I'm trying to figure out when (and why) the rear parcel shelve was changed from the deep tire well to the shallow tire well and the double decker parcel shelf. This was also the same time the front two tool boxes (behind the rear seats) were covered over and non usable. I had a 75 that had the boxes. I've also seen 75's with no boxes. Was this a California emissions change? Any help would be appreciated?

the tire well was changed in 77 to accomodate the collapsable spare. 76 was the last year of the full size spare and the tool stowage compartments I beleive were phased out mid 75. then early 75 cars I beleive were leftover 260 tubs which were slightly changed to accomodate the turn signal completely inside the grill verses the late 260 which had them half in and half out. I don;t know if the late 260s had the tool storage. my early 74 does.

Interestingly, in the '78 280Z I am currently tearing apart, the tool box compartments on the rear deck are still there, even though you couldn't have used them due to the elevated fiberboard deck over the top of them. No lids either. Just the holes.

Originally posted by St.stephen

the tire well was changed in 77 to accomodate the collapsable spare. 76 was the last year of the full size spare and the tool stowage compartments

Excuse my Australian lack of knowledge, we had none of these changes (but we never got a 280Z either) however a few Questions.

collapsable spare. What the Heck is that?? Do you have to let the air out or something?

Why did they remove the tool boxes? Did they put anything in it's place? Why didn't they just leave them there? Where does the jack go if you don't have the tool stowage areas?

Why did they shallow the spare wheel well? Did the later models have a bigger fuel tank or something?

Thanks in advance

OzLime240Z

Originally posted by ozlime240z

Excuse my Australian lack of knowledge, we had none of these changes (but we never got a 280Z either) however a few Questions.

collapsable spare. What the Heck is that?? Do you have to let the air out or something?

Why did they remove the tool boxes? Did they put anything in it's place? Why didn't they just leave them there? Where does the jack go if you don't have the tool stowage areas?

Why did they shallow the spare wheel well? Did the later models have a bigger fuel tank or something?

Thanks in advance

OzLime240Z

All very good questions!

Collapasable wheel came out with the ZX models in Oz.

Excuse my ignorance [it is a s-30 forum after all], but did the ZX come as a 2 seater? If so then it poses a very good question as to why the tool compartments were phased out?

And lastly, is there a bigger tank?

All very good questions, if of course you're into ZX's!

Originally posted by Zedrally

All very good questions!

Collapasable wheel came out with the ZX models in Oz.

Yeah but what is it??

Excuse my ignorance [it is a s-30 forum after all], but did the ZX come as a 2 seater?

The ZX did ccme in a 2 seater variant but we never got it in OZ.

All very good questions, if of course you're into ZX's!

We're talking about the S30..... you brought up ZX's.....

OzLime240Z

Originally posted by ozlime240z

Yeah but what is it??

OzLime240Z

As the name implies, collapsable wheel, or AKA a dinky wheel.

It was[is] a narrow wheel, about 1/2 width of the original [read very narrow] and depending on model could come with a can of air to pump it up!.

Big stink going on between the RACV & VicRoads on this very topic, they call them space saver wheels and carriage of them renders the vehicle un-roadworthy.

Sorry about the ZX analogy, however that's where ther first came about to my knowledge.

Originally posted by Zedrally

As the name implies, collapsable wheel, or AKA a dinky wheel.

It was[is] a narrow wheel, about 1/2 width of the original [read very narrow] and depending on model could come with a can of air to pump it up!.

Actually, the ones in both my 280Z's (the good one and the parts car) are "collapsable", but not "dinky". When you fill them with air, they are full-size tires with a 3000 mile life (according to the paperwork I have). An inflation canister does come with them. When inflated, the tires appear to be about the same size as the normal 195/75-14 type tires that come on the Z's. In the parts car, the tire has been used, and the PO did not do a good job of deflating it - just let out some of the air and stuffed it back in. Seems to be ruined after 10 years of being deformed pretty badly. In my new, good 280Z, the tire has never been used, and is nicely compressed there in the shallow spare tire well under the elevated deck.

To answer ozlime240Z's question about where to put the jack and stuff, they go under the elevated rear deck, next to the tire. Envision a fiberboard deck, propped up above the real rear deck of the car about 4 inches throughout the rear deck area, and hinged about where the shock towers are so you can lift it up to get to the spare and jack.

Hope that's clear