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Happy Birthday to Joel Anderson who passed away in 2021. Joel would have been 84 years old today and we miss him dearly. He was an immensely talented graphic artist and successful privateer Datsun racer with regional and national championships all over California. See Joel’s racing career and learn how he helped us enter the world of vintage racing in our tribute HERE
For Sale
1993 Nissan 300ZX T-Top 2+2
5-Speed manual transmission
Glacial White Pearl Glow color
98,470 miles
Maintained since 2022 by Z-Car Garage
$14.5K obo
Naturally aspirated Z32 in (VIN: JN1RZ26H9PX537766). Excellent condition. Only 2 owners. No accidents. Original equipment, except for Pop Charger installed in 2022. Vehicle has been stored in garages. Maintained since 2022 by Z-Car Garage (maintenance records can be provided). Timing belt replaced at 93K miles. All new sport tires installed at 93K miles. Drives smoothly. Mechanically sound. Air conditioning, cruise control, electric mirrors all work flawlessly. Minor wear on driver’s front seat from entry/exiting. Located in Walnut Creek. See more details on our FOR SALE page.
Turki A. purchased a set of Panasport Wheels from Z Car Garage and recently shared his Z story with us. We are an authorized Panasport dealer with have limited sets available for fitment on your S30 Z car. Before we show you how a set of these 16×7 wheels look on almost every Z color imaginable, let’s hear about Turki ‘s 240Z…
“My passion for the Z started when I was very young. I was always fascinated by my cousin’s Nissan 300ZX Turbo, and that car shaped my love for the Z family. After many years, in 2020, I bought a Nissan 280ZX 10th Anniversary Edition in gold and black, number 217 out of 3000 produced worldwide.”
“Later, I decided to pursue my dream of owning a 240Z. I found one that had been sitting unused for many years, purchased it, and began a full restoration project in 2023. I completed the full restoration in November 2025, and the car is now fully renewed and better than ever.”
Turki recalls how he found ZCG and eventually purchased a set of Panasports from us:
“I was searching for wheels for my 240Z, but none of the options I found really impressed me. I asked a friend of mine from Kuwait, Wail, who has long experience with Nissan Z cars. He recommended Panasport wheels and told me they would be a perfect match for the 240Z. Based on his advice, I contacted Mr. Rob at Z Car Garage. The experience was excellent, and he helped me with everything. The wheels were shipped smoothly from the U.S. to Dubai, and I am extremely happy with the quality and classic look they add to the car.”
Turki has been driving his Z everywhere and shared these photos from Dubai, more in the gallery below!
Enjoy this video of Turki’s Datsun 240Z wearing the new Panasport wheels:
The Panasports do look fantastic on this #115 Metallic Blue 240Z. Thank you for your support Turki, glad you are Enjoying The Ride!
Treat your Z to a brand new set of Panasport wheels! We special order this offset to enable fitment of a 225/50/16 tire on the 1970 to 1978 S30s.
Pricing: $1500 a set of (4)
Contact us to order: rob@zcargarage.com or call 408-452-0350 Limited availability (pallet pictured).
We are also proud to offer a matching Panasport spare wheel/tire setup for your Z! For more info can be found HERE
Wondering how a set of Panasports would look on your Z car? Please enjoy pictures below of ZCG customer cars in jus about every color imaginable with Panasport wheels:
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.
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
Photo by Emma Lai
On Saturday, August 30 we attended the Tokyo Calling 5 event hosted by Breakfast Club Rally. Z Car Garage participated with a group of client cars and enjoyed a wonderful day of driving through the foothills of Northern California. The event featured 280+ Japanese classics and 90’s-era wonders to appreciate during the morning social gathering and rest stops. Enjoy our report with mega-photo gallery and video!
The Breakfast Club Rally (BCR) started 5 years ago as a small group enjoying weekend drives. It blossomed into monthly events with one hour of hanging out followed by several hours of driving. I highly recommend it for anyone looking to enjoy the beautiful Northern California roads and scenery. You can see our previous BCR reports HERE!
The initial BCR Tokyo Calling event, Tokyo Calling 2, Tokyo Calling 3 and Tokyo Calling 4 were all a blast. We did not want to miss their fifth all-Japanese, mostly-vintage rally so I assembled a group of Z Car Garage clients and friends to participate in TC5. We left the shop at 6:15am heading to Sonoma, here is a preview of our cars:
Jim’s 1971 Datsun 240z is now sporting a Rebello 3.2L with Jenvey ITB EFI, Recaro Specialist seats, CD009a 6-speed transmission, our Z Car Garage Big-Brakes and Z Car Garage CV Axles!
I drove Mrs. Butters, our Series 1 shop 240z. This Series 1 S30 features a 3.2L with triple-Mikuni induction, Z Car Garage Big-Brakes, Z Car Garage CV Axles, ZCG Heat Shield, 6-speed transmission and full KW Suspension.
It was great to see our client John Enjoying the Ride in his 1971 Datsun 240Z featuring our the Z Car Garage Big-Brakes and Z Car Garage CV Axles.
Linda Williams drove her 1972 Datsun 240Z OMS Pace Car Duplicate. Z Car Garage revived this historically-significant Z from its slumber to make it a nice driver for Linda while retaining its survivor status. She loves driving it everywhere.
