As Monterey Car Week approaches we are reminded of our time spent with the 2023 Nissan Z in June. Thanks to Nissan, we got to enjoy driving the Z on our favorite back roads and dyno test it at our shop. Part of the fun also included test fitting some aftermarket wheels and checking out the weight distribution. Let’s get straight to the numbers!
Power and chassis
In stock form with 91 octane the new Z made 379hp/375tq at the wheels. With a splash of 100 octane we saw gains of almost 10hp at the wheels. Super excited to tune the new Z and unlock more power!
Enjoy this video of the Z on our dyno:
We placed the Z on scales to get curb weight. It was 3455lbs:
Wheels Make the Car
Like previous generations, the new Z is blessed with some of the coolest OEM wheel designs. The aftermarket however makes it exciting to personalize our Z cars with the coolest wheels. We had to test fit some timeless VOLK TE37 Ultra Track Edition 2 and Work Emotion CR2P wheels, both sized in 19″ fitment:
WORK Emotion CR2P:
Big thanks to our generous clients the Henry and Frank(feature soon) for donating these for the cause! More photos in the gallery below.
The New Z at Monterey Car Week!
Z Car Garage is excited and honored to attend the famous Monterey Car Week with the new 2023 Nissan Z! Huge thanks to Nissan for giving us yet another opportunity to share this sports car with the world at a very prestigious event. On 8/17 we will be driving the Z to the official kick-off party at the Motorlux (formerly McCall’s Motorworks Revival) event. The Z will join vintage and classic cars to be displayed at the famed Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.
Later in the week, we will be showing the new Z at Laguna Seca during the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion on Friday and Saturday. If you are catching the race action be sure to stop by the paddock where Racecraft is to say hello to us and the new Z!
Richard W brought his 1971 Datsun 240Z from Eureka, Ca to Z Car Garage for a full mechanical restoration back in 2020. Our Z Car Garage Big-Brakes, Z Car Garage CV Axles and Z Car Garage Heat Shield along with a new drivetrain and full suspension transformed this Series 1 S30.
With a few thousand miles on the build Richard visited ZCG earlier this year for routine maintenance. We changed the fluids, resolved a charging issue, checked the driveline and overall health of the Z.
While the Z was with us we performed extensive road testing with acceleration, freeway cruising, dyno runs and more all shown in the video below. Turn those speakers up and enjoy!
I could not resist taking more photos of the engine, interior and chassis on this gorgeous Sunshine Yellow Series 1. Enjoy some photos from his recent visit and of course zcarblog has the full report on our restoration of Richard’s Z.
Drivetrain
We got the original L24 with SUs running after sitting for years, but Richard wanted more power and Rob suggested a Rebello 3.1L engine. Supporting parts included an MSA 6-into-1 header, ZCG exhaust system, internally regulated 280ZX alternator, 280ZX gear reduction starter, KOYO race radiator (custom upper hose) and Z Car Garage Heat Shield. Here are a few pictures of the engine build/installation with many more in the gallery:
To handle the power from the 3.1L engine we replaced the stock transmission with a Nissan KA24 (FS5W71C) transmission. This was a common swap (before the CD009a came to market) performed by modifying a 280Z L-series bell housing. When we upgraded the transmission we also installed a JWT HD clutch with aluminum flywheel. Helping put the power down efficiently is an OS Giken LSD. The R180 houses a 4.11 R&P and the assembly is setup in-house (by Joshua Corwin).
Engine Bay Services
Richard’s Z received a total engine bay restoration. Please visit the gallery below for more pictures documenting the engine bay restoration work, it’s where our efforts shine! Final Before/After in the engine bay:
Suspension
Richard’s chassis was treated to a full suspension rebuild with new parts, bushings and a full coil-over (Koni struts with our spring rates) suspension from Techno Toy Tuning. T3 finishes the suspension in our signature color and we really appreciate Gabriel and his staff. They make some of the best suspension parts out there for Z cars.
