We love to see owners enjoying our Z Car Garage CV Axles in their vintage Nissans and Datsuns. This 1971 Datsun 510 is owned by Jay W and he replaced his old CV Axle kit with our ZCG CV Axles just over 3 years ago. Jay has been racking up the miles running numerous road rallyes in 2024 and 2025 including the Snowball Rally in April, DWA Classic in May, Motherlode 400 in June, Faultline 500, Tokyo Calling 4 in September, Socal TT in October. Here is his report from the Overcrest Rally.

Featured in Nostalgic Hero

 

Before we hear about Jay’s rally adventure let us congratulate him on being featured in the popular Japanese magazine Nostalgic Hero! See both of his 510s in the June 2025 Vol 229 issue:

 

2024 Overcrest Rally Redux

 

September 16, 2024, by Jay Whalen

Hi Rob, just checking in as my ZCG CV Axles #403 just clocked 20000 miles in 2+ years. I didn’t capture too many driving videos on Overcrest, but my wife and I have a few from Mother Lode and Faultline this summer. Also, we now have ~22,500 miles on the ZCG axles. Don’t worry I’m cleaning them up, but here are some recent pictures:

 

The opportunity to enjoy a car you love with like-minded enthusiasts against stunning natural backdrops is what I appreciate most about rallies. The adventure, camaraderie and community stands out to me about Overcrest and was evident when we drove in the Oregon 23’ rally. At their film festival in Oregon they announced the spring Redux 24’ rally was in Utah and I knew I needed to share the adventure with my father and son in my 1971 Datsun 510. I had followed online the 21’ Overcrest Rally in Utah I was blown away by the stunning backdrop and the cinematic journey the rally created. Plus seeing and driving with rally friends, I didn’t know were attending and meeting new ones from all over the country is a large reason I’m drawn to Overcrest.

 

The 510 is not just a mode of transportation for the rally; it’s a character in my family’s adventure story. There is a shared excitement of revving its underpowered engine, hearing the twin Mikuni carbs, and dancing the car on winding paved and dirt roads. There is also the collaborative effort required to navigate the rally route, endure hundreds of miles a day of hard driving and the collective pride in showcasing our classic amidst a field of diverse vehicles.

 

Speaking of diverse vehicles, our client Tony K also attended in his 1972 Datsun 240Z:

 Driving alongside my father and son adds a generational resonance to the rally. It’s a multi-layered narrative where the car becomes a conduit for shared stories, passed down from my father to me and now shared with the next generation. It is something my family holds close and we’ll remember for a lifetime. The rally becomes a living testament to the enduring legacy of our family’s love for cars and the
joy of driving.

 

Our rally journey took us 8 days and 2900 miles across the California Centra Valley, Sierra Nevada, Movaje Desert, Great Basin and the Colorado Plateau. We drove a large loop which allowed us to explore several National Parks and retrace my fathers HWY 50 drive when he moved to California in 1971. The 510 did extremely well, with no major issues. We had a flakey starter motor, wore out a pair of tires and went through a quart of oil.

 

In essence, the Overcrest Rally in Utah with my father and son was a celebration of heritage, a journey through time, and an opportunity to weave new memories into the fabric of our family’s motoring legacy.

 

Enjoy this video of Jay’s 510 in action on a few of the rallies he attended in 2024, volume up!:

 

We love Jay’s attention to detail and it shows in his rally prep! Check out the skid plate he CAD designed:

 

See more build details with photos of the 510 HERE. Follow his Datsun adventures on his Instagram.

 

 

We are excited to offer the Z Car Garage Heat Shield for your triple-carb’d L-series Z car. This is a one-piece 304 stainless unit with laser-etched serial number. Proven on all of our L-series engine builds and dyno testing.

 

This heat shield will fit Mikuni, Weber, Dellorto and Jenvey induction with several intake manifolds like the Harada. Also available for 4-cylinder L-series applications as well! Utilized on both race cars and street cars. Shown below are ZCG clients running the heat shield on their cars, starting with JDM Legends’ epic S30 build:

   

We love to see our products being installed and used on customer cars. Race car driver and restoration specialist Jim Froula of Racecraft is running our ZCG Heat Shield in this vintage 260z race car! Volume up and enjoy!

