Last week the Brock Racing Enterprises (BRE) Datsun 510 #46 race car arrived at Z Car Garage. Despite being against all odds, our hero John Morton drove this 510 to SCCA Trans-Am series championship victories in 1971 and 1972, putting Nissan on the map and fueling every Datsun enthusiast’s passion. In preparation for this weekend’s Velocity Invitational at Laguna Seca we dyno tested this legendary race car. Turn those speakers up and enjoy the video!
Huge thanks to Nissan and Randy Jaffe for giving us the opportunity to prepare the car. It was surreal to have it in our shop:
We spent hours admiring and pouring over all the details on this historical 510. Note the swirl chamber, BRE exhaust header, oiling system and hydraulics:
The chassis reveals hard-earned battle scars:
Note original Koni shocks, Porsche 911S calipers and oval section of exhaust, more photos in the gallery below:
Living Legends at the Velocity Invitational
Z Car Garage is really proud to announce special guests (and our heroes) John Morton and Pete Brock will be at the Velocity Invitational on Friday and Saturday. This is a rare opportunity to get an autograph and chat with these iconic gentlemen.
To celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Trans Am (under 2.5) racing series, Z Car Garage coordinated with Nissan Corporate to have the original BRE Datsun 510 displayed with the Horst Kwech Alfa Romeo at the Velocity Invitational. See the actual race cars in person, only at the Velocity event!
Filed under: 240z,510,Events,Racing
by Alvin G @ 5:10 pm on September 27, 2022
Z Car Garage is excited to participate in the Velocity Invitational at Weathertech Raceway Laguna Seca October 14-16. This is a must attend historic racing event for any Nissan/Datsun fan with IMSA GTU Z cars, B-Sedan Datsun 510s and special guest appearances from John Morton and Pete Brock. Tickets are still available, to purchase simply on click on the flyer link below:
Z Car Garage Racers
Z Car Garage will be racing and providing support for several client cars. We are excited to be running in Group 5 (1972 – 1977 IMSA GT Cars) and Group 8 (1966 – 1979 Under 2-liter Trans-Am, SCCA B-Sedan, C-Sedan cars). Here is a preview:
Historic B and C Sedan cars will get their own run group at the Velocity Invitational! Z Car Garage will be supporting the following Datsun 510s in this super exciting race:
The Corky Bell Trans Am 510
Famed engineer and race car driver Corky Bell ran this Datsun 510 in the early 70’s Trans Am series. Z Car Garage will restore it back to its former glory and Trans Am livery (to be documented in a dedicated blog post) and Corky will be driving it at the Velocity Invitational. Yes that’s Corky Bell at our shop, re-united with his race car at 82 years young!
Gordon McCall’s Datsun 510
Gordon McCall joins Z Car Garage for the first time at the Velocity Invitational with his vintage Datsun 510. He is the co-founder of The Quail- A Motorsports Gathering and “McCall’s Motorworks Revival” at the Monterey Jet Center, the “Kick-Off” party (which we attended) for the iconic August automotive week in Monterey, California. This 1972 Datsun 510 was first ordered from the Nissan Motor Corporation by Garrison Datsun of Florida and subsequently converted into a race car, and it was sponsored by the dealer and raced in SCCA competition through 1977. After 20 years it was returned to its original livery.
#72 Tom Dockery
Tom Dockery is driving the Ex-Norm Balzer 510. This car is making a triumphant return to racing after an incident at Sonoma Raceway. Stoked to see Tom back on the track!
Kelvin’s Ex-Ted Gruner TransAm 510
Kelvin Tse is a repeat ZCG trackside support client and he will be running the Ex-Ted Gruner Trans Am 510.
Glenn’s Ex-Finn/Harris Datsun 510
Glenn Chiou is running his Ex-Finn/Harris U2.5L Trans-Am ’68 510. He restored this 510 himself and ZCG will be dyno tuning it this week. Glenn builds some beautiful Datsun race cars and we will highlight this 510 soon.
Living Legends at the Velocity Invitational
Z Car Garage is really proud to announce special guests (and our heroes) John Morton and Pete Brock will be at the Velocity Invitational on Friday and Saturday. This is a rare opportunity to get an autograph and chat with these iconic gentlemen.
To celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Trans Am (under 2.5) racing series, Z Car Garage coordinated with Nissan Corporate to have the original BRE Datsun 510 displayed with the Horst Kwech Alfa Romeo at the Velocity Invitational. See the actual race cars in person, only at the Velocity event!
Z you there!
Photo by Larry Chen
To all automotive enthusiasts, Nissan/Datsun fans this an event you don’t want to miss. We encourage you to caravan to the Velocity Invitational and show your support for Datsun racing history. Together we can ensure that the Historic B and C sedan groups thrive and see more racing groups accepting Z cars and 510s. This is also a wonderful event for the whole family, check out our report from last year’s Velocity Invitational.
Enjoy this video we made showcasing the sights and sounds of the Velocity Invitational. Rob Fuller gets interviewed by the Goodwood Livestream just before the evening race, and I included the lineup from my favorite vintage race group (other than IMSA), the Trans Am cars!
