Rear taillight and valence installation tips

[ktneifert09]

Folks - I am replacing both rear quarters and the entire rear panel assembly.  I've got the quarters fitted up - they look great.  I'm starting to fit up the tail light panel - it's pretty good.  The valence seems kind of long top to bottom compared to the one I took out.  Having trouble lining up the holes with those in the bumper support fittings that weld to the trunk floor - then entire rear section seems to need to come up about a half inch.  Bottom line - I'm not looking for help with this exact problem but rather looking for tips and tricks and "watch out fors" from you folks that have done this before.
Here's a picture of the back end with the quarters rough fitted in.  Thanks!

[MORFF]

looks nice that will be my next step after I get my trunk area cleaned I talked to a body guy that does mopars for a living. He said use z-screws they are self tapping metal screws put all panels together the tail panel, rear valance, and end caps for valance. Don't know if yours were bad but mine were. fit everything together then take screws out when welded in and spot weld your screw holes that is what i am going to try to do. Good luck and looking forward to pics because next month i will be in your boat.

[ktneifert09]

That's exactly my plan. It's good to have it confirmed tho. Thanks!  I'll post more pix as I go. Sometimes I feel pretty stupid replacing what seems like the back half of the car but it really is looking nice. 

[MORFF]

LOOKING FOWARD TO PICS oh the only thing I forgot to write but I am sure you know to make sure your trunk latch and trunk line up too. I only have one working hinge on my trunk so I am going to have more fun when it comes to doing mine. GOD Speed

[ktneifert09]

Making progress...I'm a little worried about the gap between the trunk lid and the sides.  Seems a bit wide.  I'm going to try and pull the sides in another 1/8 inch or so.  Putting the valence in looks exciting.  It appears I'm going to actually have to jack up the trunk rails about an inch or so to get the back at the right height from the trunk floor.  Also, I (stupidly) bought the trunk floor halves from YearOne before I found out about AMD.  It didn't have lip that you need to spot weld the valence to so looks like I get to be a fabricator as well.  The trunk floor is ok other than that.  Live and learn.

[MORFF]

LOOKS GOOD MAN keep pics coming my father-in-law coming down nov 5 then i will be in same boat as you. Got about a weeks worth of work then i am ready to bad i have to do in 4 hour clips so it takes two weeks. Did you use the z-screws? and if did how they work? looking good

[ktneifert09]

The screws I used are from harbor freight. Hex head #8s and 10s that are self drilling. I drill a 1/8 pilot and then screw them in with my small ratchet and a socket. They seem to work great. Part number is 93326. You can probably see on their website.
The thing that's got me nervous now is the amount that the rear end needs to come up so the valence fits right. I put my floor jack in the trunk on a couple pieces of plywood and CAREFULLY jacked with a 2x4 under the trunk sills. It came up to the point that the valence goes in but still needs to go up another inch. I'm worried about buckling the quarters. Everything else is fitting pretty well so I decided to sleep on it for a few days and let the old subconscious work on it. Weather's crummy anyway - I'll watch football instead.

[MORFF]

sounds good did you have to replace your trunk extender panels? Because I think i will have have to replace my drivers side or at least get a patch panel.

[ktneifert09]

No but both quarters, outer wheel wells, trunk floor and extensions. It was a new York car so everything the roads could spit salt on was rusted to heck. I even had to repace the rear frame rail cross member. I'm out of town but I'll send you some pix of what I did if you're interested when I'm back at my computer. Send me an email at ktneifert@hotmail.com. It's too hard to post multiple pix here - gotta compress them and all that.

[ktneifert09]

Duh so yea I did the trunk extensions they're easy.

[MORFF]

nice would it be easier to do trunk extensions with the full trunk panel out because i was going to do them prior to nov 5 because thats when my father in law is comming down to weld my trunk in and hopefully my tail panel. Because if it does not matter i will put my trunk panel in.

