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!
