA to pick up the car and drove it back to Calgary, AB. I was 15 then, and I vividly remember working on the car with my dad. We replaced the dash with an original, uncracked one, fixed a minor oil pack leak, and made lasting memories at local car shows and events.
When I turned 18, my dad gifted me half-ownership of the Z. Unexpected circumstances forced us to sell the car in early 2012. By then, though, I had fully caught the Z car bug. I spent the next year or so searching high and low across classified ads in the U.S. and Canada, but nothing quite compared to our Z. On a whim, I posted a “wanted” ad on our local classifieds, using the most recent photo I had of the car. Then, in March 2014, I received a message that simply said: “Hello, I own your old car,”…followed by a phone number. We exchanged a few emails and calls, and they even sent me a photo of the car’s current condition (below, March 2014).
On April 5, 2014, I picked up the car and drove it straight to my dad’s house. He didn’t know I had bought it back. I drove past the house, and he spotted it from inside. I don’t think I had even parked before he was out the door, beaming with excitement. Not only had I gotten back into a 240Z — I had brought home our 240Z, the same one we had built memories with years earlier.
From 2014 onward, the car remained largely untouched. Matt was finishing university and starting his career, and while he drove it when weather permitted, the Z mostly stayed as it was. Behind the scenes, he was always dreaming of how he’d eventually build it — period-correct modifications, all reversible, in case they ever wanted to return the car to stock.
In 2021, he began collecting parts for the build. He started with a second set of suspension components, which allowed him to send the spindles and hubs out for the KW coilover conversion and have other parts powder-coated or zinc-plated.
KW x Z Car Garage Coil-over Suspension
Our Z Car Garage KW Suspension is available in limited quantities. These coil-overs offer game-changing performance suitable for street, track and daily-driving for your S30 Datsun Z car. View the suspension installed on Sung Kang’s RB26DETT-powered Datsun 240Z, Larry Chen’s SR20DET-Powered Datsun 240Z, James’ turbocharged L-series powered Datsun 240Z, Mrs. Butters, our Series 1 shop 240z and more client cars HERE. For more information on ordering and pricing please contact RobATzcargarage.com.
MATT: I first came across KW’s Classic segment on their Instagram page in 2021, which featured the 240Z platform. A few years later, I reached out to KW and learned that Z Car Garage would be the exclusive dealer for the kit. Given my family’s long-standing history with Z Car Garage, it was an easy decision to contact Rob and place an order.
The installation was straightforward, though slightly more involved than on a modern car due to the need to install bearings into the hubs. I also opted for the KW adjustable top hats, as I planned to run 16×8 +0 Watanabe wheels and wanted to avoid rolling the fenders in order to preserve the car’s originality.
The first drive revealed a night-and-day difference compared to the stock suspension—firm, yet compliant enough to maintain comfort for street driving. Although Z Car Garage ships the KWs with a recommended out-of-the-box setup, we ended up softening the settings slightly to better suit the rougher roads in Calgary, Alberta, which are no match for the smoother roads in California.
In the corners, the car feels extremely planted, with excellent turn-in and feedback. With my current setup, the grip provided by the suspension and tires far exceeds the car’s power output, making it an absolute joy to drive and toss around in corners. Before installing the KWs, I drove more conservatively, hesitant to push the car too hard. Now, with the upgraded suspension, my confidence—especially in corners and at higher speeds—has grown significantly, allowing me to truly enjoy the full potential of my Z car.
It took a couple of years to gather everything, but with the help of a good friend — who also happens to own the local performance shop, VEX Performance in Calgary — the build finally started coming together in July 2023. We removed the old suspension and replaced it with freshly powder-coated components and, of course, the KW suspension. The engine bay was cleaned and prepped for the new Fujitsubo exhaust and triple Weber setup.
But the moment it all came together was when the car was lowered onto the ground, sitting on its new Watanabe wheels. That’s when it hit me — a rush of emotion. The same Z my dad bought in 2009, the one I brought home in 2014, had finally become the car I’d dreamed of for years.
Thanks for your support Matt! We love that you are building and enjoying your dream Z car! What’s next?
MATT: As of 2025, the Z is exactly how I envisioned it. I take it to local Cars and Coffee events, car shows, and the occasional late-night meet. As for future plans — they’re still up in the air. I’ve considered going EFI, or maybe even an OS Giken TC24 build someday. But for now, I plan to Enjoy the Ride.
Build Sheet:
Engine/Drivetrain
Triple Weber DCOE40
Kameari Exhaust Sheild
ITG Air Filter w/ Carbon Backing Plate
Fujitsubo Super Ex Header
Fujitsubo Legalis R Exhaust
Koyo Radiator
Malpassi FP Regulator
Nismo Fuel Pump
STI R180 3.54 LSD
Suspension
KW V3 Coilovers w/ Camber Plates
Endless Front BBK
T3 Rear Control Arms
T3 Front Tension Rods
ST F/R Swaybars
280ZX Rear Disc Brake Conversion
SuperPro Bushing Kit
Wheels/Tires
Watanabe R Type 16×8 ET 0
Watanabe Electron Lock Nuts
Continental ExtremeContact 225/50R16
Interior
Recaro Classic LX