[ktneifert09]

I would not. The more space you have to do stuff inside the trunk, the better. Good luck. Post pix

[MORFF]

OK tks   man I will post pics got the inner of the shock support done yesterday almost there about day or too hopefully ready to take that project on. How is your Tail panel coming? I was going to get the trunk extender  panels from amd does anybody know if we get discount from being member from this forum? I am in the CT. area see for other areas.

[ktneifert09]

Jeff at 521 Restorations gave me a discount on a big order. I need to get to my computer to give you his address

[ktneifert09]

His email is jeff@521restorations.com.  Tell him you got it from me - he should remember my order and I've been sending him pix. 

[ktneifert09]

I decided that I need to cut out the two supports at the back of the rear windows because they are keeping the quarters from tipping up and getting high enough from the trunk floor for the valence to fit.  They were really tight anyway - I'll cut out the spotwelds, move the quarters and then just weld them back in in the slightly moved location.  Should be fine.  By the time I'm done with this car I'll be ready to be a certified welder.  Lotsa body work...

[ktneifert09]

Cut out the fittings and everything came together.  Fit up beautifully.  I was able to start welding things up.  Check out the taillight panel and valence assembly primed and ready to install.  I'm using white primer because my paint guy says when I put red over it "it will really pop."  We'll see when I paint the trunk but this guy gives me good advice so I'm pretty sure I'll like it.   

[MORFF]

Looks nice week after next hopfully will be setting my tail and valance up. I thought end caps had to go on first then rear valance? Where did you put level to level every thing up just curious because that's where i will be soon.

[ktneifert09]

Actually what I've discovered is it all has to be fit up together in this order - wheel wells, trunk extensions, rear panel, end caps, quarters.  It has to be welded in that order too.  I didn't have a chance to fit up the end caps this weekend - I'm going to do that next weekend but I can weld in the trunk extensions and wheel wells too.  Then I'll fit up the rear end and weld it all in kinda as a unit.  I'll be figuring it out a little as I go.  I'll share any tips and tricks.

[PatrickPeeters]

Actually what I've discovered is it all has to be fit up together in this order - wheel wells, trunk extensions, rear panel, end caps, quarters.  It has to be welded in that order too.  I didn't have a chance to fit up the end caps this weekend - I'm going to do that next weekend but I can weld in the trunk extensions and wheel wells too.  Then I'll fit up the rear end and weld it all in kinda as a unit.  I'll be figuring it out a little as I go.  I'll share any tips and tricks.

You mention the order of things Quick question "endcaps, quarters" 
end caps are the valance corners?
What do you mean with quarters?
Need to replace trunk extensions, crossrail, lower valance and valance corners.
Thanks

[ktneifert09]

Valence and tail panel, end caps, quarter panels.  Had to do some fiddling with the outer wheel well flanges on one side to make room for the quarters to get high enough for the valence/tail light panel assembly to go in.  I actually was able to fit up the end caps with the valence clamped in place at the bottom and the quarter panels installed but not clamped to the trunk extensions.  As expected, I will have to do some fiddling to get them to fit right.  They get bondo'd over anyway to fill the seams and line them up (at least that's what they did on my old set and it looked good).  Does that help?

[PatrickPeeters]

Think I kind a understand....
The end cabs ar puzzling me, If those are the "out-er" corners...
On my 68 there's on both sides a new quarter panel.
They didn't finish the lower valance + the out- corners. so I deicided to remove that.
The trunk extensions (inner rear quarterss) and the crossrail seem to be bad.
then new fitting the new trunk extensions, then the new crossrail (with the small extensions)
Then the lower valance and the corners
So sorry for my stupidity, what are the endcaps called in my short story?
Stripping has finished, I stilll need to start building, wanna do it right the first time.

Thanks

[ktneifert09]

The end caps I'm talking about cover the gap between the valence and the quarters.  Here are a couple pix.  That help?

[PatrickPeeters]

Thanks
End Caps are Valance Corners...
Everything is clear, now getting it done, Thanks