My Gen II is 1970-1973 front and 1978-1981 rear. I am trying to modify the rear consistent with the early front end. I watched Stacey David's Gearz episode about a 1981 "butt lift" and decided to do the same. However, after the parts started to arrive, I looked closer at at the quarter panels and thought s***, may as well change the rear glass too since the qtr panels extend to the side of the glass. But then, I wondered, what about the inside of the cabin, where the old glass continued down lower into the qtr panel. Shouldn't there be a small metal panel added to the interior to line up and match that area of the outer shell of the replacement qtr panel? I have determined there are interior plastic trim sail panels that will cover that gap but what about metal? I can't find anything addressing whether there is an interior metal panel that maybe has to be welded there. Seems to me the new quarter panel where the glass will sit, will need more support. The sail panel trim pieces appear to fasten at the top (Headliner) and bottom (side trim/armrest panel). I don't see any molding for pins or fasteners visible in the middle underside of the trim panel, typically associated with mounting a plastic panel to the sheet metal. This causes me to wonder if maybe there is no other interior metal panel for this area but again, then it seems to me that if that were the case, there wouldn't be much support there for the window - Just a single sheet from the outer panel. I have tried to pull up pics and videos but can't find anything directly on point. I can only find a couple restorations to existing 1970-1973 and misc photos I've seen with background images incidental to unrelated mods. In short, I can't find anything on point in text, photos or videos. Stacey David's Gearz video was only an initial episode concerning parts and initial cuts. The proposed modification was incomplete. It's noteworthy that in that episode, he was not going to change the 1981 rear glass, but only the tail end. and like I said, that was my plan too but then when I saw the window ledge on the two qtr panels, it seemed to only make sense that I do that too. I have also noticed the trunk floor pan is different (early and late). The Gearz episode listed parts needed to do the "butt lift" and a replacement trunk pan was not among the items described so I didn't plan on changing it. With all of that, I have two questions.... 1. Does anybody know if there is some additional metal that I'll need to buy or fabricate to the inside cabin against the back of the new aftermarket 1972 Qtr Panel, in the area below where the window will sit and where the plastic trim sail panel will go? 2. Does the trunk floor pan have to be changed also for this modification? .
Looking forward to any kind of guidance. Giggs

 

Well, it was most disappointing that I didn't receive a single response to this post. I went ahead with the modification which I suspect from all I have read is perhaps more akin to a cloning. I thought it would be nice to be able to help out others who might be considering doing the same thing and could therefor benefit from my experience. To that end, I took photos and some video which I have now assembled and will post up as a comprehensive overview of my experience cloning and modifying a second generation Camaro. Stay tuned...

 

Here's the link