The Z Life Chooses You: 1976 Datsun 280Z // CARISMA
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 29 ก.พ. 2024
- NEW EPISODE TODAY! • Supercharged Mazda Mia...
"Car culture will always have that element of guys, just throwing their checkbook at it and posturing. You gotta snuff that out," says John Roman. "That's not it. That's not making anybody better, that's not helping anybody grow, that's short-sighted ego s**t."
Step inside the mind of a master Z-Car tuner in the first episode of CARISMA. John Roman (@thegroundlevel) never expected to end up here. But buying and building his 1976 Datsun 280Z sent him spinning into the world of Japanese street tuning, and over a decade later, he's never looked back.
Now with his own shop in NYC and a career as a sought-after Z expert, Roman sees it as his duty to honor what came before him by preserving as much knowledge about these cars as he can for the next generation.
"Enter this community and this culture with an understanding of your position in it, and if you're gonna contribute, you gotta have some education in that. It's just a matter of respect. Somebody built this car before I rebuilt it. You know, that matters."
"I'm here to build, restore, and preserve old-school Japanese street tunes. I know I love it. It excites me every day. I know there's so much more I want out of it that I'm still chasing. I'm really excited to just get better and better at this through a lifetime of effort."
Produced, shot, and edited by Tom Gorelik.
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Since it's our first new video, I really want to know how we're doing. Some great feedback here already, but comment away and tell me what you want to see more or less of. - KC
Pacing: Solid.
Editing: Solid.
Cinematography: Solid.
Subject Matter: Solid.
Music: Good, but dial it back when the car is on the road so we can hear that motor
Total package: A return to form in what made the channel great in the first place.
Excellent comeback. I'm in.
@@DeadkingAZtotally agree, loved it, glad to see the channel is back in action, I missed it. But some more space for that pure mechanical bliss would be perfect.
This dude gets it, it's refreshing to see real shit, not an ad, and some passion. This is the anti-TV car show, and ya gotta love it.
MORE AUSSIE CARS.
Be more like Jay Leno and less of whatever this is. This comes off as some sort of early mid life crisis refuge.
I don't blame the owner and more so on whomever fed him the questions.
Tell us and show more about the car's setup like engine build, suspension setup. Why this mod over that mod, etc.
Instead the owner tells us he knows the car inside and out and answers these seemingly rant type questions that as a car guy IDGAF about.
Got me looking at Zs on marketplace...
please no 💀 prices are finally going down again tho!
Right? I saw a shop that builds these things like Singer does 911s. They're amazing machines and way underrated.
@@fuelempiretv hell yea bro MZR in england builds some crazy Z cars, a little bit too luxury for my tastes (and budget)
I have a feeling y'all have enough cars to keep you busy for now...
You all has got great taste in cars, the old sports cars from the 1970's and early 80's are beautiful.
I like this 280z ,or Z432... the Porsche 928, the 911 turbo and the 1973 Carmaro z..❤💯👍
I don't mind the overall philosophy, but could we get a follow-up on the actual details of the car and build?
Yeah, I wasn’t a huge fan here, it was just a bunch of B roll with this guy giving his personal opinion of what is and isn’t good for car culture…
If charisma is going to be about culture, it’d be cool to see a separate show on the same car to show the build and why it’s special. The car here seems like something to look at while a dude talks.
Can't mf's just watch and enjoy things anymore? LOOK AT THIS BEAUTIFUL THING AND HIT MUTE. Cry me a river.
I'm sorry for yelling. I hear what you're saying
The thing is, if these cars are expressions of the people as any of the builders would say they are, then the cars should be a major part of the video@@dbeckMSP
More details, gotchu. And thanks 🤝
Great feel to the video. Would have liked a quick run down on the build , engine bodywork, interior . Welcome back 🥰
Yes
Rundown on the build, issues (rust), parts availability. He mentioned paying homage of the history & culture (both Japanese & US) of the car. So how does that relate to his car? What has he done so far, how long has it taken him? What other plans does he have for the car. The most interesting builds are done by the owner. “The Drive” could do a part 2 to this video to answer all the questions.
Thank you. We're gonna get more of those details in future episodes. Just the start!
I totally agree with the ‘representation of its era’ approach. I like my cars period correct, too.
Absolutely..
Big respect for this guy. he's done a wonderful job.
John is the most wise to come out of these new years of old cars. i appreciate his effort and words and humbleness. dude is beyond cool and easily someone to look up too. the cah is one of my favorites
Happy that you guys are back!
