Stiller- A visit to the candy store.

By Paul Clemens, December 6^th 1995

My decision to build a Stillen GTZ version of the 300ZX had developed after months of careful consideration and thought.  It mainly centres on the classification and category of regulations that would allow a car like the 300ZX to race. Namely Schedule T&C category 3 which simply indicates the car has to be standard or Schedule T&C Category 4 which we have heard lots about, but haven’t seen anything in print.  We all know of cars that are currently racing that do not meet the current rules laid down in the bible, I don’t want to be one of them!   So the decision to build a Stillen GTZ has been made with an eye to the future - category 3 if the car has to be standard or category 4 if and when they finalise what that is. (If you have any queries about this category check with Greg Gillespie who is on the Historic & Marque Commission and he will be able to indicate to you the direction this new category will take).

Talking with Dave, he pointed out the various stages of modification that Stillen can produce and he suggested the first gremlin to solve was the lack of brakes, then handling, then horsepower.  The horsepower wasn’t an issue - he had already proven that for about $1800 you could take the standard 298hp to about 396hp (Stillen GTZ Stage 3).   The brake issue was equally as easy, the GTZ runs an upgrade package to Stage 5 which incorporates Brembo rotors and calipers and all the necessary hardware to simply bolt them on.  If that’s not enough stage 6 replaces the rear rotors with a Brembo replacement.  This all sounds expensive, and it is.   The handling is also simply achieved - buy this package and bolt it on and away you go.   All these thoughts are racing through my mind as I belt up and prepare for a 13 hour flight, in fact according to my travel agent I get there before I leave, (where is Einstein when you need him).

Yes I leave Wednesday the 6th December at 11.00pm and arrive Wednesday the 6th at 3.30pm, then catch another plane for the short ride to Orange County and Costa Mesa where the home of Stillen can be seen from the airport terminal. I’m finally there, ready for my appointment with Hank Seibel at 9.00am on Thursday.

One thing I must remind you is that so far this trip has cost me departure tax and a taxi ride. Not putting a big dent in the budget!  Another taxi ride got me outside the Stillen offices.   When I left New Zealand I couldn’t help but wonder what this organisation called Stillen would be like.   For the uninformed Stillen stands for Steve Millen Sportsparts. Steve Millen being the one and only Patron of the club and all round rice burner pilot whom through victory after victory has earned a new title that may remain intact for decades to come - “The all time winningest driver in IMSA GTO-GTS history”.   Did I write that? No, it’s a quote from the front page of their 1996 catalogue.

This 52 page catalogue sets out to inform you that if it involves Nissan they have an upgrade for it.  They also look at performance upgrades for other imports such as Honda , Mazda, Mitsubishi and Toyota.   There is also an associate company, Steve Millen Design, who are responsible for the 25th Anniversary project Z known as the SMZ. (I want one but they wouldn’t take my cheque).

So for a company with all this responsibility how big is it.   Well, Stillen employs about 100 people in what I would describe as absolute ‘luxury’. The facility can’t be put into words, but is pictured in their latest catalogue.    From reception, which houses the original car that has done all the development and magazine tests, through to the sales department and showroom, to the workshop facility that houses the original No 75 turbo car that won 24hrs at Daytona and the class win at Le Mans - this facility is very impressive. The photo’s only give you some idea of the size of the operation.

That’s enough of an ad - now for the nitty gritty.   Hank was one of 7 salesman on the sports-car team, another 12 looked after sports-trucks. He was very professional in going about answering all my questions (I could tell you the answers, but then I’d have to kill you).

In the 3 hours I was with him I purchased the Brembo Brake kit, some suspension parts and a Autoline controller for the gearbox.

The next person I met was a very enthusiastic person by the name of Sam.  Sam was a mechanic in the workshop who proceeded to answer some of the trickier questions I had.   He was very much a Hot Rodder (where is Peter Campbell when you need him) who had all sorts of ideas about what to do to get these cars to go like rockets.  It was during this conversation that I was introduced to the workshop foreman, a Derek McKesson.

Derek has been with Stillen for sometime.  He races a Datsun 1600 and holds a current Racing Driver Instructors license. (that’ll do me - jimmy).  Derek proved to be a fountain of knowledge and took over where Hank and Sam left off. He was however extremely busy and I suggested that I come back the next day to spend more time with him.   This was not a problem, so most of Friday afternoon was spent asking all sorts of questions about how I should prepare the 300ZX.  I got the distinct impression that all the team at Stillen would be keen to help anyone, especially those who intend to race these cars on a track.

On Friday I also met David Schollum, Steve’s long time friend and business partner.  I’m sure David must have been very suspicious when we were first introduced because I was in the engine building room with Sam who was showing me how I could use the engine block as part of a front strut brace, something he had been wanting to do for sometime - but “the Boss didn’t like the idea”.    David was very interested when he heard that I had taken the time to travel to their neck of the woods to get information first hand.  He has been with Steve since the early days and owned the Atlantic car which formed the catalyst to the movie Smash Palace - the same car in which Steve had a major accident at Pukekohe, and one that Steve has bought back to add to his increasing collection. A photo of this car in Chardon champagne colours hangs in Derek office. Now I seem to remember the media launch for that team way back in ???, when they floated the car on blocks of polystyrene in the pool at the White Heron in Parnell (I hope my memory is correct).

Friday was a very rewarding day - I picked up my box of goodies, pages of techo information, and prepared to go back to the hotel.  Then the final surprise, they offered to give me a lift.  “Thanks that would be great” - now here’s me thinking that a normal American car would drive me back - no chance, it was a Chevy Suburban - something like the Tony Robert’s wagon.   Its modifications included Supercharged V8, Brembo Brakes, huge after-market Mags and Tyres, and a completely refurbished Leather Interior including swivel bucket seats, TV and Video for the rear seat passengers, wood-grain trimmings etc etc.  Stillen buys these vans brand new from “the General” (GM) and specialises in customising them to specific customer order (not a bad way to travel and it would make the ideal tow car…hang on, remember the budget!).

That’s my visit to Stillen Sunday was taken up getting back to the Los Angeles airport and getting the 8.30pm Flight QF100 back to Auckland arriving on Tuesday at 6.30am (where is Einstein when you need him) and back by 8.45am for a so called normal days work.

Since then I have been continuing to gather both parts and information to get the body shell finished.

After travelling all the way to California to visit STILLEN, where was “the Boss” himself? Steve was actually back in Auckland visiting Nissan talking about an upgraded Maxima for the NZ market.

The beginnings of Paul’s race car.

Stillens website can be found at http://www.stillen.com.