78 280Z 2+2 rear panel under hatch-TABCO #16761U

[One Way]

The dismantling continues on this resurrection project. Rust has won many battles in the 19 years this car was parked but hopefully we can make it roadworthy again. Definitely a long term project. The sheet metal above the rear panel that secures the weatherstripping for the rear hatch is rusted away under the rubber weatherstripping. The top and side sections are not too bad but the bottom section is pretty well gone. TABCO products shows a part # 16761U-rear panel, upper top-but the picture is a bit unclear to me. Is the lip for the weatherstripping formed in that part? Or will I be better to form my own replacement section to make a good hatch seal lip? Any one install that part on their project? Please let me know. Thanks in advance, John-Lugoff, SC

[Mark Maras]

 The bent upper lip in their pic is bent to conform to the edge of the sheet metal in the rear hatch opening.The weather strip glues over the top of both of them. I doubt that the extra section of sheet metal would improve the sealing but the bent section of the panel does reinforce the lower hatch opening & it needs it.

If you do fab your own (I did) I would include the upper & lower lips for strength. 

 Just reread your post. Is the sheet metal on the bottom of the opening gone or just the cover?

Edited October 31, 2015 by Mark Maras

[One Way]

The vertical section of the rear panel-tail lights mount into, hatch latch mounted on-is in very good condition, The horizontal or flat section is bad. I did not have time to dig further beyond cutting off the bad section of weatherstripping on the horizontal section, but did see some seam sealer on some of the portions of metal. Rusted bad enough it was difficult to determine if the horizontal flat section was originally 2 layers or just seamed near the ends. Next chance I get I will do some more cleaning, grinding, etc. to see how it was originally made. Thanks again for the info. John-Lugoff, SC