Are you sure it's the package tray? Make sure your exhaust pipes are not touching the body. Ensure the speakers are tight, but dont overtighten, if you have any.
That's about it. Everything else should be welded tight.
I agree with Chris. Your new exhaust is probably hitting something. You can get in the trunk with a rubber mallet and start gently banging metal around the package shelf, back of back seat, inner fenders, etc, but everything should be welded in that area.
Then take the same rubber mallet and start banging on the exhaust.
Check your trunk torsion springs. The rubber isolator on mine slid off center allowing the metal springs to contact each other and created a rattle that drove me nuts, sounded like trunk lid/frame separated and were rattling.
Could also be if the car got in a wreck or had work done and a piece of metal is barely making contact, exhaust is hitting the right frequency.
Can you hop in the trunk w/ the car idling to better identify where it's coming from? A paper towel tube or wrapping paper tube held to your ear will help focus on small areas.
Thanks for the replys but I guess I should say its not really a "rattle" its not like metal hitting metal, its more like vibration only at certain times. I dont hear anything at idle or when accelerating. Its more like when im let off the gas and slowing down to a stop, I get a sorta "whoomp whooomp" sound. All pipes are tight, nothing touching. Its also more noticeable when all the windows are up. Im sure a 71 is gonna have some sounds, because I have a dash that squeaks sometimes, but I just never noticed this sound before. When I had the exhaust redone, its not as loud as it was, so many Im just hearing something that was always there? But I had the exhaust exit changed, it did go out the back under the bumper, and now it turns down behind the rear tires.
You can hear the sound Im talking about on this video I found on Youtube. This Corvette sounds like my car inside. When hes slowing down to a stop light especially. Listen around the 3:00 mark till he turns at the light.
I think I may have found my problem. I had some extra foam weather striping like you put around a window ac, I put some of that around the speakers on the package tray, I also stuck some between the trunk torsion springs. I didnt hear anything today when I went for a short drive. Will update after a few days.
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