At Z Car Garage, the Datsun 510 is very close to our heart. Our hero John Morton piloted a 510 in the Trans Am racing series to put Nissan on the map, fueling every Datsun enthusiast’s passion for hot-rodding the humble economy car. We also have our share of race, personal and project 510s. When Mark G contacted us to work on his 510, we happily obliged especially after learning that it was built by our friend, fellow racer and Datsun 510 guru Troy Ermish.
510 Beginnings
Mark is an avid car enthusiast, growing up here in the South Bay. His first car was a lowered Capri that he tracked in the 80’s at Laguna Seca. He attributes his 510 passion from its rich racing heritage:
“I was introduced to Sports Car racing at Laguna Seca in the mid 70’s. I have been going to most all of the different events ever since. My favorite was Sports Cars racing, Camel GT’s, IMSA, ALMS. Thus the ‘Poor Man’s BMW 2002’, my recent 510 is my third and hopefully last. Number 2 was also brought back from the dead and used to commute and cruise over Highway 17 to Aptos to work for my Father’s business. The surf rack was installed to haul all kinds of stuff.”
In 2015, Mark decided to fulfill his dream of another 510 and bought a project car:
“I wanted something I could turn into a street racer and autocross car for my son. As in any extensive full blown renovation, everything on the car has been touched. I tore it completely apart, soda-blasted the car, personally sandblasted every bolt and part on the car, welded in new floor panels and rebuilt the trunk, back panel and rear valance.”
The project car:
Mark’s extensive bodywork:
“I met Troy Ermish early on in the process, so when the floors and trunk were repaired, the car was trailered to Troy for a full roll cage, front fender wells were cut back and jack points installed in the rocker panels at the “B” Pillars.”
After 18months of bodywork, which Mark was heavily involved with, it was back to Ermish for the final build out. The car was purchased with a 1600 and funky 4 speed, but Mark also scored a 2000cc with two side draft Mikuni’s and a ZX 5 speed transmission. The engine was sent to Rebello for a full rebuild and upgrade to 2360cc spec.
T- Square Brain
Mark studied art in school and his attention to detail throughout the 510 impressive. From the no-frills interior to uncluttered engine bay it’s no surprise that he earned the nickname “T-square brain”. Each time I see this car it reveals another level of fanaticism that reminds me how awesome Datsun-owners are. Enjoy a few detail shots with more pics in the gallery below:
Engine Bay
Devoid of unnecessary bits, the Rebello 2.3 with dual-Mikuni’s takes center stage:
Interior
A tribute to the B-Sedan racing 510s of the 70’s, the interior is spartan with a simple dash, roll cage and OMP seats:
Again, it’s super sanitary in here with subtle color choices and straightforward switchgear. That is Pete Brock’s signature on the dash!
Body
The 2017 Corvette Racing Yellow paint is loud, but in a good way. Mark’s touches here are an exercise in restraint, while harking back to the Trans Am racers he remembered. The white roundel was inspired by our friend Dave Scholz’ Datsun 240z as seen on Petrolicious . 13″ re-pop’d (VTO) AR Libras are the definitive wheel choice here, with contrasting black spokes and chunky Toyo R888 tires:
Sorting at ZCG
The 510 was constructed with both Mark’s skillset and Troy’s finishing touches. After he finished his project, Mark visited ZCG for adjustments and sorting.
ZCG CV Axles!
We upgraded Mark’s standard half shafts to our Z Car Garage CV Axles. These CV axles help transmit power to the ground and ensure smoother operation compared to standard half shafts, while eliminating the need for aluminum adapters. Mark got ZCG VV Axle set #320 and he loves them:
Nick about to install the new CVs:
Standard half shafts (left) and ZCG CV Axles (right). Note all of the powdercoated suspension parts:
Getting Mark Back On The Road
Mark was experiencing a re-occurring high water temp issue. Finally the head gasket was compromised so we pulled the engine for a refresh.
We re-intalled the the engine and tidied up the engine bay. The electric fan was removed and a fan clutch installed utilizing a 620 water pump/S30 fan blade to make it all fit behind the Koyo radiator:
Dyno Tuning
On the dyno, we had a case of deja vu as Mark’s 510 is almost similar to Keith’s. Rob is familiar with tuning the L-Ser-es engine in both race and street 510s. Mark’s Rebello 2360 put own 189hp/178tq to the wheels, gaining 8hp/10tq with Rob’s tuning. You can hear it scream in the video below. Mark will re-visit us for another dyno session after he accumulates more miles.
