Trunk a!minimum install order?

[Mastertech5]

At what point does the front upper panel behind the fuel tank get installed? The manual says to install the upper trunk floor and then goes on to battery installation. It shows the panel in a drawing in place but never mentions it in the text.
In the drawing you can see the lower flange, that you would rivet, drawn with a dashed line which would indicate that it goes under the upper floor, which I have already riveted to the frame. Did I screw up?

[JimLev]

I installed the upper panel first, then the floor on top of the upper panel flange.
I drilled and tapped all of those so I could remove them if necessary.

[Mastertech5]

So I screwed up! I already riveted and siliconed the upper floor in place, so I just marked the front trunk wall where all the rivet heads are and drilled holes for them to stick through. I had mounted the under tank panel just enough too forward that I can't drill out the rivets and redo them through the front trunk wall flange. Now I'll have to trim 1/16" off the top edge so it'll be at the correct height. I'll run a thin head of silicone on the flange and the crossbar and screw it in place. Then a dab on each rivet head to seal the holes I drilled. I'll buy button head self tapping screws to screw it in. That's why it's a custom build!
Necessity is the mother of invention.

[Just 1 More]

So I screwed up! I already riveted and siliconed the upper floor in place, so I just marked the front trunk wall where all the rivet heads are and drilled holes for them to stick through. I had mounted the under tank panel just enough too forward that I can't drill out the rivets and redo them through the front trunk wall flange. Now I'll have to trim 1/16" off the top edge so it'll be at the correct height. I'll run a thin head of silicone on the flange and the crossbar and screw it in place. Then a dab on each rivet head to seal the holes I drilled. I'll buy button head self tapping screws to screw it in. That's why it's a custom build!
Necessity is the mother of invention.

Can you post pics so I have a better understanding of the panels you're talking about? I have not glued any of mine yet

[Mastertech5]

The top panel in the picture is the upper trunk front panel. The bottom one is the upper trunk floor panel. If you want to be able to remove it for any reason in the future, the upper trunk floor and the upper trunk front panel need to be screwed in, not riveted. At least the way I did it I can still remove the front panel to get the tank out of need be.
IMG_20230330_101009_hdr.jpg IMG_20230330_101058_hdr.jpg
I'm under the impression that the front panel is suppose to go in first and then the upper floor panel. I don't really see a need to silicone the front panel seeing that it sits on top of a sealed panel. You can only screw/rivet it in place along the flange on the bottom and along the frame tube at the top. Any where else would be the gas tank.
I would have drilled out the upper trunk floor rivets along the tank but I installed the under tank panel too far forward and I wouldn't have been able to catch that panel with the rivets on the trunk front panel flange.

[RoadRacer]

The way I view it - the panel order is defined by not having any short returns showing. so every short return is covered by a panel. That makes it obvious how to install and in which order.

In the end, all you see is clean corners.

[RoadRacer]

This is probably the best pic I have of what I mean

trunk-aluminum.png

[Mastertech5]

Yeah, too late for that. It all gets covered by carpet though so it is what it is.

[RoadRacer]

Yeah, too late for that. It all gets covered by carpet though so it is what it is.

For sure, I'm not trying to be critical, just answering the question for future readers. I sold all my carpet, and hey there are many things very rough in my car! I'm mostly "function over form" LOL.

And some folks seriously show their car and the other way looks better from underneath!