1968 Tail Panel Installation Question

[Haven Hills AC]

Hello, new to the site. Confession, I do not have a real California Special. My good friend has an original car and I have always admired it. Not really being able to step up to the initial cost of a real GT/CS, I've started building a GT/CS or EXP500 inspired car. I want to do it right. I love these cars for the history. I have a real 428PI out of an early GT500. Should be a fun car to build. To the question at hand. I'm installing new quarter panels and the steel tail panel all new on my 68. I have an original A.O. Smith fiberglass panel to go over the stock steel panel as original. Are the new California Special steel panels available from Scott Drake correct for installing the fiberglass overlay to run the correct T-bird lights? I have seen the holes cut in the standard panel a bunch of times, but I have also heard later California Specials had a special steel panel under the fiberglass similar the repop Scott Drake panel. I hope this makes sense. I have added some pics from the internet for reference to what I'm seeing. I just want to make sure I'm building my 68 correctly. Thanks. Dan.

This California Special is on Markert place. It has a similar steel panel to Scott Drake's. Is this correct?

This is how most of the Shelby's and California Special's seemed to be modified from the factory.

Original A.O. Smith fiberglass overlay for reference.

This is the Scott Drake repop panel. Looks like the yellow cars panel. Will this work under the A.O. Smith panel?

 

[CougarCJ]

I have not seen the repop rear panel that looks like dog bone cut outs. A standard 1967-68 Mustang coupe steel panel with modifications, would be doing it right.

 

[speedy02]

I have not seen the repop rear panel that looks like dog bone cut outs. A standard 1967-68 Mustang coupe steel panel with modifications, would be doing it right.

I am with CougarCJ.

Here is an image of a tail panel without the plates in it.

 

[cmacias24]

I’d go the factory route as well because the metal plates seal the trunk area. Here are some pics from when my car was painted.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Haven Hills AC]

I’d go the factory route as well because the metal plates seal the trunk area. Here are some pics from when my car was painted.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thank you for the pictures! That really helps!