Enjoying The Ride
With a few more minor tweaks like door locks and windows, Mark was out and about with his 510. He joined us at the local Fuel Supply Cars and Coffee:
I was fortunate to catch up with Mark and meet his son Dom who also has motorsports background. It was rad to see the Datsun being a family affair and Mark all smiles behind the wheel:
“I feel very lucky to be part of the Z Car Garage family. The staff are all great guys. I will continue to bring the car in for Anything it needs.”
Big thanks to Mark for letting us service his 510. We really enjoyed having the 510 in the shop!
Speaking of Love for The 510…this weekend 20+ B-Sedan racers will be running at Laguna Seca. I will have a full report for you, stay tuned!
Randy Jaffe is an avid car guy and Datsun enthusiast. Beyond his fanatic attention to detail and love for Nissan racing he’s excessive–in the best way possible and we love him for it. Several years ago we teamed up with Randy to turn his BRE Datsun 240z show car into a competitive vintage road-race car.
He was impressed with our work on the BRE Z and told us about another Z project that he was working on but stalled out in Atlanta. We decided it was time to finish this ultimate track/street car with a healthy dose of his personality. The highlight of this Series 1 240z is a full Rocketbunny body kit with plenty of Z Car Garage touches. Let’s take a closer look at the build:
Origins
The creation of the Rocketbunny Z changed courses many times as the build evolved, as Randy recalls:
“I wanted to build a series 1 Radical fun Street car with a completely different look. We started off thinking we would do conventional flares and conventional displacement for a 240 Z. Then my painter Bryson was doing the bodywork and had just installed a Rocketbunny kit on a 350Z and asked me to take a look at that particular body kit. I knew of the first one completed by Sung Kang and I think it was the second or third kit to come to the country when we ordered it from Japan directly.”
“The paint color which originally was going to be Porsche’s lava orange evolved because of Michael Eberhardt to Porsche‘s late 60s color called Tangerine. Tangerine painted with a white sub-coat pops where Helen Keller could see the color! Since I am color blind, the brighter the color the better I can see it. Bryson welded an amazing full roll cage as I decided to create the car as a street and track beast.”
The body was amazingly painted and caged by Bryson of Classic Livery of Atlanta. They are known for many high-end commissions including several RWB Porsche’s for Akira Nakai. Randy’s transporter trekked from Atlanta to drop off this gorgeous chassis at ZCG and our work began.
Assembly Required: Race Chassis Prep
The chassis was temporarily mounted on rollers while we prepped suspension pieces. Following the “race-car for the street” theme, we re-created the entire front and rear BRE 240z suspension setup. Everything that the #46 race car has is on this street car from DP racing front/rear struts, koni shocks, identical spring rates, sway bar, adjustable end links, plated finish…all of it. More pictures in the gallery below!
Front and rear:
Z Car Garage Big-Brakes
There are two versions of our ZCG Big Brakes and the only three “racing” setups on are on the BRE car, Alex’s Hako and the Rocketbunny Z:
Stay tuned for our latest big-brake upgrade from the minds of ZCG and Stoptech!
Back to the chassis, the entire hydraulic system was installed starting with freshly plated lines.
DP remote reservoir and plated pedal box:
Z Car Garage CV Axles
Z Car Garage is proud to offer a CV axle conversion kit for Datsun S30 and 510 cars. We run these on our race cars and the Rocketbunny Z also got a set.
Helping put the power down effectively is an OS Giken limited-slip R180 diff properly set up in-house by Joshua Corwin.
Wheels Make The Car
The biggest hurdle on this car was wheel choice. Wheels can make or break the car and they had to befit the “KAMIKAZ” nickname. There was no way we would have a car with massive flares and not use every single square inch of real estate available to fill with wheel and tire.
We sourced some Panasport C8 centers and began a custom build with MemoryFab who was instrumental in helping us with fitment/barrel sizing. Up front are 17×10 with a 275/35/17 tire and 17×12 rear with 335/35/17 tire (NT-01R). At the time there were no other RB cars running a 335 in back! .
We spent many hours making the kit fit around these wheels/tires so there was no rubbing:
Everyone was pleased with wheel choice for KAMIKAZ, especially Randy:
“I had already ordered and received a set of Watanabe wheels from Japan however they would not work with the rocket bunny kit so when I sent the car to Rob Fuller at Z car garage he did his magic and created a set of custom wheels using a set of Panasport racing C8 NOS wheels. 10 inch wheels on the front 12 inch wheels on the back by 17s gives the car and unreal stance.”
