2 brackets...what are they for?

[HS30-H]

Does this help?

The plastic lids are nos 32 & 33 on the diagram.

Alan T.

[NickF]

Thanks for all the pics and info guys.

Are the plastic "lids"#32,#33 plastic tool boxes? and are the plastic lids for sale at dastops.com the box or the lid or the complete fitting??????

Are they for the jack and wheel brace ??

Any pictures of original tool kit.

Nick

[NickF]

Just seen wheel brace

[240znz]

Battle score 2-0 to me vs PC...here are the pics.

[240znz]

This pic shows the crappy vinyl liner

[240znz]

Last pic of open hatch without vinyl liner.

So those who have anything but a series 1 might have one over us "Optioned " owners. I wouldn't put any tools in these hatches as just imagine the noise when the tyre brace hits the jack every time you corner hard....no thanks.

[NickF]

Unusual for an early car to have those hatches!

Mines #396 and only has provision for the plastic .

Nick

[NickF]

Looking at the picture of the hatch I think it has been retro fitted.

Notice that the flange doesn't go all the way round and the edges look a bit rough?

Some one who has a later car will be able to tell.

Nick

[240znz]

You have me worried now.

If they were retro fitted then the entire rear deck would have to been fitted.

Someone help me sleep tonight!

[abas]

240znz, sorry to say,I agree with Nick that the hatches have been retro fitted. My 1972 z with hatches has a recessed flange in the deck all the way round the hole. You also have the remnants of the 'swiss cheese holes' in the rear deck that you can best see on the pictures that 26thzposted on this thread earlier. Finally there are the 2 luggage strap bolt holes holes that are right at the top of the picture (ie so that luggage strap goes the entire length of the rear deck as on the earlier cars), whereas the later cat had the luggages trap bolt holes roughly in line witj the rear suspension towers.

[abas]

240znz

just also to say that your car doesn't look as if the whole rear deck has been changed, just holes have been cut in the rear deck to accomodate the metal tool hatches.

OK it might not be original but the tool boxes in the rear deck are a lot more convenient/usable than the plastic originals. ( as the plastic toolboxes no longer take up space behind the seats you can also treat your 240z as an occasional 2+2 if you have some short passengers!!!! although I accept this might not be strictly legal.

[HS30-H]

Yes 240znz, I agree with abas that it looks as though a previous owner decided to update the car by cutting out a gap in the round pressed holes of the rear deck, and installed some of the later style toolbox lids and hinges.

On the early cars, this space was effectively a 'dead' boxed section, and I would guess that the designers decided later on to make better use of it by making it an accessible storage area.

Looks like the PO installed the correct fine diamond padded vinyl lining too. All the parts are from a later car.

240znz - can I see from the photo that your car has CLOSED pressings in the vertical panel behind the rear seats? ( I mean the sheetmetal that effectively forms the side of your 'new' toolboxes that is immediately behind the seats ). Mostly you tend to see the square pressings 'open' ( ie - you can see into the box section that now forms your toolboxes, as the squares are actually punched out of the sheetmetal ) and not closed. This section is covered by diamond-stitched trim normally - so most owners would not necessarily know if the panel was punched out or not.

Anyway, I have seen both punched and non-punched panels on early cars. From what I can see, your car seems to have been the plastic toolbox type with NO square punched holes before it was modified. Interesting that this too is a detail change to the bodyshells of early cars that is pretty-much never discussed.

Frankly I would not worry too much about the toolboxes. Think of it as an interesting piece of character for your car, and don't lose sleep over it :classic:

Alan T.