ZCON 2010 July 28th-Aug 1st Nashville,TN

[TomoHawk]

If anyone can grab the videos, and the press releases, could you please share it, or a link? Neither www.USAtoday.com nor www.Autoweek.com had anything concerning ZCCA or Nashville

thxZ

.

Edited August 4, 2010 by TomoHawk

[hls30.com]

Here's what I found, good press release info, video is a roving still....

http://www.autoweek.com/article/20100729/VIDEONEWS/100729818

USA Today

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/driveon/post/2010/07/nissan-z-car-owners-headed-to-nashville-for-convention/1

DNJ

http://www.dnj.com/article/20100729/BUSINESS/100729033/Nissan-Z-car-owners-headed-to-Nashville-for-convention

MotorAge

http://motorage.search-autoparts.com/motorage/Industry+News/Yokohamas-tires-highlighted-at-Nissans-Nashville-Z/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/681014?contextCategoryId=43145

AutoTalk

http://www.autotalk.com/nissan-z-enthusiasts-gather-in-nashville-for-23rd-annual-z-car-convention-5357/

http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/press/international-z%C3%A2%C2%AE-car-convention,1405526.html

http://automotive.speedtv.com/article/vintage-z-fans-partying-in-nashville/

http://online.wsj.com/article/NA_WSJ_PUB:PR-CO-20100730-910405.html

Will

Edited August 4, 2010 by hls30.com

[zlady]

Hey guys,

ZCON was a blast!! The convention crew put on an amazing show and the best I have ever attended! The final tally was 722 participants...that's HUGE!

Congrats on a job well done!!!

A "special" thanks to all my z friends who kept me up late in the wee hours of the morning and reminding me life is short....or shortened if I was with you all year long and not just one week. I look forward to next year!!

I caught up with old z friends and met many new ones. It was great seeing AZ2NV, Nissanmaster (thanks for the ride on the back roads near the track), Mike B, 26th-Z, bpilati, zpizzaman20, Jim Frederick, Gnosez (I really want a ride in your car at the track....pleaseeeee!). It was fun chattin' it up with Nazgul280, RAZ1, Rick Morgan and Les Cannady.

A "HUGE" thank you goes to "Charlie" who quietly snuck up on me in the parking lot early on in the convention as I checked on my car at 11:30pm. I have to be careful when a "fellow" Zer says "Hey zlady, wanna go for a ride?" but when those keys were dangling from your hand how could I say "No". My next question before I put the car in gear was whether it was street legal or not? Ahhhh.....street legal...now we're talking.

So out of the lot we go in the Tom Cruise/Paul Newman Z31 race car. Charlie thank you for letting me drive as fast as I wanted to and as many laps as I needed around on the streets. I wonder how many women have driven it. Good thing the police weren't around. Loved the power after the "lag"!!!

My gallery is officially up and ready for you to see. Many classic Z members are in the photos.

http://zladyeducator64.smugmug.com/Other/ZCCA-Nashville-2010/13205672_2A2pG#958646536_DEkrG

Enjoy and I hope to see you all again next year!!

PS. More rides on the track would be appreciated!!!

[26th-Z]

Holy zlady, Datman! ! ! Those are frigg'n awesome.

[TomoHawk]

Thanks for all the links. I'll look for the MyClassicCar (with Dennis Gage) thing.

So all this time I've been driving a Nissan? But the title says Datsun, and so does the insurance and the owner's manual!

Isn't it interesting how they all have literally the same thing to say? I wonder who wrote the original story?

thxZ

Edited August 6, 2010 by TomoHawk

[Nazgul280]

This was my first ZCON and I have to say it was a great choice.

As Zlady said, it was great spending time with friends and making new ones.

The last day of the Convention turned out to be the best time for me, and I would like to share this experience with all of you if you care to read on.

Thanks to the friendship of Ron Carter, Les Cannaday, Peter and Gayle Brock, I was given the opportunity to take my Z out on the track with them for the photo session, with John Morton in the driver's seat and me in the passenger (or as my old Nissan owner's manual said, the Assistant Seat). Wow! Front row, I was flanked by Pete Brock in the 370Z and Steve Millen in the 300ZX on the other side. Fast company for sure!!

Then it got better. With time for 4 laps on the track during the lunch, John and I set out again for some hot laps. I gave him a quick briefing on the basics of the car so he knew what to expect. John looked at me and asked if I had a rev limiter. At this point I knew I was in for the ride of my life.

Each lap John drove a little faster and showed me where the proper line should be. I was told by Colin of Nissan to only let him do 4 laps because he had to be back to drive another car, but it seemed neither of us wanted to stop!

Since I built most of the car myself, and it never had a shake-down on a track like this, I was just hoping that it stayed together! Each time he touched the brakes I remember thinking to myself "please work, don't let me be responsible for hurting John Morton"!

When we came off the track and pulled in to the garage, my front brakes were smoking, and John had a very satisfied look as he waved off the smoke saying "just because they are smoking doesn't mean anything is wrong with them."

He gave me some advice on how to make it a better track car, then we talked about other things. (one of the first things I'm doing is to remove the dust hats up front)

That day was one of the best I've had in many years, and I have to thank the people who took pity on me to make it happen: John Morton, Colin Price, Ron Carter, Les Cannaday, Peter and Gayle Brock, the people of Asphalt Ventures (Kevin Harvey and his wife, Bryan Settle, Morris Morgan, and all the other volunteers), and thanks to the Z owner from Springfield MA who graciously lent his new helmet to John--I hope your journey home to MA was safe and trouble-free!

