Our customer Reuben M’s 391whp Vortech Supercharged 350z is for sale. For more details, please visit our For Sale page HERE.

 

 

 

Frank B has been a Z Car Garage customer for many years. His stable includes an ultra low-vin Series 1 S30 (report soon) and this 1972 Datsun 240z that he acquired in 2005:

 

Affectionately named “Fuelie Z” this hot rod sports a fuel-injected Rebello 3L running Borla TWM induction.  The old-school setup utilized RC injectors, a composite intake plenum and Electromotive Tec3 engine management.

 

With powerful L-series motivation Frank wanted to improve braking and we installed one of our very first sets of Z Car Garage Big Brakes roughly 8 years ago. These large, 328mm units at all 4-corners performed admirably and fit nicely behind his vintage 17″ Chevlon Racing Mesh wheels:

 

  

Frank has enjoyed the Z for several years, attending local ZONC events and fun runs. Below left: The ZONC Blackhawk Museum Show in 2008!

 

After a recent meeting with Frank we agreed it was time to update this Z car and make it as smooth as we could. He was our first customer to run the new Z Car Garage CV axles. This upgrade really inspired him to continue improving the car:

  

Next on the update list, we were really excited to install a Nissan 350z 6-speed manual transmission behind the L-series in Frank’s Z. S30 owners can now install this robust, 6-speed manual behind their L-series engine!  You might remember our first application of Austin Hoke’s custom 6-speed adapter kit on the OS Giken TC24B1Z-powered 240z:

  

Using the 6-speed conversion kit from Hoke Performance we installed a new CD009a transmission from the 2003 -2008 Z33 in Frank’s Z:

 

The kit necessitated exhaust header changes and after testing a variety of headers we found the Pacesetter 6-2-1 unit provided enough clearance:

 

We changed the exhaust and updated the driveshaft to an aluminum one. The old Spec clutch mated to the L-series transmission was removed and a JWT aluminum flywheel and HD clutch installed for work with the 350z transmission:

  

The 6-speed bolted in, more pictures of the install in gallery below:

 

The ZCG CV axles and 6-speed transmission transformed Frank’s Z. You can see the shifter location/operation in this video below. Enjoy!

 

Frank also asked why not update the engine management system and Rob said, “I’m in!”. Replacing the Tec3 unit we installed an Elite 750 from Haltech.  This is a wonderful stand alone ECU company with very user-friendly products we love to use on our S30 builds.

  

With dyno tuning we improved the drivability of Z in addition to significant power gains. Final numbers were 231hp/210tq to the wheels:

 

We received great feedback from Frank after 100 miles of mountain roads. His wife could even notice the difference: super smooth, seamless operation with fantastic throttle response and more power.  The Fuelie Z has been thoroughly updated, mission accomplished!  We love that Frank is Enjoying The Ride in his Z stay tuned for a full report on his Series 1 240z!

 

LONG LIVE THE Z!
More pictures in the gallery below!
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Roman C came to Z Car Garage earlier this year to have his 2008 Nissan 350z inspected. After going over the car he expressed his goals and one was full suspension upgrades. We installed KW V3 coil-overs and replaced bushings throughout with Whiteline parts.  ZCG has performed many KW suspension installs and we really like how they work, using them exclusively on the 300zx(z32) and 350z models.

 

OEM vs KW coil-overs front and rear:

   

Whenever we do a coil-over installation and lower the ride height we always use the SPC front and rear camber arms. This ensures that a customer gets the desired ride height, handling and tire wear:

  

Stock vs SPC upper control arms, with a full alignment following installation:

   

OEM sway bars were replaced with our favorite units from sway bars from Hotchkis:

 

OEM vs Hotchkis front and rear:

    

A common upgrade/maintenance item we routinely perform is differential bushing replacement. Here, again we use Whiteline bushings:

 

Roman had a few bolt-ons like intake and exhaust so we UPREV tuned. Peak numbers of 304hp/260tq to the wheels was achieved but more importantly the power gains are seen throughout the rev range:

 

Roman was super stoked with the results. We took care of a few maintenance items like replacing a drive belt and peforming a coolant flush. Finally, he had he bought some new wheels/tires so we mounted and balanced them for him.

Enjoy The Ride Roman!

 

This is the moment we have all been waiting for as Nissan/Datsun enthusiasts! For the first time ever, Nissan will be the featured marque at the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion August 23-26. Now in its 45th year and commonly known as the Monterey Historics, the Reunion is a highlight of the famous Pebble Beach “car week” in August. This event features the best of every decade of racing history, all condensed into four days of qualifying and competition at Mazda Laguna Seca Raceway.

 

  

Even if you are a seasoned race car fan or hardcore Datsun nut this is the event you don’t want to miss. To make it even sweeter the good folks at ZONC are proudly sponsoring the Nissan Car Corral AND a Parade Lap around the world famous Laguna Seca Raceway!

 

Datsun & Nissan Exclusive Car Corral Parking

At past RMMR events our Nissan car corral has been mixed with the other marques. Not this year. We have the incredible spotlight and desirable PAVED parking between Turn 2 and 5. It will be our time to shine, let’s make a strong showing by bringing our beloved cars out! Have a Nissan Skyline GT-R from the 90’s? Bring it. Got a Datsun 510 Wagon? Bring it. Nismo R35 GT-R? We want that too. Remember, this is THE best place to park your car, enjoy the races AND proudly represent!

  

To participate in the Car Corral and Parade Lap you must buy tickets through ZONC, details can be found by clicking HERE. Take advantage of discounted general admission through ZONC and let’s make this a superb showing of our Nissans and Datsuns! Please spread the word to fellow owners 🙂

In case you missed it, here is our coverage of last year’s RMMR:
RMMR 2017

We plan on bringing the #49 Joel Anderson IMSA 240z to participate in the race! We are really excited for our fellow racers this is going to be an EPIC event. Enjoy a few photos from past RMMR events. LONG LIVE THE Z!

 

 

 

 

Bill C has been a long time customer of Z Car Garage. You might remember his 2007 350z as one of the first HR-powered cars at ZCG to receive a Bassani exhaust and minor bolt-ons resulting in over 300whp. That was in 2008! Over the years Bill has enjoyed his Z on fun runs and track days. He even wrote an Ebay article reviewing the 370z and enlisted us for dyno measurements!

 

  

The stock OEM suspension on the Z33 had always bothered Bill:  the relatively spongy ride along with ride height and wheel gap over his amazing Volk LE37 wheels had to improve.  We wanted to make sure that he had the ability to autocross, enjoy back roads and daily drive the Z. Bill picked up a very nice set of Ohlins DFV coil-overs for us to install:

 

 

Here is the Ohlins setup installed front and rear:

 

A great complement to coil-overs is our favorite sway bars from Hotchkis:

 
Sway bars installed front and rear:

   

The Z now sits with a great stance and Bill is very happy with the new suspension setup:

I love the Ohlins!!!  I got EXACTLY what I was hoping for.  Daily driver comfort (Wife couldn’t discern it from stock), but take it into some twisties and it’s a monster. Also, I did not expect my braking to improve so much from the coil-over install.  

 

Enjoy The Ride Bill!