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!

 

Breakfast Club Rally

 

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

 

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!

 

Frank’s 1978 Datsun 280Z

Frank’s 1978 Datsun 280Z features our Z Car Garage Big-Brakes, full suspension refresh, 240Z bumper conversion and Panasport wheels.

Mrs. Butters

 

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.

 

John’s Datsun 240Z

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’s 1972 Datsun 240Z

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!

 

Tokyo is Calling before the Rally!

 

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:

 

Datsun 510

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:

   

Leo’s Nissan Pulsar GTi-R

 

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.

 

Nissan Skyline

 

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:

 

A Hakosuka (C10) Skyline:

 

Enjoy this walk-around video from Tokyo Calling 5:

Rally On!

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.

 

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.

There were so many cool cars, please check the gallery for more photos! Next, let’s check out some non-Nissan/Datsun action…

Honda

 

Honda was well-represented including late model DC2 Integras, a few NSXs, lots of S2000s, CRXs and EF/EG hatches rounded out the display:

 

Mazda

A rare Mazda Cosmos was a real treat to see. First-gen,  FC and FD RX-7s, and many Miatas attended:

  

Toyota

 

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!

       

Trucks and Vans

Let’s not forget the Japanese classic trucks and vans! Generations of Land Cruiser:

 

Thanks BCR!

 

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.

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…

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Frank’s 1978 Datsun 280Z features our Z Car Garage Big-Brakes, full suspension refresh, 240Z bumper conversion and Panasport wheels. Before we dive into the work let’s see how Frank found the right Z car…

 

FRANK: My best friend (shout out to Mike Springer) in high school had a 77 Datsun 280Z and that is where my love affair began. I’ve owned a 260 and 510 back in the day and always told myself I’d have a really nice Z one day. Just before covid, I saw NASSTY Z (show below), driving around south San Jose and got a chance to ask the owner (James) where he had his work done. He mentioned Z Car Garage. Note to self.

 

When covid hit I ventured out on my own and found a 240Z to start my project. Took it to Z Car Garage and got the worst news ever. Turns out the bones were no good and ended up losing money and the fire to keep going. About 2 years later the fire came back. I hit up Rob and told him I needed his help. We talked about what I wanted and we picked a car that Rob had in his possession for many years. A one owner, blue 1978 280Z with 58k original miles. Rob was waiting for the right person to come along…and that was me.

 

ROB: A few years ago I bought a low-mile 1978 Datsun 280Z from the original owner. I worked on this car since I was in my 20s and it sat dormant. Got it up and running and just kinda hung out here waiting for a friend, and that friend was Frank Moody. Let’s backup. I met Frank in 2021 when he bought a 240Z that was in bad shape. Even though we had not met before I told him straight up this isn’t the Z for you. Let’s move on and wait for the right one. Frank bought the 280Z and we started working on his vision.

 

Maybe it was fate, as Frank saw this 280Z featured in one of Larry Chen’s Autofocus episodes back in 2020. The video highlighted ZCG client Trevor’s 1978 Datsun 280Z , and soon-to-be Frank’s 280Z is examined as a great canvas to begin one’s journey as an alternative to the 240Z. Let’s dive in to the work performed to help Frank achieve his vision for the Z…

Suspension

 

The suspension was refreshed with a full Techno Toy Tuning coil-over package done in ZCG black finish, with Koni dampeners , T3 control arms, tension rods, ball joints, rack bushings and new F/R wheel bearings.

 

Z Car Garage Big-Brakes

We are proud to have several of our ZCG products on Frank’s 280Z. We installed our Z Car Garage Big-Brakes (for small wheels) which have the been standard on numerous ZCG builds.

     

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

  

Frank’s stock disc/drum brakes were removed and we installed our ZCG Big-Brake kit.

    

At the rear, the factory drum brakes were replaced with our ZCG Big-Brakes. New OEM Nissan master cylinder and Factory handbrake functionality IS retained!

 

240Z Bumpers

Frank wanted to clean up the exterior lines and replaced the large, factory 5-mph bumpers with chrome bumpers from a 240Z. We installed aftermarket F/R bumpers and our man William laid down some new paint. Side trim was also removed. Enjoy the before/after photos with more in the gallery below:

 

Up front:

 

Panasport Wheels

Complementing the new Big-Brakes on Frank’s Z are Panasport wheels! We installed 16×7 Panasports and Falken Azenis tires in 225/50/16. The Z was fully aligned, and you can also see the ZCG exhaust system below:

 

 

Speedhunters, the popular car culture website, appears to be inactive. While there’s no official announcement of the site’s demise, like many fans and followers of the site we are disappointed. Speedhunters was known for its high-quality photography and in-depth stories about car culture.

