Is that a seam?

[Zrush]

Is there a seam weld just above the quarter glass on our Z cars?

Vicky

[240ZX]

Sure enough! In fact, a lot of the Z's have what appears to be a crack at this seam, caused from years of chassis flex.

[ChrisA]

Hi Vicky, I bought a 72 and it had been hit in the front so bad that the seam you described on my car's right side had split and had a quarter inch gap under the previous owners crappy repair job. When the hatch was closed you could see through the gap from the body being sprung. I suspect that is where the factory welded the roof on.

[26th-Z]

Vicky,

That seam laps multiple sheets of stampings and on the early cars is a real lead filled joint.

[Alfadog]

And proves to be yet another spot which likes to rust away!

[Zrush]

Originally posted by 26th-Z

Vicky,

That seam laps multiple sheets of stampings and on the early cars is a real lead filled joint.

Chris,

Would that include all Z's up to 78?

Vicky

[2ManyZs]

Yup, the rear quarter and roof panels/door frames on all the cars up to 78 meet in the same place. In fact, I'd imagine even the ZX's have a seam in the same basic location as well.

[26th-Z]

Vicky,

Yes probably as my parts fiche lists superceed numbers up to 12 / 79. It gets quite confusing, but just dealing with the right side of the car, and both inner and outer panels are involved, the outer panels are:

73120-E4100 - roof panel

73270-E4100 - tail rail

78100-E4600 - rear fender

There are a number of inner panels as well as a corner brace involved that make up the box section through that area. I could look, but I'll bet there is an inner panel seam to match the outer. In my Chassis and Body Service Manual, this area is described through section E-E of Figure BF-59 "Sealing Body Panel Joint" and appears on page BF-31. Of course, this is all early series information, but it seems to be all the same up to 1979.

I have had this area down to bare metal before and the seam in Her Majesty is filled with lead. It does crack and heating the area is done to fill it again.

[joedatsun]

Here's a pic if the front a pillar on my '73 after getting it back from the media blaster. I never realized there was lead there!