Super Chevy – September 2019

SUPERCHEVY.COM 49

TECH PUSHING STEEL

During the build process, OE trim pieces—such as this taillight

bezel—are put in place to make sure everything is exactly the

way it should be.

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After hours of trimming, adjusting, and persuading, the trunk fits

the opening better than it did from the factory.

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With everything right, the rear quarters were removed one last

time so the inner wheelhouse seals could be put in place.

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These seals are an important part since they close up the gap

between the inner wheelhouse and the outer quarter. Fifty years

ago, the factory attached these with steel staples, but today RDS

uses a modern adhesive.

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And with that, the quarters were put back on for the last time

and fully welded in place.

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The roof edges are another place where modern adhesives are

used. The SEM panel bond is as strong as a weld and is used

extensively in modern cars.

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The roof was installed and then a bunch of locking pliers were

used to secure the edges while the adhesive cured. To keep

everything solid, a 1/4-inch rod was used in the drip channel to

give the pliers a solid foundation and make sure the clamping

force was spread evenly along the entire roof line. The front

and rear edges of the roof were spot welded to the roof support

framework.

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Once the car was fully assembled there were still many hours

of welding left to do. The spot welders make really nice work

of areas like the doorjambs.

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