Primadonna Z Story - 56K Part 2

[ZWOLF]

Continued from Part 1-

It was 1983 now. That’s when I saw my little sister for the first time. She had different hips, they were square. I was white and she was yellow. She was named Primadonna Z and her metal plates said Prima Z. Up until now, it was fun for everybody then we learned our owner was to sell clones of us to anyone that wanted to be ahead of his time.

Little did we know another dreamer was looking for us. Never seeing a picture only hearing about the “Great White Z”. Then

One day someone told this dreamer where he had seen the myth. He ran home, fired up his own creation and together they found us. Michael was his name and his car was a flat rusty red. Rusty must have been very upset because there was a deep roar coming from under his hood. Something called a V8 was lurking under there with a lot of other stuff I had never seen before. We became friends. Rusty would eventually look just like me, white, only with a lot more attitude. Jettlag was on his nameplate. By now, our bodies were very precise. Within a year, my yellow sister got a face-lift and became a real black beauty.

In about 1985 the last change I received appeared. A new precise set of clothes, a stretched windshield, a whaletale without the wing and a flashy Mars Red paint job made me the sexiest Primadonna yet! That’s when my owner, designer and builder had to part with me and pass me on to another. A decision he would be saddened by. A year later, my black sister was adopted by Alan, a wonderful owner. So good, he still loves the black Prima Z after nearly 20 years. She’s in great hands!

Michael kept Jettlag for another 14 years but in 2000, after 20 years, realized he could no longer give Jettlag the attention needed, he reluctantly parted with him. He also has felt the loss. Someone named Hoover took Jettlag never really loving or understanding what he had. With the help of the internet, Jettlag was sent off to a place called Tennessee to another Mike. Only this Mike cared less than Hoover. Jettlag had an uncertain future falling in disrepair with not much hope facing a slow death parked in the grass.

Then a small miracle happened. Roger appeared. Not really knowing why, other than he had to rescue Jettlag. Jettlag was brought to Florida and is now being nurtured back to life. He’s in great hands with an owner who commands attention to detail and understands what he has.

You say just a car! With Roger almost accidentally finding Jettlag, it led to him just as accidentally meeting the original dreamer and telling his story of how he found Jettlag. All of which brought two old friends back together again after many years. Jack and Michael after all have a lot in common and a lot of pictures and memories to share. Both realizing what they had and what they had lost.

Epilogue

The Primadonna Z was never intended to be a business, just a personal custom car and only from the evolution of creating it and using it, was the inevitable thought of duplication. With today’s acceptance of radical concepts there’s almost limitless possibilities. The Primadonna Z fits in with today’s concepts but 25 years ago, no one knew what Bling was!

The last generation molds and jigs from the original design were sold to a friend in the early 90’s. Space being at a premium at home and our lives going in another direction, I thought they were in good hands. Miles Garcia saw the early stages of development to the last paint job. He wanted to keep the Primadonna alive.

Unfortunately, he didn’t have “THE RIGHT STUFF” and after trying to re-sell the molds to the new owners, he inexplicably,

without fully comprehending the consequences cut up, destroyed and dumped every piece.

After nearly 9 years of designing, building and perfecting, the final ½ “ thick molds that were built to last and to perhaps make many parts, were history. Fortunately, not all art is treated this way. The only way the Primadonna can endure is if the current owners are smart enough to pull new molds or drive very carefully. Quite expensive but it’s the only insurance.

I have just recently talked to Alan and he has done many

Modifications to the black Prima Z car. Most to the engine and chassis. The body is pretty much unchanged.

Roger has completely stripped his down for a complete rebuild with a lot of attention to detail including new paint. Again, the body is intact.

The red car (formerly known as ZBAIT) has disappeared. I’ll only say that Vince cannot be located. The vin numbered was last registered in 1997 and the plates ZBAIT not in use and no record of it being salvaged. It may be just sitting under a cover in someone’s garage or yard and they don’t know what it is or what to do with it.

Not everyone has the passion of Roger Berry or Alan Pong. It’s my dream again to be reunited and own ZBAIT once more.

The story of how Michael Ouellette’s car (Jettlag) left Hoover Chan (2nd owner) then eventually ending up clear across the country must be told by Roger Berry. Roger and Alan will be the key to the Primadonna survival, and I only hope who ever owns them in the future will keep them intact and their history alive and well.