Race Engine
We had Rebello build a nasty 3.2L for the Z running triple-Mikuni’s, 12:5:1 compression (110 leaded fuel) backed by a 280zx 5-speed. Randy gave us a blank canvas to assemble the entire car but ZCG touches really shine in the engine bay.
“I basically wanted my 46Z race car for the street and asked Rob Fuller to further tap into his magic box so we built a 3.2 race motor full race suspension and the whole 9 yards! Rob and his guys built an amazing car using special finishes on some of the metal work under the hood and the car is just insane to drive.”
Here are a few pictures of the assembly with many more in the gallery. Aluminum flywheel with twin-plate setup and comp oil pan just like BRE car:
Triple Mikuni induction:
Engine going in and detail work beginning. We re-created the cooling system from the BRE car and ran all of the chassis wiring.
The catch can, radiator and Datsun roadster overflow are all period parts that BRE used and duplicated for the Rocketbunny:
Interior
With drivetrain and chassis sorted we moved to the interior. Continuing the race car theme is a stripped (but pretty) body-color interior with that beautiful roll cage from Bryson.
The dash was covered in Alcantara. We installed and wired it up with period gauges. All switch gear similar to the BRE car:
A few more detail shots:
A Braille battery from our friend Gary Savage sits behind the passenger seat:
Sparco Pro 2000 seats:
Chassis wiring for Euro-spec lights:
ZCG door seal upgrade with sound deadening panels. The Z was nearing completion.
Enter the JGRBOMB
This was our quickest build to date so we could make a debut at the 2018 Japanese Classic Car Show in Long Beach, CA. The night before our roadtrip down to SoCal we applied a Jagermeister livery to the car. Randy’s inspiration came from his obsession with Porsche, and the Max Moritz Racing Porsche 934:
“I love race liveries and told the guys at the car garage I wanted to do the Jagermeister racing package on this car and they were not really hip to it but Bryson and I discussed it several times and we both thought it would take the car to the next level. However I stuck with my gut and flew out to San Jose with the livery kit a few days before JCCS and after the first hood decal Rob and his guys were scratching their head thinking hmmm – This may not be a bad idea LOL.”
Rob and I finished applying the decals late in the night before going to Long Beach and we received a lot of positive feedback at that show and then the car came back to ZCon in Atlanta and won a Gold Cup award. The car was also shown at SEMA in 2018 where again the car received an immense amount of positive feedback.”
Indeed, the livery on the Rocketbunny (KAMIKAZ) Z looked fantastic and Randy eventually affixed the JGRBOMB license plate to match. We are happy to report that while at JCCS Randy’s Z won 1st place, Best 240z in a class filled with incredible Z cars!
It was also well-received at Z Con and the SEMA show (thanks to Gary and Braille!). That’s BRE front-man Peter Brock and the designer of the Rocketbunny body kit, Kei Miura both signing the Z:
That BRE Exhaust
We wanted to do a BRE exhaust so we used the Fujitsubo headers and a straight twin-exit with megaphones exactly like the BRE original set up, Randy notes the white color:
“Of course BRE had theirs painted yellow from day one and still are but I wanted to do the rocket bunny exhaust megaphones in white to play off the livery. Many vintage race cars have white headers and exhaust so it made sense to me. So the audio level is the same as the 46Z and will wake up the dead.”
How does it sound? Check out this short video with a dyno run, enjoy!
Details
It would take multiple blog posts to cover all the special details throughout this build. Some highlights include fully polishing all trim pieces like quarters, drip rails, etc. Re-keying locks. Even the mirror was done to Randy’s liking.
Things like the differential temperature gauge behind the old gas fill door have a purpose and pay homage to the Datsun vintage race cars. Contrastingly, there are small modern updates like vintage H4 headlights retrofitted with HID units.
We asked Randy what’s it like to drive:
“To me there’s no difference in driving this and the 46Z it’s almost the same build except more rubber on this one!”
To us that is a great compliment because we set out to finish Randy’s vision of the ultimate street/track BRE-flavored Z.
“I find myself several nights a week just walking around the car in my shop and admiring the build that Rob, Josh and the crew at Z Car Garage created.”
