Nick P came to Z Car Garage to fix a blown head gasket on his 280zx.  We decided on a full cylinder head rebuild with a revised cam profile from Rebello, otherwise it was built close to factory spec. Teardown pictures below indicate obvious failure:

 

 

The rebuilt cylinder head:

 

We added a new 6-2-1 exhaust header from MSA and finished it off with the ZCG exhaust system:

 

The intake manifold and associated smog/efi plumbing were cleaned up:

 

With the engine freshened we put the Z on the rollers…141hp/142tq to the wheels is healthy!

 

Next we turned to the suspension. Nick wanted us to install his TechnoToyTuning (T3) coilovers, RCA’s and T/C rods:

 

Old struts out and coil-overs in!

 

T3 camber plates up front:

After an alignment and fender roll the Z sits perfectly without rubbing or scraping. We dig the RB-Rs on this!

 

 

 

Hemming’s Motor News features a Buyer’s Guide for Datsun Z cars in their current May 2015 issue. Aimed specifically at the 280z spanning 1975 to 1978, it provides a detailed overview with great pictures. You can preview the article online HERE or purchase a hardcopy at your local Barnes and Noble bookstore.

 

It’s great to see some love given to these later model S30’s and positive exposure for the marque. Icing on the cake of course is that Rob and Z Car Garage are mentioned in the article!

So brace yourselves…higher Z-car values are coming!

 

Taka Y visited us in 2012 for some maintenance on his pretty 1972 S30. Originally the classic orange in color, we love this metallic red shade as it shifts from burgundy in the shade to a brilliant ruby in direct light.

 

In addition to sorting out the SU carbs we added Pertronix electronic ignition, did minor suspension work and cleaned up the fuel tank and all associated hoses:

 

After a few years of enjoying the Z Taka came back to ZCG for more suspension upgrades and clean-up work. Starting with the suspension we chose new rear lower control arms from TechnoToyTuning (T3), Eibach springs , KONI classic shocks and f/r sway bars:

 

Here are the original rear control arms and new T3 adjustable parts:

 

Both lower control arms installed:

 

The rear end also got treated to new mustache bar bushings:

 

Up front the lower control arms and T/C rods were cleaned, primed and rust-proofed:

 

We installed a new clutch master cylinder and clutch slave followed by full hydraulic system bleed with Stoptech 600 fluid. New hoses shown below (L): On the right, Taka’s L-series oil pan gasket was seeping oil so we replaced it with a new competition piece:

 

Here is the pan coming off and new comp. gasket applied. A new oil pressure sending unit was also installed:

 

We replaced the old, worn motor mounts with new pieces:

 

New vs old motor mount isolators:

 

With the chassis, engine and hydraulics sorted we improved aesthetics by changing the wheels. We really do love the Panasport wheel and over the years they improved their casting/design. The latest offering is stronger and lighter with stunning finishes. Below (L) it’s easy to see the difference in tire dimensions…

 

Taka’s 80’s era 280zx 14″ wheels were mounted on gargantuan 235/60/14 tires. The new Panasports are sized 16×7 (11mm offset) and shod with 225/50/16 Bridgestone RE760Sport tires.  Taka’s Z now has a sportier, updated look with performance to match thanks to this wheel/tire combo.

Enjoy The Ride, Taka. We love your 240z!

 

We always appreciate seeing our customer cars in the media. Recently Speedhunters had a “carbs only” theme for January and featured cars/engine bays with everyone’s favorite vintage mechanical car part. In their latest installment of the carb theme they featured our very own Lou S’ RHD S30 engine bay showing off its tantalizing triple-Weber carbs. Check out the Speedhunters article here.

 

Stay tuned for an update on Lou’s Fairlady as it now sports a late-model(240sx) 5-speed transmission and lower gears for brisk acceleration.

 

Here’s a short teaser video of the 300hp Rebello L-series stroker in action. Enjoy the carburetor sounds!

 

How do you start the New Year off on the right foot? Drive your Nissan/Datsun! Today I joined Rob and Lou for a nice drive through the South Bay foothills. Rob and shop dog Kane drove the 820hp ZCG 300zx Twin Turbo, Lou drove his 470hp R32 Skyline GT-R and I drove the 460hp Datsun 510.

 

Our route included stops at both Uvas and Calero Reservoirs with a nice mix of long sweeping curves and windy, single lane farmland roads with picturesque bridge crossings:

 

 

At Uvas Reservoir we met a nice gentelman and his tubbed ’66 Chevelle:

 

Before departing we made our final stop to admire just how “right” Lou’s R32 looks with the new VOLK TE37SL wheels. Amazing car!

 

 

We hope you can enjoy driving your car in 2015. Follow the blog and Facebook for upcoming fun runs!

Click after the jump for more pictures!
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