PRIMADONNA Z’S

Original Designer and Builder

Jack Atkinson - yojack1@aol.com

1st Owner 2nd Owner 3rd Owner 4th Owner

Red (ZBAIT) Jack Atkinson Vince -

California California

Black (Prima Z) Jack Atkinson Alan Pong

California California

White (Jettlag) Michael Ouellette Hoover Chan Mike Hill Roger Berry

California California Tennessee Florida

Actually there's a whole lot more to the story. Since I met Jack, and we went through all of this. He was bitten by the bug again, and has since built a Primadonna Z32 widebody. If anyone has any interest in a continuation of the story to the new car, let me know.

Pictures of the new car can be seen @

Webshots Community - yojack1

Hope you enjoyed!

If you missed Part 1 go to:

http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/showthread.php?t=24874

[hls30.com]

Thanks fot the story-it is good to know The history of those cars.

Will

[veritech-z]

these cars are great! The current owner of the white car is active on Hybridz, his screen name is oddly enough...Primadonna Z ( *edit* Doh! Just checked your profile and saw Roger Berry/Primadonna Z is in fact...you! Sorry Roger!). Just for my own clarity: The original was the lost red car, the yellow car became the black car, and Jetlag is the current white car? Also, for archival purposes, it might be a good idea to put a link to part one somewhere in the Part II thread, and vice versa.

[ZWOLF]

Also, for archival purposes, it might be a good idea to put a link to part one somewhere in the Part II thread, and vice versa.

Great idea! I'll do that.

Rog

[veritech-z]

Roger and Alan will be the key to the Primadonna survival, and I only hope who ever owns them in the future will keep them intact and their history alive and well.

So Roger, does that mean that either of you are looking to reproduce the molds?

[ZWOLF]

So Roger, does that mean that either of you are looking to reproduce the molds?

No. There are Really only 2 componets that Alan Pong's car and mine have in common. The hood, and the rear wing. Alan's car does not have the extended front windshield. My Car has Don Devendorf's flares on the rear, and Alan's car has the box flares, with the box rockers.

At one time Jack was going to pull molds off of Alan's hood to make a 4th S30, but could not reach an agreement. So Alan, and I have sort of a gentlemans agreement that if either of us knock the nose off our car, we'll have access to the others to make a mold.

Bottom Line, if one of the two remaining Primadonna's get hit, on either end it will cost a fortune to put the car back together!

Perhaps that's what happened to #001

[=Enigma=]

Very cool! Thanks so much for sharing the story, passion and pictures. I have always wondered about the history of these beautiful beasts. It's nice to hear that this was more a labor of love than a business venture, although the latter would mean that I could have one too.

P.S. - Although all versions of this car are extremely smokin' hot, I have to say that the extended windshield really finishes the look of the car. Any idea what car this windshield came out of?

[moonpup]

I'm just blown away by the fact that the apartment complex let him fab a car on the property! Hell, when I was in an apartment, they pissed and moaned when I changed my oil. I guess they were more lenient back in the day.

[e_racer1999]

...snip....P.S. - Although all versions of this car are extremely smokin' hot, I have to say that the extended windshield really finishes the look of the car. Any idea what car this windshield came out of?

i was thinking the same thing!

[ZWOLF]

I'm just blown away by the fact that the apartment complex let him fab a car on the property! Hell, when I was in an apartment, they pissed and moaned when I changed my oil. I guess they were more lenient back in the day.

I spoke to Jack last night, and we laughing about that ourselves. He had extension cords running accross the parking lot and up into the 2nd floor apartment. And the box is hilarious.

The windshield, and the rear window in the white car are Race Glass (a type of plexi glass, or lexan). Race Glass can be bought with a MR (mar resistant) coating on 1, or both sides. It's really tough stuff, and light too! The demonstrate the stuff by giving you a piece of steel wool to rub on it and try to scratch it. I wipe mine down with a damp cloth though.

[Mr Camouflage]

If you got molds made of the front end of the standard windscreen version and made reproductions, I think they would sell. I dont think people would want to go to all the trouble of the custom windscreen version, but a prima-z nose/hood you could bolt onto a S30 without too much trouble, there might be a market for it.

[ZWOLF]

If you got molds made of the front end of the standard windscreen version and made reproductions, I think they would sell. I dont think people would want to go to all the trouble of the custom windscreen version, but a prima-z nose/hood you could bolt onto a S30 without too much trouble, there might be a market for it.

Several of the guy's over at Hybridz are undertaking IMSA widebody conversions. I am some what amazed at how many actually. The time, and cost associated with a widebody conversion add up FAST . Hats off to the guys up to the challenge.

In the case of the Primadonna, just the cost of shipping the large hood would be astronomical.