JCCS: 15 YEARS AND STILL GOING STRONG
Z CAR CLUB MAGAZINE
Z MECCA REVISITED
S E P T / D E C 2 0 1 9 • I S S U E 5 . 9 / 5 .1 2
ZCARCLUBMAG.COM
Contents
zcarclubmag.com • sept/dec 2019 • issue 5.9/5.12
Features
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16 X-Mas at Z Mecca A trip down to Lutz, FL for the annual Suncoast Z Car Club Christmas party hosted by Sheila and Jim Frederick made my return visit to the sunshine state one to remember. Meeting up with Carl Beck from IZCC, visiting with Bob Sharp from BSR and meeting Greg Ira (2-time SCCA E-production champion in 2013 and 2015) was icing on the cake with the cake being a return visit to Z Mecca and a chance to see a lot of nice Z’s at this years event. One I won’t soon forget.
Departments 4 From the Editor 5 Book Review
sixteen
Datsun 240Z Engineering Development
6 Event 15th Annual Japenese Classic Car Show
12 Behind the Wheel 1973 Baja 240Z Carl Beck - Internet Z Car Club
24 Collector’s Corner 26 Around the Curve twelve
publisher: Nelson Ackerman, nlackerman1@aol.com editor-in-chief: Art Singer, arts.zccm@gmail.com managing editor: John Moran, moranjf@hotmail.com advertising: call 505.835.9170 for a media kit
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Z Car Club Magazine is a bi-monthly digital publication and a printed version comes out three times a year (January, May and August). No part of this magazine may be reproduced in any form without the expressed written permission of the publisher. This publication is distributed with the understanding that the information presented herein is from various sources for which there can be no warranty or responsibility by the publisher as to accuracy, safety, or completeness. Unsolicited material will not be returned. PRINTED IN U.S.A.
FROM THE EDITOR • And the Challenges Just Keep on Coming By: Art Singer, EIC (ZCCM), Albuquerque Z Car Club Just when you think things can’t get any worse as far as 2019 goes, guess what, it did. It started with some kind of cold. Lasted about 2 months and it really wore me out. Went to the doctor and there wasn’t much they could do for me. It finally went away and BAM! my doctor tells me I now have diabetes. Thankfully I don’t have to take insulin injections, but I do have to take a lot of pills now. If I’ve learned anything, it’s that I have to get myself in better shape (exercise, eating right, etc.) so I can reverse this problem. Then, just when I think I’m going in the right direction, BAM! all of a sudden my elbow starts to hurt. Not a touch pain, but a constant ache in the elbow area, which causes two fingers in my hand to go numb every once in a while. The pain was 24/7 for over 6 weeks and only allowed me to sleep for two hours at a time. Went to urgent care and they gave me a shot and a prescription for some nerve pills. Neither worked, so I had to wait till my next doctor’s appointment. My doctor gave me a referral to see a urologist, which is weeks away. In the meantime, I was given a prescription of Gabapentin, which helps relieve pain in the nerves. Seems to have done the trick as far as the pain goes, but the numbness is still there. I can live with that for now since I’m finally able to sleep through the night. Which brings me to the magazine. I’m finally back to where I can sit in front of a computer for longer than a couple of minutes at a time. I’m still
behind the eight ball as far as getting the latest issues out, but I’m getting caught up and by the time you read this, the print issue should be heading to the printer. I’m so looking forward to 2020 in hopes that it will be a better year for me. Sorry for all the delays and I thank you all for having the patience to wait this out. There have still been quite a few readers wanting to send in articles on their Zs. The problem (if you want to call it that) is they are mostly coming from the S30 crowd. I would love to see some later model Z owners (280ZX, 300ZX, 350Z, and 370Z) get involved and start submitting some articles on their cars. As much as I love the S30, I would like to see more variety, including the newer models in the pages of ZCCM. A few good pictures and a good story behind the car is all it takes to make it happen. ZCCM is still in search of Z-cars for the "Behind the Wheel" section of the magazine. If you own a nice Z and would like to see your car gracing the pages of the magazine and don't mind writing about it then send me an email at arts.zccm@gmail.com to get the ball rolling. Who knows, it might turn into a feature (see above) if there is a really good story behind it! Most BTW's only need between 400 to 700 words and about 5 to 8 hi-res images. This is your chance to see your car in print and it also looks nice displayed in the rear hatch area of your Z at your local car show. So get out from behind the wheel and show the Z world what you got.