Front Suspension refresh with T/C rod, crossmember and steering rack detail: Rear end with T3 lower control arms and ST Sway bar:
ZCG Big-Brakes and CV Axles
We are proud to have several of our ZCG products on Richard’s 240z. We installed our Z Car Garage Big-Brakes (for small wheels) and also upgraded to Z Car Garage CV Axles! These products have been standard on numerous ZCG builds.
We went ahead and got Richard dialed in with the ZCG big-brake kit for small wheels with parking brake and a new OEM Nissan master cylinder. More pics in the gallery!
Front brake installation:
At the rear, the OEM drums brakes were replaced with our ZCG Big-Brakes. Factory handbrake functionality IS retained!
Our Z Car Garage CV Axles help transmit power to the ground and ensure smoother operation compared to your standard half shafts. We have over 200+ CV axle kits on customer cars and we are stoked with all of the positive feedback.
Richard’s standard half-shafts shown on left:
Interior
One of our favorite upgrades to the interior of an S30 is our ZCG sound deadening package. Usually found in our full-blown ZCG restorations, the result is a less tinny sound and almost Germanic-like “clunk” when you shut the doors.
The stock seats were replaced with Recaro Specialist in black leather, we love these seats for the S30:
Please check the gallery below for more detail shots, there are too many to list in this blog post!
Enjoying The Ride
It was great to see Richard again and meet his wife this time, recalling how he purchased the Z new in December of 1970! We love that this restoration is out on the road and being enjoyed. It’s also a great example of how no matter how far away you live from Z Car Garage we will help our clients any way we can. Long Live The Z!
“Richard got out of the Z and told me he had bought this Z 50 years ago that week, it’s been with him through alot of stuff and now his kids and grandkids will get to enjoy it. I looked him in the eye and said I’ll be here for their chapters, any time they need me. I’m attached to this Z now too.”
Z cars may remain with their loving owners for years, change ownership or even get spotlighted in the media at some point. Our “where are they now” series features past Z Car Garage vehicles with updates on their status. In this third installment we catch up with Craig’s 2004 Nissan 350Z.
Craig’s 350Z was supercharged almost 12 years ago using a Vortech Tuner Kit with supporting fuel and cooling upgrades.
Fast forward to 2022, Craig visited ZCG for routine maintenance including a new air filter and rear differential bushing replacement:
The diff bushings were replaced with new units from Whiteline. The diff bushings are the most common failure as see in previous blog posts:
We put the Z on the dyno and it put down almost identical power output some 12 years later! This is a testament to the mighty VQ35 engine and Craig’s maintenance. Dyno plots:
(L) 2022, the Z made 420hp/349tq at the wheels
(R) ~2012, the Z made 415hp/344tq at the wheels:
Enjoy the latest dyno passes of Craig’s 350Z in the video below:
Craig is still happy:
“Even after 12 years or so, every time I drive my Le Mans Sunset 2004 Touring model, I feel like it’s the first day. Aligning with the team at Z Car Garage was the best move. I didn’t need to shop around once I visited a few times. I knew I was at the right shop. Buying the Z in 2008 was exciting as this was the first sports car I’d ever had. Having the performance upgrades a couple years later from Z Car made a world of difference. So glad Rob helped me “pull the trigger”. Without a great deal of knowledge of what I wanted in components, I let Rob custom-craft what he felt (and had solid experience with) was the best mix for me and the car. I’m pretty tall, so I don’t track the car, which is a bummer at times, but I have as much spirited driving as I can. Also, I live about an hour from the shop, so Rob and team make a point to take care of me when I do visit, reviewing maintenance items needed.”
Thanks for your support Craig! We love that your Z is still running strong and you continue to Enjoy The Ride. Stay tuned for our next “Where are they now” feature, and if you missed our first and second features find them HERE. Long Live The Z!
David O. has been a Z Car Garage client since 2005. Together, we helped achieve his vision of a fully restored S30 with multi-dimensional performance: a daily driver that is equally adept at canyon runs and open track events. 17 years later David is still Enjoying the Ride and recently visited us for track day preparation.
Before we get into the build details dating back to 2005, let’s hear from David on his recent track day experience.
