So I just bought this near perfect condition 79 280zx 2+2 and when I was doing some exploratory surgery on the interior taking off plastic panels and removing the trunk interior etc...) I discovered behind the spare tire, in that little area, where the antenna would be if it wasn't on left side, beyond the jack that there was a big puddle/lake of water as high as that ridge will go without overflowing into the indent where the spare goes, the water wasn't moldy or smelly, it was fresh (though I didn't taste it) and the metal in there wasn't the least bit rusty, although that caulk sealer stuff they used to prevent leaks seemed to be mushy because the water soaked into it.
anybody know where that water might have leaked in from? and did that part of the car have weep holes to prevent this sort of thing? I couldn't find any.

 

Sounds like it was run through a high pressure car wash. Mop up the water, look for a missing plug in the bottom of the well.

 

Well, captain carfone, the only real place in the hatch area is the hatch, check your weather seals I guess, mine are leaking, sadly =(

And they are expensive to replace D=

 

My 81 turbo had a chronic problem with that.Now that I am going to restore and upgrade it I will have to find the origins of the water.At the moment it will not hold any in the spare tire well due to holes other than the one with the rubber plug.

 

My solution... the Z never sees water. Been dry for 10 years now...

 

HA! My turbos spare tire well is gone! I cut it out cause it was rusted through... just need to either weld in a flat piece or lay some tabs from work in it.

 

I agree with Nismo! After sitting outside for close to 10 years. Now that mine is inside and work is slowly starting mine won't see too much rain again either.I feel lucky to not have anymore rust than I do. I am glad to have the tools,place and ability to do most of my work my self.

 

Lol - I think if the plug was missing so would the puddle/lake ;P

 

Exactly my thought.

I forget where mine was leaking into the spare tire well from but yes, remove the plug. I left mine out... never saw a puddle again.

 

no im not talking about that place im talking about the area beyond that, its lower then the spare

 

This could just be the previous owner trying to spite me by filling it up with water because I went down a good amount over his first offer lol, that guy was super lazy, screws in the wrong place, he put the steering wheel on wrong, he connected a ground in the steering wheel horn mechanism to plastic!

 

When you repair the bad section leave it solid.Order one of these.
http://www.ecklers.com/corvette-floo...1968-1982.html
Drill the proper sized hole in the lowest part install the drain plug and problem solved.No more water and no bugs crawling in either.

 

Nevermind I figured it out, it was coming in through the side indicator light, the car was hit under the indicator light and he attempted to bang it back into shape by hitting it from the outside, and by doing that it warped the metal connecting to the indicators gaskets, causing it to lose contact, letting rain water in I just put some silicon around it temporarily.