040 | Built to Race: Jeffrey Willerth's Datsun 240Z & 260Z Journey | Z Club of America
About this episode
Head to Willow Springs with host Chris as he chats with Jeffrey Willerth, a key figure behind the Z Club of America. Jeffrey shares the rich history of the club since its 1971 inception, detailing its evolution from early driver education programs to modern track days. The conversation dives into Jeffrey's personal Datsun 260Z and 240Z race cars, including a wild story about a stolen and recovered 260Z. They also discuss the club's partnership with the Vintage Auto Racing Association (VARA) and the annual All Japan Showdown.
On this episode of Cool Cars With Chris, we're joined by Jeffrey Willerth of the Z Club of America at the legendary Willow Springs Raceway for a conversation about Datsun heritage, vintage racing, and the passion that keeps classic Z cars alive.
Jeffrey shares the story of his beloved Datsun 260Z that was stolen and recovered, how it sat in storage for nearly 30 years before finally returning to the track, and what it takes to build and maintain race-ready classic Japanese sports cars. We also dive into the origins of the Z Club of America, the growth of the All Japan Showdown, track days at Willow Springs, and why the Datsun Z remains one of the most beloved enthusiast cars ever built.
Whether you're a Nissan Z owner, Datsun enthusiast, racer, collector, or simply a fan of automotive history, this episode is packed with stories, insights, and motorsports passion.
Topics discussed in this episode:
• The history of Z Club of America
• Racing at Willow Springs Raceway
• Datsun 240Z and 260Z ownership
• Vintage racing and track days
• Restoring classic Japanese sports cars
• The All Japan Showdown event
• Building a dedicated race car
• The Nissan Z community
• Motorsport culture and driver education
• Jeffrey's journey through seven different Z cars
Links & Resources
🌐 Cool Cars With Chris
https://coolcarswithchris.com/
📺 Cool Cars With Chris YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/@CoolCarswithChris619
📸 Cool Cars With Chris Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/cool_cars_with_chris619/
🏁 Z Club of America
https://zclubofamerica.com/
📺 Courage YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/@TheDriveNDad22
📸 Courage Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/thedrivendad22/
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00:00 Introduction
00:24 Meet Jeffrey Willerth of Z Club of America
01:25 First Impressions of Willow Springs Raceway
02:10 Driving Willow Springs During Parade Laps
03:54 The Origins of Z Club of America
05:04 How the Z Community Evolved
06:28 The Story Behind All Japan Showdown
08:35 Building Southern California's Z Community
09:38 Jeffrey's Datsun Collection
10:23 The Stolen and Recovered 260Z
11:22 A Z Car Stored for Nearly 30 Years
12:02 First Track Day After Restoration
12:56 Building a Full Race 240Z
14:04 Life With a Dedicated Race Car
14:47 Owning Seven Different Nissan Z Cars
15:25 Favorite Cars at Willow Springs
16:31 Race Cars vs Street Cars
17:36 Dream Cars to Drive on Track
17:58 Final Thoughts and Wrap-Up
#CoolCarsWithChris #Datsun240Z #Datsun260Z #ZClubOfAmerica #WillowSprings
Willow Springs
"on today's fantastic episode, they were heading back over to Willow Springs to have a conversation with the head honcho himself, Jeffrey Willard of Z club of America."
A famous, historic race track in the California desert. It is known for being incredibly fast and has been featured in many movies, video games, and car TV shows.
Willow Springs International Raceway is a historic 600-acre racing complex located in Willow Springs, California, near Lancaster. Opened in 1953, its main 2.5-mile track, "Big Willow," is famous for its high-speed, sweeping corners and significant elevation changes.
Jeffrey Willerth
"heading back over to Willow Springs to have a conversation with the head honcho himself, Jeffrey Willard of Z club of America."
A major leader in the car club world who helps organize events for fans of Nissan and Datsun sports cars, and who races classic Z cars himself.
Jeffrey Willerth is a prominent figure in the Datsun/Nissan enthusiast community and a key leader of the Z Club of America. He is an active vintage racer who campaigns historically prepared Datsun Z-cars in West Coast vintage racing events.
Datsun 240Z
"We're talking about racing, his race cars, his Dotson to 60 Z's and his 240 Z, which is a full blown race car."
A classic Japanese sports car from the 1970s that looked like an expensive European sports car but was reliable and affordable. It is widely credited with changing how the world viewed Japanese cars.
The Datsun 240Z (S30) is a legendary sports coupe introduced in 1969, powered by a 2.4-liter inline-six engine. It revolutionized the sports car market by offering European style and performance at an affordable Japanese price point.
Datsun 260Z
"We're talking about racing, his race cars, his Dotson to 60 Z's and his 240 Z, which is a full blown race car."
A slightly updated version of the famous 240Z sports car, sold for only a short time in the mid-1970s. It had a slightly larger engine but struggled with early emissions control systems.
The Datsun 260Z was a transitional model sold in the US for the 1974 model year, featuring a larger 2.6-liter inline-six engine to combat tightening emissions regulations. It bridged the gap between the original 240Z and the later fuel-injected 280Z.
Laguna Seca
"I feel like, you know, Laguna Seca always gets credited with the corkscrew and everything, but that, that, you know, elevation change going up and then down there is, I mean, it's just as like, was that your first time?"
A highly famous race track in Monterey, California, known around the world for a crazy, steep downhill S-curve called the Corkscrew.
WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca is a paved road racing track in central California, built in 1957. It is world-famous for "The Corkscrew," a signature one-of-a-kind turn featuring a dramatic, blind five-and-a-half story drop.
Joe Cassella
"So Z Club of America was established in 1971 by Joe Cassella. That's like right after the car came out."
The man who started the very first national club for Datsun Z car owners in 1971, helping popularize the cars through track events.
Joe Cassella was the founder of the Z Club of America, establishing the organization in 1971 shortly after the Datsun 240Z debuted in the United States. He was instrumental in organizing early track days and driver education events for Z owners.
Lime Rock Park
"And so immediately he grabbed a bunch of people and they ran off to Lime Rock Park in Connecticut and started doing our events there."
A beautiful, historic race track located in Connecticut, famous for its scenic park-like setting and fast, short layout.
Lime Rock Park is a historic 1.5-mile natural-terrain motorsport road racing venue located in Lakeville, Connecticut. Opened in 1957, it is famous for its rolling hills, lack of grandstands, and fast, flowing layout.
trail braking
"And it also gave the drivers, all of us, you know, just a better education because now you're on the track driving and you're learning how to trail break, you're learning how to turn and how to where to break, where not to break..."
A racing technique where you keep pressing the brakes slightly even after you start turning into a corner, rather than doing all your braking in a straight line. This helps the car turn more sharply by keeping weight on the front wheels.
Trail braking is an advanced driving technique where the driver carries braking pressure past the turn-in point of a corner, gradually easing off the brakes as they increase steering angle. This transfers weight to the front tires, increasing grip and helping the car rotate into the turn.
Chevrolet Corvette
"...beginning. And it almost sounds like driving like Corvette, like Corvette driving school. We hear a lot abou..."
The Corvette is a famous two-seat sports car made by Chevrolet, an American company. It is designed to go very fast, look sleek, and be fun to drive on both regular roads and racetracks.
The Chevrolet Corvette is an iconic American sports car, currently in its eighth generation (C8) which features a mid-engine layout. It is celebrated for delivering supercar-level performance, sharp handling, and aggressive styling at a fraction of the cost of its European counterparts. It is often discussed in the context of performance driving schools due to its highly capable track performance.
Nissan 300ZX (Z31)
"I know that the 300, the Z31, the like the 85, 84, you know, 300 ZX, it went full blown like out of Star Trek mode with like digital everything..."
A 1980s sports car from Nissan that was famous for its futuristic, sci-fi-like digital dashboard and pop-up headlights. It focused more on comfort and technology than the raw race-car feel of the older Z cars.
The Z31-generation Nissan 300ZX, produced from 1983 to 1989, marked a shift toward luxury and high-tech features, famously offering a digital instrument cluster and voice warnings. It was powered by Nissan's first mass-produced V6 engine, available in both naturally aspirated and turbocharged forms.
VARA
"Well, yes and no. I mean, so we're in partnership with Vara, the Vintage Auto Racing Association. That's who puts on this day for us."
A large club on the West Coast that organizes race weekends specifically for classic, older race cars from past decades.
The Vintage Auto Racing Association (VARA) is the largest vintage racing club in the Western United States. Founded in 1973, VARA organizes competitive racing events for historically significant race cars, emphasizing safety, sportsmanship, and preservation.
Porsche 924
"I went off and got a course 924 and you know, just driving around in that. Oh, those are fun."
An entry-level sports car made by Porsche in the late 70s and 80s. Unlike the famous 911, it had its engine in the front and was cooled by water instead of air.
The Porsche 924 is a front-engine, rear-wheel-drive sports car produced from 1976 to 1988. It was Porsche's first model to use a water-cooled, front-mounted engine, originally developed in partnership with Volkswagen/Audi.
SCCA
"And that was where, you know, you've taken essentially a street model Z. You're allowed to make some modifications to it and then you'd be competitive and you could go out and race. That was my intention."
A large club in America that organizes and sets the rules for amateur sports car racing, autocross, and rally events.
The Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) is a non-profit American social club and sanctioning body that supports road racing, rallying, and autocross events across the United States. Founded in 1944, it is one of the most influential organizations in amateur and professional American motorsport.
dyno
"It's a beast now. And so we're in the 200 range because it has been on a dyno. And so, you know, so always a little more tweak and you just never."
A machine that acts like a giant treadmill for cars, used to measure exactly how much horsepower and torque an engine is putting out to the wheels.
A dynamometer (dyno) is a device used to measure an engine's force, torque, and power output. In the automotive world, a chassis dyno measures these figures at the vehicle's drive wheels to evaluate real-world performance and assist in engine tuning.
Ford GT40
"Oh, wow, look at that one. Oh, wow, look at that car. Oh, the GT 40. Check that out. Oh, the Viper. Check that out. You know, it's like so many crazy things here."
The Ford GT40 is a famous racing car from the 1960s. It was built by Ford specifically to win prestigious long-distance races in Europe, and it is highly prized by collectors today.
The Ford GT40 is a legendary 1960s high-performance endurance racing car built to defeat rival teams at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, which it successfully did from 1966 to 1969. It is one of the most famous and valuable cars in automotive history, celebrated for its low-slung design and historic racing pedigree. It is typically discussed as a crowning achievement of American motorsport.
Nissan Armada
"So first off, like I'm not a streetcar guy. I'm just super not just just I don't know why, but no, but the Armada is my beast. And it's my tow vehicle."
A very large, powerful SUV made by Nissan. It is built like a truck, making it excellent for towing heavy trailers and carrying large families.
The Nissan Armada is a full-size, body-on-frame SUV introduced in 2003, powered by a robust V8 engine. It is highly regarded for its heavy-duty towing capacity, spacious three-row interior, and shared platform with the global Nissan Patrol off-roader.
Infiniti QX80
"I got my own one of those by the way. I got two kids thinking about the third. So we're at that point, Armada, QX-80. This is my second Armada. I'm a big fan. And the new one is really, really nice."
The Infiniti QX80 is a very large, luxury family vehicle with three rows of seats. It is made by Infiniti, which is the high-end brand owned by Nissan, and is designed to carry many passengers in comfort.
The Infiniti QX80 is a full-size luxury SUV that serves as the flagship model for Nissan's luxury division. Redesigned for the 2025 model year, it replaced its aging V8 engine with a modern twin-turbocharged V6 and introduced a highly upscale, tech-forward cabin. It is a popular choice for large families seeking premium comfort, three-row seating, and strong towing capacity.
Ford F150
"That's pretty good. Yeah, it is. I think my F-150 is like 10. I somewhere around there. I don't know. I never taken it that far."
The F-150 is a large pickup truck made by Ford. It is designed to carry heavy loads in its back bed, tow trailers, and carry passengers comfortably.
The Ford F-150 is a highly popular full-size pickup truck that has been America's best-selling vehicle for decades. It is highly regarded for its versatility, offering a wide range of configurations from basic work trucks to luxurious cruisers and off-road beasts. It is frequently discussed in conversations about towing, utility, and everyday fuel economy.
Coyote V8
"When I bought my F-150, I got the Coyote V8 in my truck. So yeah, I like the V8."
A highly respected 5.0-liter V8 engine made by Ford, used in modern Mustangs and F-150 pickup trucks. It is loved by enthusiasts for its classic V8 sound and reliable power.
The Coyote is Ford's modular 5.0-liter naturally aspirated V8 engine family, introduced in 2011 for the Mustang and F-150. It features dual overhead camshafts (DOHC) and twin independent variable camshaft timing (Ti-VCT) to deliver high-revving performance and robust torque.
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