What a car to start the comeback. Z fam ❤
Welcome back, The Drive. This is the exact type of shit I want to see regularly. What a cool dude. Having just pulled the trigger on a 911 this guy so perfectly articulates how a lot of us feel about chasing a "legacy" car. Absolutely loved this video and can't wait for more. Well done.
thank you thank you ♥
I love seeing the "imperfections" in the body of this Z, it's one of the cleanest I've seen. Also I wouldn't have gotten my Webers dialed in if it weren't for John's videos on Curb Cut, guy's a King!
Like the fact that car featured had character. Would have like to see what was in the hood, how it was modded. Good to see u guy are back, u did pave the way for some of the key players. Reunion episode hope is in the works.
Great debut video with this outlawed Z. Love how he’s honoring the car’s heritage and all the while putting his own identity (id) on it.
I love this car and that it's a labor of love. I also love the car culture viewpoints. I could've watched another 10 minutes about the details of the car and the specific decision making points he's made.
Noted for the future!
Here to support my brooklynite - definitely feels like we are one of the few handful vintage car custodians in the city. Its super challenging but its worth every damn day.
Thanks for doing what you do!
There's nothing better than doing what u love
This guy gets it with his insights. Real enthusiast. Into it not for show or be seen. Just doing his thing in a car he chose. Outcome is great! Curious what other cars he has or dreams of doing.
What a perfect embodiment of his own philosophy that applies to just about anyone, not just car enthusiasts. I shared this with several family members who have zero interest in cars because what he says is so relevant to everyone.
When you’re passionate about something you grind and you make it work even when it doesn’t make sense. You take obstacles as part of the creative challenge and you don’t give up when things get hard.
Loved the comments on ego. Overcoming the pitfalls and the constraints of a project is what makes it interesting. It’s very uninspiring when when you can just throw a bunch of money at a problem.
I truly hope that every human being can achieve the level of passion this guy has for whatever it is they’re interested in.
Dude...Love your car culture philosophy. What you said around the 8min mark was so on-point with how I feel and struggle to put into words sometimes. The car culture is a fabric of lots of individual threads and I love what you're weaving together, how you've worked for it. Let's have a beer sometime and toast to your continual growth and success. Cheers!
Dude all i got to say to that is, I feel you totally as a fellow 280z owner for 15yrs now got it when i was 28 restored completely by my self using nothing but the original manual. Great summary, nailed it.
Best car video I've seen in a long while. They way this Z is sitting is yummy.
Glad to have The Drive back! Great vid.
This is phenomenal. Welcome back!
Feels like you stepped right back from where you left. Great to see
bless you friend
Wow, what an interesting take on car culture. Much respect for it.
I was an ASE Master in 78 after working on them. Then bought one from a TV anchor lady. The 76 was the best year for torque and horse power as the 77 was "De-Tuned". The 77 had less lift and duration and slightly lower compression. #7 injectors on a six cylinder? The vane air flow meter was changed that year and retrofitted when changed. The 77 was the first year to have louvers built into the hood. I did all of the 1600 & 2000 roadsters with disc brakes because I could synchronize the carbs because of my motorcycle background. Worked on hundred of them. Mine was med copper metallic, changed wheels to turbo-fin and Goodyear poly glass tires and installed a "G-200" locking differential. Great cars and I was 6' 3" tall.
I just love that his passenger-seat is from a Miata
I like the philosophy, editing, and voiceover. I like that the car isn't pristine and has rusty panels and stuff that still needs work. Could use some more details about the build, engine, etc.
good feedback, more details to come in future episodes
You guys came back with a solid video! Bravo!❤
Beautiful car, and his street meet at his shop once a year; a great community get together !
I have the same year S30 in my garage. Picked it up about 4 months ago now for under 3k. Lots of work ahead but I'm excited!
I’m so glad you’re back! Your channel provided so much entertainment for me back in the day.
Bloody brilliant, grass roots, real life, real passion, now and in the future, that vehicles lives through you and will life past you, great contribution and appreciation. Brilliant!!
Great video and really loving your whole mindset bro!
Love this format! Can’t wait to see more!
Great return and what a passionate guy. That 280z is awesome.
As a former owner of a 78 Z, I love this build. As a car enthusiast and educator, I love his message on sharing what you know and leaving something positive behind. In general, we all can get too consumed with the wrong things and divide us instead of mutual appreciation and coming together.
#great work
Checkbook bros deserve respect too as long as they’re not being rude or egotistical, some people don’t have the skills to do the labor
True. What's important is the passion and love for the cars.
Being humble and learing is also important.
The whole ego and status thing is the main thing I hate about modern car culture.
While I work on my own projects, there's still things best left to professionals- like machining and paint.
I'm a machinist and I'm still not going to buy an entire shop of specialty machines to be able to do all the machine work to an engine, then balance it.
There's many reasons someone might not be able to learn the many skills needed.
