Filled Hatch Shelf

[lm71z]

The man I bought my 240z from had the car painted and I noticed that the hatch shelf was filled. I'm thinking that some metal must have been welded into the corners, because the surface is very smooth and feels hard when I knock on it. Is this type of modification usually done to early z cars when they're painted? I know this a common spot where rust can develop on z's, but I hope there wasn't a huge amount of rust in the corners of the hatch jam before it was filled. It seems pretty solid to me.

[Mike B]

If you take off the interior taillight access panel you should be able to see the back side of that area and have a look at the repair that way.

-Mike

[lm71z]

I don't know why I didn't think of that myself. Wasn't there a seem all the way across the hatch shelf originally?

[ta240]

looks sharp though.

[Mike B]

I don't know why I didn't think of that myself. Wasn't there a seem all the way across the hatch shelf originally?

There are seems on both ends, but they don't go across the entire length of the shelf. Here is a picture of one of sides.

-Mike

[lm71z]

Yeah I think it does too, i think the man I bought it from did it himself.

[overdrivex]

looks like its been filled. or could have been restored.there should be a seem that runs right under the weather strip. that loves to collect water ive had 3z's in my possession so far and all of them have rust at that seem.

[ta240]

Now that we've settled that, how about some more pictures of the rest of the car

[hls30.com]

The Shelf wasn't restored, it was modified.

As any professionally published and edited dictionary will confirm, the act of Restoration means only one thing-to put something back as it was originally.

The shelves are usually filled for one of two reasons:

1) To hide a not so well done repair-as pointed out earlier-pull the panel and look at the underside-a poorly done job will show underneath with filler stalagmites, untreated rust, misaligned panels, etc.

2) To keep water and dirt from collecting in the corner by building the area up and building in an angle to direct the water (and what it may carry) away from the area.

Will

Edited February 25, 2009 by hls30.com