Take it to the Track!
David is an avid motorsports fan and driver. The Z has seen many track days since the restoration and came out of storage so he visited Z Car Garage for a pre-inspection.
We bled the brakes and made sure everything was ready for the event. He had a great time:
“It was my first time back on the track with the 240z in several years. I went out for half a day with Hagerty Insurance and their affiliation with SCCA’s Track Night in America. The people were great and it was a very “docile” track day with mandatory point-by’s even in the advanced group. It was a great way to knock the rust off after a few years off the track.”
“Rob Fuller prepped the car a few days before and she behaved beautifully. I managed a 1:59 lap but I was lifting a bit going up to turn six because I was afraid of breaking the 90dB sound limit. Of course, Z-Car got a lot of love from the other attendees. :-)”
Enjoy this video of David’s Z in action with in-car and chase footage from Laguna Seca and more:
History
We met David and his newly acquired Z in 2005. Long before the days of Facebook and Instagram, our mutual friend and Datsun fanatic Tom Dockery referred David to ZCG:
“I’ve been working with Rob since February of 2005 when I purchased my 240z from a guy in Redding. It was a true barn car. He drove it down and Rob inspected it before I bought it. I didn’t know anything about the car except that I wanted something fun to drive with a manual transmission. I’d always thought the 240z was cool because my 5th and 6th grade teacher had one – and she was very cool.”
“The first weekend I had the car it rained really hard and I found out all the seals were useless. There was about a quarter inch of water in the car and mold had already started growing. I took it to Rob, and once the seats were out, and the carpet was out, and the seals were in, Rob suggested the Recaro seats, the roll bar, and harness. It was just about that time I did my first track day in someone else’s car, and I decided I wanted to track the 240z. And that’s when I started what I call the “accidental restoration.”
Paint/Body
While we do not have in-progress photos of the restoration, there are many shots of David enjoying the finished restoration. Our man William worked his magic to apply the Nissan 112 Paint (Tennis Ball Green). David recalls his vision for the Z:
“My goal when restoring was to have a track-ready, fun to drive machine that did justice to the original car. My car was originally orange, was red when I purchased it, but I wanted something different. That’s when I went with the tennis ball green color, which was one of the original colors. It was manufactured in October of 1971, so she turned 50 just last fall.”
Engine
Full engine bay services included re-plating and powdercoating parts. The L24 was replaced with factory-spec L28 with triple-Mikuni induction. A custom cam was designed by Rob for better top-end performance. The Z put down 167hp/174tq at the wheels on the ZCG dyno:
Interior
There’s very little on the car that was left untouched – David took pride in the interior:
“I pretty much went with Rob’s suggestions (pros and cons) and learned while I went along. The gauges were all me. As much as I liked the originals, the were just too dim and difficult to read at night. I replaced them with white-backed Autometer gauges but kept the green backlighting. I also kept the original turn signals and embedded them in the new gauges. I didn’t keep the clock, and the fuel gauge is the carbon fiber reinforced glove box.”
More details like Recaro seats, Roll bar with 5-point harnesses, updated fuse box and high voltage bypass for the steering column, 260z lighted console panel and Sony bluetooth radio. Outside, Euro tail lights with LEDs:
Z Car Garage Big-Brakes
David’s Z was the first one to receive our Z Car Garage Big-Brakes. This was our initial (2008) setup utilizing Stoptech ST-40 calipers and our own brackets. We had extensive track testing with pro-driver David Ray:
We have Enjoyed the Ride with David at many events over the last 17 years. Most recently I got to catch up with him at our New Nissan Z event. His Z still looks amaZing!
Here are few events from years ago with David…some of you might remember attending these too!
2008 ZONC Blackhawk Museum Car Show
2010 and 2011 Palo Alto Concours d’ Elegance – the crowd loved his Z car!
2008 Motoring J Style…remember we had a superb turnout for the caravan starting at Z Car Garage!
2008 and 2011 Silicon Valley Auto Show at the San Jose Convention Center
Long Live The Z!