Our morning caravan of 6 cars enjoyed cruising up I-280 and the Golden Gate Bridge. Nothing beats driving with fellow Z car owners!
Our crew arrived at the rally start in Sonoma and it was already filled with fabulous J-Tin parked at a local airport. BCR hosted a “social hour” from 7:30-9am so we could take in all the glorious cars. The vibe was tremendous, and as usual it went by too quickly. Let’s go through some of the highlights, with more photos in the gallery below!
Over 20 S30 Z cars were present!
I am always on the lookout for Nissans and Datsuns, and roadsters get my attention. There were at least 10 in attendance including a genuine 1967 2000. One of the most sought after Datsuns, these “half-year” models were introduced mid-1967 offering a 5-speed transmission and 150hp twin-Mikuni carb’d 2L engine…hot stuff for the era.
Ian’s SRL is #601 (out of ~1000 cars) and it was fully restored years ago by Les Cannaday in San Diego. Ian is meticulous about maintaining this car, but it is no garage queen, attending monthly rally events. The (655) Off-white paint with red interior is one of my favorites. Yes, it even sports a factory Nissan hardtop with all the stainless trim!
Another ’67 2000, this one is #072!
Mark’s right-hand drive ’69 2000:
High and low-windshield roadsters models were present:
There were several Datsun 510s in wagon and sedan form. Our client Jay installed a set of our Z Car Garage CV Axles on his Green 510, and this time he brought the entire family in their mint 510 Wagon!
More 510s:
Back to Z cars, Lora joined us with her recently acquired 1971 Datsun 240z. This one-owner Series 1 S30, affectionately known as “Buttercup” has been with Z Car Garage for many years. Excited to share her Z-car journey on zcarblog.
It was a pleasant surprise to see our client Geoff in their rally-inspired 1972 S30 . Over 5 years ago we installed our Z Car Garage Big-Brakes and Z Car Garage CV Axles!. They are returning to ZCG for a 6-speed transmission swap and triple carbs!
Jason Dove’s 280z featuring Z Car Garage Big-Brakes. Jason is a long-time friend and client, full report coming to zcarblog.com.
See the gallery below for more S30 Z car photos!
A Z31 300ZX attending, in turbo form!
Our client Cameron’s Z32 Twin Turbo visited Z Car Garage for maintenance work, 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 see him driving. There were several Z32TTs in attendance!
Paul’s B13 Sentra S-R
There were a handful of S13, S14 and S15(!) 240SX:
Super happy to see Leo and his Nissan Pulsar GTi-R at Tokyo Calling 5. This RHD, JDM hot-hatch is known as “Baby Godzilla”, sporting all-wheel drive and an SR20DET drivetrain. What’s wild is that this Pulsar used to be owned by our very own Gary at Z Car Garage! Leo purchased it back in 2017 and drove it all the way from Reno, NV.
It was great to see Miles (Rays wheels) and Kurt W.. Both will be getting updated zcarblog features.
Mike’s R32 is looking sharp, now wearing silver TE37s:
Fred’s R34 GT-R in Bayside Blue:
Photo by Emma Lai
A Hakosuka (C10) Skyline:
Enjoy this walk-around video from Tokyo Calling 5:
Photo by Zack Hubbell
The rally started at 9am and I was tasked with leading our group. I really enjoyed hustling Mrs. Butters through the backroads. This route was a bit longer than previous TC events at a 130+ miles.
One of the perks of BCR events is their team of professional photographers at various stages capturing epic rolling and detail shots so people can focus on enjoying the drive. I encourage you to visit each of these SIX photographer’s photo albums to see shots of your rides:Nathalie Mossberg, Kevin Lee, Alex Nibyt, Zack Hubbell, Emma Lai and Chris Friske.
Photo by Emma Lai
We took a midpoint break from the heat in the historic town of Winters. Lots of cars to see and great chatting with fellow enthusiasts.
The rally concluded back in Sonoma airport, where BCR arranged for lunch from Kinoko Japanese Home Cooking. We enjoyed Japanese comfort food surrounded by J-Tin and vintage aircrafts.
Photo by Kevin Lee
There were so many cool cars, please check the gallery for more photos! Next, let’s check out some non-Nissan/Datsun action…
Honda was well-represented including late model DC2 Integras, a few NSXs, lots of S2000s, CRXs and EF/EG hatches rounded out the display:
Some of our favorite Toyota’s including Supra (A60, A70, A80), first gen MR2s, and AE86s! The Lexus IS300 SportCross with A80 Supra wheels was sweet!
I don’t think I’ve seen this many 2nd-gen A60 Celica-Supras on one place!
Let’s not forget the Japanese classic trucks and vans! Generations of Land Cruiser:
Many thanks to the Breakfast Club Rally organizers, we had a blast and I urge you to register for their next event, especially if you are in the South Bay area like me and want to see what driving bliss lies North.
Photo by Chris Friske
Thank you to all of the Z Car Garage clients that made the journey with us and braved the heat! Huge thanks to BCR for extending their hospitality to our crew, everyone was thrilled. Here’s to the next rally and always, always #DoitInADatsun! More photos in the gallery below…
