I have been wondering if there is an easy way to keep water off of that flat area under the back hatch. The idea hopefully would be to find a ready made item that could be modified to make an "extended gutter" that would divert water coming down the hatch gutter on the lip of the hatch opening on the sides to prevent it from being dumped on the flat area in back so that it continues on and gets dumped outside the car. I won't mention how long I have been trying to figure this out (a year?). If anyone has any ideas at all on this I would like to see them. See attached pictures for what I was thinking though there may be better ideas. The drawing is an end view of an extended gutter that would be siliconed I guess to just above the flat area on the sides from just under the existing gutter to just beyond the flat area.

Mike

Hmm, if it were my project, the first place I would look is McMaster-Carr. Seems like that would be the kind of thing they would carry, and their online catalog has diagrams showing all the shapes and dimensions.

It really makes one wonder why Nissan didn't extend the gutter in the first place, but I guess hindsight is 20/20 when we see all these cars with rust problems in that area.

On my 280Z, it seems there are raised areas on the shelf there that direct the water to the corner and it drains behind the brake lamp assembly.

Tomo, are you referring to a leak or an on-purpose, designed-by-Datsun drain? I have no drain on mine, and we both have '78 models. I also have rust problems there.

Mike, one approach I've seen is to fill that area rather extensively, so that there are no flat or depressed areas to catch water. It looks quite good, but I don't know whether that courts other rust problems. (I suppose it can't be worse than what's already there -- unless there's actually supposed to be a drain tube, per Tomo.)

When I replaced the flat panel I welded it in solid. Built up the ends so water ran off the panel and molded all the seams so there is no path for water between the panels. This was done three years ago.

Park on a hill?

FastWoman,

There is no drain, per se, but more of just a path for the water to drain. See a7dz's photos in #5

It appears the rust problem isn't all from the water that drains from the top. The panels that I've seen, have mostly rusted from underneath. Moisture gets trapped between the top panel and tail light panel and rusts from the bottom. If this area isn't protected, it'll rust out again. Of course, most anyhting we do is better than what the factory did...plus the fact that many of these cars are stored inside and never driven in the rain helps!

I'll have to get the tail lamps out over the winter to look at it, and if it's not draining well, probably give the parts exposed (to water) a coating of bedliner stuff.

IMO, if you just wanted to extend the little gutter-thing that goes down the sides of the hatch opening, you'd also have to cut out the lower corners of the hatch or at least trim off the lip, so the water will drain off the back to the ground, instead of going around/behind/through the tail lamps.

FastWoman, A7dz,

Thanks for the shelf fill in idea. I just went out and put a marble on various places on the hatch shelf as my car is parked on a flat concrete floor and on some areas it rolls to show water runoff toward the back of the car but in the middle there are areas the marble indicates the water would run toward the front of the hatch shelf and thereby into the car.

I have been very careful to wipe the water of that area after washing the car.

I also have left the sealing rubber strip unglued along the bottom, so I can lift it up and dry under it. There is always water under the rubber after a wash.

I use a high powered dog blow drier to blow off the whole car after washing it.

I have been very careful to wipe the water of that area after washing the car.

I also have left the sealing rubber strip unglued along the bottom, so I can lift it up and dry under it. There is always water under the rubber after a wash.

I use a high powered dog blow drier to blow off the whole car after washing it.

I use a leaf backpack blower after washing the z's. You would be amazed at the water that comes out from what looks like dry trim / bumper areas. Works great underneath the car also. I just put it on max speed and let it blow under the car for a hour or so, while I hydrate with Mooseheads!