- Brandon Miller’s 1986 Nissan 300ZX wins Best Show Car for the Pit+Paddock x Meguiar’s SEMA Show Ultimate Build.
- Inspired by the original Nissan Z432R, Brandon borrowed influences from the limited edition S30 model, opting for a naturally aspirated powertrain and Safari Gold paint.
- To celebrate the vehicle and award, Cooled Collective flew out to Virginia to shoot the 300ZX for a three-part poster giveaway series.
The 2021 SEMA Show may have been several months ago, but the star vehicles that debuted have still left a lasting impression. Such is the case with Brandon Miller and his 1986 Nissan 300ZX. His Z31 didn’t just steal the limelight at the coveted Toyo Tires Treadpass display, but his impeccable build also wowed the judges, including the staff here at Pit+Paddock and industry icon RJ de Vera. Together, we crowned Brandon’s Z Best Show Car in the inaugural Pit+Paddock x Meguiar’s SEMA Show Ultimate Build.
We love Brandon’s car because there’s no build remotely quite like in the world. Much of this is because he decided to pour his heart and soul into one of the more unloved and unfavorable Nissan models, the Z31 300ZX. He also didn’t build the car traditionally or predictably. Instead of opting for the most boost ‘n horsepower, he had a clever and well-thought-out vision. Brandon took inspiration from one of his favorite cars, the iconic S30 Fairlady Z432R. Using those influences, he created a bespoke, naturally aspirated RB-swapped Safari Gold 300ZX that stunned the aftermarket universe with its insane build quality and cleanliness. At SEMA, you couldn’t walk past his car without admiring all the little details in the shaved engine bay, such as Kevlar velocity stacks and titanium header!
To celebrate the award-winning Z, Pit+Paddock teamed up with talented photographer Drew Manley of Cooled Collective to coordinate a photoshoot that would produce epic photos worth printing and cherishing as timeless artwork. The result was nothing short of amazing, as three images were used for limited edition 18×24 posters that were given away on our Instagram page (#1, #2, #3)
A big congrats goes out to Brandon for truly giving not just Nissan enthusiasts but all car enthusiasts a project car we can all look up to. His Z31 will be remembered in history as one of the best Z’s ever built!
Brandon Miller | 1986 Nissan 300ZX (Z31)
| POWER: | 250whp (peak power at 8,400rpm); 185 lb-ft of torque |
| ENGINE: | RB25 block; port and polished RB26DETT head with modified combustion chamber; CP-Carrillo oversized 11.6:1 pistons with WPC-treated skirts and ceramic-coated domes; Nitto 77.7mm forged stroker crank with H-beam rods; Tomei 273° 10.25 cams and cam gears; Supertech valves and springs with Ti retainers; ARP hardware; R34 N1 water and oil pump with billet oil gears; Ross Performance damper, pulleys, crank fire ignition; RB25 power steering pump; PRP LS alternator swap; Haltech Elite 2500 ECU and sensors with tune by SHUEtuning; Wiring Specialties harness; Radium Engineering fuel rail and fuel pressure regulator; Aeromotive 340lph fuel pump; flex fuel sensor; R35 coils; enlarged throttle bodies by EFI Hardware; custom titanium header, titanium exhaust, cooling system, power steering reservoir and VIN plate by Billy Freed of Freed Engineering; carbon-Kevlar velocity stacks by Niklas Hagen of HN Engineering; custom throttle linkage by Innovative Engine Engineering; engine internals sourced from Raw Brokerage; shaved engine bay by Seamus Rogers of Concept Color; Ian Penedos of Remade restored all the aluminum and supplied all the CAD-plated hardware; custom valve cover with intercooler pipe notch and ignitor delete; Enjuku Racing rear sump oil pan |
| DRIVETRAIN: | NOS R34 GT-S five-speed transmission; Competition clutch and flywheel; Infiniti J30 limited-slip differential with 3.9 final ratio |
| SUSPENSION & CHASSIS: | Feal Suspension coilovers; Techno Toy Tuning arms; S14 rear subframe swap; Parts Shop Max adjustable arms and knuckles; JDM 200ZR crossmember |
| BRAKES: | Wilwood front and rear brakes; Techno Toy Tuning front big brake kit; S13 slim brake booster; R33 Skyline master cylinder |
| WHEELS & TIRES: | 16x8-inch front, 16x8.5-inch rear RS Watanabe R Type wheels from Binh Nguyen of The Lonely Driver Company; 205/55R16 front, 225/50R16 rear Toyo R1R tires |
| EXTERIOR: | Custom rear bumper, bodywork, and paint by Seamus Rogers of Concept Color; Safari Gold 920 paint; NOS T-tops, door handles, fog lights, and Euro front signals |
| INTERIOR: | Bride Japan Stradia II carbon-Kevlar seats; Renown 130R steering wheel; Imperial floor and cargo mats; Haltech iC-7 display dash in Mako Motorsports cluster; NOS armrest cover |
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