www.baddogparts.com Bad Dog Parts specializes in the sale of used, new, and custom designed parts for owners of 1st generation Z cars (1970-78). We do on occasion carry parts for later model Zs. And for those looking for something a little different, that adds strength, or ease of operation to your Z car, we have a line of custom made parts which are available: • • • • •
240/260/280 coupes and 2+2 frame rails optional rear rails replacement OEM style seat brackets front sway bar strengthening plates single jack point plates
REAR RAIL
FRAME RAIL
Have a need to make your Z more rigid? Add our optional rear frame rail section and you tie in the front end to the rear wheel well making your Z handle like it was always meant to. What we design and build we use ourselves.....and for those of you concerned with sending your hard-earned Z dollars to someone you’ve never meet, we offer a 100%, no question asked refund policy.
Email: john@baddogparts.com 4
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BOOK REVIEW Datsun 240Z Engineering Development The Journey from Concept to Reality Hitoshi Uemura Foreward by Yuichiro Motomura
Ever heard of the A550X? Wonder why the Z Roadster never went into production? Want to know why the fuel tank was reduced from 70 liters to 60 liters? Why the ashtray was moved from the front of the shifter to just behind it in later year Zs? These are just a few of the many questions that will be answered after reading this book. This is a must-read for any Z enthusiast that wants to know all the details on how the Z was created from an engineer’s point of view. Mr. Hitoshi Uemura was the Principle Design Engineer in Nissan’s Third Vehicle Design Section in 1967 and was in charge of engineering design for new models. Everything from basic layout design to the testing of completed vehicles in actual market conditions. This book chronicles how the Datsun 240Z went from concept to reality starting in 1967 and culminating with the introduction of the 240Z to the market in 1969. First published in Japan, this is the English translated version produced in 2017 with help from Carl Beck, president of the Internet Z Car Club. Price: $12.95. Details: Lulu.com (type datsun into the search).
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EVENTS • 15th Annual Japanese Classic Car Show (JCCS) Story and photos by: John Moran, Empire Z Although Japanese classic cars may
and was one of my favorites. The Yokohama tire
to the booths, and it could have been a show unto
seem few and far between these days, there is an
booth was flanked by a pair of striking orange
itself. I also just learned that the silver Kenmeri
oasis where they still gather. On September 21,
240Zs. BRE brought out their restored ’71 240Z
Skyline from the Bring A Trailer booth will be part
the caravans arrived early with a total of around
as well as their white and red 50th Anniversary
of the lineup that you will be able to rent soon at
500 vehicles partaking in the 15th annual
370Z. Add at least 4 generations of Skylines next
Rent JDM in Las Vegas!