 

We’ve gathered all 14(!) Speedhunters articles featuring Z Car Garage clients and friends here for you all to enjoy. Who knows how long the site will remain on the web, so click on the photos or links below to read the full features by authors/photographers Trevor Ryan, Naveed Yousufzai, Larry Chen and Mike Garrett.

Z Car Garage Shop Tour

Gary’s OS Giken TC24-powered 1971 Datsun 240Z

Eric Straw’s RB26DETT-Powered 1984 DR30 Skyline

James’ 1972 Datsun 240Z Turbocharged L-Series

Driving While Awesome: Coastal Range Rally

The Joel Anderson IMSA GTU Datsun 240Z

Alvin’s 1967.5 SR20-Powered Datsun Roadster-by Trevor Ryan

DWA Rally From Home

 

Mr. K’s Personal Datsun 240Z

 

Eric Straw’s 1969 SR20DET-powered Datsun Roadster

Gary’s 1971 Nissan Skyline 2000GT

Alvin’s SR20-powered Datsun Roadster-by Mike Garrett

The 2018 Japanese Classic Car Show

The 2018 Mitty Vintage Races

 

James’ 1972 S30 is back on the road. At the heart of this beast is a turbocharged L-series managed by Haltech. Chassis upgrades include custom full-length subframe connectors, CD009a 6-speed transmission, KW Suspension, ZCG CV Axles and Big-Brake Kit (328mm) behind RS-8 wheels restored by Love20bee. Inside, a stack instrument cluster was integrated into the gauge pod, viewed from leather Recaro Pole Position seats:

 

 

Enjoy the video of this boosted S30:

 

We first met Jonathan in 2021 while visiting Nissan Headquarters in Tennessee to preview the Z Proto. In addition to being a proud Nissan North America employee, he is an avid car enthusiast with a passion for Nissans and Datsuns, having owned a 240Z, 350Z and Hakosuka Skyline. Jonathan recently acquired this QM1 White R34 Skyline GT-R from our friend Sean at Toprank International Vehicle Importers, and came to Z Car Garage for upgrades and dyno tuning.

 

JONATHAN: My history with Nissan and Z cars started before I was even born. My dad had purchased a 240Z in Ojai, California in 1978 while in the Navy and daily drove it until 1998. There are pics of me as an infant of me in it and when I was old enough to go to daycare, he would take me in the Z. Growing up around it, helping him work on it and wanting to ride in it as much as possible shaped my love for not only cars, but the Datsun/Nissan brand and especially the Z. When I got old enough to start thinking about my first car, my dream was to get the newly launched 350Z to go along with my dad’s 240Z. I was drawn to the Le Mans sunset orange launch color and fell even more in love with that color when I got to see it in person at my local grocery store.

 

As it so happened though, on my 15th birthday, my dad surprised me by gifting me the 240Z! I was in shock but so excited to work on it with him, restoring it to this level I had built up in my head for years. The project took 3 years and by the time I was a senior in high school, we had finished it… Painting it my favorite Le Mans sunset orange and building it out just as I had imagined as a young kid. Read more about the Father and Son duo in Japanese Nostalgic Car and GrassrootsMotorsports.

 

Fast forward to 2023, after enjoying it for so many years, my wife and I were involved in a really bad accident in it. It was totaled and was a huge loss for myself and my family. I knew I needed to find another special Nissan. Below you will see how this situation shaped how I got into the Skyline’s, specifically my Hako and now the R34 GT-R. However, between the ownerships of the Hako and the R34, my wife found this beautiful 2003 Z33 350Z in my favorite color, Le Mans Sunset. I had always wanted this car since I was 13 and it was the spitting image of (a newer version) of my old 240Z. A great bookend to a Z journey that lasted over 34 years.

 

GT-R Dreams

 

JONATHAN: My love for the R34 Skyline started I believe with the rest of my generation, 2 Fast 2 Furious. That scene where Brian drives through Miami to get to the race at the beginning will forever be reason for my Skyline love. I also remember watching old Hot Versions on YouTube with the MINES R34 GT-R going against the Amuse MK4 Supra. The sound from the exhaust and the feedback from the drivers made it clear that not only was it the winner in that episode, it was the winner of the JDM legends of its time. It was only natural to want one growing up, but as prices increased, it became clear that it would just be a dream.

