[1963409]

I'm in the process of installing 74-78 rear body panel on a rust free 80 shell. The car is an LS swap-pro-touring style build. I just drilled out the old rear body panel and left the upper trunk gutter in place that connects the left and right quarter panel . I do have the new l/r taillight ext. panels. My question is, it does not appear that the upper trunk gutter is the same on 79 and up as the 77/78 style It looks like is not even close. Has anyone done this conversion. I do not believe anyone repos that panel - When I go to fit the rear body, the trunk gutter does not even line up. Thanks in advance.

[1963409]

I figured it out. The 79 and up rear gutter is different. It's larger and different shape. the 74-78 is short piece that just tacks to the rear body panel to form the gutter. I can probably modify mine, or pick up a used and section it in. The other issue I was having is the repo- rear body panel is not perfect. For the gas hole area, the repo is flat- no inward concave towards the floor. So when I hold it up to the existing floor, there is about a 2 -3 in gap between the floor and rear body. Looking at other 77/78, there is an inward cone that connects rear body to the floor. Looks like I will need to find a used section to weld in.

[mzbk2l]

Good info - I had no idea the gutters were different, and I had swapped my entire '77 into a clean shell of an '81 t-top car back in the day.