Life at Shutter Speed is a 400-page collection highlighting 20 years of photography from talented car culture ambassador Larry Chen. We were super excited to receive a signed copy at Z Car Garage with some keepsake photos. The hardcover book is impressive and we are still marveling at the sheer amount of work Larry has accomplished. This is not just a photo-book, it is a story of his craft from his latest events to early beginnings. We highly recommend getting a copy for yourself and for any car/photography enthusiast. Thanks Larry!
Upon reading the book we came across a few humbling throwbacks…
The New Z (RZ34) Reveal in Times Square
In 2021, we joined Larry at Time Square in New York for the Nissan Z Global Reveal in New York. The experience was surreal. You can imagine how honored Rob felt to share a page with John Morton and be recognized as a member of the Z community.
R34 GT-R Dreams
In 2004, Rob drove the Z Car Garage R34 Skyline GT-R to the GT Live event in SoCal. In the book, Larry recounts how his dream of owning an R34 began when he saw our R34! It’s a small world as this ex-Motorex car switched hands and years later ended up back with our friend Sean from Top Rank!
Thank you
Larry commissioned Z Car Garage to transform his beloved SR20DET-powered 1970 Datsun 240Z into multi-dimensional sports car with power, handling, braking, comfort, reliability and performance to match its eye-catching beauty. In Life At Shutter Speed, “Ole Orange Ban”g gets its own spotlight and we are thankful to be part of the journey. Huge thanks to Larry for sharing his passion with us. Long Live The Z!
Frank’s 1978 Datsun 280Z features our Z Car Garage Big-Brakes, full suspension refresh, 240Z bumper conversion and Panasport wheels. Before we dive into the work let’s see how Frank found the right Z car…
FRANK: My best friend (shout out to Mike Springer) in high school had a 77 Datsun 280Z and that is where my love affair began. I’ve owned a 260 and 510 back in the day and always told myself I’d have a really nice Z one day. Just before covid, I saw NASSTY Z (show below), driving around south San Jose and got a chance to ask the owner (James) where he had his work done. He mentioned Z Car Garage. Note to self.
When covid hit I ventured out on my own and found a 240Z to start my project. Took it to Z Car Garage and got the worst news ever. Turns out the bones were no good and ended up losing money and the fire to keep going. About 2 years later the fire came back. I hit up Rob and told him I needed his help. We talked about what I wanted and we picked a car that Rob had in his possession for many years. A one owner, blue 1978 280Z with 58k original miles. Rob was waiting for the right person to come along…and that was me.
ROB: A few years ago I bought a low-mile 1978 Datsun 280Z from the original owner. I worked on this car since I was in my 20s and it sat dormant. Got it up and running and just kinda hung out here waiting for a friend, and that friend was Frank Moody. Let’s backup. I met Frank in 2021 when he bought a 240Z that was in bad shape. Even though we had not met before I told him straight up this isn’t the Z for you. Let’s move on and wait for the right one. Frank bought the 280Z and we started working on his vision.
Maybe it was fate, as Frank saw this 280Z featured in one of Larry Chen’s Autofocus episodes back in 2020. The video highlighted ZCG client Trevor’s 1978 Datsun 280Z , and soon-to-be Frank’s 280Z is examined as a great canvas to begin one’s journey as an alternative to the 240Z. Let’s dive in to the work performed to help Frank achieve his vision for the Z…
Suspension
The suspension was refreshed with a full Techno Toy Tuning coil-over package done in ZCG black finish, with Koni dampeners , T3 control arms, tension rods, ball joints, rack bushings and new F/R wheel bearings.
Z Car Garage Big-Brakes
We are proud to have several of our ZCG products on Frank’s 280Z. We installed our Z Car Garage Big-Brakes (for small wheels) which have the been standard on numerous ZCG builds.
As fellow S30 owner/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 M/C change or additional proportioning valve/adjustments. All fitting behind a 15″ Watanabe or Panasport wheel 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
Frank’s stock disc/drum brakes were removed and we installed our ZCG Big-Brake kit.
At the rear, the factory drum brakes were replaced with our ZCG Big-Brakes. New OEM Nissan master cylinder and Factory handbrake functionality IS retained!
240Z Bumpers
Frank wanted to clean up the exterior lines and replaced the large, factory 5-mph bumpers with chrome bumpers from a 240Z. We installed aftermarket F/R bumpers and our man William laid down some new paint. Side trim was also removed. Enjoy the before/after photos with more in the gallery below:
Up front:
Panasport Wheels
Complementing the new Big-Brakes on Frank’s Z are Panasport wheels! We installed 16×7 Panasports and Falken Azenis tires in 225/50/16. The Z was fully aligned, and you can also see the ZCG exhaust system below:
Engine
We knew the car would be stopping and handling better than before, so next up was the engine bay. A Koyo race aluminum radiator with upper and lower hoses was installed to keep temperatures in check. Other than cooling and fuel system work, the engine was largely untouched to maintain factory reliability.
