My name is Craig S. Nelson, US Navy (ret). I am currently a 5th year senior at McPherson College in Kansas and will graduate in May 2016 with a B.S. in Automotive Restoration Management and a B.S. in Automotive Restoration Technology.

I am currently interning at a shop for the summer, started last month, and must depart in early August. The goal is to finish the electrical and final assembly before I leave on a '67 E-Type Series 1.5 OTS with the 4.2L engine. The car already had the metal/body finishing done and was painted before I arrived. I may periodically post questions to help speed things along. We have various parts books, service manuals, and JCNA judging guides.

The owner, the shop, and I need to know if the body surfaces under and around our data plate(s) seen in the picture are correct. The JCNA rulebooks are not specific enough other than saying that the firewall area should be gloss body color. Should there be any surface "roughness", or should the surface be perfectly smooth?

I'm sure there will be a comment about our use of Phillips head screws to secure the data plate. Rivets may or may not happen.

I can always be reached at (619) 944-8971 or nelscra@bulldog.mcpherson.edu.

Thanks.