Datsuns Are Driven! On Saturday I joined two roadster friends and we made a quick run up Hwy 9.  We began our fun run 3-cars wide on Hwy 85 enjoying some early spring-like weather:

 

Once we got through downtown Saratoga we twisted our way up 9 just past Skyline to a vista point:

 

Here is a short video of me chasing Raul in his 1967.5 1600:

 

 

People love the roadsters. Folks were quick to snap pictures and ask questions.

 

A couple came up to us with a Polaroid they had just taken. These cars really stir the soul!

 

Raul pointed out how the cars show three levels of restoration. Mike’s gorgeous silver 1967.5 SPL is an unmodified factory stock example with whitewalls and OEM interior. Raul’s white 1967.5 SPL is a total sleeper with a 2L power plant/5-speed and upgraded suspension. Finally, my black 1967.5 SPL is considerably modified with a full SR drivetrain, suspension and custom interior.

You can see more of Raul’s pictures HERE

Here are a few pictures from our last fun run:

 

Stay tuned to see where The Three Roadster-teers venture next!

Remember Todd Green and his VQ-powered Datsun Roadster race car? Here are a few pictures from him running Solo2 at Grattan Raceway in Michigan earlier this week. Shown above, Todd is crossed-up going sideways at the top of 4th gear (8,000rpm) preparing for a 90 degree right hander!

 
We love this beast of a roadster and how Todd runs it hard. “I was at the top of 6th gear going across the finish line. I could hardly see as my head was getting beat around violently by the turbulence”
Keep at it Todzilla! Datsuns Are Driven!

***ATTENTION DATSUN FANS***
There are TWO exciting Datsun events this weekend!
Saturday, 4/30    
The Solvang Datsun Roadster Show is being held in beautiful downtown Solvang, CA.

Sunday, 5/1
A record number of Datsuns will be racing at Laguna Seca with HSR on Sunday, 5/1

If you are a Datsun fan and love vintage racing come out to Laguna Seca this weekend! On  5/1 the Historic Sportscar Racing group is bringing an exciting event with plenty of historic race cars and several notable Datsun racers! If you can’t make the Solvang Datsun Roadster Show (held on Saturday) this is another way to get your Datsun fix! We will do our best to attend on Sunday afternoon where the Datsuns are running in group 3. We also want to be there to cheer on our favorite Datsun Roadster racer, Ron Carter!

So just how strong will the Datsun showing be? At least TWENTY 510s, Zs, and Roadsters! Come on out to ‘Seca and watch these Datsun vintage racers mix it up with exotics and other wicked metal 🙂

We featured Ashley’s Z33 Roadster back in November ’10 when her Z-obssessed husband brought the car in for Tein springs and dual-JWT pop chargers. The car still sports the same tasteful drop but now sits on a mint set of 19″ Volk Progressive Spoke wheels(discontinued) in gloss black with polished lips.


ZCG also installed that neat “Z” emblem which doubles as a LED side marker, here is a short video of it in action:

Ashley’s husband is none other than Scott S, fearless driver of the GreenMachine. Scott also owns one of the baddest Twin-Turbo Z32s on the planet. I will do a feature on his car soon, but here is a teaser of his latest set of wheels on the 300:

 

Ken P has been a Datsun roadster owner and enthusiast since the early 90’s. He’s an original member of the Bay Area Datsun Roadster Owner’s Club (BADROC) and owns this highly modified 1969 2000 Datsun roadster, affectionately called “DATSTER”. Ken brought his car to ZCarGarage to get tuned, but let me share a little history with you since it has a special place in my roadster heart.

 

I met Ken at the Solvang Datsun Roadster Show back in 2001 and remember seeing all of his modifications for the first time. What really caught my eye was the paint and bodywork. Shaved door handles and side markers, no door or vent windows, and beautifully applied BMW Technoviolet paint really turned this into a hot rod. The interior was simple with no center console, re-uphostered seats, and a roll-bar. Over the years Ken kept adding his own touches and personality to the car including a trick hidden antenna and HID Xenon headlights adapted from a late-model BMW.

 

Under the hood lay Nissan’s mighty U20 drivetrain complete with several period go-fast parts like Mikuni-Solex side-draft carbs and a hotter camshaft. 14″ Panasports on sticky A032R tires and a full NISMO competition suspension made for a very fun little roadster.
I almost bought his car from him about 8 years ago but fate and the fact that Ken just can’t leave things alone led him to the next level of the DATSTER’s evolution. He removed and sold the U20 setup and with the funds(and money left to spare) purchased and installed a Nissan KA24DE drivetrain from a 240sx. Ken did the installation himself and added a few more custom touches like a metal dashboard color-matched to the body that houses the 240sx gauge cluster and S13 (of course!) seats.

 

Ken continued to drive and enjoy the new KA setup by doing fun runs, autocrosses, and even drag race events.  He wasn’t done yet though and decided to add boost to the motor in a rather unorthodox way: supercharging! A supercharger setup was sourced from a race car and Ken made numerous modifications to make it work in his engine bay.  The blower is mounted just above the frame rail but hidden under the intake runners. A custom throttle-body and pulley system were necessary.

 

Rob and the crew at ZCarGarage have worked on many roadsters, from bone stock to modified. Ken came to ZCG because he wanted to make sure his supercharged engine was tuned correctly for longevity and power. Baseline numbers were 159hp/156tq, and it was definitely in need of a proper tune. Rob and Clark Steppler tuned the roadster using a JWT ECU to safely boost at 8lbs and make some great power: 180hp/171tq at the wheels!!! The dyno plot reveals the beauty of a roots-style supercharger: a broad torque curve with over 150tq available from 2000rpm to 6000rpm! We think Ken is happier now 🙂

 

So with all of the ingenuity, modifications and big power is Ken finally “done”? Nope. He is currently engineering stronger brakes that will fit within those classy 14″ Panasports. Datsun owners are truly one of a kind!

 

Here are a few clips of Ken’s supercharged roadster in action and many more pictures in the gallery, enjoy!

more photos in the gallery:
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