Prepping For Rear Valance Install

Kristina helped me reinstall the rear bumper so I could fit the rear valance panel. I needed to see where the bumper would sit so I could determine where the valance patch had to be cut.

Prepping For Rear Valance Install Kristina helped me reinstall the rear bumper so I could fit the rear valance panel. I needed to see where the bumper would sit so I could determine where the valance patch had to be cut.

Prepping For Rear Valance Install The bumper is mounted with a couple of bolts, centered and level.

Prepping For Rear Valance Install Same as the previous picture just on the passenger's side.

Here's the driver's side bumper bracket. There's a small gap between the bumper bracket and tail panel. The tail panel on this side was mostly gone so this patch was just made to fit by eye. Not too bad, actually pretty close when you compare to the passenger's side (next image).

Prepping For Rear Valance Install Here's the driver's side bumper bracket. There's a small gap between the bumper bracket and tail panel. The tail panel on this side was mostly gone so this patch was just made to fit by eye. Not too bad, actually pretty close when you compare to the passenger's side (next image).

This is the passenger's side bumper bracket and there's also a gap. The gap is half the size of the driver's side so not too bad for eyeballing the driver's side tail panel patch.

Prepping For Rear Valance Install This is the passenger's side bumper bracket and there's also a gap. The gap is half the size of the driver's side so not too bad for eyeballing the driver's side tail panel patch.

Prepping For Rear Valance Install Another angle of the driver's side bumper bracket to tail panel gap.

Prepping For Rear Valance Install And now another angle of the passenger's side bumper bracket to tail panel gap. Still not too bad for guess work.

The valance panel is not installed but as you can see, the valance panel will be hard to see when the car is on the ground. In this shot I'm laying on the ground and the car is about two feet of the ground.

Prepping For Rear Valance Install The valance panel is not installed but as you can see, the valance panel will be hard to see when the car is on the ground. In this shot I'm laying on the ground and the car is about two feet of the ground.

Prepping For Rear Valance Install Similar angle but the valance panel is now clamped into place so I can mark and cut to fit.

There was so much missing material when I put the quarter panel skins on I was off about a quarter of an inch. This picture shows where the valance panel meet the driver's side rear quarter and the gap is about half an inch (should be a quarter of an inch).

Prepping For Rear Valance Install There was so much missing material when I put the quarter panel skins on I was off about a quarter of an inch. This picture shows where the valance panel meet the driver's side rear quarter and the gap is about half an inch (should be a quarter of an inch).

Prepping For Rear Valance Install There was so much missing material when I put the quarter panel skins on I was off about a quarter of an inch. This picture shows where the valance panel meet the passenger's side rear quarter and there is no gap but should be a quarter of an inch.

I can't just shift the valance to the left to create a gap on the right and close the gap on the left because the panel has a curve end to end. So shifting would create other problems. So I'll cut some off the right and add some to the left and no one will ever know.

Prepping For Rear Valance Install I can't just shift the valance to the left to create a gap on the right and close the gap on the left because the panel has a curve end to end. So shifting would create other problems. So I'll cut some off the right and add some to the left and no one will ever know.

This shot is a bit out of focus but you can see my gaps go from a bit large to touching. Still a bit more work to do on the gaps and fitment.

Prepping For Rear Valance Install This shot is a bit out of focus but you can see my gaps go from a bit large to touching. Still a bit more work to do on the gaps and fitment.

This shot is also a bit out of focus but you can see clearly see I still have a bit more work to do on the gaps and fitment.

Prepping For Rear Valance Install This shot is also a bit out of focus but you can see clearly see I still have a bit more work to do on the gaps and fitment.

This is the last shot of the gaps and fitment work but I found a thin spot in the original tail panel. I'll have to fix that before welding the valance patch panel into place.

Prepping For Rear Valance Install This is the last shot of the gaps and fitment work but I found a thin spot in the original tail panel. I'll have to fix that before welding the valance patch panel into place.

Rear Valance Installed Driver side rear bumper area welded. Still a little grinding left to blend the weld away.

Rear Valance Installed Another angle of the driver side rear valance. Rear center valance. The weld and grind came out pretty nice. I need to remove the tech screws and prep for plug welds.

Rear Valance Installed Rear center valance. The weld and grind came out pretty nice. I need to remove the tech screws and prep for plug welds.

Rear Valance Installed Rear center valance but s slightly different angle.

Rear Valance Installed Passenger side rear bumper mount area and valance.

Rear Valance Installed

Rear Valance Installed Rear valance to quarter panel gap. Came out pretty nice for someone who has never done this type of work before.