Japanese Classic Car Show (JCCS) at the Marina Green Park in Long Beach, CA. People’s thirst for Japanese classics seemed strong as over 10,000 spectators endured the long lines to make their way through the palm trees and display cars. The show seemed even bigger and busier since moving from the Queen Mary across the harbor last year, but Terry and Koji Yamaguchi, founders of JCCS, and their team of 100 volunteers were up to the task. Vendor’s row felt like navigating a bustling bazaar. The 65 vendors put out wheels, seats, die-cast, and dashboards, and they also had some of the nicest cars at the show. Jay Ataka won an award for his elaborate display with a model train circling his Phantom Z Sport Wagon and 240Z. Jared Perry’s ’76 280Z with custom Advan A3As looked just as good under the hood
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The vendor displays were just the beginning as a variety of Japanese marques made their way to the water’s edge, including some species rarely seen or thought extinct. When is the last time you saw a Mazda Luce, a Mitsubishi Galant Lambda, or an Isuzu Impulse (they had two)? However, Datsuns and Nissans clearly dominated the space. The park slopes up from the water with Datsun trucks and 510s clinging to the side of the hump while most Zs sat atop the saddle. A pack of Z32s and 240SXs was across the park in the recently added Neo-classic area. Roadsters and a small flock of Datsun coupes were positioned near the entrance just off Shoreline Drive. In fact, the start/finish line for the Acura (formerly Toyota) Grand Prix of Long Beach was just a few steps away. The vastness of the show can make finding people like searching for a well in a desert, but can also lead to special chance encounters. One that stood out for me this year was coming across Kirk Hubbard. I usually associate him with Toyotas, but he has a history with Nissan, too. In fact, he was working for Reyn Spooner when Nissan requested an Aloha style shirt to celebrate Nissan racing back in the mid-‘90s. This year,
Kirk was in contact with truck racing legend Spencer Low and Spencer let him know that he was one of the guys holding the trophy on the Aloha shirt. They were thinking of doing a Datsun/Nissan Baja display at JCCS, but unfortunately Spencer passed earlier this year. I Z CAR CLUB MAGAZINE
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EVENTS • 15th Annual Japanese Classic Car Show (JCCS) continued Story and photos by: John Moran, Empire Z think stories like these reflect what is special about JCCS and the longevity and connections within the Japanese car community. I was happy to see other Datsun/Nissan enthusiasts that came from near and far. One of the first people I saw was Mr. K’s secretary Johnnie Gable. Johnnie and her son Kenny Ueda brought out Mr. K’s famous yellow 240Z as well as Kenny’s ’63 Datsun 320 truck. Jack and Yolanda Atkinson
showed
their
custom-bodied
Primadonna Z32 and a low-mileage example from the last 300. A few people even made it all the way from Georgia, including Randy Jaffe, Vince Corry with his ‘72 BSR Camel GT 240Z, and Walt Bailey drove his unique red convertible Z that is closing in on 600,000 miles! It is not just the variety, but the cars are screened during registration, so those that make it in are some of the finest examples in existence and judging near impossible. There were no fewer than 10 categories specifically designated to Datsuns and Nissans, and Best of JCCS also happened to go to Mark Sayre’s 1972 Datsun 510 converted to RHD. In the Best Datsun 80s, I was fortunate to get the nod for 2nd with my 1984 300ZX 50th AE, while 1st and 3rd went to
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200SXs. Here are a few of the other Z winners. For Best 260Z – 280ZX, Albert Chavez took 3rd, Luis Rivera picked up 2nd with his image shattering ’75 2+2, and David Jones took 1st with his 280ZX 10th Anniversary Edition that looked like it rolled right off the set of the Black Gold commercial. The 240Z group was so lush that Jay Ataka’s former ZCON Gold Cup winner took 3rd, while James Stephens picked up 2nd, and Bill Bennett took home 1st for his well-executed ’73 Screamin’ Yellow Zonker. Somehow the 84 total awards that were presented didn’t seem like enough for all the amazing Japanese classics that came out. If you want to experience it for yourself, they will gather once again at this SoCal oasis in September 2020.
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EVENTS • 15th Annual Japanese Classic Car Show (JCCS) continued Story and photos by: John Moran, Empire Z
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Photo by John Moran
SU’S RETURN OLD OR NEW SCHOOL, THE CHOICE IS YOURS
SU ‘roundtop’ carbs were first developed for Nissan in the 1960’s by SU Carrburetter Ltd. Due to stricter emission standards, the roundtops were replaced in 1973 by more emissions friendly Hitachi flat top carbs which in turn were replaced by fuel injection. SU Carburetter Ltd. decided to produce a limited supply of the origional ‘roundtops’. These are the exact same carbs from the 1970’s but with upgraded hoses and gaskets to be able to tolorate ethanol. SU Carburetter Ltd. also developed a more advanced set of SU’s for your Z car. The 2019 edition (ABF973) can be installed in about 2 hours and includes an integrated enrichment valve for easier cold starts, a dual pass through fuel feed system that helps balance fuel levels between carbs, an integrated float system that resists vapor lock and a dyno tested needle configuration that allows you to drive easily around town without sacrificing performance. Both versions are new in the box and require no core charges or exchanges. HIF44 velocity stacks for the 2019 Roundtop are a traditional race track option that looks great on the street. A mounting system has been developed to handle deep K&N filters. HIF44 - $100 a pair plus shipping
Classic Roundtops - $975 plus shipping
ABF973 - $1175 plus shipping
Turn key installation available at Choice Auto Repair, Raleigh NC 919-233-0033 For more info visit: roundtopfuelsystems.com
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BEHIND THE WHEEL Carl Beck – Internet Z Car Club 1973 BRE Baja 240Z I bought my first Datsun 240Z in March of 1970. Living on the West Coast at the time, I became a huge fan of Peter Brock and his Brock
induction ceremony, myself included. Everyone
Racing Enterprise (BRE) team, as well as a
had arrived at the host hotel the day before and
Datsun 240Z enthusiast.
