草莓传媒

Manassas shop makes its name tuning up Z-cars

One car and engine builder who gets requests from around the country and even overseas is right in your backyard.

Eiji Hosomi is the owner of Datsun Spirit in Manassas, Virginia, which focuses on classic Datsun Z cars.

<p>鈥淭hey look pretty amazing,鈥� Hosomi said of the sports cars known for their long hoods and six-cylinder engines. 鈥淎nd if you drive one, you鈥檒l know. It鈥檚 like a drug, you鈥檒l get addicted to it.鈥�</p>

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The inside of Datsun Spirit in Manassas, Virginia, which focuses on classic Datsun Z cars. (草莓传媒/John Aaron)

鈥淭hey look pretty amazing,鈥� Hosomi said of the sports cars known for their long hoods and six-cylinder engines. 鈥淎nd if you drive one, you鈥檒l know. It鈥檚 like a drug, you鈥檒l get addicted to it.鈥�

<p>鈥淭o me, I think when you see one of these in person it speaks for itself 鈥� it鈥檚 just instant love,鈥� added shop manager Carlos Aguilera. And he praises the early cars鈥� simplicity: 鈥淓ven the hardest thing to do on these cars is nothing compared to modern cars.鈥�</p>

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Eiji Hosomi, the owner of Datsun Spirit, said the garage focuses on classic Datsun Z cars. (草莓传媒/John Aaron)

鈥淭o me, I think when you see one of these in person it speaks for itself 鈥� it鈥檚 just instant love,鈥� added shop manager Carlos Aguilera. And he praises the early cars鈥� simplicity: 鈥淓ven the hardest thing to do on these cars is nothing compared to modern cars.鈥�

<p>Hosomi, whose shop houses multiple Z cars at any given time, is known for hopping up the engines, taking ones that originally produced about 120 rear-wheel horsepower and giving them something closer to 400 horsepower at the rear wheels.</p>

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The Z series are known for their long hoods and six-cylinder engines. (草莓传媒/John Aaron)

Hosomi, whose shop houses multiple Z cars at any given time, is known for hopping up the engines, taking ones that originally produced about 120 rear-wheel horsepower and giving them something closer to 400 horsepower at the rear wheels.

<p>Hosomi said while his customer base skews older, he hopes to see that change.</p>

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Classis Datsun Z cars were originally produced with about 120 rear-wheel horsepower. (草莓传媒/John Aaron)

Hosomi said while his customer base skews older, he hopes to see that change.

<p>鈥淲e鈥檙e trying to get the young people to get into it. It鈥檚 very important for classic cars. If only the older and able and willing people can get into it, then the hobby dies,鈥� he said.</p>

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After being worked on at Datsun Spirit, Z car engines can go up to 400 horsepower at the rear wheels. (草莓传媒/John Aaron)

鈥淲e鈥檙e trying to get the young people to get into it. It鈥檚 very important for classic cars. If only the older and able and willing people can get into it, then the hobby dies,鈥� he said.

<p>Caley Freitas, 19, is one of those younger enthusiasts. Her first car was a 1988 300ZX. 鈥淚 just saw the 300 at a gas station down the street and I was like, 鈥極h, that鈥檚 not my mom鈥檚 Ford Focus.鈥欌€�</p>

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鈥淚t鈥檚 just instant love,鈥� shop manager Carlos Aguilera said about the Datsun Z. (草莓传媒/John Aaron)

Caley Freitas, 19, is one of those younger enthusiasts. Her first car was a 1988 300ZX. 鈥淚 just saw the 300 at a gas station down the street and I was like, 鈥極h, that鈥檚 not my mom鈥檚 Ford Focus.鈥欌€�

(草莓传媒/John Aaron)

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John Aaron

John Aaron is a news anchor and reporter for 草莓传媒. After starting his professional broadcast career as an anchor and reporter for WGET and WGTY in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, he went on to spend several years in the world of sports media, working for Comcast SportsNet, MLB Network Radio, and 草莓传媒.