I am restoring my '69 Chevelle (original owner) and need some help/advice re the rear panel below the trunk lid and the upper/lower molding pieces.

I had a rear-ender in the early 70's and this part of the car has never been right ever since. (Most of the '69 Chevelles I see around town don't have it right either!) So I ordered the panel and molding pieces from Original Parts Group and gave them to the body/paint shop.

Should I be telling them that the panel needs to be recessed a bit behind the edge of the trunk lid? And that the distance of the recess should be the thickness of the molding?

In other words, after the moldings are installed, shouldn't they be even with the edge of the trunk lid (rather than protruding out further than the trunk lid)?

It seems to me that the moldings on that rear panel are meant to be a smooth, level transition to/from the matching trim on the tail lights. (This design idea was executed better on the '68 Chevelle, but isn't it the same theory?)

Can anyone confirm or deny this, and help me explain to the body guys what to do? Anyone live in the Los Angeles area? I could use the help of a (paid) consultant to come to the body shop w/ me.

P.S. I also just posted a question about paint colors.

My 68 rear panel moldings stick out past the edge of the trunk. I'm sure the 69 would be the same. So without the molding installed the rear panel should be flush with the edge of the trunk lid. Maybe a "69 guy " will confirm...

The trunk lid and the rear panel are flush. The low price models (300 Deluxe) had no trim on the rear, so the panel had to be flush with the trunk lid. I have a 69 sales brochure the shows the 300 deluxe from the rear end, and the trunk, rear panel and fender sheet metal all are flush, with the tail light chrome bezels sticking out. The Malibu and SS models had the upper and lower trim pieces that were flush with the tail light bezels (not the trunk). From here I get a litte fuzzy. Others may correct this, but I think the SSs had the panel painted black, the Malibus had it painted silver to match the lower trim panels, or the same color as the body. I've had 4 68-69's since the early 70's, so I know enough about them to be dangerous.

Wilbur you are correct about the paint color of the valance panel. I am pretty sure that the trunk lid should be even with the valance without the chrome trim.

The trunk lid and the rear panel are flush. The chrome trim actually sticks out futher than the deck lid. the "SS" models have this panel (between the top and bottom chrome trim) blacked out as part of the package.