[judgethis]

I started reassembling my car after a year of being off to paint. I assembled the tail lamps and there seem to be a large gap between the bezel and lenses. I measured almost 3/16 of an inch across the bottom. I don't remember seeing a gap before I took them out. How close should the lenses be to the bezel?

[1969GTO]

right up against each other.

[judgethis]

UUUGGGHHHH That's what I was afraid of. It has been nothing but a pain putting this car back together. I was messing with this for about an hour last night.

[68gtoMN]

gasket?

[north]

I can't imagine how that could happen unless you have a giant homemade gasket. the lens-housing assembly is universal left to right but not the bezels, are they backwards?

[judgethis]

I don't know what the deal is but I was messing with it for a couple more hours last night. I see the bezels are tight against the body, hard to see if the lenses and backing are tight against the body on the inside. Not sure what was done back there but I did have to grind away at my NEW bezels to get them to go under where the quarter panel over hangs. I hate messing with it so much because I can just see the lenses cracking/ breaking.
Im pretty sure there wasn't a gap when I pulled them out last year. may just have to leave them and try putting on the bumper and see what that looks like. All the pieces I'm using are the same ones I took off last year so nothing different about that. So frustrating!

[north]

Two things you mentioned caught my attention...

You say the bezels are new, I assume you mean repro? Also you mention you had to grind the bezels, this shouldn't be necessary.

What kind of body work was done? Quarter or tail panel replacement?

Here are a few pics of a survivor car... Upside down of course thanks to apple.

[north]

You can see the lens case flush to the inner panel.

[north]

Here you can see the lens flush to the bezel and the bezel flush to the tail panel.

Notice how tight the fit is between the bezel and the quarter panel connection to the tail panel. Too much seam sealer or weld material might keep your bezel from sitting right.

Another possible issue is your assembly sequence... From inside out; housing, lens, gasket, tail panel and bezel. If you put your gasket in the housing before the lens you will have a decent gap at the bezel.

[Darth Menace]

I apologize I can't give any insight as to how to fix the problem, but my heart does bleed for you. I had similar issues after getting my car back from being painted.

[north]

Any luck?

[judgethis]

Okay sorry not getting back earlier. I attached some pics to show what I'm up against. still no luck. The fist two is before paint

[judgethis]

Heres the pictures before and after. You can see in the before there is no curve to where the trim piece of the quarter panel goes and after paint the body guy had the curve. The body guy had made a cone shape and welded it in to make the curve part for the trim.

[judgethis]

Here are other pictures of what I'm up against. Looks like the bezel and lens backing in the trunk are tight to the sheet metal. By adding the cone shape I hope the quarter doesn't stick put over the bumper. Havent tried to put the bumper on yet as I'm trying to figure out the lens. You can see the gap in the second picture.

[judgethis]

And a few more. I now its hard to tell just by pictures and would be a lot easier to see in person. I appreciate everyone for their help and input. I just want to get this car together and enjoy it. I might just have to grind more on the bezels and see what happens. If I sent this back to the painter Im not sure what he'd do. I wish he would have let me look at it before he painted it. I know when he dropped it off I was so excited that you don't notice this stuff right away. I was just looking at the car as a whole.

[judgethis]

After looking at the pictures and thinking about it I'd have to trim away at the mount area where the studs go in if I wanted to bring it closer. UUUGGGHHH. The trunk lid in the picture is different in the before and after pictures. But you can see how the trunk lid doesn't sit flush with the quarter panel lip. I tried to adjust the lid striker but if I adjust anymore the lid wont latch. I hope he didn't add to the quarter to lower it. I also just found a crack in the paint on the quarter panel. This is starting to make me sick now, and of course it was my wife who found that so now she's not too happy considering how much this cost to get painted. I'm not sure if its too much or the norm to pay what we paid to get it done. I have to call the painter tomorrow.

[north]

Pretty clear that the problem is how the quarters were installed. However grinding the bezels down should do the trick.

Another issue you will have I suspect is that your passenger bezel seem to be too vertical, the bottom is not protruding enough. Maybe the tail panel is pushed in from a previous hit. A trial bumper fitting should give you a good sense of things.

[1969GTO]

I see as others do, it is way off, the quarter were it is supposed to be even with the closed trunk lid is way past the lid at the chrome trim area.
Not seeing a lot of thought process on the body mans part.
Don't people test fit any more?