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quarter panel replacement

PostPosted: Fri Oct 28, 2011 2:23 pm
by dognut
Getting ready to replace both rear quarter panels on my 67 mustang fastback.I prefer not to have to remove the rear window or open the leaded joint on the roof side.I have seen some body guys cut out the section about 2" down from the top line. problem I see is thats a long repair line to hide with weld & filler.I was thinking about making the cut inside of the top line leaving the trunk opening untouched.The repair line would not be noticed from the side.Any tips,tricks, or suggestions.Thanks, tom

Re: quarter panel replacement

PostPosted: Fri Oct 28, 2011 3:49 pm
by OldDupontGuy
Here is my tip,,,,The right way to do it is to replace the entire panel using the factory seams................If you have never done this before, you could screw it up by cutting the new panel. Little short cuts can cause you big problems.................................

Re: quarter panel replacement

PostPosted: Fri Oct 28, 2011 4:26 pm
by chevman
:goodpost:

Re: quarter panel replacement

PostPosted: Fri Oct 28, 2011 5:04 pm
by bloverby
Sounds like your wanting to do quarter skins,, not full quarters?

Re: quarter panel replacement

PostPosted: Fri Oct 28, 2011 5:50 pm
by '68 Coronet R/T
bloverby wrote:Sounds like your wanting to do quarter skins,, not full quarters?


Sounds like that to me also.

How bad are the existing quarters?
Any pictures?

Re: quarter panel replacement

PostPosted: Fri Oct 28, 2011 9:32 pm
by dognut
I will post photos next week.Typical rust at the rear bottom & along the wheel opening flair. I got 2 full quarters for doing a buddy a favor.I know I could patch & repair with filler but this time I want to use new metel & keep the body filler to a min. Thanks for posting.

Re: quarter panel replacement

PostPosted: Fri Oct 28, 2011 10:15 pm
by bloverby
dognut wrote:I want to use new metel & keep the body filler to a min.


Then pull the rear glass and hang the full quarters at the facory seams. That car has a rubber gasketed rear glass, no big deal to pull it.

Re: quarter panel replacement

PostPosted: Sat Oct 29, 2011 6:16 am
by chevman
dognut wrote:I have seen some body guys cut out the section about 2" down from the top line. problem

There are different ways of doing things and different skill levels of people doing it, and sometimes its hard to figure why someone did it a certain way. There are also two types of repro 1/4s available, one the full, and the other is just a skin and is much cheaper but has to be welded the way you saw someone doing it. But Bloverby is a pro in a shop that does a lot of restoration work just like this, and he doesn't want to lap or butt weld it because if you weld it you can't get to the back side and you might end up with a lot of filler instead of
dognut wrote: this time I want to use new metel & keep the body filler to a min. .

Re: quarter panel replacement

PostPosted: Sat Oct 29, 2011 3:44 pm
by edpol
FWIW, the guy who did my cousin's Starfire wanted full quarters if possible, rather than patches. Said it's the right way to go.
Seems to me, it's easier and/or faster to replace the whole panel than do all that welding and filling. Am I wrong?

Re: quarter panel replacement

PostPosted: Sat Oct 29, 2011 4:09 pm
by '68 Coronet R/T
I guess it depends on how bad the original panel is. Personally I like to keep as much OEM as I can when restoring cars so butt welding and grinding is a necessary step. Granted sometimes you cannot access the back of the panel this way but most of the time you can. If welded properly the patch and panel become one.

Now in this case where he already has the full quarters and wants to keep welding and filler to a minimum I would follow Bloverby's advice as it makes the most sense.