Our ZCG Big Brakes have been winning Z-car enthusiasts locally and across the US. In April we were stoked to hear from our friends at JDM Legends installing the brake kit on their customer’s 280z project:

   

Big-Brake Kits Available For DIY Install!

Z Car Garage is proud to offer the 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 installation guide.  Blog posts documenting all of our customers running the ZCG Big-Brakes can be found HERE.  Our first customer to receive and install the BBK was Duffy M, owner of this 1971 Series 1 S30 in Safari Gold.

 

Duffy expressed interest in our BBK and helped us validate its installation for future customers. He was impressed with the kit from the beginning:

“I am blown away by the quality and engineering that went into this Z Car Garage BBK (big brake kit). The kit was designed by Stoptech engineers and ZCG from the ground up for the Z. I am sort of a guinea pig to see if consumers can install this kit. They have an amazing detailed 40 page instructions, which in the car world is rare. I’m stoked to get them installed. Kit comes with everything needed to install and retains stock parking brake and MC. Fits 15×8 wheels as well! So light!”

 

If you follow Duffy on his Instagram page or epic build-thread on Classic Z Car Forum its clear that his attention to detail is impressive. He got the BBK installed on his Z, complete with functioning parking brake:

 

Front and rear:

 

Easy fitment behind his 15×8 Watanabe wheels:

 

Beyond ease of installation and quality components, our Big-Brakes perform by offering superb pedal feel…everyone that drives our demo Z confirms! Duffy was very happy as well with great feedback:

“They work amazing.  Hands down the best mod I have done in a while.  Modern/race feel. So the BBK kit by Z Car Garage is literally amazing. Honestly it’s the best stopping power of any car I have ever driven. Pedal feel is great. Clears everything nicely. Wants to throw me through the window. I’m not an expert, but I think the bias feels amazing.”

 

Remember how we said Duffy has an impressive attention to detail? Check out his Z, from engine bay…

 

…to chassis/suspension:

   

Duffy is also running a V2 Fujitsubo exhaust system, OS Giken LSD and many other goodies!

 

We also hooked Duffy up with an OS Giken clutch that he installed with a breeze, backed by a KA24 transmission:

   

We enjoyed working with you Duffy and we are very proud to have our Big-Brakes on your Z!

 

Stay tuned for more customer installations of our ZCG Big-Brakes! Check out our ZCG CV axles HERE

Long Live The Z!

 

We have several exciting projects at the shop that will have full reports coming soon to zcarblog.com. Enjoy!

 

Three ZCG Big-Brake Installs

Three S30s are in to get our Z Car Garage Big-Brakes (for small wheels) and Z Car Garage CV Axles!

 

Jim H has a great story behind this Series 1 S30. We know the previous owner through Datsun Roadsters from over a decade ago. Jim’s kids actually found this Z for him! Full story soon. The Z received an upgraded cooling system, ZCG Big-Brakes an CV axles and 16″ Panasport wheels with Bridgestone S007a tires. He will return in the fall for a new engine and much more restoration work. Tomorrow (Saturday) Jim will take this Z to visit friends and his kids!

 

Greg M brought his 240z from Reno, NV. He and his wife drove the Z here for carb work, Big-Brakes and  CV axle install. We handled a few other items before he takes it back home for Hot August Nights. He will return in the fall for another big project.

 

Triple Mikuni carbs and 16″ Panasports!

 

Watch the video below to hear this Z run!

 

Greg H’s 280z came in for engine bay restoration and it turned into a full-blown build with ZCG Big-Brakes/CV Axles, full suspension, Panasports and tuning:

 

ZCG Big-Brakes and CV Axles:

 

Robert C’s G35 Coupe. He purchased all of Erik M’s parts when he sold his G. It’s  getting the entire E85 setup, KW V3s and upgraded LSD.  This G will be mainly for tracking with a gutted interior and race seats.

 

Eric K has an Ethanol-powered Z32TT with a stock engine on stock turbos. Now he is getting a built engine identical to Rob and Gary’s, now using BB700 turbos making 650-700whp:

Race Car Tuning!

We are stoked to be preparing and supporting this DeKon Monza for the upcoming Monterey Rolex Motorsports Reunion. This is chassis #2 and it is an amazing car. You can hear it in the video below. More to come watch for updates on our Instagram and Facebook pages!

Panasports For Your Z!

We only have a few sets left before our next shipment. Contact the shop to order yours!

 

R35 in for brakes!

 

 

Enjoy the video of our shop update below and

LONG LIVE THE Z!

 

 

 

Gavin J had been searching for a 240z for about a year and finally acquired this 1972 S30 from our friends at Bring a Trailer. We are big fans of this auction site and like many BaT enthusiasts, Gavin’s experience was an exciting one:

“Curse BaT. It has made hard-to-find, solid cars that much more available and I definitely have a problem (or a passion as I prefer to call it). My “virtual-garage” of must have cars, got one car smaller back in October 17 when I handed my phone to a friend in a London bar and showed them that I’d just been outbid on a 1972 Datsun 240z. 90 seconds later my phone was handed back to me and thanks to some ‘team’ orientated bidding, I was the proud winner of the auction. Lesson learned about bars and auction sites…”

 

Fast forward to March of 2019.  Gavin is based in New York and the Z he had just won sight-unseen is stuck at a shop in Southern California. He reached out to us and Rob eased his pain. ZCG had the Z shipped to us for a full inspection:

“Rob rescued me from a nightmare. I really hadn’t done enough research when I shipped my purchased car to it’s initial location. I reached out to Rob having done a more thorough search and could not have been happier with the whole process. From receipt of the car at Rob’s garage, to the initial inspection, estimates, work and final result, it all exceeded expectations.”