Mark those calendars for October 14-16 and purchase tickets HERE. A full event schedule can be viewed HERE.
Thank you Velocity Invitational for an incredible event. We look forward to running with you again! LONG LIVE THE Z!
Z Car Garage is proud to bring this 1972 Datsun 240Z OMS Pace Car back to life for our long-time client and friend Linda Williams. Only 50 of these Ontario Motor Speedway (OMS) “duplicates” were created and this is one of only two known survivors .
Join us as we revive this historically-significant Z from its slumber to make it a nice driver for Linda while retaining its survivor status. In addition to documenting ZCG’s work we will look at this Z’s history, our relationship with Linda and share her Enjoying the Ride.
History and Acquisition
Before we dive into the OMS Pace car story let’s take a look at Linda’s Z-car story. We first met Linda in 2008 when she reached out to Z Car Garage for work on her low-mileage 1978 Datsun 280Z:
“I had just bought my blue 1978 280Z and had taken it over to Steven’s Creek Nissan Parts Department to have a replacement key made. One of the guys came out and suggested I show it to “Rob” at Z Car Garage. It was my lucky day as ZONC was having a meeting and a Dyno Day at Z Car Garage! Of course, I didn’t know who Rob was and he was busy but took a few minutes to look at my Z. That’s how I met Rob and began a great friendship and a wonderful working relationship. I also joined Z Owners of Northern California (ZONC) that day too!
Linda became a big part of the local Z car community and eventually became (currently) President of ZONC, one of the oldest Z car clubs in the nation. We have enjoyed helping her keep her Z cars on the road over the years, from Car Show prep to routine maintenance:
“Rob has taken very good care of my car and I have a lot of respect for him as a business person. He is honest, open and I don’t feel pressured to do anything on the car that isn’t necessary. In 2012, Rob called and asked if he could ‘borrow my car’ and of course I said ‘yes’, but can you please explain? He then told me he wanted to display it at the San Jose Auto Show in January 2013. I felt honored having it displayed with another restoration Z Car Garage had done, along with many other client Z’s.”
The OMS Pace Car Duplicates
Nissan Motors created 50 “Pace Car Duplicates” to commemorate the Datsun 240Z being selected by the Ontario Motor Speedway to Pace the 1972 U.S.A.C. California 500 Championship (shown above). The cars were originally brought over from Japan by Mr. K and were all white with red interior. The blue livery was added here in the states with the “O” that represented the Ontario Motor Speedway. After the race, the cars were given to Datsun Dealerships in the Los Angeles area as a promotion and later sold to the public.
Fast forward to 2021 and Linda has located one of the Pace Cars: (shown above) The OMS Pace Car in a period photo from the previous owner in Glacier National Park, and on the day Linda purchased it:
“In August of 2020, a gentleman from Porterville, CA who was handling his father’s estate contacted me and asked if our car club (ZONC) would like to have a car (actually 3 cars) donated to us. I had to explain that we were a 501(c)7 and not a 501(c) 3 and would not be able to accept them, but I was personally very interested in the Z and that began the quest to acquire it.”
We told Linda this was a “must buy” as the car advertised had original paint/interior, 45k miles and above all it was 1 of those 50 “tribute” cars made by Nissan. Of those 50 cars, it is currently one of only two known survivors! You might be wondering what happened to the actual OMS Pace car? This is what makes Linda’s tribute Z special, beyond its rarity…as per Carl Beck and other noted Z-car historians, the original OMS Pace Car car was this Z shown below (L):
Above (R) is a photo of Mr. K presenting the keys to the Datsun 240Z Pace Car to Mr. John Cooper, President of Ontario Motor Speedway. This Z was used as the Official Pace Car for the ” California 500″ held on Sept. 3, 1972. It really is a small Datsun world and amazingly this exact car is in our shop at Z Car Garage…it is none other than the Joel Anderson #49 IMSA GTU 240Z !
After running as the official OMS Pace Car in 1972, it was purchased by Joel Anderson from the Datsun Competition Dept. for $1.00 and Joel picked it up at Sears Point from Bob Bondurant in 1979. Joel prepared the Z for IMSA GT-U competition sporting wide aero and his iconic black livery. Yes, #49 still has the checkered flag holder in the driver’s rear quarter panel from its OMS career. We are stoked to have both Tribute and original OMS Pace Cars at the shop!
Z Car Garage Revival
Linda had the OMS tribute towed to Z Car Garage and we sat down to discuss the future of the car. We both agreed to keep it as original as we could, while updating critical parts to bring it back to life and make it a safe, fun car to drive. Our goal was to have it ready for the 34th Annual Z Car Convention (ZCON) in August of 2021.
“My plans are to drive the car and enjoy it as a ‘survivor car’. It draws a lot of attention and I love sharing it with the car community, and telling her story to those that haven’t heard anything about the Tribute cars. I have the paperwork back to the original owner, many invoices that corroborate the mileage and original Warranty Book with the ‘credit card’ warranty card.”
