Ken P has been a Datsun roadster owner and enthusiast since the early 90’s. He’s an original member of the Bay Area Datsun Roadster Owner’s Club (BADROC) and owns this highly modified 1969 2000 Datsun roadster, affectionately called “DATSTER”. Ken brought his car to ZCarGarage to get tuned, but let me share a little history with you since it has a special place in my roadster heart.
I met Ken at the Solvang Datsun Roadster Show back in 2001 and remember seeing all of his modifications for the first time. What really caught my eye was the paint and bodywork. Shaved door handles and side markers, no door or vent windows, and beautifully applied BMW Technoviolet paint really turned this into a hot rod. The interior was simple with no center console, re-uphostered seats, and a roll-bar. Over the years Ken kept adding his own touches and personality to the car including a trick hidden antenna and HID Xenon headlights adapted from a late-model BMW.
Under the hood lay Nissan’s mighty U20 drivetrain complete with several period go-fast parts like Mikuni-Solex side-draft carbs and a hotter camshaft. 14″ Panasports on sticky A032R tires and a full NISMO competition suspension made for a very fun little roadster.
I almost bought his car from him about 8 years ago but fate and the fact that Ken just can’t leave things alone led him to the next level of the DATSTER’s evolution. He removed and sold the U20 setup and with the funds(and money left to spare) purchased and installed a Nissan KA24DE drivetrain from a 240sx. Ken did the installation himself and added a few more custom touches like a metal dashboard color-matched to the body that houses the 240sx gauge cluster and S13 (of course!) seats.
Ken continued to drive and enjoy the new KA setup by doing fun runs, autocrosses, and even drag race events. He wasn’t done yet though and decided to add boost to the motor in a rather unorthodox way: supercharging! A supercharger setup was sourced from a race car and Ken made numerous modifications to make it work in his engine bay. The blower is mounted just above the frame rail but hidden under the intake runners. A custom throttle-body and pulley system were necessary.
Rob and the crew at ZCarGarage have worked on many roadsters, from bone stock to modified. Ken came to ZCG because he wanted to make sure his supercharged engine was tuned correctly for longevity and power. Baseline numbers were 159hp/156tq, and it was definitely in need of a proper tune. Rob and Clark Steppler tuned the roadster using a JWT ECU to safely boost at 8lbs and make some great power: 180hp/171tq at the wheels!!! The dyno plot reveals the beauty of a roots-style supercharger: a broad torque curve with over 150tq available from 2000rpm to 6000rpm! We think Ken is happier now 🙂
So with all of the ingenuity, modifications and big power is Ken finally “done”? Nope. He is currently engineering stronger brakes that will fit within those classy 14″ Panasports. Datsun owners are truly one of a kind!
Here are a few clips of Ken’s supercharged roadster in action and many more pictures in the gallery, enjoy!
A long time ago in a city close to the bay a guy named John loved this Z.
Back then John was a 16 year-old teenager and he had a dream of merging the sexiness of a Z body with the feeling of wind in his hair. After finishing high school and college the Z had become a constant in John’s life. Sometime in the late 80’s he met Darrell from Darrell’s Datsuns where the transformation from hardtop coupe to droptop convertible was made. Darrell Riley built Zs for a living until he was in his 70s! That’s die-hard Datsun.
When Darrell’s closed down in 2004 ZCG bought some of his equipment and with it lots of cool Datsun memories.
Meet John’s topless Z…After having the Z cherried out he put it away to preserve its condition. Now in his mid forties…It was time to relive memories and that feeling you get when you bring one of your favorite things back to life.
After some online searching…John was directed by Z Owners of Northern California (ZONC) to ZCG. We looked over the Z and made a plan of attack including a full Rebello engine build using the existing L24. It was very important to John that the original block be used and not look over the top. Besides triple carbs and a few more performance items under the hood it will look like the trusty L24…with 2.8L of Nissan L-series power!
It is interesting to see how the body is modified to achieve drop-top status…all of the trim pieces and interior bits are removed in preparation for paint:
The slick black paint on Gary R’s 280z makes me drool. Then my eyes widen when I see the gigantic ZCG BigBrakeKit AND new Panasport wheels. This is just a mock-up, but I can’t help but feel excited! The restoration moves forward with all of the newly plated parts and suspension being installed by Josh C. Hydraulic/fuel lines were beautifully plated in gold(brake) and silver(fuel):
The engine bay is glossy and the firewall is gleaming!
In our last update the interior and entire underbody was stripped and treated with POR-15, seen HERE. After drying, the front and rear suspension is in place with struts/coil overs mocked up. Note additional plated hardware:
Here are some shots of the coilovers and ZCG Big Brake Kit in all its all glory. Wheels/tires are 17″ Panasport C8s with black spokes and 255/40/17 tires under stock flares:
Stay tuned for our next update as Gary’s 280z gets a drivetrain!
Gary R.’s 280z restoration continues. Our last report described the extensive metalwork rehab to the unibody, detailed HERE.
The brake/fuel lines along with itemized nuts/bolts are ready to be zinc’d in either gold or silver plating.
Having spent money on the paint and bodywork, protecting the underbody was a must for Gary’s restoration. To keep rust away the next step was sealing the underside and interior bare metal areas with POR-15. We have heard positive things about this product and its rust prevention in vintage restorations. Once the inside was coated we undercoated the entire bottom of the Z.
After a day of drying it was time to install coil overs and the amazing ZCG BigBrakeKit
The wheels will be 17″ Panasport C8s custom built to ZCG specs with a 255/40/17 tire on a stock-flare 280Z chassis! Awesome!!
Next chapters will be the wiring and the mock up of the driveline. Look for more chassis/running gear photos later this week!
Stay tuned..
Here is another example of just how special the Z is…people may buy a new car every 7 to 8 years. This 280Z isn’t just a car, it has been in the family since day one in 1978. ZCG met this Z family in the summer of 2008 when it was time to get it back on the road after a few years of sitting. We went down the wants and needs list and brought this Z back from a fixture in the garage to a sporty Z ready for a drive to the store or down the coast. Since their last visit, owners Larry and Ruth had a whole new list for us and this time it was to work on the interior.
We met at the shop and talked about different options for seats and interior items. The dash was removed and sent out for restoration and when it came back we replaced all the gauge lights with updated LEDs. We polished all of the plastic covers, resealed all the heater ducts, and lubed all the heater cables. We also serviced the heater core, replaced all the heater hoses and anything easily accessible while the dash was out.
Now for the good part, choosing seats. This is another ZCG first: a set of RECARO LXFs in leather!!! Yes, you read correctly! Leather. There was a tag on the box explaining that RECARO has their own cattle ranch with no barb wire fences and that all RECARO leather is perfect. These seats are not vegan friendly. Comfortable and very sexy, YES!
To complement the seat choice we picked a custom carpet kit and leather for the new door panels and headliner. Another nice touch was the new door panel trim matched the other door panel parts perfectly. More highlights include a new factory center console fitted with an updated HD headunit, MOMO steering wheel, and custom shift boot (Ruth’s choice).
Finally a set of powder-coated louvers and a full detail really make this 280z standout. The interior work was performed by Vargas Auto in Sunnyvale where owner Ron has been around classic cars and Datsuns for a long time. His father used to install all the dealer add-on vinyl tops on PL510s for Downtown Datsun back in the day.
With the interior beautifully finished and attention to little details Larry and Ruth’s special 280z is ready for the road!
Long Live The Z!
Rob
Check out the gallery for more interior detail shots …[read more]
