On further reflection, the layout of my hatch is original, or at least it's the way it's pictured and described in my owner's manual. They speak very proudly of the "folding" spare tire (whose compartment is only as large as a large suitcase).

After a bit of research, I ran across...

http://www.zcar.com/forums/read/1/1872826

Apparently Hyundai and 2nd generation RX-7 space saver spares will fit. I don't know if that's really true.

I remember my '75 Z took a full sized spare. What did they do with all that room? They put in a smaller tire and ended up with a much smaller usable hatch area. Is that something right out of the 70's, or what!?

After a bit of research, I ran across...

http://www.zcar.com/forums/read/1/1872826

I remember my '75 Z took a full sized spare. What did they do with all that room? They put in a smaller tire and ended up with a much smaller usable hatch area. Is that something right out of the 70's, or what!?

The raised hatch area was due to the decrease in the spare tire well height which was in turn due to the fuel tank. The 75-76 did not have this.

From Hybridz (http://forums.hybridz.org/showthread.php?t=123516):

In ’77, the Z received larger capacity fuel tank which encroached on the spare tire well necessitating the space saver spare, (the 240, 260 and ’75-76 280 received a full size spare tire), and also the ’77-78 rear hatch area now has a raised false floor which was to accommodate the larger fuel tank and that little deflated spare. Depending on which manufacturing plant the ‘77/78 was manufactured in dictated how the that false floor in the hatch area finished out to the rear. Some were flat level all the way back, others kicked up at 45 degrees to the hatch.

-Paul

Edited August 25, 200915 yr by undercat

Undercat is correct - 77 / 78 had the raised floor, 75 / 76 did not.

I remember when I was younger, there were 4 Zs in my group of friends - my '76, 2 '77s, and a '78 (they were blue with exception of my green) - mine was the only one with the "normal" or "lower" rear floor.

FWIW.

Depending on which manufacturing plant the ‘77/78 was manufactured in dictated how the that false floor in the hatch area finished out to the rear.

Mystery solved on why some build dates swept up in the rear and others didnt.

Fastwoman, I just happened to snap that picture last weekend. I wanted to snap some "before" pics so I can look back someday and remember all the b.s. I went through

Edited August 26, 200915 yr by MEZZZ