Need some quarter panel replacement tips

[toqwik]

I'm intimidated...My new quarters showed up today, and am feeling a little overwhelmed.  Anyone have any tips or tricks they can pass on?  I plan on welding it on the top of the quarter, just in from the edge.   I'm far from a good welder, but refuse to pay someone all that money to hang em.  Don't be shy, lets hear em.

[Mfr426]

Well, I was in the same boat as you were 9 years ago when I bought my 69 that needed new quarters. It took me weeks to do them and they do look great but I know what I would do different if I did another car now looking back. These are just my opinions!!!

First, you need a good welder. I bought a Hobart MIG unit with the tank of Argon. It is easy to use and cost about $500 but having a good unit makes wleds much simpler. Second, try to save as much of the old quarter as possible. The repro'd quarters that I used (from YearOne) we're OK but not super accurate. Third, make sure you keep the areas that run into the door jamb areas. In other words, cut the old quarter about 2" out from where it curves around into the door area and leave the door overlap alone. This will help keep the factory look and show you were the one body line should end up. Third, I would butt weld the new panel in but that takes plenty of skill to do correctly (in my opinion). They say that the overlap weld invites corrosion which makes sense to me. I'm sure someone will comment on that. Finally take your time and measure a million times before you cut anything and HAVE A BUDDY THERE TO HELP!!! These panels are super long and one wrong move and you've kinked the new $200 panel (don't ask how I know).

This is a major job that you're doing but if you take your time and read about how it's done (in advance) you'll be happy that you did it yourself.

For some shots of me struggling with mine (and making plenty of mistakes along the way) check out my OLD, OLD site at www.mikesmopars.com

Good luck!

Mike R in Reading PA

[bill440rt]

Mike has the right idea. This is about how I hung mine. I had to cut almost the whole thing off my car, it was too bad. I cut the 1/4 off about 1-1/2"-2" in from the door jamb & rear area, & aout 1-1/2" down from the top belt line. I ended up flanging the surrounding edges with a flange tool. I'm not the greatest welder, so butt welding was out of the question for me.
I glued the bottoms and around the wheelhouse with 3M's panel adhesive, and also put in the trunk floor extension & sectioned the outer wheelhouse with the adhesive, also. I mig welded all the outer seams (back, top, & front). A buddy lended me his Snap-On welder, what a dream to work with!! WOW! Now my welds were great.

I cut off the rear, top, & front flanges off the new 1/4 like Mike stated. And, follow his advice, have a helper! The 1/4 will be a long, big floppy piece of metal, and will bend & can kink very easily!

[mopar_madman]

before you weld do alot of practicing, if you plan on butt welding you need to get those welds just right. Mopar Muscle magazine did a article on panel replacement it should be on their web page tech section.

[73chargers4404]

i liked that section in mopar mag ,is that the one where they cut all but 3 inch of overlap and laid the whole panel over the old quarter put cleco pens in and cut through both panels at once and tack weld the but as they cut .very cool article.

[terrible one]

i liked that section in mopar mag ,is that the one where they cut all but 3 inch of overlap and laid the whole panel over the old quarter put cleco pens in and cut through both panels at once and tack weld the but as they cut .very cool article.

I agree! It's definitly a great article. I plan to try and replicate it when the time comes.

[SeattleCharger]

   Thanks for posting your cool website link Mfr426 .         

[Mfr426]

Glad you liked it. I just wish I had time to finish/redo it.

The first pics were from 9 years ago!

[xs29]

Great advice so far.  Moparts has a great article on panel bonding (you said don't be shy!!!).  That's what I'm going to try this time, and I'm a decent welder.  I plan on "shaving" (sand down, whatever) the overlap (the new quarter is going to lay over the top of the old, and self tappers are going to hold it together), then using all metal to smooth it after I plug the screw holes, using low heat argon welding.  You can also all metal/filler the inside the trunk-side quarter overlap, to prevent moisture from creeping in (or caulk, whatever you want).  Lot less chance of warpage and the panel bond holds stronger than the metal.  If you can get long enough vise/weld grips, you don't need most of the tapping screws.  Wheel housings can be spot welded in easily without warpage, as well as the front at the jamb/striker area, rather than welding the entire seam (warpage and if you ever need to do it again, you're in trouble).  You can spot weld with a spot welder or drill holes in the quarter lip and weld the plugs to the wheel housings.  Panel bond the extensions and corners in too.  It's less expensive and you can screw the quarters in place/line everything up before you actually put the bonding adhesive on.  If you're doing the trunk, definitely weld it in, panel bonding isn't as effective there if everything isn't lined up just right, and it probably won't be after a lot of work.  If you need a rear crossmember, go with Yearone, they're a lot cheaper than others and include the crossmember corners too.  Need any more help, email me at sjbutzen@netzero.com .

[69hemi]

If you are doing a repop or an original go to www.69hemi.com to Restoration/Sheetmetal and they are both listed in the index.

Step by step with pictures, good luck!