Indeed, Linda has a treasure box of period photos/records all relevant to her OMS tribute Z:
Engine
The Z had not been running since 2006 so we went through the fuel and cooling systems, suspension, brakes and supporting parts to make it a fantastic driver. Starting with the engine bay, we performed general clean-up of the inner fender/firewall areas.
A fresh set of Z therapy SU carbs were installed along with an MSA 6 to 1 header and full ZCG exhaust system:
All coolant hoses were replaced and radiator refurbished:
Fuel tank refurbishment with new hoses and all new evap lines:
On the dyno, the stock L24 made 120hp/125tq at the wheels:
Enjoy this video of the dyno run and a walk-around of the Z after our revival:
Chassis
With respect to the low mileage of this chassis and provenance we performed a “sympathetic” refresh to make it road-worthy. The suspension was removed and replaced with new hardware and bushings throughout. New parts from Techno Toy Tuning included adjustable T/C rods and rear lower control arms. Before/after shots below with more in the gallery.
New tie-rods, rack bushings, and engine mounts. KYB strut inserts, Eibach lowering springs trimmed Macpherson bumps stops for full travel and a ST sway bar set:
We rebuilt and replaced all factory brake components including new calipers with Stoptech rotors, rear drums/shoes+wheel cylinders, new wheel bearings front and rear:
Fresh brake master cylinder and booster:
New drum brake components:
Details
Finishing touches for Linda’s Z included completing the OMS livery. We did not repaint the car because of its survivor status. A cut/buff was sufficient, and “O” decals were sourced/applied just before heading to ZCON. As it arrived (L) and after (R):
Interior
The original interior was refreshed with a nicer set of seats from fellow ZONC members Paul and Ann Devor:
All weatherstripping was replaced from hatch to doors.
Small details like a a new shifter gasket, heater core/ducting refurbishment and window regulator sorting make driving enjoyable:
Enjoying The Ride
Linda drives her Datsuns. We got the OMS Pace Car tribute in great mechanical shape and she has been driving it everywhere on local runs and gatherings. Most recently on April 10 she joined fellow Z owner Bryan for a local Bay Area drive and the odometer turned 47,000 miles!
In March she completed a 300-mile Breakfast Club Rally with us in Sonoma, CA. The OMS Pace Car ran like a champ, handling the twisty roads with zero mechanical issues:
In August 2021 we finished preparing the Z just in time for the 34th Annual Z Car Convention (ZCON) hosted by ZCCA in Colorado Springs. The OMS car was well-received at the show, Pete Brock approved!
At ZCON with the new Z and track laps!
Photographer Larry Chen and Rob Fuller highlighted Linda’s Z in their walk-around from ZCON, enjoy:
“When I bought the car, I did not drive it due to it not being operated for so many years. The last thing that I wanted to do is possibly damage it before I even got to drive it. When I delivered the car to Rob, he went through it and did everything he could to maintain the ‘Tribute Car’ provenance, yet give me a car that I could enjoy driving. She is kept garaged, but she’s driven and enjoyed. The car drives like a “Z” and I am so thrilled that Rob did his magic with her.”
Thank You!
Z Car Garage thanks Linda for her unwavering support. We love your passion Linda and how you wave the flag for Nissan/Datsun history. The OMS Pace Car tribute is in great hands for the next generation to appreciate. From Rob:
“We live for this. Finding these hidden gems that have been sitting and bringing them back to life because Datsuns are Driven. Linda’s Z became a wonderful driver that puts a smile on my face not only when I’m behind the wheel but when I hop out and look back at it. How small and magical is this Datsun world where we can have the actual pace car (1 of 3) and tribute (1 of 50) in the same shop and work on them both. Thanks to Linda for believing in ZCG”
More pictures in the gallery below and…LONG LIVE THE Z!
Peter Brock will be inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame tonight at 7:45pm Eastern time. You can watch the live event on the MSHF YouTube Channel or on their Facebook page. Highlights from yesterday’s preview were the unveiling of the Peter Brock display case, which will be on display for one year and the Peter Brock bronze portrait which will be permanently displayed in the MSHF. Our client and friend Randy Jaffe is attending the event and displayed the BRE Datsun 510 and 240Z race cars at the museum:
The cars were unveiled for Pete Brock to see:
We will have more coverage from the event soon. Please join us in congratulating Pete for this achievement!
Pete is best known for designing the 1965 World Champion Cobra Daytona Coupes and for his multi-time national champion Brock Racing Enterprises (BRE) Datsun 240Zs and 510s. At GM in the 1950s, Brock helped conceive the shape of the groundbreaking 1959 Corvette Stingray race car and 1963 production model. As Shelby American’s first employee, he ran the Carroll Shelby driving school, penned the Daytona and worked on the Mustang GT-350 street and race cars. After the Datsun years, Brock became a photojournalist and wrote award-winning books on his Daytonas and the Corvette Sting Ray.
It is always great to see friends over the holidays. Gary Savage stopped by Z Car Garage from Florida and shared these photos from his visit, enjoy!
(above) Randy Jaffe’s BRE Datsun 240Z.