we all spent time socializing that evening. Les
Fast forward to 1998, and Mr. Yutaka
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Cannaday and I were talking about the effort to
Katayama (aka Mr. K) was to be inducted into
find or locate some of the earliest production
the Automotive Hall of Fame, and he had invited
240Zs, as well as several of the more historic
several friends to join him in Dearborn for the
competition cars campaigned by BRE and Bob
Sharp Racing. In that conversation, Les asked me if I knew what happened to Peter Brock’s BRE Baja Z, the one he drove in the 1973 Baja 500 and 1000 mile races. For several years, both of us had been asking anyone we could find, that had been around back in the day, if they knew who had the BRE Baja Z or what happened to it. As we were talking, one of the other guests joined us; he happened to have been V.P. of Sales reporting to Mr. K in the late ‘60s and early ‘70s. He said that BRE had sold the Baja Z through a local dealer consignment in late 1974 or early 1975 to a dentist living in the L.A. area. He couldn’t remember the Dr.’s name, however. So our search continued… So what happened to it? We found out the name of the dentist from a letter written to Les from Michael Pretzer, the owner of the BRE Baja Z at the time. The dentist, Dr. Logan, had bought it because he reasoned that it was less expensive to buy a used racecar and detune it for street use than it was to buy a regular production car and add all the performance equipment to it. Turned out this story was carried in a Sunday edition of the L.A. Times in 1975. Dr. Logan had a friend named Mr. Pretzer that had a son Michael. Michael loved the Z car since he was a kid and wanted Dr. Logan to sell it to him. Dr. Logan declined because the boy was too young (16-18). Michael went off to college and returned home 4 or 5 years later. He still wanted Dr. Logan’s Z, so the doctor sold it to Michael. Work and life change us all, and Michael decided that he really needed to return to college to work on a master’s degree, so the Z had to go, but he wanted the BRE Baja Z to go to someone that could appreciate its history. Two lower images to the right shows fabrication work done on the hood to accommodate the three headlights mounted in front. The hood hinges were also replaced with a pin system making it easy to remove the hood. John Morton did all fabrication work on the hood.
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BEHIND THE WHEEL 1973 BRE Baja 240Z - continued About a year after our meeting in Dearborn, Les called me one evening and said, “Carl, guess what I found.” Darn, I knew at once it had to be the Baja Z. Nonetheless, I said, “I wouldn’t have a clue.” Sure enough, Les said he had found the Baja Z – or more correctly – it had found him. The current owner (Michael) was wishing to sell it and contacted Les due to his reputation associated with classic Datsuns in California. I was happy to know the Baja Z was found and that it had found Les, but still wished it had found me! We all know that feeling of friendly competition that only one person can win – you are happy for your friend, but. When Les said he found the Baja Z, which had been missing since the early ‘70s, I congratulated him for finding it, laughed, and jokingly said, “So did you just call to rub it in?” Les replied, “Well, maybe just a little, but seriously, I do not have room in the shop for it, nor the time to spend on it right now. If you want it, I’ll put you in contact with the seller.” I asked Les to get me a firm sale price and told him I would FedEx a cashier’s check to him to give to the seller if Les was satisfied with the provenance and condition of the car. Les said he would be glad to do that for me and offered to pick the car up from the seller and hold it at his shop until I could fly out and pick it up. I made arrangements to fly out to California the following week. Upon arrival at Classic Datsun Motorsports, Les and his mechanic were Top image to left shows the rear suspension which includes the original coil overs and extra thick rear differential skid plate. The exhaust was also rerouted above the differential for better ground clearance. If you are wondering what the cable running parallel with the coil over is, they are there to stop the rear suspension from fully extending when the car leaves the ground, keeping the tires parallel to the ground when the car lands. The middle image on the left shows the placement of the odometer fitting. It was mounted on the front wheel for a more accurate reading since the rear tires had a tendency to break free and spin more. The lower image on the left shows the extra thick skid plate made specifically for the rigors of off-road racing.
