Topic: 1967 Taillight Panel Questions

[kkupec02]

I got the rear panel components off successfully with no damage. It looks like the PO used long Philips pan head bolts from the outside in. They then tightened the nuts from the inside and after tightening, cut off the excess bolt leaving me no room the remove the spinning bolt since I had no access to the screw head. I had to grind them all off. I see prior posts that detail the issue of no space between the panels on flat panel cars for rivets. I'll have to think more about how the panels fit. I guess you could put the tail light housings in by rivet, then the fiberglass panel, then the tail light trim ring, but that would mean that the 6 nuts per side could only be tightened in the housing. Mine have 2 nuts on each stud. One to tighten the trim to the fiberglass panel and one to tighten in the housing. I did a search on the quarter panel extensions and only came up with this:

https://www.concoursmustang.com/forum/index.php?topic=18436.msg116679#msg116679

Did Shelby put any gasket or sealer between the quarter panel and the extensions?

[kkupec02]

Actually, you could attach the housing to the metal panel via rivets. Once they are flat, then the tail light trim to the fiberglass panel. Then the trim and fiberglass panel assembly to the metal panel and tighten everything from the trunk area. Just need to know if the caps or quarter panel extensions used the same gasket as used on regular production Mustangs.

[Bob Gaines]

I got the rear panel components off successfully with no damage. It looks like the PO used long Philips pan head bolts from the outside in. They then tightened the nuts from the inside and after tightening, cut off the excess bolt leaving me no room the remove the spinning bolt since I had no access to the screw head. I had to grind them all off. I see prior posts that detail the issue of no space between the panels on flat panel cars for rivets. I'll have to think more about how the panels fit. I guess you could put the tail light housings in by rivet, then the fiberglass panel, then the tail light trim ring, but that would mean that the 6 nuts per side could only be tightened in the housing. Mine have 2 nuts on each stud. One to tighten the trim to the fiberglass panel and one to tighten in the housing. I did a search on the quarter panel extensions and only came up with this:

https://www.concoursmustang.com/forum/index.php?topic=18436.msg116679#msg116679

Did Shelby put any gasket or sealer between the quarter panel and the extensions?

Bolts like in the link posted were what was used . No rivets  but pan head screws. Shelby put sealer between the quarter panel and the extensions. Clear silicone is a equivalent.

[Bossbill]

I got the rear panel components off successfully with no damage. It looks like the PO used long Philips pan head bolts from the outside in. They then tightened the nuts from the inside and after tightening, cut off the excess bolt leaving me no room the remove the spinning bolt since I had no access to the screw head. I had to grind them all off. I see prior posts that detail the issue of no space between the panels on flat panel cars for rivets. I'll have to think more about how the panels fit. I guess you could put the tail light housings in by rivet, then the fiberglass panel, then the tail light trim ring, but that would mean that the 6 nuts per side could only be tightened in the housing. Mine have 2 nuts on each stud. One to tighten the trim to the fiberglass panel and one to tighten in the housing. I did a search on the quarter panel extensions and only came up with this:

https://www.concoursmustang.com/forum/index.php?topic=18436.msg116679#msg116679

Did Shelby put any gasket or sealer between the quarter panel and the extensions?

I've been trying to figure out what this meant ever since your first post on the topic.
The Cougar electrical taillight assy has cast in female thread pots into which long all-thread is screwed.
The long all-thread is guided through the flat metal bent plate that is pop riveted to the Mustang body.

If I understand your post it appears the female thread pots are gone and a PO put the long Phillips bolts in there?

[J_Speegle]

Changed the title of the thread to better reflect the focus

[kkupec02]

The female pots were still there and those bolts I did remove. There were no rivets on the box flanges. There were aircraft nuts and bolts. They just spun so I couldn't get them out from the trunk side and the stems had been cut down so I couldn't grab anything to spin the nut. Finally, I didn't understand how it all came together and thought that I could take the fiberglass panel off by taking the bolts and nuts off on the trunk side to get the fiberglass panel and rear light frame off. I couldn't. It was secured by a generous amount of clear caulk. So I had no choice but to grind all of the nuts from the trunk side to pull the housings and gently remove the fiberglass panel. I did finally get it all apart and now I know for the next time.

[kkupec02]

It was the aircraft nuts and bolts that used a philips pan head that was underneath the fiberglass panel and just spun on me. The nut was NAS679A3.

[Bossbill]

It was the aircraft nuts and bolts that used a philips pan head that was underneath the fiberglass panel and just spun on me. The nut was NAS679A3.

Ok, from what I've seen those are supposed to be std pop rivets.

[Bob Gaines]

The fiberglass tail light panel with the lip the lapped over the trunk opening used rivets that were typically black anodized . The trunk boxes used ether silver or black rivets.

[J_Speegle]

Earlier threads related to the attachment of the fiberglass taillight panel to the unibody

https://www.concoursmustang.com/forum/index.php?topic=21332.msg133944#msg133944


This one with pictures of the early version with no lip of visible means of attachment. Different from OP's car but some pictures will show other details related to his car

https://www.concoursmustang.com/forum/index.php?topic=5535.msg31216#msg31216

[Bossbill]

My car has the no lip version on a 4/15/67 SAI build date.
I wonder if this is around the changeover period to the lip version.
The no lip version has some real warp, hence fitment, issues.

I remedied mine with a hidden fix but it was difficult.

[Bob Gaines]

My car has the no lip version on a 4/15/67 SAI build date.
I wonder if this is around the changeover period to the lip version.
The no lip version has some real warp, hence fitment, issues.

I remedied mine with a hidden fix but it was difficult.

I am very surprised that your 4/15/67 does not have the lip originally. I know you want things to be right .That is past the typical transition which I fell is at least a month prior IMO.  I would double check things and or if you use that to have reasonable proof to justify to others (judges if entered) the out of the ordinary usage.

[Bossbill]

The Mustang taillight panel is within date range of all the surrounding panels. Its easy to spot repairs or replacement which is not indicated here.
This area was carefully inspected during the repairs due to trailer hitch installation.
I guess I could offer up pictures to the judges showing no holes in the top trunk lip for the later Shelby panel. Although the top of the lip could be metal worked it would be very, very difficult to do so on the channel's underside.

The  S7MS numbers are present on the fiberglass panel. I don't think those are date coded.

[Bob Gaines]

The Mustang taillight panel is within date range of all the surrounding panels. Its easy to spot repairs or replacement which is not indicated here.
This area was carefully inspected during the repairs due to trailer hitch installation.
I guess I could offer up pictures to the judges showing no holes in the top trunk lip for the later Shelby panel. Although the top of the lip could be metal worked it would be very, very difficult to do so on the channel's underside.

The  S7MS numbers are present on the fiberglass panel. I don't think those are date coded.

No the Shelby fiberglass does not have date codes. Which fiberglass tail panel is it ? There are two different no lip tail panels but they share the same S7MS full number. A picture showing a side profile looking down the length of the lens opening area from the outside would be most helpful.

[S412gofast]

#1341 also has the no lip version on a 3/28/67 SAI build date.