On Saturday, August 30 we attended the Tokyo Calling 5 event hosted by Breakfast Club Rally. Z Car Garage participated with a group of client cars and enjoyed a wonderful day of driving through the foothills of Northern California. The event featured 280+ Japanese classics and 90’s-era wonders to appreciate during the morning social gathering and rest stops. Enjoy our report with mega-photo gallery and video!

 

Breakfast Club Rally

 

The Breakfast Club Rally (BCR) started 5 years ago as a small group enjoying weekend drives. It blossomed into monthly events with one hour of hanging out followed by several hours of driving. I highly recommend it for anyone looking to enjoy the beautiful Northern California roads and scenery. You can see our previous BCR reports HERE!

 

The initial BCR Tokyo Calling event, Tokyo Calling 2, Tokyo Calling 3 and Tokyo Calling 4 were all a blast. We did not want to miss their fifth all-Japanese, mostly-vintage rally so I assembled a group of Z Car Garage clients and friends to participate in TC5. We left the shop at 6:15am heading to Sonoma, here is a preview of our cars:

Jim’s 1971 Datsun 240Z

 

Jim’s 1971 Datsun 240z is now sporting a Rebello 3.2L with Jenvey ITB EFI, Recaro Specialist seats, CD009a 6-speed transmission, our Z Car Garage Big-Brakes and Z Car Garage CV Axles!

 

Frank’s 1978 Datsun 280Z

Frank’s 1978 Datsun 280Z features our Z Car Garage Big-Brakes, full suspension refresh, 240Z bumper conversion and Panasport wheels.

Mrs. Butters

 

I drove Mrs. Butters, our Series 1 shop 240z. This Series 1 S30 features a 3.2L with triple-Mikuni induction, Z Car Garage Big-Brakes, Z Car Garage CV Axles, ZCG Heat Shield, 6-speed transmission and full KW Suspension.

 

John’s Datsun 240Z

It was great to see our client John Enjoying the Ride in his 1971 Datsun 240Z featuring our the Z Car Garage Big-Brakes and Z Car Garage CV Axles.

 

Linda’s 1972 Datsun 240Z

Linda Williams drove her 1972 Datsun 240Z OMS Pace Car Duplicate. Z Car Garage revived this historically-significant Z from its slumber to make it a nice driver for Linda while retaining its survivor status. She loves driving it everywhere.

 

Our morning caravan of 6 cars enjoyed cruising up I-280 and the Golden Gate Bridge. Nothing beats driving with fellow Z car owners!

 

Tokyo is Calling before the Rally!

 

Our crew arrived at the rally start in Sonoma and it was already filled with fabulous J-Tin parked at a local airport. BCR hosted a “social hour” from 7:30-9am so we could take in all the glorious cars. The vibe was tremendous, and as usual it went by too quickly. Let’s go through some of the highlights, with more photos in the gallery below!

 

Over 20 S30 Z cars were present!

 

I am always on the lookout for Nissans and Datsuns, and roadsters get my attention. There were at least 10 in attendance including a genuine 1967 2000. One of the most sought after Datsuns, these “half-year” models were introduced mid-1967 offering a 5-speed transmission and 150hp twin-Mikuni carb’d 2L engine…hot stuff for the era.

 

Ian’s SRL is #601 (out of ~1000 cars) and it was fully restored years ago by Les Cannaday in San Diego. Ian is meticulous about maintaining this car, but it is no garage queen, attending monthly rally events. The (655) Off-white paint with red interior is one of my favorites. Yes, it even sports a factory Nissan hardtop with all the stainless trim!

 

Another ’67 2000, this one is #072!

  

Mark’s right-hand drive ’69 2000:

  

High and low-windshield roadsters models were present:

 

Datsun 510

There were several Datsun 510s in wagon and sedan form. Our client Jay installed a set of our Z Car Garage CV Axles on his Green 510, and this time he brought the entire family in their mint 510 Wagon!

 

More 510s:

  

Back to Z cars, Lora joined us with her recently acquired 1971 Datsun 240z. This one-owner  Series 1 S30, affectionately known as “Buttercup” has been with Z Car Garage for many years. Excited to share her Z-car journey on zcarblog.