That's the story! If anyone has some hi-res pictures of the track photo session or any video of the #30 BRE or #46 could you PM me and possibly send it over? I'm looking for a good picture to blow up and frame.

Savannah should be a fantastic time, accept the heat will be just as oppressive in July as it was in Nashville! Any chance we could talk you into changing it to a more desirable month???

-Dana

[gnosez]

Nuzgal280 - your Z with John Morton behind the wheel looked impressively fast on the front straight and you're right it got faster each lap.

I enjoyed judging your car at the show and watching it on the track. All around great job!!

ZLady - I'm sorry we weren't able to get you a ride in either our club car or my gnose 240. Here's a thought or two on how to increase your odds of getting a ride-along:

1) remind us and do it often. Once we get to the track our minds are pretty filled up with car prep, getting our student assignments, meeting them and going over their car and track experience, and in the case of Nashville, figuring out the best line to drive.

2) come prepared. Most tracks require a long sleeve shirt, long pants and closed toed shoes. Find someone to lend you a helmet.

3) review the track schedule. Knowing when we might have a hole in our schedule between students will enable you to be standing by, ready to go when we are now free to go out.

4) know what time it is. I for one don't wear a watch so I have to go over to my cell phone to see what time it is and where we are in the schedule that day. If we agreed to take you out at say 10:20 then remind us you'll be ready and ask where you should be. Then remind us what time it is right then and how many more sessions before your ride-along.

I'm not sure how fast John Morton was going but I hit 132 on the front straight and my speedo is accurate. After seeing the track while we were up doing the autocross on Friday, my first thought was that "we needed a bigger boat". The club car will get more HP this winter....

[Bonzi Lon]

Just after returning from looking at the first 3 rows of cars, got a water, looked up and Mr Matsuo was walking to and pointing at my car saying 'nice color', his hand caressing the drivers side hip, looking inside.

As we walked to the passenger side, he looked it over closely. Before leaving KS, I put a silver sharpie in the glove box, 'just in case'. I asked Mr. Matsuo if he would sign the glove gox door and he graciously agreed. He sat in the seat, looked around nodding then signed the door.

Mr. Matsuo got out of the car, I closed the door. Mr. Carl Beck got our attention and photograph, thanks Carl. Mr. Matsuo reached up and tapping on the sunroof saying "this not mine" looking around tapping the sunroof, "this not mine". I made a feeble attempt to explain it was an aftermarket mistake and would someday be removed / gone, my mistake, and appologized.

However, as a designer, Mr. Matsuo was interested enough to ask if it opened, I demonstrated and he took several photos of its operation. Upon leaving I thanked him for designing, looking at and signing my car. Mr. Matsuo replied, "Nice Z. I like color".

That experience was my "Trophy" from Z-CON10.

Bonzi Lon

[Bonzi Lon]

Never had a cell phone before but was forced by family to get one 'just in case' for the trip to ZCON, service provider gave me #

xx0-xx1-11x1, hmmm

(cue Twilight Zone theme song) "Imagine, if you will..."

Bonzi Lon

[Nazgul280]

Bonzi Lon, that is a good story!

gnosez (John), it was also good to see your Z again, we missed it at ZdayZ this year. It was great to see you, and thanks for sweating out there as a judge all day long! I wish the Z could have been in a little better shape for the show, but i did the best I could with the time I had.

Wow, 132 is FAST. I couldn't see the speedo from my seat, so I can't guess how fast John had it. It shows fast anyhow, and gets progressively worse as speed increases. John told me he hit the rev limiter once, but I didn't notice...I think the smile on my face blocked some of the sounds of the car!

These are the times we will remember. I am so glad I didn't decide to get an early start home that morning....

[Ron Carter]

I have had the pleasure of knowing John Morton the Brocks for some time now. At 73 years young I am constantly impressed with Peter's energy level, passion and continued interest in a time 40+ years ago when a small team of amature racers set out on a quest. We are all very fortunate to share this time and Dana's account above of this is exactly what I am talking about.

It would be wonderful to share such experiences with everyone who has the interest and passion that these guys have to this day.

When I built my car, I didn't really know these guys, but now I do, and it is always a pleasure to see them and talk to them as they share a time, and a perspective that very few of us will know in our lifetimes. This special group of people are approachable, friendly and intested in our passion today.

Dana's note above reminds me of my first experiences with the BRE guys. John & Silvia, Peter and Gayle are very gracious with their time.

I know that John likes to get out and drive, so Dana, no one took pity on you. Rather you were the catylist to get John time out on the track and enjoy a hot afternoon in Nashville.

I could tell by the smile on John's face when he got out of your car that he was having a good time driving your car. His advice to make your car better for the track is as good as it gets, I am sure that you remember his suggestions.

I teased Dana of having a perma-smile after coming off the track with John. I know that is a memory that will not quickly fade. That made the trip to Nashville worth while for me. Dana now understands what I have seen and experienced for the last few years. I hope others get that same opportunity.

Special thanks to Colin Price at Nissan USA for his help (Dana, he is the one that got your car out on the track). Many of us have been waiting in the wings for Nissan USA to take an interest in their history again, I can say that this is very refreshing.

I hope that we can share these fun events agfain in the near future, because they are fleeting, and I think that makes them even more special.

[Ron Carter]

Lon,

I like your trophy!

Great story!!