Hi Robert,
Thanks for that picture!!! It's nice to have something to look at!
Using the 8-bolts is something that sounds good. Maybe utilizing some of the holes by the rear tail lights would be good too. Just enough fasteners spread around to make an effective attachment to the car, and make it strong in both the vertical and horizontal axis's.
Hey, I appreciate the offer to crawl around in the back of the car, but with some practicality in mind...
...A boat tail that pivots to one side the car will allow one to grab maybe some built in "handles" or "grab-holds" on the inside opening of the boat tail, and allow it to be lifted from the pivoting pins.
Maybe the pins could be like house front door hinges that are not "interlinked" and slide apart easily.
I hope this information is helping anyone else that is thinking about making a boat tail, since I don't want to take over Mike's thread.
Jim.