 

It was a pleasant surprise to see our client Geoff in their rally-inspired 1972 S30 . Over 5 years ago we installed our Z Car Garage Big-Brakes and Z Car Garage CV Axles!. They are returning to ZCG for a 6-speed transmission swap and triple carbs!

 

Jason Dove’s 280z featuring Z Car Garage Big-Brakes. Jason is a long-time friend and client, full report coming to zcarblog.com.

 

See the gallery below for more S30 Z car photos!

 

A Z31 300ZX attending, in turbo form!

 

Our client Cameron’s Z32 Twin Turbo visited Z Car Garage for maintenance work, downpipes, inlet piping, larger intercoolers all from Specialty Z. Cameron has been bringing his 300 to us for many years and we we are really glad to see him driving. There were several Z32TTs in attendance!

 

Paul’s B13 Sentra S-R

 

There were a handful of S13, S14 and S15(!) 240SX:

   

Leo’s Nissan Pulsar GTi-R

 

Super happy to see Leo and his Nissan Pulsar GTi-R at Tokyo Calling 5. This RHD, JDM hot-hatch is known as “Baby Godzilla”, sporting all-wheel drive and an SR20DET drivetrain. What’s wild is that this Pulsar used to be owned by our very own Gary at Z Car Garage! Leo purchased it back in 2017 and drove it all the way from Reno, NV.

 

Nissan Skyline

 

It was great to see Miles (Rays wheels) and Kurt W.. Both will be getting updated zcarblog features.

 

Mike’s R32 is looking sharp, now wearing silver TE37s:

 

Fred’s R34 GT-R in Bayside Blue:

 

A Hakosuka (C10) Skyline:

 

Enjoy this walk-around video from Tokyo Calling 5:

Rally On!

Photo by Zack Hubbell

The rally started at 9am and I was tasked with leading our group. I really enjoyed hustling Mrs. Butters through the backroads. This route was a bit longer than previous TC events at a 130+ miles.

  

One of the perks of BCR events is their team of professional photographers at various stages capturing epic rolling and detail shots so people can focus on enjoying the drive. I encourage you to visit each of these SIX photographer’s photo albums to see shots of your rides:Nathalie Mossberg, Kevin Lee, Alex Nibyt, Zack Hubbell, Emma Lai and Chris Friske.

 

We took a midpoint break from the heat in the historic town of Winters. Lots of cars to see and great chatting with fellow enthusiasts.

  

The rally concluded back in Sonoma airport, where BCR arranged for lunch from Kinoko Japanese Home Cooking. We enjoyed Japanese comfort food  surrounded by J-Tin and vintage aircrafts.

There were so many cool cars, please check the gallery for more photos! Next, let’s check out some non-Nissan/Datsun action…

Honda

 

Honda was well-represented including late model DC2 Integras, a few NSXs, lots of S2000s, CRXs and EF/EG hatches rounded out the display:

 

Mazda

A rare Mazda Cosmos was a real treat to see. First-gen,  FC and FD RX-7s, and many Miatas attended:

  

Toyota

 

Some of our favorite Toyota’s including Supra (A60, A70, A80), first gen MR2s, and AE86s! The Lexus IS300 SportCross with A80 Supra wheels was sweet!

   

I don’t think I’ve seen this many 2nd-gen A60 Celica-Supras on one place!

       

Trucks and Vans

Let’s not forget the Japanese classic trucks and vans! Generations of Land Cruiser:

 

Thanks BCR!

 

Many thanks to the Breakfast Club Rally organizers, we had a blast and I urge you to register for their next event, especially if you are in the South Bay area like me and want to see what driving bliss lies North.

Thank you to all of the Z Car Garage clients that made the journey with us and braved the heat! Huge thanks to BCR for extending their hospitality to our crew, everyone was thrilled. Here’s to the next rally and always, always #DoitInADatsun! More photos in the gallery below…

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On June 20-22, Classic Sports Racing Group (CSRG) hosted the Corkscrew Classic vintage race at Laguna Seca. Z Car Garage participated and supported several client’s Datsun 510 race cars running in B-Sedan Group 3. It was a great weekend filled with competition, camaraderie and plenty of Alfas, BMWs and Datsuns sharing the track. Enjoy our race report with photos and video!