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Two images to the right shows the strut tower brace fabricated by John Morton along with the cutout on the valve cover to create more clearance between the bar and the engine. This is the first time a strut tower brace was used on Datsun race cars. Notice the pin system for easy removal.
working on getting the Baja Z running and roadready. Ian Brock, Peter’s son, came to the shop to meet me and see the Baja Z. When Ian realized that I was going to attempt to drive it back to Florida, he insisted that I properly
pre-
pare for the trip across the desert between Southern California and Phoenix. I hadn’t given it much thought, but Ian insisted that we stop by Walmart and pick up a cooler, ice, and lots of water or Gatorade. So he followed me to a local Walmart to help load up supplies – and make sure I did! Turned out that it was very good advice indeed. I drove it from Vista, California, where Les is located, to Phoenix. A trip that should have taken 6 hours took 3 days. Then, I shipped the Baja Z from Phoenix to Florida and flew home. That trip is another long story – LOL.
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X
MAS AT
A Christmas Party to Remember Hosted by Suncoast Z Car Club
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Z
MECCA Story and Photos by Art Singer
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I made my way down to Florida for a Z event for the first time since the early 2000s (not including ZCON in Daytona Beach). The event back then was held in Orlando and it was the first time I had met Jim Frederick from Lutz, FL. He was kind of famous back then for his Z garage, affectionately named Z Mecca. Back then it was home to about 18 Z cars, most of which were in like-new condition. His restoration work was amazing and still is today. Fast forward to 2019, and Z Mecca still houses 18 to 20 Zs, but the historical value of the Zs parked there now has changed significantly since the early 2000s. It’s more like a museum than a garage. It rivals anything Nissan has on display as far as Zs are concerned, but no velvet ropes around these cars. As long as you are careful, you can get up close and personal with every one of them. Jim believes that preserving the history of the Z is important to the Z community since more and more early Zs have disappeared or have been neglected for far too long. The number of early Zs in his possession is mind-boggling. There are eight Nissan Vintage Program cars, at least six pre-1970 early VIN Zs, including #13 (see sidebar for more details on page 23), #16, #17, #48 and #52 to name a few. Most are restored to factory specs and the ones that aren’t should be in the near future. It seems as if Jim has mellowed over the years since my first visit. I remember the inside of his home looking like a parts warehouse with plated nut, bolts, washers and hose clamps piled everywhere. And God only knows how many other Z parts were stored in the spare rooms. A great environment for a single Z guy. Not so much when you have a significant other. Today is a
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different story, I’m about 99.9% sure it is due to his wife Sheila, who has restored order and maintains a separation of home and garage. Kind of like the government, with its separation of powers. The great thing is, Jim looks happy. Now back to my reason for making the trip down to Florida this year. Jim is a member of the Suncoast Z Car Club and a few years back offered to host the annual Christmas party held on the first Saturday in December. What started as a one-time offer has now turned into an annual event at Z Mecca. I had been asked in the past to come on down, but always had some excuse why I couldn’t. This time, I had made up my mind that no matter what, I was going to attend this year’s event. My visit was like hitting the trifecta at the horse track, not once, but twice. The first was being able to spend a day with Carl Beck from Internet Z Car Club (IZCC) fame on Friday, attending the Christmas party on Saturday, and taking a drive down to North Palm Beach to meet up with Bob