 

 

Richard’s 1971 Datsun 240Z:

  

 

Khang’s EFI L-Series with Jenvey ITB and Z Car Garage Heat Shield:

Vincent’s 1973 Datsun 240Z:

 

More Z cars running the ZCG Heat Shield:

      

The ZCG Heat Shield is available for purchase for $169.00 with product information below. View this product and other ZCG parts on the new “products” page of our website HERE

 

 

 

Our Z Car Garage Big-Brakes and Z Car Garage CV Axles continue to win over Z-car enthusiasts locally and globally. Elmo P recently purchased a set of both for his 1972 Datsun 240Z and had them installed himself in SoCal. Before we go into the installation details let’s take a look at how Elmo got into Z cars…

 

ELMO: In 2005, I decided to sell my first 240z, a 1973 which I owned for almost 17 years, and the car on which I learned almost everything I know to this day about wrenching. I felt I had outgrown the Z and it no longer fit in my life. However, immediately after the sale, I felt sick to my stomach for weeks and never really got over its sale. Over the next 13 years, I would periodically search for a replacement 240z, only to find out prices had skyrocketed and I could no longer afford one. Fast forward to 2019, I was now ready to resume my search. I found a 1972 240z that had been meticulously cared for by its 2nd owner of almost 47 years. The car was mostly stock, minus the addition of an L-28, and Panasport wheels. 

 

My goal was to modify the car tastefully, with modern components where needed to increase driving pleasure, yet leave the classic body-line largely unmolested to not disturb or detract from the design’s natural beauty. Over the past 4 1/2 years, I’ve made modifications to every area of the car and I can finally say that I’m at about 95% of attaining my vision. As mentioned previously, Elmo wanted the body to remain mostly unchanged. The only additions have been a front grill and spoiler from Star Road in Japan, front bumper delete plates from Skillard, one-piece rear bumper, and Euro tail lights and front turn signals. Wheels are Volk TE37V, 16×8 +0, and 16×8.5 +10 with Toyo R888R tires in 245/45/16.

Interior

 

ELMO: The interior received many upgrades including Recaro seats, Speed Hut gauges, re-upholstered door panels, tranny tunnel, and rear shock towers, billet pedals, new dash cover and a Sparco steering wheel. However, one of my favorite modifications is that of cleaning up the rear shock towers by removing the old vinyl covering and plastic caps, and smoothing off and painting the tops of the towers, along with the addition of aluminum cover plates and new covering on the towers.

  

Drivetrain

 

ELMO: When I bought the car, I knew the drivetrain and suspension would be my main focus area and hence, the area where I would divert most of my modification funds. All suspension component upgrades are from Techno Toy Tuning., including adjustable coilovers, control arms and diff mustache bar. Gear shifts are handled via a rebuilt close-ratio 5-speed from a ZX which transmits power to a 3.9 OS Giken LSD. Although the L-28 that was in the car when I purchased it was recently rebuilt, my goal was to replace it with a larger displacement street/race engine to increase the fun-factor. After months of searching for a reputable L-Series builder, I came across a renowned Datsun engine builder by the name of Jeff Winter at Rallye Sport in Westminster, CO.

 

For my mostly street driving application, we decided on an L-28 bored .080 over, forged rods and flat top pistons, and one of his special cam grinds on my car’s original E88 head with a mild street port, all resulting in just under a 3.0L. Induction is handled by triple 44 PHH Mikuni carbs rebuilt by Taka from Kyusha House.

 

The exhaust is scavenged via a custom-made header from a small shop in Japan, fabricated bu Humble Engineering with a  2.5” straight pipe terminating into a 3-chamber Flowmaster. Below, also visible are T3 coil-overs, LCAs, diff brace and Z Car Garage CV Axles:

 

Z Car Garage Big-Brakes

  

ELMO: Although my new engine makes more power than the original L-24, and the stock brake system and half- shafts likely within their operating limits to support the increased power, I felt now was the time to make those upgrades to mitigate any future performance or drivability issues. Enter Z Car Garage. I had been following ZCG for a few years and knew that Rob was very well respected in the Datsun community, and offered many products to enhance the performance of the S30. I wanted to upgrade to rear disks, not just for better overall braking, but also for aesthetic reasons.

 

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

  

ELMO: In other words, the look of drum brakes sitting behind my new wheels just wasn’t cutting it, at least not in 2023. There is no shortage of aftermarket (AM) brake kits for the S30; however, after speaking with many owners who installed AM kits, they all shared one thing in common: No one seemed to be fully pleased with their performance. Most kits are sort of a “Frankenstein” collection of parts which often required different brake boosters, proportioning valves and other mods just to make them work somewhat effectively. In addition, most AM brake kits either did not come with a parking brake, and if they did,  functioned poorly.

