Group Z Sports Car Club Will Be Featured At Pomona

Give A Warm Welcome to the Group Z Sports Car Club!

The April 14th Pomona Swap Meet & Classic Car show will host The Group Z Sports Car Club as the Featured Car Club.

Founded in 1970 and incorporated in 1971, Group Z is the world’s oldest continuously operating Z Car Club. Based in Southern California, the club is a diverse group of enthusiasts united by a love of Datsun/Nissan Z cars.

In 1970, 24-year-old Cliff Bartholomew had just become an owner of the new Datsun 240z. Like most Z owners today, Cliff was excited and encouraged to see other Z cars out on the streets of Southern California. He had the great idea to connect with other Z owners by starting a club. He made “Z Club of Orange County” business cards with his phone number and left stacks at SoCal Datsun dealerships, handed them out to other Z owners that he met, and placed them under windshield wipers. His phone rang and his Z owner network grew. Before long, there were over 30 like-minded Z-car enthusiasts on Cliff’s roster.

In February 1971, the group had their first formal meeting as an organized club and adopted the name “Orange County Z Owners.”  This first club gathering and impromptu car show was held at the Lincoln Savings and Loan building on N. Bristol Street in Santa Ana. With 37 eager and active charter members, the club was off to a great start.

By the middle of 1971, as membership had grown to include Z-car owners from all over Southern California, the club identified the need to change its name to something less geographically constrained. One of the members suggested the idea of naming the club “Group Z” as a reference to how the Royal Air Force named their fighter squadrons during World War II. The US Army Air Corps also used this designation and it seemed fitting for a sports car club that cruised their Z cars around Southern California in similar formations. The parallels to the classification system used in motorsports also made sense.

Fast forward to 2024 and Group Z remains active and involved in the automotive community and the classic car scene.  Every month, members meet to share Z-related experiences, trade maintenance tips, and talk about their cars.  On the first Sunday of every month, Group Z leadership and members assist with Cars and Coffee Classics- Anaheim. For well over three years, this meet and car show has remained a popular destination for classic cars, custom Japanese car builds, and general classic car enthusiasm.

For more information about Group Z, go to www.GroupZ.com , follow us @groupz_scc or join us for our monthly meeting on the Second Thursday of each month at Noble Ale Works in Anaheim.

Join Group Z! and be a part of history. Z cars of all generations are welcome!

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