Storage compartments

I'm starting to gather money/parts for my interior redo. I have a question about the rear storage compartments. First, some background. The car is a 71 vert but it has an 80-82 rear end (the bat wing). I've read before that you have to notch the compartments to get the batwing to fit, and mine are indeed notched - no way around it. Here's the multi=part question:

The doors from either generation will interchange. You just have to change the framework, and the doors themselves.
The compartments, however, are part of the body. You can't just unbolt them...I assume you know this? Doing what you are suggesting would mean some heavy fiberglass work.
I believe the side compartments on the later cars were a bit shallower, but I'm not 100% sure...
Do your compartments have holes in them, or were they notched out and repaired properly(to clear the late diff)?

I didn't know they were part of the body (and here I thought I wouldn't learn anything today ). Replacing them is more work that I care for (or am even capable of). The compartments have holes in them. I think I'll try my have at patching them. Even if it doesn't turn out great, it's in a nice hidden spot. Thanks Joel!

The '77 I did this rear swap on had to have the compartment corners notched. Then the guys that did the bodywerk at the shop glassed the holes up pretty nicely. It can be done!
You can probably glass them up from the inside, if ya want to. Ya really don't need two big holes in da floor back there.
Just put some kind of cardboard/sheetmetal template on the holes, to make a nice smooth area, and lay on some resin, and glass. Just make sure to leave enough room there to clear the half-shaft yokes. I'm assuming that is where the interference is...it was on the one I did.

In my defense, I figured out what I was thinking about. I thought the storage trays that are sold for the middle and right compartments were the compartments themselves. Hey, reading descriptions is purely optional....

I"m totaly lost on this thread.

C3's up to 79 have a steel rear end. 80-82 went to an aluminum read end. It looks different and the support is different. It looks like a bat wing when you look at it - hence the description. I don't know why the previous owner out it on. I've come up with 2 options.

Don't feel bad...a lot of folks don't know this information. Take a look at THIS...it shows the difference in the rears.

John's car has had the original style rear-end assy. changed to the later style.

The compartments are different on the 80-82, they have only 2 compartments and 2 doors the earlier years have 3.

I got it fellas.....