Some people simply don't have time or the space to work on a huge undertaking such as a resto mod.
That said, old cars are much easier to learn on. As they are much simpler machines.
@@daftpanda6533Very valid points; you hit the nail on the head with "being humble." Thank you for the reminder.
Thanks! I inherited my mother’s 260, but none of her mechanical abilities, so thanks for saying that!
@@jayrogers8255 You are fortunate to have received such a car. I hope it's in good running condition to be able to enjoy it!
Checkbook bro spends money on their car, to flex on other people and try to use it to gain respect.
Car enthusiast spends money on their car because it is their passion.
Also, passion is a personal thing and you cannot measure it by how much money or time someone spends on a car. We all have our limitations, whether it's time, money or local laws that limit what we can do.
Passion. Every car guy has it. Sometimes it is more focused in one area or another; the build, a brand, the race, hunting down your first sports car, or finding a car your father owned. As a car community we have passion. If The Drive/ is to make a come back you need to celebrate the passion. Most of us cannot write a check for a new Pagani or used 911 Turbo. However, we can find a car that was cool from our youth. The one we lusted after in high school. The one our dad said "no" to. Finding owners, no, finding enthusiasts who are pursuing cars they are passionate about - that - that is what we want to see. Well done on the 280Z video. Some history/documentation on how he got to the final state would be good. (photos, video, etc would help connect us to the car) I helped my father rebuild a 280 and a 300, both of which my father sold for a little cash for a growing family. >sigh< Thank you for bringing back The Drive/. I have high hopes and am ready to like and share.
Well said, and thank you for your support!
That was really beautiful. I was just taking a break from studying, I didn't expect to feel so inspired after watching this.
so glad to hear that, thanks for watching!
I am so glad yall are back!!! Great video!
same to you man!
Guess ive been subscribed for 10 years now.
I spent 20+ years of my young adult life in NYC and relate to everything he’s saying, car culture was huge then and we didn’t have social media it was awesome, props for keeping it going.
On one hand I agree with the built not bought philosophy I live that everyday, on the other hand if enthusiasts weren’t paying me to build their cars I’d me homeless right now, they keep guys like us alive.
Side note I would have appreciated a segment where he actually went into the details of what was done to the car, it’s a 280Z which was the first L-Series engine to get EFI yet I see it has carbs, it would have been nice to showcase what was done there.
Good to have you back!
Man, this guy gets it.
Nice car, sweet subtle changes , not like every other Z car . I really like how sanitary the car is, love the stance. But the most interesting thing is the head liner , I had not seen that touch before. Nice story and a great video. Glad you guys are back, keep it coming. I'm stoked for the next one.
Thank you! Next one just dropped today: th-cam.com/video/7F7VaEErwHI/w-d-xo.html
Great to see The Drive back!
Great first video back, guys! Love seeing NYC car culture represented ❤
The silhouette of that car is just insanely gorgeous. 🥹🤤
Glad to see the Drive back with these testimonials. This is the heart of our culture.
Beautiful car man. One of my all time favorites, along with the rx7 fd. Stunning.
fantastic video, enjoyed the build and the viewpoints shared in this
I've been to Stone Depot! (in front of the gas station he's filling...)
Nice job keeping this on the road! And in NYC!
Love this style of video. I wish the language wasn't censored but I understand the business side of that. Keep it up, looks great, and super cool seeing and bringing light to NYC car culture.
That's a great Datson
I really liked the owners comments and his outlook
Top man!
Great video, welcome back Drive.
THE DRIVE IS BACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Amazing to see one of the originals come back and thank you for your contributions to the car community from giving cool cars an audience to giving amazing creators a platform, we appreciate it.
You're too kind. It's the best job in the world, tbh.
Love this guy's vibe!
"give back to the community" 💪
I thoroughly enjoyed the video. A mature look into real car culture rather than just another 20 something year old bellend with a fiesta ST spewing numbers
Also, we are all a part of something bigger than ourselves.
I'm so pleased a role model is encouraging others to recognise this again.
Community ain't just a buzzword.
Well done guys, and welcome back!
thanks for hanging in there!
My first car was a 1979 280zx and my second car was a 1976 280z. They were absent of power and a pain in the ass to work on, especially those damn knuckle busting freezer plugs. But in the end they were absolutely amazing to drive, lightweight rwd sports cars that could turn on a dime.
I have driven the new turbo Z and while it looks fantastic inside and out it feels like it’s missing some of the charm of the Z’s of old.
I owned a 2022 GR86 and it more like the spiritual successor of my 280zx. Lightweight, low power and can turn on a dime.
