Rear tow/tie down?

[Ed]

I was reading (drooling) my fall issue of Sport Z. Checking out the centerfold (again). That beautiful Orange 1973Z up in Minnesota. :love:

Anyway I noticed that there were some tow/tie down hooks by the rear bumper guards. Are these homemade? Or are they available some where?

[mwz]

I haven't seen the picture, but I have a '76 with some hooks on the rear. They don't look homemade, they look like they belong there. The hooks are for sale :classic: if you're interested.

[sblake01]

If you are refering to the two hooks on either side beneath and behind the bumper, they are original equipment. They were used to tie the car down during shipping. They might have been removed from your car since they bolt on through the splash pan. On my 78 280Z there are three grade 12 bolts holding them on on each side. There are also two located in the front. If you look inside the fenderwell ahead of the tire, you will see them. I think all cars use some form of these. I have seen them used as a point to hook up a tow strap or chain. I personally wouldn't recommend that.

[CoastGuardZ]

Ed.. to answer you're question... I have no clue since I haven't seen the picture... sorry:classic:

Sblake01... The hooks you're referring to (might be the same as Ed, IDK?) They are on most if not all uni-body cars (like the Z). These are used for tie downs when the car is on a truck or boat for shipping. Since the cars do not have frames they need some place to secure the car and wrapping a chain around suspension parts just isn't an option. If you notice a car hauler you will see what I'm talking about... they wrench the chains down tight to compress the suspension so that the car doesn't bounce every time the truck hits a bump.

Nate :cross-eye

[Ed]

I have the ones on the front but nothing in the rear. Any chance someone could post a close up picture of the one in the rear. I'm thinking it couldn't hurt to put atleast one on there.

A couple of years ago I had to have my Z towed. And the tow truck driver not knowing any better put one of those big metal hooks into a small drain hole on the body and stretched the sheet metal. I was not happy.

[alien-e]

I bought my 73' Z from a guy in Arizona. I decided to ship it to Dallas so my Dad could check it out. The guy who hauled it used the hooks on the back bumper to strap it down. When I got the car back into Houston, I noticed that the bumper was pulled down on both sides (more on the right than the left). It turns out, the guy strapped my car down with a chain, which left marks on the rear valence (behind the gas tank) and used so much torque it bent the ends of the frame rails and the sheet metal where the bumper is attached. This would have been covered by insurance, but when it was delivered, my Father didn't notice the damage.

I think these hooks were really meant to keep the cars from rolling around when being shipped from Japan and not really meant to have so much torque on them as to compress the suspension in the rear of the car.

I'm sure I have some pictures of the damage somewhere. I'll post them if I find them.

[2ManyZs]

Here's what the rear hooks on the early cars looks like.

They are the same on both sides, unlike the front which has a hook on one side and a closed loop on the other. They are a mirror image of one another, so there is a right and a left.

The later cars, used a closed loop similar to the one found on the front, it was an "L" shaped piece of flat stock with a closed loop. I think they changed to this type when they went to the larger bumpers... probably beginning with the 74 1/2 260 in the US.

I use mine to pick up the chassis shell with an engine hoist so I could get the shell up high enough to work under... no problem as long as you don't have the running gear in the car....

[2ManyZs]

Yeah, that's the one that's taking me so long to put back on the road...

Don't ya like how a PO had it painted? Didn't bother to take off the bumpers when they changed the color......:stupid:

[St.stephen]

2many, whats left on your car to still finish?

[2ManyZs]

The worst part.... sanding, sanding and more sanding.. and then paint....:cross-eye

Got to get the engine compartment painted so I can put the fuel and brake lines back on, then the suspension which is already done can be put back on.

Then it's just getting rid of all the door dings and get the body ready to paint....:tapemouth

[St.stephen]

Hop on that

dont make me finish my before you!!!!