Rear end sheetmetal build up order?

[six-tee-nine]

Well as the title says, I received a box of AMD stuff and now it's time to start putting some new sheet metal back in place, however......

I see alot of pictures here but nothing clear enough to determine exactly what order to go.
At this point my full trunk floor including the extentions is out, the lower rear valence and the end caps are out and the lower rotten part of the quarters are cut off.

I'm using quarter patches so no full quarters, but I think of putting these in first, then the valence and then the end caps. Cince these last dont fit too great so I've read here.
These end caps are not the easiest things to put in I guess since they attach to the valence, the quarters and the trunk extentions. My goal is to keep the trunk floor out till after the media blast to have better acces to the inside of the trunk and the rear window and c pillar area for blasting and epoxy priming.

Another thing is the seam between the end caps and the valence. I know its supposed to be there but if I put the pieces together by hand I can push a pen trough the remaining hole. Did'nt that get filled with something back in the day?

It would be nice to hear from others that did this before me how you started this and what I should look out for or try to avoid

Thanks

[Dino]

Here's the answer to the question, which panel do I install first:  Doesn't matter, because you're not welding in anything until every panel is aligned.    

The best way to do this is stick the trunk floor in and adjust/adapt floor and/or frame until it is where you want it to be.  Take a few self tapping screws and go through your floor into the frame to secure it.  Secure them where you can have a spot-weld in its place later to prevent having to weld shut a hole without a function..

Now install the extensions and repeat the process.  When done, it will be screwed to the trunk floor from the side.  Lip to lip.  You 'can' go through the top but again try to make a hole that's easily filled, spot weld is always best.  No point in welding shut a bunch of holes later if you can avoid it.

Now you can fit the outer skins.  Tail panel, valance, corner caps and lower quarters all get fit individually first, then all together to see what needs attention.  A single piece may fit the car fine, but will not fit right with its neighboring panel.  This is where compromise comes into play.  I know the corner caps never, ever fit properly so those are your pieces to mess with.  You can make a corner cap narrow or wide and nobody will ever know, but it will be hard to hide a corked tail panel!

When all is done, you will have all the new panels in place, mostly with those self tapping screws.  Now you can remove everything because the holes you made are your alignment tool.  Drill everything for the welds, reinstall the pieces and happy welding! 

With the screw method, you also don't have to go buy a gazillion clamps, but a few would help.