 

The Z right after arriving at the shop:

 

The car was really nice with great bones but many items needed sorting if Gavin was to enjoy it on the open roads here or East Coast. We performed a full inspection and ran a compression test on the engine (it passed) followed by a steam clean to expose any leaks. All of the cooling hoses in the engine bay had to be replaced. The radiator was refreshed/boiled out and pressure tested:

 

All fuel hoses were replaced in engine bay and we performed a full tune-up using the existing SUs and exhaust system to ensure it ran as best as it could. Little things like a new battery hold-down were addressed.

  

The oil pan was seeping so we replaced the gasket:

 

The fuel tank was removed for refurbishment. It was boiled out and new tank straps installed. New vapor hoses were installed as well:

  

The chassis was addressed next. We sorted the clutch hydraulics to ensure smooth operation. The braking system was overhauled with a new brake master cylinder and booster:

 

New OEM front calipers were installed with Stoptech slotted rotors and pads. The rear drums had been serviced but none of the shoes/pieces that move during the braking process were lubed, so we sorted that as well.

Old vs New:

  

We asked Gavin what he liked about the S30:

“I think the car looks good from so many angles. It’s a car that looks great regardless of whether you walk up to it from the front or the rear, the design has aged so well and even though I like perusing some of the tuner results, I am a huge fan of a stock body but maybe with some nicer wheels and a touch lower. Mostly stock then…”

With that ethos in mind we suggested our favorite visual and functional upgrade…16×7 Panasports! These are wrapped in 225/50/16 Bridgestone s007a tires.  Panasport wheels are available for purchase through Z Car Garage.

 

A few more upgrades included halogen headlights, a 280zx alternator (60amp)  with MSA adapter:

 

The ignition was changed from standard points to Pertronix using a Blaster2 coil that we paint to look stock:

Enjoying the Ride

What better way to experience a Z car than the California coastline? Gavin flew from NY to SFO to take his ZCG-prepped 240z on a coastal trip:

 

We were happy to hear that he truly loved driving his Z!

“It’s a testament to the work Rob and his team did, that I drove the car 450 miles over 3 days having picked it up from Rob’s shop and it didn’t skip a beat. The car is now on it’s way to New York State where I will be it’s custodian for a few years and if I ever decide to go to the next level of restoration or modification, it’s heading back to ZCG where I know I can rely on the advice, the experience and the quality of the work.”

 

It was a pleasure working with Gavin and also great to see a new enthusiast in the Z family. His stable includes a ’75 Ferrari 308 GT4, ’67 Porsche 912, ’70 Porsche 911T Targa and 2017 Porsche 911 Targa4. So my fellow Datsun fans, if it’s not the P-car…it’s the Z-car!

Long Live The Z!

More pictures below!

ZCG CV Axles

Z Car Garage is proud to offer a CV axle conversion kit for your Datsun S30 and 510. We have sold over 60 sets of axles, with customers installing and enjoying them on everything from street cars to full-blown IMSA racers. These CV axles will help transmit power to the ground and ensure smoother operation compared to your standard half shafts. Full details can be found HERE

***Our latest batch of CV Axles is ready, please contact the shop to order your set***

 

V8 Time: LSx owners running ZCG CV axles!

We love to hear from customers using our products. In addition to ZCG customer project cars running our CVs, many do-it-yourself owners are installing these parts on their own cars worldwide. Here are four, GM LSx powered Z-cars all running ZCG CV axles. Johnston S out of North Carolina installed ZCG CV axles on his 1974 260z running a turbocharged LS1:

 

See more of his build on Instagram.

Tyler F. hails from Washington and he sent us these pictures of his LS-powered S30 project getting ZCG CV Axles:

 

We were happy to hear that Tyler successfully installed his CVs:

“Rob, I was able to install the new axles you shipped, and I wanted to say thank you. The fitment was perfect, and really easy to install, and I appreciate the extras you threw in. Im so excited to have my beast out on the roads again! Cheers, Tyler”

 

Mike T. from Georgia installed our CVs on his ’78 LS1-powered 280z:

 

Our customer Gary R also received ZCG CV axles on his LS3-powered 280Z. Full report on this beauty soon!

ZCG CV Axles in action

The video below demonstrates the “looseness” associated with aftermarket CV axles that use adapters compared to the ZCG axles without adapters. Several customer race/street cars running our CV axles are also shown. Enjoy!

 

Our latest batch of CV Axles is ready, please contact Rob at the shop to order your set!

408-452-0350

robATzcargarage.com

 

      

Z Car Garage is expanding to support our vintage, late model and motorsport work. We are seeking an experienced and skilled automotive technician to join our team. This is not an average automotive job. We work 4-10hr days and offer competitive pay/benefits.

Requirements: Automotive experience, your own set of tools, willingness to learn, and be part of a team.

Nissan/Datsun experience is NOT a requirement, you just need to have passion.

Interested or know someone who might be a good fit? Please contact rob@zcargarage.com or call us at (408)452-0350.