We replaced intake and exhaust manifold gaskets with factory Nissan parts with a few ZCG tricks like our exhaust nut and exhaust studs. The exhaust manifold was replaced with a 6-into-1 header and EGR kit leading to our ZCG exhaust system with stainless resonator and slash-cut tip. The injectors were replaced and A/C system re-charged.
We refreshed the gas tank and replaced the fuel sender, did all the vapor hoses in the back:
Dyno Tuning
With Rob’s dyno tuning the L28 with OEM EFI made 140hp/157tq at the wheels:
VIDEO: Frank’s 280Z on the dyno and on the street, volume up and enjoy!
Details
The hatch seals were replaced with new pieces:
Enjoying The Ride
FRANK:She’s a beauty. Goes by the name of Bluezy. Rides like a dream. Stops on a dime. And every time I go for a ride I feel like a celebrity. I get a lot of smiles and a lot of thumbs up! And always a great conversation starter. Best memory so far was taking her on a couple parade laps as Sonoma Raceway. Also a couple months back my buddy Ryan who owns a 1600 Datsun roadster took our cars to the Cars And Caffeine car show. We were 2 of maybe 4 Japanese cars there. Felt good to represent Datsun. And was proud to show off my Z Car Garage product. Both Datsuns were highlights of the show.
The next step for Bluezy is for me to clean up the interior and install my stereo. Then I will need Rob’s help one more time. Would love to then my current motor into a 3.1L stroker. Originally I wanted to flare it out JDM style, but she is so original and so clean I can’t bring myself to cut her up. I want to thank Rob and his team for making my Z dream come true. I will be retiring soon and will enjoy every minute with my Datsun. And when the time is right she will be handed down. My 3yo grandson is already a die hard Datsun fan. I hope Bluezy stays in the family for a long time.
ROB: Frank’s 280Z is born again and so is Frank as he is really enjoying it. He goes everywhere and people comment on it. We just bought a set of Panasports for it so it’s got the full ZCG look. Guy’s got passion . The Datsun world keeps getting smaller and smaller as Frank is neighbors with Bob Hurst, who I worked with since I was in my 20s. Long live the Z!
The Last Stop in Braking for your Z
Z Car Garage Big Brakes are one of the best systems available for your S30 Z Car with over 200 kits sold worldwide and unanimous positive feedback. See our ZCG Big-Brakes on client cars HERE and enjoy the photos below:
Big-Brake Kits Available For DIY Install!
Z Car Garage is proud to offer our Big-Brake Kit to Z-Car owners that want to perform the installation themselves. We can ship worldwide and each kit contains everything needed with a comprehensive installation guide. Blog posts documenting all of our customers running the ZCG Big-Brakes can be found HERE. Christopher’s beautiful S30 and his ZCG Big-Brake installation:
Our ZCG Big-Brake kit ships with everything needed to install and retains the factory parking brake function. Chris successfully installed the BBK on his Z and they look great behind the 16×8 (zero offset) Watanabe wheels with 225/45/16 Toyo tires. Beyond ease of installation and quality components, our Big-Brakes perform by offering superb pedal feel…everyone that drives our demo Z confirms! This is a direct result of working with Stoptech to create a totally bolt-in solution requiring no M/C change or additional proportioning valve/adjustments.
CHRISTOPHER: The car feels planted like never before. Our family also has a fully restored 73 240 that is an excellent OEM example. Where that car feels stable and drives well, there’s no denying the age of its component and it drives like a seventies sports car. The 280 feels like a modern sports car and inspires confidence. The brake pedal communicates exceptionally well and the balance of the calipers bring the z down from speed a rate well beyond most cars today. The light weight of the S30 and the size of the ZCG big brakes is an unreal combo!
Speedhunters, the popular car culture website, appears to be inactive. While there’s no official announcement of the site’s demise, like many fans and followers of the site we are disappointed. Speedhunters was known for its high-quality photography and in-depth stories about car culture.
We’ve gathered all 14(!) Speedhunters articles featuring Z Car Garage clients and friends here for you all to enjoy. Who knows how long the site will remain on the web, so click on the photos or links below to read the full features by authors/photographers Trevor Ryan, Naveed Yousufzai, Larry Chen and Mike Garrett.
You might recall the previous form of this car, “DocZ” that was a metallic red with throwback S30 wheels:
Larry Chen was commissioned by GQ magazine to do a photoshoot Sung and and some cool cars, including the “78” car. See more shots from the photoshoot on Larry’s Instagram.
Our Z Car Garage Big Brakes have been winning over Z-car enthusiasts locally and globally. Jason purchased a set for his 1974 Datsun 260Z and performed the installation himself. Before we go into his Big-Brake experience let’s hear his Z-story…
JASON: “I first heard about Z Car Garage by following Larry Chen’s 240z build on his YouTube Channel. I saw his various interviews with Rob Fuller and was really impressed with his knowledge and passion for the Datsun 510 and s30 chassis. Quickly, I started researching more about the pain points of the s30’s, and noted the lack of support from many other companies in the area of suspension and braking locally. The kits available were Wilwood, Endless, Star Road, among others. No complete kits that were torture tested and raced like what Z Car Garage was doing with their ZCG CV Axles , Brake Kits and other components they were selling. Research and development are key to me, and I was thrilled to see ZCG taking this on themselves. In addition, Rob is a real human being who’s on top of answering questions via email and in person at Z car events. That’s a HUGE deal to me, and it’s so rare to meet someone that of course is just as passionate about his cars as the enthusiasts building them.”