 

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. Elmo’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. Elmo successfully installed the BBK on his Z with and they look great behind the 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. Elmo shares his feedback after replacing his existing brakes with the ZCG BBK:

  

ELMO: I contacted Rob to secure a set of his brakes but he advised me they were on backorder but that they’d be worth the wait, so I committed. Due to Covid supply chain issues, the wait was almost a year long, but as the saying goes, “some things are worth the wait”. I finally received my brakes and can confirm that aside from looking great, they meet or beat my performance expectations. Braking is effective, predictable, and confidence-inspiring. However, the best part is that there are no tricky performance issues that you have to figure out as they were designed from the ground-up for the S30, while still utilizing the stock brake booster and other components. All you simply have to do is install them as directed and you’re good to go. Oh, did I mention the parking brake works great!

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 200 CV axle kits on customer cars and we are stoked with all of the positive feedback.

ELMO: Now that the brake department was taken care of, all that was left to replace is the Achilles’ heel of any S30 with a much more powerful engine, the half-shafts. I had issues with them and their U-Joints on my first 240z which had a 3.0 and I felt that my current Z would benefit from an upgrade. Again, multiple AM options to choose from but given the research and quality of the ZCG brake kit, I felt the CV axles that Rob offered were the logical choice. The axles are beautifully machined and more than robust enough to handle my new engine’s power. I installed the axles myself and have noticed less clunking and vibration, and an overall smoother drive.

Elmo’s ZCG CV Axle set, #0446 installed:

 

What’s in store for Elmo’s Z?

ELMO: So, what’s left? Well, there’s a few odds and ends but nothing major, at least not until Rob introduces the next upgrade. I’m a firm believer that most of us never truly finish modifying our cars because they are like an ever-evolving canvas of ourselves.

 

Thanks for your support Elmo 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:

   
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Happy Friday from Z Car Garage! Today we are installing engines into a Hakosuka and R32 Skyline. Sebastian’s Hako is getting a 3.0L stroker engine to complement the suspension refresh and Z Car Garage Big-Brakes (Stoptech).

 

Kurt’s R32 R32 Skyline GT-R is getting a fresh RB26 motor and turbo upgrade to complement the new KW coil-over suspension:

 

Our Datsun forklift is putting in work! Full reports on both Skylines coming to zcarblog.com!

 

 

We love to see our parts installed and used on client’s cars. Race car driver and Datsun Historian Glenn Chiou is running our Z Car Garage CV Axles in this 1968 Datsun 510 U2.5L Trans-Am race car!

Glenn was preparing to debut his freshly restored 510 for the 2022 Velocity Invitational event at Laguna Seca. A half shaft failure is not something he wanted to worry about while racing so he replaced them with ZCG CV Axles. Glenn installed the set himself with ease:

 

We also provided dyno tuning services to prepare him for the race weekend. The fresh Rebello L18 with Solex/Mikuni 44phh induction and BRE intake made great power.

 

Listen to this 510 make sweet L-Series music on our dyno in the video below. There is also race/paddock action with Glenn behind the wheel:

 

Privateer Spirit

We are happy to report that Glenn successfully raced at the Velocity Invitational event. It’s worth noting like privateers of the period, Glenn builds his race cars, maintains and manages racing efforts himself. Not an easy task so we applaud his passion and work ethic. Glenn builds some beautiful Datsuns and this historically-significant 510 is a shining example.

Photo by Alex Trang

Glenn championed a vintage race group dedicated to the Historic B&C Sedan class and organized a “Celebration of the Two Five Challenge” display at the 2022 Velocity Invitational event. Two of the most iconic cars were present: the ex-Morton #46 BRE Datsun 510 (with Pete Brock below) and ex Kwech #3 Wetson’s Alfa. Yes that is Glenn with the legendary John Morton! Let’s take a look at the history behind Glenn’s Trans-Am 510 before we get into the restoration:

 

The Ex-Finn/Harris U2.5L Datsun 510

 

Glenn has a passion for re-telling the stories of legendary privateer Datsun racers and his penultimate restoration project was this 1968 Ex-Finn/Harris U2.5L Datsun 510, serial number PL510-023047. It is one of very few surviving cars that competed in the SCCA Trans-Am Two-Five Challenge, or more commonly known as the Under 2.5 Liter Series.

 
In 1972, Bob Finn acquired the car from a used car dealership in Santa Barbara, California. The car was sponsored by Bob Nolan Datsun and Chuck’s Shell Service in Santa Maria, California. Competition Street and Rally (CSR) Racing, a shop Finn ran out of Chuck’s Shell Service, prepared the car for competition. It is one of two cars in which an entire package of go-fast parts were purchased from Brock Racing Enterprises in El Segundo, California, as part of their “BRE kit car” program. Mac Tilton, then BRE Crew chief and engineer – later Tilton Engineering, developed the suspension and provided all machine work. Bob Finn and Ron Harris began racing #37 in late 1972.