Thank you David for your support and friendship all these years. We love that you keep your Z on the road and it makes you smile behind the wheel whether its on the track or or street. Stay tuned as David will be returning to ZCG later this year for 3.1L engine upgrade! More pictures in the gallery below… …[read more]
Khang D is from Modesto and we first met him in 2012 when he visited Z Car Garage with a green 1975 Datsun 280z. We serviced the car, fixed several items and he enjoyed it for a few years before selling. In 2017, Khang purchased this white 1973 240z from our client Brent B, and returned to ZCG for full suspension upgrades including Z Car Garage Big-Brakes, new OEM mirrors, Panasport wheels and a complete tuneup.
It wasn’t long before Khang came back to ZCG with a request for more power to match the excellent chassis improvements. Let’s take a closer look at this fantastic daily driver+canyon carver showcasing our Z Car Garage CV Axles, Z Car Garage Heat Shield, Jenvey ITB fuel injection, CD009 Six-speed transmission and more.
Suspension
In September 2017 we overhauled the suspension. The Z received coil-overs from Techno Toy Tuning including T/C rods and rear control arms. The entire front suspension was re-done with new bushings, wheel bearings, rack bushings, steering coupler, etc.
Struts, OEM T/C rods replaced with coil-overs:
T3 Rear lower control arms replace OEM units:
ZCG Big-Brakes
“WOW, what a difference. The feel, modulation, power, sharpness was amazing. Hands down the best brakes I had ever driven on a Z car” -Glenn
As fellow racer Glenn C mentioned in his review, on top of braking performance, pedal feel is extremely important and our Big-Brakes deliver. This is a direct result of working with Stoptech to create a totally bolt-in solution requiring no master cylinder change or additional proportioning valve/adjustments, etc. All fitting behind a 15″ Watanabe or Panasport wheel (and some 14″ wheels) and retaining factory emergency brake lever! A few details below:
Calipers: Stoptech ST42 4-piston front & rear race calipers (Alum 6061 mil-spec Type III anodized)
Rotors: 280mm x 20.6 with Alum 7075 hats
Pads: Stoptech 309 sport street pads
Blog posts documenting all of our customers running the ZCG Big-Brakes can be found HERE.
A few closer detail shots of the calipers, rotors and hardware:
Khang’s S30 got the full 4-wheel brake kit with new OEM Master Cylinder:
We also installed the fully functioning parking brake that works with factory linkage/handle:
Khang loves the ZCG Big-Brakes:
“They are a must have and definitely allows the bigger power. Kind of spoiled actually. I’ve recently checked out another 240z and drove it and then hit the brakes and forgot that they were stock and almost ran through a stop sign.”
Engine Bay Services
Khang’s engine bay was painted black so we took this opportunity to paint it body color and perform re-installing the new engine. As usual William worked his magic to apply the white paint while we zinc’d or powdercoated all parts in the engine bay. The before/after is dramatic, no doubt from the new engine discussed below!
New hydraulic lines/plumbing and wiring harness with general cleanup made this engine bay pop:
Engine
After a year of enjoyment Khang desired more power. We installed a Rebello 3.2L engine with upgraded cam, Harada intake and Jenvey fuel injection. The old SU-fed L-series was removed:
We knew the car would be stopping and handling better than before, so we installed a Moroso oil pan and Koyo aluminum radiator to keep temperatures in check. We are using Pacesetter 3 into 2 header ( to clear six-speed) leading to our ZCG exhaust system with stainless resonator and slash-cut tip.
Jenvey Fuel Injection
We are huge fans of modern fuel injection on the L-series for it ease of operation, excellent hot/cold start behavior, tuning abilities and all-around driver-friendliness. Khang’s 3.2L engine uses an individual throttle-body induction setup from Jenvey. We have used this setup on several builds, including Scott’s 260Z with stellar results.
In-progress shots of the throttle body wiring. We mounted the ignition coil on the firewall to minimize clutter. The valve cover was also changed.
The fuel injection system is run by a Haltech Elite 750. The ECU was mounted in the passenger side footwell:
Topping the ITBs off are custom, merged mesh air filters. The sound from the Jenvey EFI is intoxicating. More pictures in the photo gallery!
