About My Cars
My love for the Zcar ignited at 13, a spark that never faded. In 1983, I got my hands on a 1972 240Z—my first canvas. I decked it out with a JCR body kit, sleek 15-inch three-piece Epsilons, and a few other tweaks that made it mine. But by 1990, practicality called, so I swapped it for a copper 1978 280Z—a beauty that served me well as a daily driver. Life, though, had other plans, and I reluctantly traded it for a bigger car when family needs took over.
Then, in 1997, my wife pulled off the ultimate surprise: a light blue 1978 280Z, a pristine, unspoiled gem. We cruised it as-is for a decade, soaking in its raw charm. But by 2005, it was begging for a major overhaul—and I had a dream list of mods itching to come to life. I tore it apart that winter, determined to rebuild it into my ultimate Z. Life, as it does, threw curveballs: distractions piled up, and the car sat, disassembled, buried under junk in my garage for nearly 20 years. Halfway through that stretch, disaster struck—a fire razed the garage, torching most of the parts. The unibody survived, scorched but stubborn, like a phoenix waiting for its moment.
That moment came in 2020. An old friend stopped by, took one look at the wreckage, and laughed. “You’re never gonna do anything with that pile of crap!” he jabbed. His words stung—and lit a fire under me. That was it. This wasn’t just a car anymore; it was a mission. I set a budget, circled Zcon 2022 on the calendar (happening in my town, no less), and vowed not to let a single day slip by without progress. I poured myself into it, doing every bit of the work myself—except the dyno tuning for the RB25 engine. Two days before Zcon, it roared off the dyno at 410 horsepower, a beast reborn. At the show, it clinched 1st place in the People’s Choice judging—a sweet vindication.
It’s still a work in progress, with upgrades and tweaks keeping me busy, but I’m thrilled with it. That light blue 280Z isn’t just a car—it’s a testament to grit, love, and a dream that refused to die.
