interior panel differences

[emccallum]

My car is a 3/72. Originally brown with brown interior. I cahnged the interior to black and have some questions.

1. Rear plastic quarter panels that came out of the car had speaker vents and side emblem vent holes. It had a metal vapor tank. What year did the extra vents start? The black panel in the picture is one I picked up before I knew the differences. It wont fit because of the metal vapor tank. Pretty sure my panels were original, but......

2. My original plastic rear light panel has the removable squares that are bulging, like what I remember from a 260 (see picture).  It is brown, so I am thinking it is original. Did 240's all have the flat part on the rear tailight plastic panel? 

Maybe someone swapped out all the interior panels from a later car at some point? That would be weird. Yes, that IS carpet glued to the panels!!

Impressive how many differences there are between the 240's over the years. It reminds me of identical twins. They are hard to tell apart until you get to know them, then then are totally different!

 

[CanTechZ]

The RH & LH rear interior side panels changed starting January 1971, part way through the '71 model year. Same time as the evap. tank changed from plastic to steel and the air flow vents were deleted from the hatch and moved to the quarter panels.

Edited January 21 by CanTechZ

[emccallum]

Thanks Cantechz. That makes sense. all the repro panels I see do not have the extra air flow vents. The black panel in my picture must be for an early 240 with the plastic vapor tank. Anyone need one :)?

[Namerow]

AFAIK, the rear trim panel on the earliest S30's didn't have removable taillight access covers at all and, when those covers were eventually introduced, they were flat.  I think that what you've got in your car is, as you say, taken from a 260Z. 

All of these interior trim panels are tricky to remove and replace without causing them damage.  Also, the Z arrived just at the time when owners were being introduced to higher-quality home sound systems.  Many (if not most) Z owners decided that they wanted an aftermarket sound system with stereo and a tape player, as well as something better than the single, small, lo-fi speaker.  I expect that a lot of side trim panels got cracked in the process of getting access for wiring and speaker installations.  I also think that a lot of rear trim panels got butchered when the owner or installer decided to get creative in order to make big speakers fit.

[w3wilkes]

On 1/21/2024 at 5:48 AM, Namerow said:

I also think that a lot of rear trim panels got butchered when the owner or installer decided to get creative in order to make big speakers fit.

You are right on that one! In my '73 I removed the tail light access covers (flat) from the rear panel and enlarged the holes to accommodate some 6X9 speakers. Had to remove the outer pins on the back panel so that I could slightly flex the panel so the speaker magnets would not be touching the tail light bulbs. I mounted my Sony TC-30 cassette deck on a slide off bracket on the vertical wall behind the passenger seat. This had better access to the cassette player from the drivers seat.

Took a way different approach for my current '71 car. RetroSound in dash bluetooth radio and this week I scored a used 6X9 speaker panel that thezstore used to sell. This way I keep the stock taillight cover panel to go with the car if I ever sell it. I then conned a friend into 3D printing a radio cover plate that looks closer to stock with labels.

[emccallum]

When I first started this project, I ordered a couple of plastic panels from Dashtop. Fit was terrible. Total junk. Searched for some good quality used ones with very little results.

I just ordered some panels Resurrected classics. Fit was very good and the material nice and flexy. Color is a bit on the grey side compared to what I have as original, so you may want to go with the full set if that is an issue.  One of the few aftermarket parts that I have actually been pleased with. According to Max, they are going to adding more stuff in the near future. 

[Patcon]

I was planning on using their whole set...

[emccallum]

With original parts becoming pricey and scarce, I think the hardest part of rebuilding a z is getting quality parts that will fit. I spent a ton of time (and money) trying to work with garbage aftermarket stuff. We need a sticky that rates aftermarket parts. Dashpot gets zero stars. Belmetric 5 stars. 

[bluez]

I also purchased many braided hoses from Belmetric, great source.

[emccallum]

15 minutes ago, bluez said:

I also purchased many braided hoses from Belmetric, great source.

I never looked at their hoses. I have used Cohline and conti braided hoses on cars and they are top quality. Thanks

Edited January 31 by emccallum