The Early 77 rear hatch differences

[Captain Obvious]

Ferg, from the pic you posted... Your 77 was designed with the shallow "space saver" spare. They started that design in 77 and ran like that for 77 and 78. The cargo compartment lids were used from 70 through 74 and they stopped in 75 when they started adding the false floor in the back.

Here's some details of when I added the cargo compartment lids to my car:
https://www.classiczcars.com/forums/topic/62698-spare-tire-well/#comment-582414

And here's a couple other threads with some good pics of the rear deck area:
https://www.classiczcars.com/forums/topic/51367-project-boondoggle-or-so-i-went-and-bought-a-z/?page=9#comment-495703

And here's one that shows one of the things I did when I lowered my wooden false floor:
https://www.classiczcars.com/forums/topic/64856-280z-double-floor-removal/

 

[Av8ferg]

CO, thanks. I’ll go through those today. Much appreciate you digging them up.
If it a lot of work I’ll focus on the big rocks ...aka fuel tank and rear suspension. Pulled my 82 ZX differential out of my parts storage...got to open her up and take a look inside and clean it up for paint. I’ll put that in when I do the rest of the rear suspension but Fuel Tank is #1 right now.
Looking forward to reading about your deck mod today.


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[Captain Obvious]

One of those thread (the one about the spare tire) has all kinds of dead photobucket sucks links in it. If there's something you want to see, just let me know.

So I think the biggest thing about the sloped rear deck vs. the flat version is how they handled the taillight trim panels. Do you have a plastic panel back there or does the sloped wood cover the taillights and associated wiring?

Do you even have the mounting hole provisions if you wanted to put a plastic panel back there?

[Av8ferg]

Bruce, 

I do have the plastic finisher for the flat deck, but  don’t know if my body has attach points.   I got the finisher from a guy in Memphis, he sold me a bunch of parts for $300 he pulled off his 78 black pearl, that he did a serious mod too.  It was a good deal and in there was this finisher,  I have two wooden deck floors, one flat and one sloped. Only have the sloped end pieces (ones near wheel well).  I can fab those if need be our of some Masonite board.   

[Av8ferg]

Have a question for the group about fuel tanks.   I know these tanks changed over the years and I’m about to order one from S30world.  On the website the tank dates concern me a bit and I want to make sure I get the correct one.   My car was built in 11/76 making it an early 1977 model.  On the S30world website it shows me ordering a 1976 tank as the dates for that tank go from 1/75 to 12/76.  I’m almost 100% sure my tank is different from a 1975 tank.  
Does anyone know when they changed the tanks between 1975 and 1977?  I do have a pic of my tank when it was out of the car, see below.  
 

 

[Zed Head]

The difference in shape is very apparent.  I'd go with the pictures.  Many errors in the various databases that are floating around out on the internet.

Here's examples from zcarsource.  They seem to be reputable. 

https://zcarsource.com/reconditioned-original-280z-gas-tank-for-the-1977-78-datsun-280z/

https://zcarsource.com/reconditioned-original-280z-gas-tank-for-the-1975-76-datsun-280z/

[Barefootdan]

I agree with @Zed Head. My 75 tank looks different from yours. I have the vents on the side. Looks just like his second link 🙂 

[Av8ferg]

I agree but wanted to make sure there wasn’t something I was missing.  I called and spoke to the guy at Zcarsource.  He was super nice, their program is to refurbish the tank you send them.  If it has an holes or leaks they won’t accept it.   Mine may be salvageable but would require someone to put new welds on the entry exit pipe.  

[Captain Obvious]

Yup. That's a 77-78 tank.

And as for the mounting holes for the taillight trim panel, I don't have good enough pics to tell for sure. This is the best thing I have for the sloped rear deck and I can't tell if there are holes for the little screws or not. Should be easy for you to just check your car though.