We thank Randy for letting us be creative on this Z and it’s been rewarding to see his taste reflected in other builds. This was a fun project and we enjoyed every moment of it. Browse the extensive photo gallery and LONG LIVE THE Z!
The fifth annual HSR Classic 24hr race at Daytona International Speedway was held November 13-17. Racing legend John Morton and co-driver Rob Fuller piloted the #46 BRE Datsun 240z owned by team manager Randy Jaffe.
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Enjoy our report from the event with pictures, video and commentary from Rob and Randy!
Hallowed Ground: #46 Debuts at Daytona Speedway
When the BRE 240z was not accepted into the 2019 Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion team owner Randy Jaffe was anxious to find a Fall event. Thanks to Michael Eberhardt of Vintage Racing Co. we were able to run the Classic 24 and share a garage with him at Daytona. It was an amazing feeling sharing the same hallowed grounds where all the pros raced for years.
Rob:“This is a relatively new event and HSR’s efforts to make it larger were clear: the Classic 24 had people from all over the world (1/3 from Europe), and famous drivers and cars everywhere: Gunnar Jeannette, Derek/Justin bell, Jochen Maas, Daytona prototypes, LMP cars, vintage IMSA cars, 935s and big-boy hardware.”
Paddock pictures from top left to bottom right: AC/DC lead singer Brian Johnson with Rob Fuller, Gunnar Racing Team, VM columnist Jochen Maas and a 1955 300SL, 1985 Porsche 962 HR1 piloted by team of Derek Bell, Justin Bell, Rodrigo Sales, and Gunnar Jeannette.
Enjoy this video of the sights and sounds at Daytona:
Racing at Daytona
The Classic 24 race features six race groups with 4 (1hr) sessions and cumulative time deciding the winner. Each session has a 3-minute pitstop with mandatory driver exit during fueling. There were many challenges facing the ZCG team as we prepped the BRE 240Z for big banking of Daytona:
Rob:“Josh Corwin prepped gear ratios for the diff and we went there armed for any scenario. At 3.56 miles, Daytona is much longer than our West Coast tracks so we built a 3.54 and 3.36. After one practice session we realized the 3.36 was needed.”
It was an incredible sight to see the #46Z out on the high banking with serious race cars like the Smith Motorworks 1980 Porsche 935 K3:
To aid driving during night sessions the Z was fitted with LED lamps:
Despite heavy rain the team carried on, making changes to the car and improving with each session.
Rob: “There were 12 cars in our group with a bunch of 911s and 914s. The Z worked flawlessly. We made a last minute carb change, sent pics of the spark plugs to Dave Rebello, and we were pumped for it. The sheer size of the stands and banking was overwhelming but we welcomed the challenge!”
Randy:“As you drive into the infield at Daytona and look at that 31% banking it’s super intimidating and as Rob stated you cannot look straight out of the car as it’s always bending left and he has never experienced that before. Rob did an amazing job of adapting to not only the car but to the track within 2 to 3 laps as he had cut down six seconds plus. John Morton has not run Daytona in over 20 years and he got right in the car and turned a great time which is what professional race drivers do! At 77 years old it’s just amazing how he is so calm and so smooth around these tracks!”
Remember those those mandatory pitstops? Thanks to the ZCG team (Josh/Keith) all stops were nailed and we actually had to wait because we were under time. We also had help from Randy’s friend Barney to help with fueling, and Chris Karl from SCCA. A rally of people excited to see the Z at Daytona all pitched in.
The bad weather and lack of track experience didn’t hold John or Rob back. We started 10th in class in the 1st session and by the end of the 1st leg we were in 3rd place.
From 10th to 3rd in one session is impressive with John and Rob turning near-identical lap times. Rob was ecstatic not only about the Z’s performance, but also being able to co-drive with his hero:
Rob: “Ben from Retrosport with Alan Terpins’ 1979 Porsche 935 MOMO car kicked ass and won their class. They were clocked on the front straight under braking at 188mph. The BRE Z did 156mph top speed and our lap times (Morton and Fuller) were within a .1 of each other. I can’t describe the feeling of going from total fanboy to being a co-driver with John Morton. All of this comes from Randy Jaffe’s generosity, drive/passion to celebrate this car and era. These heroes that were making history and didn’t even know it 50years later. All while a new crop of people that love and appreciate this car. Watching people from all over the world come over to find John Morton to have him sign something, shake his hand, tell him a Datsun story. It’s surreal.”
