In order to separate the rear clamshell into two halves, I was going to have to get it permanently fixed to the car. In addition, the rear bumper would need to be in place to get the wheel arches finished. So I headed down to my local body shop supply and got some 3M 2-part panel bonding goo and the applicator gun that goes with it. After marking out where the bumper needed to sit, I applied the bonding agent. Since it was fairly cool, I used some halogen lights to heat it a bit to help with curing.

24 hours later and it was on there for good. Next up I took the area behind the doors to bare metal and bonded the entire rear clamshell to the car. I used the screws shown in the previous post to provide clamping force. Then the wheel arches could be cut. In the end they came out at a 31 inch diameter (15.5″ radius), which I thought was the best compromise between the size of the arch on a real 037, and the size arch that would look ok with the wheels and tires I am using.

The “box” that continues past the door onto the quarterpanel in front of the wheels is absent in the fiberglass set I have, so that will have to be fabbed in. That’s why I didn’t bother much with smoothing the area under the accent line near the top of the rim. That project is yet to come.

With the bumper on, the arches cut and the entire clamshell bonded to the car, it was time to separate the halves.

Now the remaining part of the clamshell can be hinged to the roof area, but first it will need some serious trimming and reinforcement.