 

Z Car Garage Supports Four Datsun 510s

 

It is our pleasure to bring more enthusiasts into the world of vintage racing. Our services include full race support and car-preparation to help make client’s race days seamless and worry-free so they can focus on driving. One of our specialties is dyno tuning. Before a race weekend we confirm that your car is running well and make necessary adjustments while on the chassis dyno.

VIDEO: Dyno tuning Noah’s Nissan Bluebird and Alison’s Spec Miata.Volume up and enjoy!

 

Hoosier Tire 2.5 Challenge

 

CSRG hosted the Hoosier 2.5 Challenge TA/BS. This is an action-packed race group with B-Sedans battling for points in the series!

 

ZCG clients running at the Corkscrew Classic included:

#6 Noah’s Bluebird Coupe

 

#64 Kenny Tse

  

#88 Todd R.

 

#72 Tom Dockery

We have helped Tom build and prepare his Ex-Norm Balzer/Koobation 510 for several years. You can view his race report below:

 

TOM: Returning to Laguna Seca was a real treat—it feels like it’s been far too long. The track has a natural rhythm that just flows with you through every corner. While Sonoma may be more technically demanding and keeps you on the edge of your racing seat, Seca will always have my heart.
This CSRG event gathered all the B-Sedans under the Hoosier 2.5 Challenge banner, which meant a field full of fast drivers, many of whom were laser-focused on points and the podium. I was content to stay out of that mix, hanging toward the back and enjoying the experience. That was easy enough during the two races, but a bit more challenging during qualifying.

 

The event also brought back former owner and champion Jon Koobation, which was a highlight. A special thanks to Rial Barnett from B-Sedan Racing for taking the time to interview both Jon and me for the B-Sedan community—truly a special moment. As always, big thanks to Rob and the ZCG Team for their outstanding coaching and race support. And of course, huge appreciation for the extended racing family—Meghan, Laura, Chris, Kenny, Noah, Kelvin, and Kelly—you’re simply the best. Looking forward to Sonoma in October! 

You can view the B-Sedan interview with Tom Dockery and John Koobation here on Facebook.

VIDEO: Enjoy this in-car video of Tom qualifying at Laguna Seca with a chase camera view as well:

Paddock Action

VIDEO: Catch a glimpse of the Z Car Garage paddock and watch the Group 3 and Group 9 vintage racers rollout in the video below!

Rob recaps the event…

ROB:  Troy Ermish’s Hooiser Challenge Series was one of the special run groups and it was really cool to see all the 510s, Alphas and BMWs mix it up. We supported 510 drivers  Kenny Tse, Noah, Todd, and Tom Dockery. Todd took a year off racing and he did a fantastic job for hist first time back with a personal best lap time. Laura B and myself in our Spec Miatas and we had a new addition: Ara’s (who races 510s) wife Alison came to join us with her Spec Miata. We had a great time as the run groups were fantastic with 5-6 Miatas. Can’t wait to see 20 VSP in the field.

 

Kenny and Noah both got their PBs at Laguna. Tom Dockery had his B-sedan interview with John Koobation which was super cool. Unfortunately Meghan and I were busy on Sunday, so huge shout out to Josh and David Carroll for handling the Z Car Garage Sunday program.  Our staff is a well-oiled machine, and I had FOMO really bad on Sunday. Everybody did a great job. Can’t wait for the Sears Point event coming in October so thanks again for tuning into our races. Remember, all CSRG events are free for spectators. Contact Rob if you are interested in racing with us. We will guide and help you get faster as well.

 

Vintage Spec Miata

 

The Classic Sports Racing Group (CSRG) is excited to welcome Vintage Spec Miata (1990-1997) to all of their events! This is a fun, affordable way to get into vintage racing. If you have any questions regarding prep and presentation, reach out to Rob Fuller: rob@zcargarage.com.

A weekend of great racing and good times

 

We enjoyed sharing this experience with our friends and CSRG family. Special shoutout to ZCG crew including Cooper and Josh, running all of the cars above would not be possible without them. Big thanks to Meghan for taking photos and video around the paddock.  View all in the gallery below

 

 
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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.