Sharp of Bob Sharp Racing (BSR) to get caught up with what he’s been up to since moving to Florida. Spending a day with Carl is like taking a Z history class in college. I learned a lot about the BRE Baja 240Z that he has in his possession. The Baja Z in its own right is a Z history museum on wheels. You can read how he acquired the car in the Behind the Wheel article on page 12. The second win was being able to see Bob Sharp, Greg Ira, and Bill Coffey together in one place at the Christmas party. It’s not often you get to see famous Z car racers, past and present, together in one place. One thing that they all have in common beyond racing Zs is that they have all been featured in the pages of ZCCM. And Bob goes as far back as Sport Z Magazine and Nissan Sport. All three are very down to earth and always willing to share a story or two. I met Bob for the first time back in 2013 and have stayed in touch ever since. I’ve known Bill for years since I see him at a lot of Z events around the country
Images on opposite page from top to bottom: Early vin#’s 16 (white), 17 (silver), #48 (yellow) and #52 (green). From left to right: Greg Ira, Carl Beck, Mary Beck, Jim Frederick, Bill Coffey, Bill Coffey Jr., and Bob Sharp. Images above from top to bottom: Eight of the Nissan Vintage Program Z’s sit side by side. All engine compartments look as good as they did the day they rolled off the assembly line.
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Sheila and Vince hawking Datsun and Nissan memorabilia
each year. And this was my first time meeting Greg, which was a nice surprise since I wasn’t aware he was going to be in attendance. The Christmas party on Saturday was attended nicely by at least one Z from every series of Z produced by Nissan, a wide-body 510, a roadster, and a few non-Z imports. All but one Z was show car quality and I was impressed with all of them. Coming from the Southwest where rust is never an issue, I expected to see some in these cars considering all the salt and humidity that cars in Florida have to deal with on a daily basis. But I was happy to see that the cars in attendance have been nicely preserved in these harsh conditions compared to the dry air of New Mexico. Everyone knows that in the Southwest you deal with dry rot and everywhere else in the country you deal with rust. But California could be the exception. Seems like a lot of California Zs have minimal rust issues compared to the rest of the country not in the Southwest and enough humidity to keep dry rot at bay. There was one early Z with blue paint and a white interior there that really caught my eye. I have always been a fan of that color combination and this Z was one of my favorites. Also in attendance was a Black Pearl in like-new condition sans the pinstriping (he still has new pinstriping in the box, just has not put it on yet). I was impressed with the red 370Z and its use of color, especially in the engine compartment. Tastefully done in my opinion. Another Z that made me take a hard look at was a white 350Z convertible. Very subtle in its detailing, I liked the aggressive look that the wheels helped to create. I enjoyed seeing Vince Corry’s Camel GT car at the show. I had seen it before at other shows around the country in past years and it looked as good as always with the addition of new OEM fabric for the seats. He spent years searching for the original fabric and finally found a few yards outside of the United States. The bulk of the Zs in attendance were S30s, and all were in excellent condition. Loved the white 240Z with the black fender flares. That color combination has always worked well for me. Carl Beck and his daughter brought his BRE Baja 240Z down (or up?) from Clearwater and the two 280ZXs there were great examples of bone-stock and modified versions. I enjoyed the weekend so much that I think it is going to become one of my events that I attend on a yearly basis. If you live within a 300-mile radius of Lutz, there is no reason not to make this event. The cars in the garage alone should make the trip worth taking. Maybe next time I’ll spend more time chatting with folks than taking pictures.