 

Its first two races were the two final races of the 1972 SCCA Trans-Am Two-Five Challenge season at Laguna Seca and Riverside International Raceway, finishing 15th and 23rd. Unfortunately 1972 would see the end of the Trans Am Two-Five Challenge, but that would not stop Finn and Harris from continuing to race the car. They competed throughout the 1970’s in the SCCA B-Sedan class both regionally and nationally with numerous first place finishes, often beating out factory race teams. While Riverside International Raceway was its home race track, the car could also be seen racing at Willow Springs International Raceway, Laguna Seca Raceway, Sears Point, Portland International Paceway, Ontario Motor Speedway.

  

In that time, Finn and Harris competed against the likes of John Morton, Horst Kwech Harry Theodoracopoulos, Bobby Allison, Walt Mass, Dave Madison, Corky Bell, Norm Balzer, Pat Daily, and many other prominent racers. Bill and Jack Johnston acquired the car in 1979 and would go on to race the car for the next 33 years. Bill Johnston and Steve Dragus shared driving duties, while Jack was the crew chief. Dragus, who was best known for the building engines for Don “The Snake” Prudhomme, prepared the engines. Johnston and Dragus won three regional Cal Club Championships in the 1980’s, and would go on to win the last SCCA GT4 national race at Riverside Raceway before the track closed in 1989. (images and history courtesy of Glenn Chiou)

Restoration

 

The Ex-Finn/Harris Datsun 510 was not always in the orange livery shown above. When Glenn acquired the car several years ago it was red and he ran with this livery at many vintage racing events…until it was time to restore it back to its former glory…

 

Glenn is no stranger to vintage race car restoration. You may have seen Glenn’s FAR Performance 240Z in VIPS Restaurant livery as raced in the 70’s by Loren St. Lawrence. Glenn restored this car himself and it is now back to the Bay Area Datsun Dealers livery as raced by FAR Performance privateer Walt Maas. Glenn also restored the Different Drummer Racing Z raced by Greg Sorrentino. This IMSA GTU Datsun 260Z features our Z Car Garage CV Axles and dyno tuning:

 

The 510 was dissembled for paint and bodywork, using period photos to guide the livery hand-applied by the talented Real Ralph:

 

As usual, Glenn’s painstaking efforts and diligence result in a faithful restoration…where parts are not available he has gone to extraordinary lengths to re-create pieces or use period-correct/surviving parts with archival guidance…shown below: vintage SW oil cooler, BRE remote oil adapter, expansion tank and BRE intake manifold:

 

Glenn assembled the interior with Mil-spec switches & motorsports grade wiring:

 

The fresh Rebello L18 is about to be installed…all done by Glenn himself in his home garage:

 

I was lucky to visit Glenn to see the restoration in-progress and it was simply a feast for the eyes…plated chassis parts, cool bits of history everywhere…plus the BADD 240Z nearby 🙂

 

Datsuns Are Driven!

With the restoration complete, Glenn has been enjoying the Ex-Finn/Harris U2.5L 510 at vintage racing events throughout the year. Follow his racing adventures on Instagram with more photos in the gallery below:

 

Thanks for your support Glenn! Congratulations on the restoration and we love racing with you #racingislife. Learn more about our Z Car Garage CV Axles below:

 

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. These are 100% bolt-in replacing your half-shafts and does not use aluminum adapters commonly found in aftermarket units. We have over 200+ CV axle kits on customer cars and we are stoked with all of the positive feedback.

   

For more information please visit our detailed post our HERE. Below are just a few examples of race cars running out CV Axles:

Race car driver and restoration specialist Jim Froula of Racecraft is running ZCG axles in several of his cars:

Set #246 – installed May 2018 on the “Harry Stewart #52” Datsun 510:

  

Set #247 – installed April 2018 on the 260z

  

Set #248 – installed on Adam Carolla’s “Greg Sorrentino #90” Datsun 510.

  

Supermachine in Tokyo, Japan is running our Z Car Garage Big-Brakes and Z Car Garage CV Axles in their Series Datsun 240Z:

  

Race car driver, restorer and Datsun Historian Glenn Chiou is running our ZCG CV Axles in this IMSA GTU 260z race car!

  

Racer Brad H is running ZCG CV Axles in his IMSA GTU race car:

 
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