Z Car Garage Shop Tour

Gary’s OS Giken TC24-powered 1971 Datsun 240Z

Eric Straw’s RB26DETT-Powered 1984 DR30 Skyline

James’ 1972 Datsun 240Z Turbocharged L-Series

Driving While Awesome: Coastal Range Rally

The Joel Anderson IMSA GTU Datsun 240Z

Alvin’s 1967.5 SR20-Powered Datsun Roadster-by Trevor Ryan

DWA Rally From Home

 

Mr. K’s Personal Datsun 240Z

 

Eric Straw’s 1969 SR20DET-powered Datsun Roadster

Gary’s 1971 Nissan Skyline 2000GT

Alvin’s SR20-powered Datsun Roadster-by Mike Garrett

The 2018 Japanese Classic Car Show

The 2018 Mitty Vintage Races

 

On June 20-22, Classic Sports Racing Group (CSRG) will host the Corkscrew Classic vintage race at Laguna Seca. Z Car Garage will participate and support several client’s Datsun 510 race cars running in B-Sedan Group 3. It will be a great weekend filled with competition, camaraderie and plenty of Alfas, BMWs and Datsuns sharing the track. Remember to bring your family and friends as admission is FREE for spectators!

Hoosier Tire 2.5 Challenge

CSRG will be featuring the Hoosier 2.5 Challenge TA/BS. This is an action-packed race group with B-Sedans battling for points in the series!

 

Race Schedule

Watch these Datsuns Race!

Want a glimpse of what it’s like to see Datsuns racing at Laguna Seca? Check out our 2024 race report with video and photos: HERE, and view a sample of cars expected to race June 20 at the Corkscrew Classic:

Race car driver, restorer and Datsun Historian Glenn Chiou in his FAR Performance 240Z. This Z has a very rich racing history, driven in the 70’s by Loren St. Lawrence in VIPS Restaurant livery.

 

 

On April 11-13, Classic Sports Racing Group (CSRG) hosted the David Love Vintage races at Sonoma Raceway. Z Car Garage raced and supported several client’s Datsun 510 race cars running in the B-Sedan Group. It was a great weekend filled with competition, camaraderie and plenty of Alfas, BMWs and Datsuns sharing the track. Enjoy our report with in-car footage and photos

Z Car Garage Supports Five Datsun 510s

 

It is our pleasure to bring more enthusiasts into the world of vintage racing. Our services do include full race support and car-preparation to help make client’s race days seamless and worry-free so they can focus on driving. One of our specialties is dyno tuning. Before a race weekend we confirm that your car is running well and make necessary adjustments while on the chassis dyno.

Video of two Datsun 510 B-Sedans (Rob and Tom), Enjoy the sweet L-series music!

ZCG clients running at the David Love Vintage races included:

#7 Kelvin Tse

 

#64 Kenny Tse

 

#72 Tom Dockery (Group 9)

We have helped Tom build and prepare his Ex-Norm Balzer/Koobation 510 for several years. Unfortunately the car was wrecked at Sonoma Raceway. Z Car Garage rebuilt the 510, making a triumphant return to last year’s Velocity Invitational event.

 

TOM: The David Love event was an awesome kickoff to the 2025 race season. The Historic B-Sedan group had a solid turnout—about the same size and pace as the Vintage B-Sedan/Miata Group 3. Thanks to Rob’s fantastic coaching and support, I was able to set a personal best lap time on Sunday morning and held my spot in the top half of the group. I had a blast trading positions on track with Dave Stone, Glen Chiou, Kelvin Tse, and Jeff Rothman. Huge thanks to the ZCG team for their top-notch car support and coaching throughout the weekend.

Enjoy this in-car video from Tom’s 510:

#68 and #30 Noah’s 510 and Bluebird Coupe

Noah dove his #6 Bluebird Coupe and Danny was in the #68 510:

 

Historic B & C Sedan

Photo by Alex Trang

Fellow racer Glenn Chiou co-founded the Historic B&C Sedan (HBC) with Dave Stone. This is an organization dedicated to the racing exhibitions of 1966–1979 Historic SCCA B-Sedan, C-Sedan, Trans-Am Under-2-Liter, and Two-Five Challenge race cars:

GLENN: Since 2018, we have partnered with premier racing organizations such as the Velocity Invitational, CSRG, SVRA, and others to present thrilling run groups that celebrate these iconic machines. Our mission is rooted in honoring the history, camaraderie, and spirit of safe, respectful racing—with a healthy dose of serious fun. The David Love Vintage Races were a perfect showcase of that mission. With around twenty historic sedans in attendance—including Alfa, BMW, Datsun, Mini, and more—we delivered an exhilarating exhibition of vintage racing. Partnering with CSRG and Sonoma Raceway made for a fantastic weekend shared with friends and family.While the David Love Vintage Races was HBC’s only event for 2025, we have big plans for 2026!

