65ZR1

My 65 coupe was hit in the front and rear sometime before I purchased it. The tail lamp panel was replaced with a hand laid panel of horrible quality. I bought a new press molded one to replace it but I am having trouble fitting it. During the previous repair the heavily damaged bonding strip was left and the panel was glassed to the car. I have removed the panel, the bonding strip and all the added glass. The new panel doesn't fit at all though. Im wondering if a portion of the rear roof panel was cut out. Could someone take a measurement for me? Im looking for the distance from either the lip the rear window sits in or the edge of the gas filler opening to the edge of the tail lamp panel. This should get me started.

Thanks,

sub006

I'm not an expert on your questions, but pictures of the currently "open" tail of the car, the new panel and how it fits when held up to the empty area will help those that are! They may want measurements from specific points, etc. also.

Others have gone through similar experiences and will want to pass it along!

Mike Geary

I have 16.75" from the filler opening to the rear edge.

65ZR1

Thanks Mike. Just to clarify, is the opening the body hole or the opening of the gas filler bezel?

Mike Geary

No bezel thickness included. That's from the fiberglass indent where the bezel striker sits.

65ZR1

Well, it looks like Im going to have some issues. If I put the tail lamp panel at the distance you provided I have a very large gap behind it that gets worse as it goes out to the quarters. I know the quarters were either replaced or removed and re-bonded. Im wondering if the shop chose to cut off the damaged portion of the rear roof section and slide the quarters forward to compensate. Could you give me a dimension from the rear edge of the door jam to the rear wheel opening or bumper mounting hole? Perhaps this will shed some light on the issue. Thanks for the help!

Mike Geary

Just so I understand....you are using a bonding strip, correct?

So how much of a gap (exposed bonding strip) do you have if you set the panel at the dimension I gave you?