Going to look at a Zed tomorrow evening but want to check the inner sills.

What do I need to remove to get the rear interior panels off quickly so I can look down into the sill area?

Step by step would be helpful but I'd appreciated any info.

Pretty sure from memory the rear seat lifts out with a few bolts, then the door card unbolts easy from there.

Hopefully it will be an easy job then as the seller doesn't want to do it but said I'm welcome to do it as long as I don't break any trim.

Good luck, where is the car?

You will need to remove the rear seat backs. 2x 10mm bolts each side (although it will be still attached to the boot carpet to get out of the way), then pull up the bench seat which is popped into place. This will uncover a bolt at the front and a bolt at the back which also holds the boot/wheel arch trim down. After them you will need to pop the little round black plastic plug on the top of the side trim to access the last screw.

Next you will need something wide and flat to pry the trim panel out of its clips down the B pillar, it should then slide down and away (you will have to manoeuvre it out of the seat back mount/hinge). Next you just need to unclip the top part of the trim from the bottom to release the belt.

Now the trim will be away and you can see straight down into the danger zone! Don't forget a torch and if you have a phone the records, stuff that down there with the flash on and you can see round the corners.

Would be a very understanding seller to let you do it as it is always possible you could break trim etc.

Edited June 24, 201411 yr by Joely P

I would expect to see some signs of corrosion TBH, doubtful many, if any have no signs at all.

As long as its just light surface corrosion, getting some Waxoyl type product in the cavity should halt its progress and keep it sound.

Check around the back of the rear sills where they join the wheelarch at the bottom for an 'exit' hole. This is a good sign that the inner sills are on the way out.

There are some around (mine) but they are getting rarer and most know if they have a good one. Another check is bubbling on the stone chip, as it is how rot will start showing on the outside

If he wants to sell it he could remove the panels himself if he didn't want you doing it

The car is in Basildon, its a 95 n/a manual ( its on eBay so you've probably all seen it).

It has already got badly done mot patches but they look to be rusting again, although from the outside this time, but just want to make sure by looking inside.

I've already got the price right down but what I find in the sills could be the deal breaker.

If it turns out to be a dud, then I'm the highest bidder on a n/a slicktop (on eBay also) at the moment, so don't anyone else bid on it! :lol:

If you can get your hands on a borescope you will be able to see inside the sills. Remove the door step trim and pull back

the carpet, you will see several circular holes covered with black adhesive vinyl discs, peel them back and put borescope

in there, you'll see all you need. The sill structure is 3 or 4 layers, not just an inner and outer. If the sills have been patched

already and are rusting, the chances are that there will be much worse inside the sill that you cant see.

 

There is less chance of sill rot with a slicktop because there are no targa roof panels which have a rainwater

drain pipe exiting in the sill area.

Good luck

This diagram shows various cross-sections including the sills:

 

This diagram shows various cross-sections including the sills:

 

 

You are a font of Z knowledge!

There is less chance of sill rot with a slicktop because there are no targa roof panels which have a rainwater

drain pipe exiting in the sill area.

Good luck

 

The targa drain pipes are still in the sills of a slicktop,:confused1:

Also you should check behind the rear wheel arch as the whole section has just fallen off mine!!!

The targa drain pipes are still in the sills of a slicktop,:confused1:

But the slicktop is called a slicktop because they don't have targa's, therefor no targa drains :)

Also you should check behind the rear wheel arch as the whole section has just fallen off mine!!!

If your talking about the bottom rear of the arch where it attaches to the bumper, then already have pics to show its solid as my last Zed had rotted out there also. Is there any part of these cars that don't rust out eventually?

Bumpers tend to be rust free:lol:

But the fixings that hjold tyherm on like to rust and seize up causing them to break :)

 

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But the fixings that hjold tyherm on like to rust and seize up causing them to break :)

Can't edit out my poor spelling caused by my stupid pad :(

But the slicktop is called a slicktop because they don't have targa's, therefor no targa drains :)

 

I was replying to Guinnal's observation, I was only pointing out that Nissan had left the drain pipes in the sills of a slicktop, even when there was no need for them.

The targa drain pipes are still in the sills of a slicktop,:confused1:

 

True, but there aren't any hoses connected (or more often disconnected) and allowing rain water to continually

dump into the sill, hence less propensity to rot out. :thumbup1: