Replacement Rear Covers for Headlamps?

[TomoHawk]

I think I would suggest fixing them by first blasting off any undercoating, then glueing on a layer of something like limoleum over the wholething to make it uniform.

Otherwise, just blast and possibly even a layer of rhino lining material. Obviously, the best solution would be to make exact copies in EPOXY KEVLAR, for best flexibility & burability.

But thanks for finally figuring out what part (i think) I'm talking about ! I believe those are different pieces from in tinner fender things screwed to the unibody.

Just still can't figiure out how to my arm in that little wire hole to get at the headlight plug to clean it. I think I will end up cutting a big hole.

[sblake01]

:stupid: Duh! I have a 78 with those liners. I actually went to the car and took them off to look for what I thought TomoHawk was talking about! I don't know what years they came on and I didn't find them on the microfiche either but they are on my 78 which is a California car.

[Bambikiller240]

Originally posted by mdbrandy

Shall I take pictures?

If it's not too much trouble.....

[sblake01]

I believe these are the two pieces TomoHawk spoke of. Actually they are four pieces since they come apart for headlight removal. Mine are in really decent shape. Unscientific research in the junkyards seem to inicate that the were on the 74 1/2 260 through the 78 280 as the earlier cars didn't have the holes for them. Didn't see any good ones in the yards I went to. They all seemed to be pretty well thrashed. All this talk has made me remove mine and clean them up!

[mdbrandy]

Mine look pretty different. They are all one piece, and extend from the headlights all the way back to the little rubber flap that seals off the rear fender. Pic attached. The headlight area is at the bottom, and you can see some pieces of the rubber flaps attached at the top where the hand is holding them up.

sblake01, thanks for taking your pic - it prompted me to get off my butt and out to the garage to take mine!

[mdbrandy]

Oh, and there are little clips that clip these to the wheel-well edge, in addition to about 8 screws from front to back. I didn't like the clips much.

[TomoHawk]

Than you, Steven!

I really didn't want to stir up all the trouble, but I really thought the piece was MUCH smaller, to cover the area behind the headlamp., so you could get at the lamp's plug.

Do you think that I could just cut/remove the front part, to get at the headlamp wiring, then make a new piece to stick in there (Like a piece of rubber "welcome mat")?

Mr. brandy- It looks to me like your picture is of the inner fenderwell, which attaches to the side of the unibody; I remember that from my last 280.

Disclaimer: I don't usually make a big thing about stuff, but the easy things I can find using the SEARCH

FEATURE!

[sblake01]

Mine are different from mdbrandy's. The do come apart so that you can get to the headlight. Three 10mm bolts and two phillips screws. Mine is a 78 if that make any difference.

[TomoHawk]

Mine is a 78 too. I didn't notice the bolts because of all the undercoatring :devious:

I'll keep it in mind if/when I get my car back (c. mid-April)

thx.

[mdbrandy]

Originally posted by sblake01

Mine are different from mdbrandy's. The do come apart so that you can get to the headlight. Three 10mm bolts and two phillips screws. Mine is a 78 if that make any difference.

The car that these came off of was a '78 as well. Production date of 5/78, so it was fairly late in the model year. My "good" '78 280Z is also a 5/78 car, and it has all the same bolts in the same places as the other one. Just doesn't have the plastic liner any more.

And Tomohawk, you're not making a "big thing" at all - this is the kind of conversation that keeps this board alive - finding out all the differences between our cars, and sometimes tracking down why we have what we have!

[2ManyZs]

I remember my 75 having pieces similar to Stephen's, all those plastic splash shields went into the dumpster when I stripped it out to race many years ago....:stupid:

[TomoHawk]

No worries! I just feel kinda wierd sometimes because I usually get these peculiar problems. Good thing the info is something wverybody can use! But I DO see a problem that these pieces will be difficult, if not impossible, to get new or reproduction.

Just get yours out, clean off all the junk, and copy the pattern onto some rubber matting, no?

One less problem to work on now...