“My 1974 Datsun 260z is an Early model s30. When I purchased it, a few years ago I quickly removed the stock seats and reupholstered Recaro LX vintage seats in Black. I loved the netted headrest, and the clean recaro stitching at the center of the seat. I also removed the Greddy Oni wheel that was originally in the car and swapped it out with a new old stock Nardi Nismo Deep steering wheel with a Black and Gold finish. I went through the interior and purchased a NOS Datsun center console, and replaced the stock door cards with Skillard flat cards with leather pull straps.”
“In addition to the door cards, I added Skillard powder coated heel plates. The car came with BC adjustable coil-overs and Swift Springs which I will be updating in the near future. The BC Coilovers are perfectly fine for the street applications I’m using the car for currently. My suspension underneath the car is the full T3 catalog including the power cradle, control arms, bushings, and even their steering elements. It’s finally sorted, and I really enjoy driving the car the way it currently feels.”
“The car is equipped with a L28, ZX 5 Speed transmission, and 44pHH Mikuni triple carbs built by Taka at Kyusha House. The header and exhaust system are Fujitsubo Legalis R. The engine has since been updated in every way from the ignition system, oil pump, spark plug cables, and brake new seals and belt. The oil pan was replaced with a Moroso baffled racing pan with higher oil capacity.”
“I have two sets of wheels and tires for the car. One set is Volk Racing TE37v custom gold 15×9 at 0 offset on Toyo Proxes R888 205/50/15, and the other set is Work Racing Equip 03 15×8.5 at -3 offset custom bronzed lip, and Gold Center on Falken Azenis RT660 205/50/15. The front bumper is a carbon MSA, and the rear tail light bezels are carbon fiber made by Vintage Carbon. The wing is a Carbon Fiber BRE spoiler.”
You can see Jason’s Z in action in the video below:
Z Car Garage Big-Brakes
As fellow S30 owner/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 M/C change or additional proportioning valve/adjustments. All fitting behind a 15″ Watanabe or Panasport wheel 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.
Big-Brake Kits Available For DIY Install!
Z Car Garage is proud to offer our Big-Brake Kit to Z-Car owners that want to perform the installation themselves. We can ship worldwide and each kit contains everything needed with a comprehensive (40-page) installation guide. Blog posts documenting all of our customers running the ZCG Big-Brakes can be found HERE. Enjoy these pictures of Jason’s beautiful S30 and his ZCG Big-Brake installation:
Our ZCG Big-Brake kit ships with everything needed to install and retains the factory parking brake function. Jason successfully installed the BBK on his Z with PitstopMotorTuning, and they look great behind both the Work Equip 03 and Volk TE37 wheels:
Beyond ease of installation and quality components, our Big-Brakes perform by offering superb pedal feel…everyone that drives our demo Z confirms! This is a direct result of working with Stoptech to create a totally bolt-in solution requiring no M/C change or additional proportioning valve/adjustments. Jason shares his feedback after replacing his existing Wilwood brakes with the ZCG BBK:
JASON: “The Stoptech ZCG Big-Brakes are really a solid kit. The lead time was pretty rough, but again Rob reassured me every month over the course of a year of waiting that it would be worth it. He was right! These brakes do not disappoint. Once the kit was completely bedded and broken in, I quickly put the brakes to the test on Angeles Crest highway here in Los Angeles. I know this road well, and that’s where I usually push the car at a safe limit, and see where the pain points lie. The ZCG brakes are worth every penny. They are precise, they are confidence inspiring, and also feel great under late braking situations. I had a blast carving around the canyon knowing my brakes would safely hold up. My next test would be to get a couple of track days on them, and see how they hold up under extreme conditions and multiple sessions.”
What’s in store for Jason’s Z?
“The goal for the 260z is to refine my current setup. The paint is a bit rough since it was a garage paint job, and I would love to repaint the whole car including the interior. At the moment, I’m building a high compression 3.1L stroker motor with Jenvey 50mm ITB being managed by a Haltech Elite 750 stand alone ECU. My goals long term are for big power, but with street car reliability. I would love to confidently do a track day, but also be comfortable driving my wife to car shows, and even to grab a cup of coffee together. The engine has a custom designed valve cover designed by myself, and commissioned to be created by BSpeed in New Zealand. Big updates to come in the new year!”
Thanks for your support Jason we love that you are Enjoying The Ride and Long Live The Z! More photos in the gallery below
The Last Stop in Braking for your Z
Z Car Garage Big Brakes are one of the best systems available for your S30 Z Car with over 200 kits sold worldwide and unanimous positive feedback. See our ZCG Big-Brakes on client cars HERE and enjoy the photos below:
