Interesting article in the Santa Cruz Sentinel - maybe someone on the list knows more about this guy, or maybe he's a member!

http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/archive/2004/March/22/biz/stories/01biz.htm

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Putting the ‘Z’ in Zoom

By CHANDLER HARRIS

Sentinel correspondent

SANTA CRUZ — Rental cars are usually new, sterile and have low miles. Yet Tony Landrum is bucking that trend with a car rental place like no other.

Located at the south end of Pacific Avenue past Laurel, the Z Zone rents classic 240, 260, and 280 Datsun Z’s, all made between 1970 and 1983. At $40 a day, which includes insurance, drivers can rent these classic Japanese sports cars and drive them up to 100 miles a day.

"Come on in and get a Z, we got one for you," Landrum said to some people that had stopped their cars to look at the 13 Japanese sports cars with the signature sloping front.

Landrum began moving his collection of Z’s from the San Francisco Bay Area last December, and opened the Z Zone in Santa Cruz just last week. So far business has been slow, he said, but Landrum and his mechanic have been busy fixing the cars. They expect with warmer weather and the approaching summer, business will be good.

Yet the presence of the Z’s have garnered plenty of attention since they began moving in, drawing pedestrians and Santa Cruz Z owners who want to talk about their cars and buy parts.

Yuya Sekiya and Brad Hesselink, who were visiting Santa Cruz from Canada, stopped at the Z Zone lot to take a look at the classic cars.

"There’s not many Z’s in Canada, you wouldn’t see a car like this," said Hesselink. "I enjoy them."

What began as Landrum’s hobby of collecting Z’s eventually turned into a thriving Z rental car business in the Bay Area.

"I liked the Z’s, I wound up with one, then I had two, then three," he said. "My philosophy is that you should do something you like to do that it isn’t work."

Landrum’s Z rental business in Berkeley was a success, averaging six to eight rentals per day, he said. But the high cost of living combined with car thefts and parking tickets, and the reduction in car insurance, convinced Landrum to move his business to Santa Cruz.

His first employee was Jennifer Roberts, who was interested in the Z’s parked in the lot, and began talking with Landrum.

"Santa Cruz is a classic car kind of town, and sports cars have the same kind of attraction as old style classic cars do for me," Roberts said. "And I thought what a neat thing to get into."

Landrum is a therapist who works for the state, and who allows some of his employees to drive his Z’s. In fact, he has so many Z’s — 19 — that he is planning to expand the Z Zone to Monterey in the next six months.

The Z’s are nostalgic cars, reminiscent of an era when cars had rack and pinion steering, chokes, and burnt orange interior with black vinyl. The interior of the Z Zone is also a homage to the era, with purple shag carpet, a floral print couch, gaudy Egyptian art, and 30-year-old newspapers.

Landrum was never a fan of classic American muscle cars, or newer cars, preferring the style and driving attributes of the Japanese sports car that has now become a classic.

"They’re fast, powerful, and quick," Landrum said of the Z’s. "These cars are made by hand, compared to the newer cars that have the computer in them. These are the best handling cars there is."

Indeed, a 1973 240 Z handles well around turns and accelerates quickly in second gear, as the engine grumbles loudly for higher speeds. The interior of the car is not perfect, but has the original vinyl cracked with age and chipped chrome window handles. Everything in the car is original, even the pushbutton AM/FM car stereo that plays an old Madonna song to complete the nostalgic time warp.

Contact Chandler Harris at jcopeland@santacruzsentinel.com.

The Z Zone

WHAT: Rents classic Datsun Z cars.

WHERE: 703 Pacific Ave., south of Laurel.

PRODUCTS: Datsun 240 Z, 260 Z, and 280 Z sports cars.

OWNER: Tony Landrum.

EMPLOYEES: Three.

INFORMATION: 471-0744.

INTERESTING FACTS: Owner Tony Landrum owns 19 Z’s, 13 of which are available to rent in Santa Cruz.

Blitzkraig must have helped them become famous......

http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/attachment.php?s=&postid=75757

That reminds me of when Hertz was renting out the Mustangs back in the late 60's. If you remember those cars where black with gold pin-striping and fast backs. I've seen 1 in my life time. Anyway, Hertz had to quit offering the Mustangs because people where taking them to the track to drag race and bringing them back with the rear tires shreded.

Vicky

Now theres a job for me. I'll move out there, open up a shop restoring them so that they can be rented out. Then you also have a full time job maintaining them.

ZZZZZZZZ-iemba's will be a reality someday.

Hey Vicky, not only was Hertz renting fastback mustangs, but Shelby GT350 Mustangs. I heard of stories were people would rent the Shelby and take the hi po out and swap it for their normal 289. By the time Hertz caught on, the engines could not be tracked because they had already been through 3 or 4 rentals already. This is all car gossip. I am not sure if it is true, but it sure sounds possible.

Take care,

Ben

Originally posted by v12horse

Hey Vicky, not only was Hertz renting fastback mustangs, but Shelby GT350 Mustangs. I heard of stories were people would rent the Shelby and take the hi po out and swap it for their normal 289. By the time Hertz caught on, the engines could not be tracked because they had already been through 3 or 4 rentals already. This is all car gossip. I am not sure if it is true, but it sure sounds possible.

Take care,

Ben

Yes, that's part of the story I've heard too! The guy that's renting out his Z's has more guts than I would. What with letting complete strangers beat the hell out of my Z cars. You know this is what's going to happen, after all they are Z cars.

Vicky

The story said he did this in San Francisco, sounded like he kept a lot of cars on the streets. Sure would be fun to hear some of his stories.

-Bill

Originally posted by Bill.Oakes

The story said he did this in San Francisco, sounded like he kept a lot of cars on the streets. Sure would be fun to hear some of his stories.

-Bill

http://www.metroactive.com/papers/cruz/03.24.04/z-zone-0413.html

This article which basically contains the same information as the Sentinel article , indicates he operated in Berkeley,CA; but only for a year or two (since 2002 I believe it says). I wonder how successful this operation really is?

I was at Hertz renting a Tahoe the other day and they had a flyer for a Boxter for something like $180/day. I lit up, "Dude, I could get this thing and take it to Streets of Willow with the POC!"

Guy behind the counter says, "We know people do it. They do it all the time."

steve

Damn that's cool, sounds like a way to lose a couple of good cars to bad driving though, of course it could make some people decide to restore their own also.