Unfortunately our hopes of a first or second place finish in class were cut short at the second session. John Morton got an epic start and as they all went into turn 1 on the first lap (at night) a Lola T 70 lost its grip, then a Chevron panicked and cut hard right in front of John. There was nothing he could do and the car was so low that it flipped us up in the air and onto the roof:
John Morton was able to exit the Z safely, without any injuries. The Z was towed in, covered and our race ended. We all had hashbrowns and coffee late night at Waffle House. The next morning Josh and Rob set the tow on the front of the car, took plugs out and turned it over. We actually got to drive it around paddock Sunday morning, knowing we would be back again to take a run at the high banks of Daytona.
Randy: “Most historic race cars have been wrecked so many times and put back together and we will do the same after this Daytona accident. Just a slight bump in the road but we will come back stronger as we have learned and we will continue to write more current history with John at the wheel. We can’t wait until Daytona next year where Rob and John can finish the 24 hour that we started this year.”
Here is a video with in-car footage of both John Morton and Rob Fuller. Enjoy the triple-Mikuni carb’d music and wild banking of Daytona! At the end is multiple-angle footage of the crash:
The BRE 240Z will be rebuilt at Z Car Garage
We welcomed back the #46Z to ZCG for a rebuild after damages from the Daytona crash. Stay tuned for progress updates:
Randy: “The car is being shipped to Z car garage on December 13th for repairs and to prep the car for the Walter Mitty races in Atlanta in April. The most amazing part of the fun we’ve had with this car over the past three years is the excitement that Peter Brock and John Morton have shared with all of us to turn back the Hands of time! I think because of social media John Morton may actually be more famous now than he was back in the day and he often thanks me for the efforts to make his accomplishments recognized over and over which he certainly deserves! What 77-year-old race car driver do you know still flies airplanes and rides dirt bikes, jeeps and works out!! Of course none of this would happen without Rob Fuller and Josh Corwin they have been the glue behind us entire program and I would’ve never done any of this without them. Rob takes control of many situations that could be stressful and makes things easier for me!”
At 77 years of age John Morton is still formidable behind the wheel!
Randy was and continues to be supremely enthusiastic about the Z, John Morton and BRE. His words from Daytona:
“Per usual our pit area always had fans coming up and wanted to know where John was to talk to him and get an autograph as he had raced with many of these legends for the past five decades! I really love the story about Peter Brock and the BRE team and what John accomplished in a short period of time and still lives in high racing lore! Every piece of history from this time s fun for me to gather and collect as all of it is a part of the story!”
Randy and the BRE 240Z Build
While many have seen the BRE 240z at racing events and shows, there is a great story behind this car as told by owner Randy Jaffe:
“I met John somewhere around 2012 and told him I was going to build a tribute to his championship 240 Z car and I’m sure he’s heard that hundreds of times and he was kind of bored with the conversation. Then I started sending him and Peter Brock emails to build it correctly then after I spent several years at an attempt to do a tribute I was with both of them one night and asked about the real story on the remains of the original car. Both of them looked at each other and back at me and I was like – what was that look for? They went on to tell me that the story I had heard for years about the car being totally destroyed and no longer around was not true. Dan Parkinson who lived about a hour and a half north of Los Angeles had the remains of the car that he had re-bodied after a 1977 ball joint failure at phoenix motor Speedway. Casey Mollett – another Datsun racer back in the day was a few hundred yards behind Dan Parkinson when he hit that wall and he was part of the teardown and reassembly to the 1977 to 80 Z that Nissan gave Dan to rebuild a car. They were going to repair the original 46Z which now wore the number five livery of Dan Parkinson but the painter said it would take a month and a half to two months and they had to race in a few weeks so they use the 1977 280 Z that Nissan gave Dan.”
“The long and short of it is that they raced the 1977 shell for a few years and retired the car and racing in 1979 and all of those parts just sat there until 2016. Dan and I have had conversations for over a year and many many people were trying to buy these parts because they knew what they were but for some reason he felt comfortable and asked me one day do I really want all the stuff and of course I said yes. John Morton actually said since he owned the original chassis plate which he had taken off the car when he installed the remote Traco oil filter back in 1970 he kept that Vin plate in his toolbox until he gave it to me at the Petersen Museum in 2016. I had already completed my car as a tribute to the BRE team and John Morton when Dan sold me all of the surviving pieces. I then ripped the entire car apart and installing every little piece I could that had integrity and that’s when Rob Fuller stepped in to finish the car build like it was back in the day.”
