Another 67 Tail Panel question

[cascade-classics]

I have been trying to mount the tail panel and inner buckets in the 67 GT350 we are doing. May 2 build date.   The problem I'm having is the inside buckets and the tail light housings are fighting each other.  I can put the fiberglass tail panel, including lights, on first but then the inside buckets have a large gap which will not allow the rivets to reach the cars metal tail panel.  If I put the buckets on the metal tail panel first and slide the fiberglass panel (with lights) in, there is too much gap between the fiberglass panel and the metal tail panel. I won't be able to rivet the fiberglass panel to the metal tail light panel. Again the tail light housings are hitting the inner buckets.  It does not help the tail light housings are not flat on the bottom!   I thought the metal buckets should be the short ones since I have a raised panel but I'm beginning to wonder.  Pictures show what I have.  Would appreciate any guidance.

[S7MS427]

If I remember correctly, the fiberglass panel goes on first.  It's riveted to the rear bodywork.  The tail light housings are held in place by sandwhiching the fiber glass panel between the tail light bezel and the cast tail light housing.   The "buckets", as you call them, are attached to the tail light housing with studs and nuts once everything is together.  If I'm wrong about this, others will chime in to correct me.  Hope this helps and I'm sure there will be suggestions for you to get the Osborn body assembly manuals.

[The Going Thing]

Do you have them on backwards/upside down? There were two different buckets. flat panel buckets won't work with tail lamp panel.

[The Going Thing]

I had the lamps attached to the panel BEFORE it was installed. That process may only be unique to the flat panel cars.

[JD]

Based on this image (from the 2011 SAAC registry) it seems the Shelby in-trunk brackets were installed in the trunk after the Ford Mustang panel was "relieved" and the all the tail light components and fiberglass tail panel were assembled as a unit on a work bench and then attached to the car...

I was also wondering if some component(s) were installed in the wrong orientation, but the images you posted seem as though the parts are in the correct positions.  Photos from a bit further away might help in this case.

I'll ask just to be sure, are these all the same parts that came out of the car?

[cascade-classics]

If I remember correctly, the fiberglass panel goes on first.  It's riveted to the rear bodywork.  The tail light housings are held in place by sandwhiching the fiber glass panel between the tail light bezel and the cast tail light housing.   The "buckets", as you call them, are attached to the tail light housing with studs and nuts once everything is together.  If I'm wrong about this, others will chime in to correct me.  Hope this helps and I'm sure there will be suggestions for you to get the Osborn body assembly manuals.

Yes, I am assembling them as you stated.  The problem is the metal "buckets" will not go down flush with the metal tail panel. They hit the framework of the tail light housings.

[cascade-classics]

Based on this image it seems the Shelby in-trunk brackets were installed in the trunk after the Ford Mustang panel was "relieved" and the all the tail light components and fiberglass tail panel were assembled as a unit on a work bench and then attached to the car...

Exactly how I am doing it.   I even attached the metal inner buckets first but when I slide the assembled tail light panel through the buckets the fiberglass panel will not sit flush against the body of the car.  The tail light housings hit the inner buckets. 

Trust me I have tried multiple methods and I keep coming back to needing the deeper inner buckets, which are typically only on the flush mount fiberglass panels, despite mine are raised.  Wish I had a pair to test with.

[Bob Gaines]

Was the fiberglass repro taillight panel on the car prior to restoration? What was on it before or did you get disassembled?

[cascade-classics]

Was the fiberglass repro taillight panel on the car prior to restoration? What was on it before or did you get disassembled?

I am fairly certain it is an original panel.  Both it and the buckets were still attached to the car when it was purchased. Tail lights were missing.  Picture of the back of the car as found.  We had to fill the mounting holes as many were cracked.  I will re-drill them once everything is fit back together.

[Shelby_r_b]

Interesting that the Alaska license plate was cut versus removed (at least it appears the way from the picture).

[Bob Gaines]

Was the fiberglass repro taillight panel on the car prior to restoration? What was on it before or did you get disassembled?

I am fairly certain it is an original panel.  Both it and the buckets were still attached to the car when it was purchased. Tail lights were missing.  Picture of the back of the car as found.  We had to fill the mounting holes as many were cracked.  I will re-drill them once everything is fit back together.

The before tail panel picture looks different then the restored tail panel picture at the trunk opening lip area . Has the panel been changed since the picture was taken or has the panel been modified?

[cascade-classics]

Was the fiberglass repro taillight panel on the car prior to restoration? What was on it before or did you get disassembled?

I am fairly certain it is an original panel.  Both it and the buckets were still attached to the car when it was purchased. Tail lights were missing.  Picture of the back of the car as found.  We had to fill the mounting holes as many were cracked.  I will re-drill them once everything is fit back together.

The before tail panel picture looks different then the restored tail panel picture at the trunk opening lip area . Has the panel been changed since the picture was taken or has the panel been modified?

Not exactly sure what you are comparing but here is a picture of the same part after paint.   As stated earlier mounting holes were repaired and will be drilled once everything lines up.

[JD]

Just wanting to be sure of the parts and issues...

Is it safe to guess that based on your earlier comments the car was not completely assembled and you were missing the Cougar tail light units when you got it and you located some original Cougar light units?

Are the rear of the Cougar cast tail light Buckets contacting the Shelby in-trunk black sheet metal brackets (green arrows) - but the "ears" (yellow arrows) that protect the light sockets are protruding through the Shelby brackets or is the perimeter of the back of the Cougar units (red arrows) interfering with the opened-up Mustang tail panel?

How far away is the fiberglass tail panel from meeting the metal of the rear body work when it "bottoms out"?

Do you have a set of earlier/deeper Shelby in-trunk brackets to test with?

[roddster]

  Just a tip for the future:  Make sure you install the gas cap as you can not install it with the fiberglass tail light panel being on.

[The Going Thing]

Well, yes..... lol   Did someone learn that the hard way?