Finally picked up the trunk lid, intermediate panel and tail light panel today. The painter was having problems with solvent pop due to the insane heat and humidity lately and had to get some really slow reducer to get it to come out right. He's working on the front fenders and hood now.
Spent a couple hours tonight installing the intermediate panel and the rear window trim. The trick for installing the window trim without cracking the nearby paint is to put a layer of masking tape along the entire painted edge and then gently push the moldings down til they engage the trim clips, starting at the outside of the car and moving toward the center. Worked like a charm.
I then installed the taillight panel and the tail lights. Tomorrow I'll get the rear bumper and license plate bracket set up installed. The license plate bracket is a little tricky since I have the original dealer cast metal license plate frame and want to use it on the rear plate. I have to use longer mounting bolts and install several washers to kick the hinge mechanism out about 3/8" of an inch so the lower edge of the license plate doesn't gouge the paint when it folds down to access the gas cap. Even on a frameless plate, they will still scrape the paint if not spaced out properly.
And no, those infamous vintage mudflaps are not permanently installed, just hanging there on rubber clips. (keeps the paint protected for those test drives around the gravel driveway). If you look closely you'll even see my original "Keep On Truckin" floormats sitting under the trunk lid on the car cover next to the 'bird. ;-)