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Lucky #13 Finds a New Home Most everyone knows the story of the most iconic Z car in Datsun/Nissan history, the 1969 240Z, VIN HLS30-00013, owned by Rick Morgan from Central Connecticut and rediscovered in 2009 after 30 years of hiding in a storage unit in his backyard. Rick’s love and knowledge of the Z car (he worked at the Bob Sharp dealership back in the day) along with his understanding of the significance of the early VIN Zs played a big part in why this car survived all those years. Rick was no spring chicken in 2009, and 10 years later he started to realize that he was no longer going to be able to devote the attention needed to such an iconic car as this. He finally came to the realization that he was going to have to part ways with “Lucky #13.” He wanted to make sure that if he could no longer own it, that it would go to someone who appreciates the historical value that this Z holds in the automobile industry. Who better than Jim Frederick from Z Mecca fame, owner of #16 and #17. Rick knew right away that his prized possession would be in good hands and that Jim would give it the attention it deserved. The torch has been passed and Rick is satisfied that this survivor will continue to shine well into the future.
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COLLECTOR’S CORNER • John Moran – Empire Z When it comes to Datsuns/Nissans, I
few posters and books. However, the symptoms
have also collected every issue of Z Car, Sport Z,
enjoy collecting everything from A to Z, especially
were still mild until the release of the Hot Wheels
Nissan Sport, and ZCCM. I have run out of space
Zs. Actually, my first Nissan was an R30 Skyline in
Hakosuka in 2011. This KGC10 Skyline was
for posters in my garage and office. I drink out of a BRE coffee mug every morning. I wear Japanese
Okinawa, Japan in 1993. However, after the
designed by fellow 260Z owner Jun Imai, and he
military, I returned to my home state of Connecticut
would go on to put out many more Japanese
car shirts almost every day. I am even typing this
and promptly got my first Z, a black 1978 280Z.
classics in 1:64 scale. Hot Wheels were supposed
using a Z mouse and mousepad! However, the
This Z served me well through my time at UConn,
to be muscle cars or the manifestation of someone
current crown jewel of my collection is a
but I had not caught the collecting bug yet.
drinking turpentine, not classic Japanese cars. I felt
280-ZZZAP arcade game, which I hope to do a
the disease spreading.
separate write-up on soon.
After another stint in Japan, I ended up in SoCal. This time I picked up a red 1990 Z32
I soon found myself running down aisles and
I enjoy being surrounded by all of the collectibles,
300ZX. Having a child resulted in trading in the
scouring pegs like Tuco in the graveyard scene of
but the items that have direct connections to the
Z32 for a blue 1974 260Z 2+2 around 2009. I
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. The result is
people in the Nissan community are particularly
had finally settled down and started to collect a
hundreds of die-cast cars, mostly Zs and Skylines. I
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special. In 1:43 die-cast, I have an Electramotive 280ZX from John Knepp, a Mr. K yellow Z from Johnnie Gable, and a BRE Z from Peter Brock. I have traded items with Watanabe-san from Rocky Auto. I have signed posters from Bob Sharp, Steve Millen, and the BRE team. In addition, John Morton and Peter Brock have signed models and even my car. Matsuo-san has also signed my glovebox and a copy of Project X - 240Z Challengers. I would warn people that Datsun/Nissan collecting can spread quickly, but if you are reading this, it is probably already too late.
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AROUND THE CURVE ZCCM is for car clubs and their members. We encourage you to join your local club or consider starting one of your own— it’s a great way to grow the Nissan, Infiniti and Datsun community. If you already belong to a club and you don’t see it listed contact Art Singer at arts.zccm@gmail.com or 505-835-9170 for more information on how your club can become a partner.