Pictures from the race prep of Randy’s Z at Z Car Garage:
A sampling of the original parts is shown below including the exhaust header with megaphones, SW gauges, and BRE remote oil filter/cooler. Original BRE heat shield and fuel block pictured above. All assembled by the crew at ZCG prior to testing:
Randy’s fanatic attention to detail and our team’s prep culminated in John Morton enjoying the Z at several race events:
“So many of the remaining pieces along with the 1971 championship motor is on display at my shop. After going to a few shows with John Morton in the car I told him I wanted to race it and he kind of smirked and said it’s a show car not a race car and my reply was we’re gonna race it will you drive it and he Sylvia was nonchalant and said yeah maybe… when we signed up and got into the first Rolex reunion in 2017 Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion.”
“John wasn’t really excited about racing the car Rob and I could see that even when he got belted in the car. When he came back after 6 to 8 laps a different man had returned he immediately walked over to Sylvia and said what are my times – He knew he was turning really fast laps and was getting really fired up! He told Brock down at the Carmel car show that the show car was truly a fast racecar! That weekend he terrorized all kinds of Porsches including 935s and was running up front in the top 10 out of a group of 40 to 50 cars. This became really fun so we’ve done it now at Road Atlanta Laguna Seca and now Daytona!”
Big thanks to Randy Jaffe, Sylvia and John Morton, the ZCG team Josh and Keith Corwin, Meghan Fuller, Michael Eberhardt and Vintage Racing Company and HSR this was a memorable event we can’t wait to come back to next year. More pictures in the gallery below:
One of the real joys this holiday season is the opportunity to say thank you and wish you the very best for the new year. From all of us at Z Car Garage we thank our friends, family and customers again for another exciting and productive year! Enjoy our 2019 recap and upcoming projects below. Please note our holiday closure below:
ZCG will be closed from 12/20/19 to New Year’s Day. We will re-open for business on 1/2/20
Before we take a look back at highlights from 2019, check out a few of the many customer projects coming along at the shop:
Lou’s 1973 Fairlady Z. You might recognize this RHD Z from local Bay Area fun runs and car shows over the years. What started out as a fairly stock car evolved into a canyon-carving street machine as we began modifications in 2011:
The Z featured a 250whp Rebello 3.2L engine, 240sx KA24 5-speed, Recaro seats, LSD, full-suspension, our ZCG Big-Brake Kit and Panasport C8 wheels.
Enjoy this short video showing the mellifluous sounds coming from the 3.2 engine:
Radical Changes
Lou enjoyed his Fairlady Z for many years and after ZCG’s 2nd SEMA build in 2016, Lou was inspired to take his car to the next level. The 3.2L drivetrain was sold to our customer Tim Ng to be used in his ’72 S30 build. We are currently building an IMSA-flared body Fairlady Z featuring widenened Panasport C8 wheels and a stroker RB28 engine backed by a 6-speed.
Several cars delivered will get full reports soon: Cece’s 1977 Datsun 280z, Patrick’sZ32TT and Jay’s Z32TT
Highlights from 2019
Enjoy these highlights from 2019 and Z you in the New Year! Stay tuned for our coverage of the 2019 Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion and Classic 24hr race at Daytona with John Morton and Rob Fuller co-driving the #46 BRE 240z.
Filed under: Events,Racing
by Alvin G @ 2:10 am on November 25, 2019
Photo: Rick Hayden
On October 4-6, the Classic Sport Racing Group (CSRG)’s Charity Challenge hosted the finale of The John Morton Cup. The 3-race series, named after legendary Datsun racer John Morton also featured the Historic B&C Sedan class with about 40 cars battling at Sonoma Raceway. It was a great weekend filled with competition, camaraderie and plenty of Alfas, BMWs and Datsuns sharing the track with John Morton (also Grand Marshal).
Z Car Garage Races Ands Supports Five Datsun 510s!
With some shuffling of schedules Rob Fuller was able to participate in the John Morton Challenge, piloting the Bay Area Datsun Dealers 510. Taz Harvey graciously volunteered his B-Sedan 510 for John Morton to drive. Z Car Garage supported and prepared five Datsun 510s including Tom Dockery’s Ex-Norm Balzer 510, the Red Farmer 510 (also owned by Taz) and Alex McDowell’s Bluebird Coupe, shown below. We also have in-car video footage from both Sonoma and Thunderhill races rom Rob Fuller, John Morton and Tom Dockery:
#7 Rob Fuller
ZCG owner Rob Fuller, Bay Area Datsun Dealers car
Here is in-car footage of Rob Fuller from both Sonoma and Thunderhill races. There is a great battle between Rob and Jon Norman in the ex-Kwech/Theodorocopulos Alfa!