 

My journey really began on a vacation just after the Z accident, my wife and I were looking at the back of one of my JDM Legends t-shirts that had a Hakosuka Skyline on it. We looked at each other and said “Thats the car”.  At that point, we had no idea where to even begin to look for a Hako but we both knew that was the direction we wanted to go. She knew I had always loved the Skylines, but the Hako (aside from the R34 GTR) always was a favorite. 

After a few months, Jonathan reached out to friend (Randy Jaffe) with a collection of Nissan’s and Datsuns including a 1971 Nissan Skyline that Z Car Garage had worked on! They discussed for a while, and one afternoon the Hako was headed to TN.  Jonathan was excited for the opportunity to be the next caretaker of this beloved Skyline. He enjoyed the car for several months, driving it to shows, and really getting to know the chassis.

 

JONATHAN: Just when I was getting comfortable though, I received a call from the sales director at Toprank International Vehicle Importers, who I had built a good relationship with. He asked if I would be interested in selling my Hako to a big Skyline collector in Texas (the Hako returned to Z Car Garage, full report coming soon!). After talking it over and coming up with a good deal, I made the decision to sell the Hako and purchase a bone stock, 1-owner R34 GT-R from Top Rank’s inventory in Japan.

Top Rank brokered the deal and made the process so easy. I knew though that I would have to wait until June of 2024 before it could be imported due to the 25-year law but it was so worth the wait and I cannot express how grateful I am to have been in a position for such an opportunity to be realized.

 

Upgrades and Dyno Tuning at Z Car Garage

 

ROB: In the fall of 2024, Jonathan acquired his dream car, an R34 Skyline GT-R, from Top Rank Importers. They were having some issues and shipped it to Z Car Garage for minor sorting and upgrades…

JONATHAN: One of the very first videos I saved on YouTube was a video of Rob driving the green 240Z with the RB25 swap. I knew then that Z Car Garage was the best and I always wanted to have a build done by them!  After the R34 GT-R arrived stateside, I knew it had to go directly to ZCG. There was no other place I wanted to go and now having the car for a few days, driving it and really enjoying it, I made the absolute best decision.

(Below) Jonathan visited us in 2022 for the Tokyo Calling Rally. We had to snap a photo with the Go Green RB25DET-powered 240Z that inspired to build one of his own…and 1/24 scale the model I made 🙂

    

At the shop we installed a Haltech Elite 2500 with plug ‘n’ play adapter, dual wide-band controller, one-step colder NGK plugs, ID 1300 injectors, Wallbro Hellcat Fuel pump, Z Car Garage Bosch relay kit and KOYO Race radiator:

   

More upgrades included an HKS FMIC,  Greddy BOV, PRP R35 coil packs, Wiring Specialities injector resistor bypass kit and a Haltech boost controller followed by dyno tuning. More photos of the parts installation in the gallery below:

  

New Nismo clutch/flywheel replacement:

 

ROB: We’re not positive, but we believe this car had some sort of strange, hot rod turbo that wasn’t allowing the factory system to control the boost level. So you know what we did? We performed a Garrett GT2560-5 Turbo upgrade with supporting mods and tuned it again. It was wonderful and it rocks. We feel very honored: even though Jonathan lives in TN he trusts ZCG to work on his new R34. We shipped the car back with Masney and everyone’s happy. Long Live The R!”

 

Engine bay with new intake plumbing:

 

On the dyno, baseline numbers were 336hp/281tq at the wheels. After tuning with the turbo and supporting upgrades the Skyline put down 438hp/333tq at the wheels. Enjoy the RB26DETT in action!

 

Enjoying the Ride

 

Jonathan has been enjoying his R34 at home in Tennessee. QM1 is a fantastic color for this GT-R:

 

JONATHAN: Since leaving ZCG, I have added a few small mods including the V-Spec front diffuser, NISMO shift know, pedals, double din head unit and a few engine bay dress up items. In the future I will look to add a V-spec rear carbon diffuser, maybe a Z-tune hood and perhaps maybe a little more power. Otherwise, drive and enjoy!

Thanks for your support Jonathan and congratulations on finding your dream car. Catch more of Jonathan’s car adventures on his Instagram. More pictures in the gallery below!

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