Beautiful car and I'm glad to see someone enjoying that Z culture. I have an 83 S130 which is my 4th Z. I might have an obsession 🤤. Mine is 99% stock and I hope to keep it that way.
This video is great to watch. I enjoyed the commentary. The constant videos of the Z rolling along the streets is perfect. Finally, it's great to learn about a Z mechanic doing so well and is respected in the community. Good luck to him with the shop.
This entire video is really well done!
thank you 🙌🙌
alot of the community gotta start adopting this philosophy
Great video! It’s a trip seeing you driving around in a Z in NY. I’m in rural Oregon, it’s all trees and rivers n whatnot. My 74 lives and cruises these little windy roads. Just so used to seeing a Z in this habitat.
Owned i believe what was a 78 280Z and i loved it. I was very young and very immature so didnt really appreciate what i had etc etc.. but those memories are priceless.
Way to keep the car vibe going strong ! BQE,LIE Laurel Hill man brings back memories.
Bloody beauty dude!
Well done everyone. Really good content
thank you!
Welcome back Drive, nice video and beautiful Z car.
great to be here, and thanks!
great story cool dude. Great Z man.
Well done drive, welcome back
thank you so much
The very first sports car I bought was a 1978 280z - I worked on it, brakes, body, engine and made it a beautiful, silver rocket - still miss that car!
Mad respect
Details and sounds ! Literally only thing this video is lacking. But i could careless. I loved it either way 👊 i used to show all my buddys the 1 video of that watercooled twin turbo chevy nova you guys did. THOSE kinda sounds would be siiiiiick!
Working on better sound. Just for you MrCookie!
Beautiful work, Dude! Would like more details about the engine and suspension work that you've done.
working on that for future videos!
I loved and miss my 77 280Z...fast agile and a blast to drive.
Great video and love this outlook. Also kudos to the “fast & furious” shifts at 2:53 😂
🕹️🕹️🕹️
That's a really cool car. Perfectly rough around the edges.
Watching this as im sitting in my 280zx
Love this! I am putting a built Sr20vet in mine and going all out carbon roof ETC
Nice car!!!…. The attitude is exactly what I did with my Foxbody Mustang build.
Back In Da Game... Nice
I really enjoyed the camera work. Nice job whoever did it. Those drone (?) shots across the Kosciuszko bridge… 👌
tom is a magician
Man. That really hit home. Ive been holding back on getting an R34 GTR because of “the check book”, wanting to get the exact one, with the exact bodykit, with an engine rebuild from Japan, ect. But when you put it into his perspective I’m inspired to get a basic bone stock one and work on it myself.
go for it man!
It’s back baby!
He sold his 02 WRX and I am finally dropping a new engine in mine. Its been in the garage since 2012. I refused to get rid of it. It was my first new car.
The s30 was my first project car, first manual, first thing I really committed to learning how to fix up an old car. It also just became a deep dive into finding the hidden gems and making the dream happen. Believe it or not I started with a running rusty 260z for 1500 bucks, got it at least road trip worthy and had really bad day when the brakes failed. While getting parts for it I met an old guy with one in his garage and got a smoking deal on a 240z before things started getting crazy. It hadn't run since the 80s but wasn't a basket case and all original. I got it running, but never really drove it. I would have committed to getting it road worthy, but a much better car became available to me by growing that network of other cars and I ended up with a much better series 1 car that needs nothing for not much money. Its been such a blast finally getting to drive exactly what I wanted. I have taken it to autocross and beat a 2020 mustang, and I haven't even touched the suspension and brakes yet. I doubt it will never be done, but I know I have found the one to keep forever. I think its a great car to bond over, above all the other great things about them, and this video really gets that point across.
*Grabs popcorn* Let's gooooo!
TD x SL crossover??!!
@@Aar0n.s3gal 👀 Yes please!
@@Aar0n.s3gal 👀That would rock! 10/10, are in.
One thing I would like to see is J.F. giving us a big hug and saying it’s all gonna be okay.
THAT N600!!!😍😍
As an owner of a homebuilt 76 280z hot rod myself I approve this message
Z is one of those cars that once it grabs you, it will not let go. It was never on my radar until I had a chance to take one for a drive and it instantly made me want to have one but with the prices these days, it's just not possible anymore for an average guy.
That headliner 🤤🤤🤤
soooo good.
Sick car and handsome guy
This video feels like the older Petrolicious videos, I like it!
you're not wrong.
YES!
Damn this was so good
😅
I love most aspects of car culture, although for me, it's not the cars themselves that I love it's the feel of driving them at their limits is what is special to me. But I can appreciate some people just like the look or the sound or the engineering ect. . . I also like those things.
I love my 1973 240Z. My Z was a rust bucket and now it’s a fast rust bucket.