Fueling mods to support fuel injection including in-tank fuel pump. The tank was pulled and boiled out/refurbished before adding EFI:
Dyno Tuning
Rob dyno tuned the 3.2L via Haltech. Baseline was 129hp/131tq with the old engine and with Rob’s tuning the 3.2L made 264hp/231tq at the wheels. Watch the dyno run and listen to those Jenvey ITBs scream in the video below!
Beyond performance, Khang is very happy with the Jenvey EFI:
“Best thing I can say is I don’t plan to ever go back to a carb setup again. Knowing that it’ll turn on every time and can be on the road for prolong periods of time without feeling like I need a gas mask on. Carbs were tolerable when I was younger but now a days I like the comfort features of EFI.
Driveline Upgrades
We built Khang an R180 rear diff with 4.11 OS Giken LSD, a perfect upgrade for anyone doing spirited driving. All built in-house with new bearings/hardware by our very own Joshua Corwin:
The clutch hydraulics were replaced to work with new aluminum flywheel/JWT HD clutch combo:
Six Speed Transmission
Next on the update list, we were really excited to install a Nissan 350z 6-speed manual transmission behind the L-series in Khang’s Z. You read that right! S30 owners can now bolt-in 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, Trevor’s 280Z and Frank’s 240Z:
Using the 6-speed conversion kit from Hoke Performance we installed a new CD009a transmission from the 2003 -2008 Z33 in Khang’s 240Z:
Here is the brand-new transmission from Nissan being unboxed:
The kit necessitated exhaust header changes and after testing a variety of headers we found the Pacesetter 3-2 unit provided enough clearance. Serial 9 provided the shifter relocation assembly and we are really happy with its performance. Also shown is the aluminum driveshaft.
It fits! More installation pictures in the gallery.
It’s a very discreet look from the cockpit…until you feel the amazingly direct and precise feel of the CD009a!
Khang is in love with the six-speed, we are as well:
“The CD009 Gives the Z such a more modern feel but still plenty of fun at the same time. Retains the rawness but then put it into 6th gear and it cruises like a modern day car. Love the shift knob.”
Enjoy this video of the Z in action with dyno runs, engine and exhaust revs, freeway cruising and acceleration:
Z Car Garage CV Axles
Our Z Car Garage CV Axles help transmit power to the ground and ensure smoother operation compared to your standard half shafts. We have over 140 CV axle kits on customer cars and we are stoked with all of the positive feedback.
Stock half shafts (L) and ZCG units:
ZCG CV Axles installed on Khang’s 240Z shown below with more pictures in the gallery:
Panasport Wheels
We are an authorized Panasport dealer and lover. Khang’s meshies were replaced with 16×7 Panasports and 225/50/16 Yokohama S-drive tires followed by a full alignment:
Details
We sorted out little things for Khang that make a huge improvement in Enjoying The Ride. One item we are particularly proud of is this custom, OEM-like shift knob displaying a 6-speed shift pattern. Khang is one of the first customers (other than the Behemoth and Butters) to receive this cool shift knob that emulates the factory 4-speed shift pattern and font:
The speedo and tach are functional with a GPS box and tach adapter:
The interior was treated to a new set of Recaro Specialist seats and our ZCG sound deadening program to eliminate that “tinny” sound.
More small details like replacing all coolant and fuel hoses, breather, new battery and cables:
Driving is Believing
When Khang picked up car earlier this year, he was blown away:
“I’ve had several Z’s over the years. I had a green ’75 280z for about 10 years throughout college and had it worked on by Rob at one point. Sold the car and then just missed it too much and literally bought my current 73 240z about 6 months later in May of 26, 2017 as shown in the picture when I went to pick it up. I knew from my previous experience with Z Car Garage that I wanted Rob to build this new one for me.”
Thank you Khang for allowing us to build you a 50 year old supercar. We are so fortunate to work with owners that appreciate the Z and believe in our ability to make them better! LONG LIVE THE Z!