#51 John Morton
John Morton, the #51 car owned by Taz Harvey. You might find this 510 familiar as it was built by our friend Troy Ermish and the previous owner was Wayne McAttee!
Here is video footage of John Morton behind the wheel of the #51 car at Sonoma, enjoy!
#80 Howard Swig
Howard Swig, Red Farmer car (also owned by Taz). Swig is an Auction Manager at Bring a Trailer and this 510 was purchased via a BaT back in 2014 (link).
#72 Tom Dockery
Tom Dockery drove his Ex-Norm Balzer 510. This car made its debut in May and we are excited to share its full story and profile Tom’s journey into racing soon.
Here is video footage of Tom Dockery behind the wheel at Sonoma. We are really proud of Tom and he’s getting faster every session!
#52 Alex McDowell
Alex driving the 1967 Bluebird Coupe. He was in Ireland and flew directly to SFO to participate in this final race!
510 Friends!
Many notable Datsun 510 racers were in the group, gunning for the trophy and sharing the honor of racing with John Morton
#33 Glenn Chiou
Glenn drove the Ex-Finn/Harris U2.5L Trans-Am ’68 510. This car made its debut in May at the SVRA event at Laguna Seca. Glenn did an admirable job (as always) getting this historically significant 510 back on the racetrack! Glenn (and Dave Stone) are the creators of the Historic B&C Sedan racing class and we thank them for organizing such an incredible group!
#93 Dave Stone
Dave Stone drove the #93 Ex-Frellsen 1973 National Champion 510. Dave is fast!
#52 Jim Froula
Race car driver and restoration specialist Jim Froula of Racecraft is ranthe Ex- Harry Stewart Datsun 510.
Charity Challenge race results can be seen below:
A Memorable Racing Event
It was so wonderful to share this experience with our friends and CSRG family. We look forward to another John Morton Cup next year and special shoutout to ZCG crew including the Corwins Josh and Keith. Running all of the cars above would not be possible without them. Big thanks to Meghan Fuller (sporting a full foot boot), the Swigs, Racecraft and legends like Larry Oka, John Morton and Sylvia Wilkinson.
Rob’s First 510 Race Experience
The John Morton Challenge was Rob’s first time vintage racing a Datsun 510. We asked him what it was like to be behind the wheel of a race-prepped Datsun 510, in a wheel-to-wheel race.
“This was the largest gathering of historic B-sedan cars, and all were being raced. It was surreal to be gridded next to John Morton, my hero. Never thought it would happen. I went from being a twenty-something watching Against All Odds to racing with him and it was surreal.”
Rob had visions of doing a vintage race and credits getting his SCCA license, specifically by racing a Mazda Miata, for his transition into vintage Datsun racing:
“When we got the IMSA Z car I always dreamed of doing a vintage race. I had watched my friends like Troy Ermish and Jim Foula at CSRG events, amazed at what they could do in a 510. But I never had racing 510 experience, despite being an owner for 25 years. Sure, I did numerous track days, even running my 400p over-kill street 510 at the track, but it doesn’t compare to a proper, race-prepped 510. Getting my SCCA license in Miatas helped me craft my skills and prepare for vintage driving.”
The challenge for Rob racing in CSRG was to see if his love for the 510 translated over to a race 510. At first, the Bay Area Datsun Dealers car didn’t handle well. ZCG adjusted/re-did the front suspension and dyno tuned the engine to get the it dialed-in. Rob was amazed, and having a blast:
“I enjoyed the camaraderie and overall atmosphere of the CSRG events. SCCA event racing is super intense and competitive. In Vintage racing however we are telling the stories of these cars, celebrating them, and driving rolling art. It’s also about hanging with friends. We all live for this stuff, and guy’s you don’t see often are out enjoying the moment. From talking trash in paddock to sharing conversation over drinks its a nice break from all-out competitive racing, I’m hooked. If you haven’t made it out to a CSRG event, I strongly urge you to do so!”
Join us for the next event CSRG David Love Memorial April 17-19 2020!