To learn more about HBC, our events, the cars, and the stories behind them, visit our website:
👉 https://www.historicbcsedan.com

 

The Historic B and C Sedan race was one of the most exciting run groups and Race car driver/Datsun Historian Glenn Chiou raced his Ex-Bob Finn U2.5L Trans-Am Datsun 510. This car features our Z Car Garage CV Axles and dyno tuning:

 

It’s worth noting that not unlike privateers of the period, Glenn builds his race cars, maintains and manages racing efforts himself. Not an easy task so we applaud his work ethic. Glenn builds some beautiful Datsuns and we thank him for organizing the Historic B&C Sedan group to keep the spirit of Trans Am racing alive.

 

Rob Fuller recaps the event:

ROB: Ross Lindell was in the Randy Pobst National Championship-winning Miata (1992), Lora in her Miata and myself my Miata for Vintage Spec Miata. For Datsuns there was the special HBC run group that was super fun. Kenny and Noah were cooking. Kenny, Noah and Tom Dockery all got their PBs. It felt really great to get the Miata back on the track again. Lora was passing people for the first time, that’s huge milestone. We had just gone through Ross’ car and he was super happy with the setup and dyno tune. The weather was absolutely perfect and the run groups filled with beautiful cars. Glenn was out there,  Frank Z in his 510, Alfa boys Chet Taylor from SoCal. Wonderful weekend with good times had by all. The Corkscew Classic event at Laguna Seca  is coming up next. Don’t mis these (FREE) family-friendly events!

 

Vintage Spec Miata

 

The Classic Sports Racing Group (CSRG) is excited to welcome Vintage Spec Miata (1990-1997) to all of their events! This is a fun, affordable way to get into vintage racing. If you have any questions regarding prep and presentation, reach out to Rob Fuller: rob@zcargarage.com.

 

Lora B had a great time racing her Miata here is here race report:

LORA:  The weekend at Sonoma Raceway was filled with excitement, camaraderie, and unforgettable moments. Participating in the David Love Vintage Races provided a fantastic opportunity to experience the thrills of competitive racing in a historic and vibrant atmosphere.
– 9:20 AM : : Qualifying session to solidify my starting position for the race.
– 12:50 PM: –
– 1:55 PM: Race 1, which was filled with excitement and competitive spirit.
Sunday: Schedule
– 9:20 AM: Race 2, where I continued to apply the strategies discussed and aimed for a strong performance.
– 1:45 PM: Third race of the weekend, pushing for the best outcome based on the experiences of the previous races. I achieved my best outcome yet, successfully overtaking two cars at Turn 7 and another car at Turn 11, which was quite thrilling!

Overall, the race weekend at Sonoma Raceway for the David Love Vintage Races was a memorable experience filled with camaraderie, competition, and personal achievement. I was able to achieve my fastest lap time yet at Sonoma and successfully obtained my full competition license, which was a hard- fought goal. I’m so happy that I kept pushing through and finally achieved that milestone!  I am so thankful for all the encouragement and coaching I have received from Rob Fuller and the team. I hope to be an encouragement to all that I meet, to continue to follow their bliss and achieve their dreams.

You can see Lora racing here on YouTube

A Fan-Friendly Race Event

 

The CSRG events are all FREE to spectators, so bring your family and friends! Lora recalls a memorable moment:

“One of the highlights was meeting a little boy who was celebrating his fourth birthday. All he wanted was to come to the racetrack and see a race car for his birthday. It was so heartwarming to share that moment with him, and he even asked for a picture with my race car and with me, the “race car driver”! It was such a surreal and adorable experience. I think my red Miata must remind children of the red car from the Disney movie Cars! That moment was so unexpected and enjoyable”

Super cool to see our client Linda Williams’ 1972 Datsun 240Z OMS Pace Car Duplicate participating in the John Streets Memorial parade lap aside fellow Datsuns/Nissans.

 

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