So my 1971 240Z is in the paint shop.  My body man asked about the body line that runs just above the wheel arches.  Question relates to this line seeming to disappear or fade out at the arches.  How prominent is this body line at the arches on the cars that still have original paint?

Edited August 9, 20186 yr by kunzma

@Diseazd Guy - Time for you to post another great pic.

this show's the lines

I went through this myself last year, the body should not disappear but it is often filled over when the fender lips are replaced or repaired. I don't  have a photo handy but it should be clearly seen above the rear fender lip. 

Thanks for the pics and input.  It looks to be less prominent then elsewhere but still there above the rear arch and gone from the front arch.  Hopefully my body guy can get it right.

I have a whole section on this in my thread somewhere...

https://www.classiczcars.com/forums/topic/50908-1976-280z-restoration-project/?do=findComment&comment=517933

Edited August 10, 20186 yr by wheee!
Link to body line section

I have two cars.  One has a manufacture date of 6/70 and the other 5/71. Both cars have their factory rear quarters.  The lines do not end on either car but the lines on the 6/70 are much more pronounced than 5/71.  Its almost as if the tooling needed to be sharpened by the time May '71 came around. 

I would certainly call it "less prominent" on the '71.

Interesting subject.  This is one of the major features I use to judge the quality of a shops body work.  On the low budget shops, the edge is rounded and sometimes not even very straight.  The bad shops will mess this up even when there hasn't been any bodywork done in the area.

On a side note, I saw a silver Z that was done on one of the popular car TV shows (not sure which one) and the body work and interior were incredible.  On the body, they actually sharpened the line, along with the line just above it over the rear wheel. It looked gorgeous.  I talked with Miguel about sharpening the line a bit on my white one.  Will see how that goes when we get to that point.  We are probably two to three months out on that.

Definitely makes the restoration when done right......

 

Edited August 15, 20186 yr by Diseazd