• Partner Club Directory Arizona Desert Z Association Location: Phoenix, AZ Contact: George Geringer Email: dza@desertzassocation.com Website: desertzassociation.com California Group Z Sports Car Club Location: Southern California Contact: Ian Stewart - President Email: ian@groupz.com Website: groupz.com Z Club of San Diego Location: San Diego, CA Contact: Chuck Golden Email: chucksbarandgrill@cox.net Website: zcsd.org Z Owners of Northern California Location: Northern California Contact: Linda Williams - President Email: pres@zonc.org Phone: 408-761-1869 Website: zonc.org Colorado Z Car Club of Colorado Location: Denver & surrounding area Contact: Jason Spegal Email: jspegal@spegalnetworks.net Website: zccc.org Connecticut Connecticut Z Car Club Location: Connecticut & surrounding area Contact: Ross Williams Email: officers@ctzcc.com Website: ctzcc.com Illinois Windy City Z Club Location: Chicago Metro Area Contact: Ty Ozgen Email: tyozgen@gmail.com Phone: 630-910-3616 Website: windycityzclub.com
Indiana Indy Z Club Location: Indianapolis, IN Contact: Scott Caylor - President Email: IZCC@indyzcarclub.org Phone: 317-698-8144 Website: indyzcarclub.org Kentucky Bluegrass Z Car Club Location: Louisville, KY Contact: Bill Edens - President Email: bzcc@bellsouth.net Phone: 502-241-3812 Website: bluegrasszcarclub.com Missouri Ozarks Z Club Location: Springfield, MO Contacts: Josh Lyman - President Email: Ozarkszclubprez@gmail.com Phone: 417-597-0872 Facebook.com/groups/ozarkszclub New Hampshire Z Car Club of New England Location: New Hampshire Contact: John Jeffries - President Email: john@baddogparts.com Phone: 617-510-2694 Website: zccne.org New Mexico Albuquerque Z Car Club Location: Albuquerque Metro Area Contact: Nelson Ackerman Email: nlackerman1@aol.com Phone: 505-239-6833 Facebook: Albuquerque Z Car Club New York Z Association of New York Location: Upstate New York Contact: Mike Roth Email: rothm@srgarch.com Phone: 518-857-5026 Website: zanyz.com
North Carolina Triad Z Club Location: Greensboro, Winston-Salem, High Point Contact: Matthew Ragan - President Email: president@triadzclub.com Phone: 336-399-0961 Website: triadzclub.com Triangle Z Club Location: Raleigh, NC Contact: Bud Hansen - President Email: budhansenus@hotmail.com Phone: 919-215-2698 Website: trianglezclub.com Ohio Cleveland Z Club Location: Northern Ohio Contact: Karen Karl - President Email: kmk@bricekarl.com Website: Clevelandzclub.com Z Car and Roadster Owners Club Location: Central Ohio Contact: Jessica Padavana Email: jessica.padavana@gmail.com Phone: 614-315-1955 Website: zroc.org Oklahoma Oklahoma Z car Club Location: Tulsa and Oklahoma City Contact: Pete Pitchford Email: petepitchford@gmail.com Phone: 405-612-1146 Website: okzcc.com Tennessee Middle Tennessee Z Club Location: Central Tennessee Contact: Bob McGehee Email: rmcgehee22@gmail.com or mtzclub@gmail.com Phone: 615-260-5669 Website: middletennesseezclub.com
Texas Cowtown Z Club Location: Ft Worth and Arlington Area Contact: Mike Brunner Email: mtbrunner14@hotmail.com Phone: 817-441-6471 Website: cowtownzclub.com Z Club of Texas Location: Dallas Metro Area Contact: “Mad” Mike Taylor Email: zmadmike@airmail.net Phone: 214-533-0922 Website: zcluboftexas.org Virginia Tidewater Z Car Club Location: Eastern Virginia Contact: Todd Wagner Email: zfixers@cox.net Phone: 757-851-8098 Website: tzccva.org Z Car Club of Northern Virginia Location: Tysons Corner Contact: Bernie Bilski Email: yugobernie@cox.net Website: zcarclubnova.org Washington Z Car Club of Washington Location: Washington State Contact: Marty Molloy Email: twin.turbos@yahoo.com Phone: 425-367-9065 Facebook: facebook.com/DatsunClub Web Based Z Car Clubs Classic Zcar Club Location: Internet Contact: Mike Gholson Website: classiczcars.com
Smokey Mountain Z Car Club Location: Eastern Tennessee Contact: Tony Price Email: tonyprice1@yahoo.com Phone: 865-681-7986 Website: smokymountainzcarclub.com
UPCOMING EVENTS 5th Annual Friends of Mr. K Fun Run Date: February 14-17, 2020 Location: SoCal area Details: Email Kenny Ueda at uedakj@verizon.net
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Z CAR CLUB MAGAZINE