Filler panel replacement

[yeahitsgotahemi!]

Hello everyone,
I am new to the site and just wanted to seek the wisdom of people who have "been there and done that". I have a 69 charger that is in need of a filler panel (the piece below the rear window to be clear, I think it has many names), and was unable to find anything specific on this wonderful forum. Mine is completely rusted where it meets the window (end to end), and after trying to patch it with a piece of sheetmetal  I had bent at a sheetmetal shop to replicate the channel, I was very unhappy with the hack results, as the panel was wavy and oil-canned (I carefully welded it and cooled it with air, but got carried away with the grinding, lesson learned). So now I've ordered the filler panel from year one, and plan to replace this panel. I've been looking for threads on this but had no luck. I saw pictures on another website of what I think is blusmbls? charger that had several photos, and it seems that the spot welds are drilled out, the panel is cut where it creases into the trunk channel  removing basically that whole exterior piece and then of course the fitting and welding. I'm new here and an ametuer who has to tackle this work on my own, so I will thank everyone ahead of time for thier advice and showing me the errors of my ways.
Best- Mike S.  Note-I will try to attach pictures later.

[JimShine]

There are a couple replacements out there. There is the style that is a rectangular piece that you use to patch into your car. Then there is a replacement that hasn't been out all that long that meets all of the factory joints. Originally these went from the rear window lip, over to the quarter seam, and extended partially down into the trunk drain channels.

[69RTSEV88]

yeaitsgotahemi,
I recently replaced the same panel (as well as many others) on my 69 R/T.  I too am a amateur, and have never done, or even seen this work done before I attempted it.  I used the replacement panel that you have just bought also from Year One.  I can honestly say that it wasn't that terribly difficult of a job to do as long as you can weld, the major problem that I did have was with the fit of that new panel.  It looks good when you take it out of the box, but when you try to put it in place you find out that it is stamped almost perfectly flat where the rear window channel is.  If you look at a factory piece, or the newly released panel pictured in this thread you can see that the panel should curve upwards at both ends to form the bottom corners of the window channel.  You end up forcing the Year One part to make those curves which puts a lot of stress in the widow frame and ultimately with my car, put stress wrinkles in the panel.  It doesn't look too bad now that I'm done with it, but it was a pain in the a$$ to fit into place.  I would definitely try the new panel that just came out, I see it advertised from stephensperformance.com for $299.95.  It is a bit more expensive, but it looks like it should fit a heck of a lot better!

[yeahitsgotahemi!]

Hmm, yeah I guess I already bit the bullet on the Y.O. panel, so I'll have to try it out first. I appreciate the feedback.

[69 OUR/TEA]

Hello and welcome to the site,you want an opinion on this panel from who has been there and done that?I have a fairly decent amount of body/paint experience,I used the panel you bought from YO,WHAT A PIECE OF CRAP!!!!!Send it back,throw it out ,use it to mix filler on,just don't put it on your car.It does not fit between the roof very good,at the rear window just like the other member said,it does not curve at the corners like it should,and of all things it does not include a trunk gutter.It only turns down into the gutter about a half an inch and stops raw,and the edge is rounded compared to the factory edge which is crisper.I cut mine and used about a six inch piece x the whole width to just use the window channel,and I can tell you it took me a long time to get where I thought it looked right.Like I said,buy the new one that has the whole gutter as your welds will be back where the factory spot welds are,and the top will be left untouched.Spend a little more money,but get a nicer job with alot less time and aggrevation.

[Charger-Bodie]

Hello and welcome to the site,you want an opinion on this panel from who has been there and done that?I have a fairly decent amount of body/paint experience,I used the panel you bought from YO,WHAT A PIECE OF CRAP!!!!!Send it back,throw it out ,use it to mix filler on,just don't put it on your car.It does not fit between the roof very good,at the rear window just like the other member said,it does not curve at the corners like it should,and of all things it does not include a trunk gutter.It only turns down into the gutter about a half an inch and stops raw,and the edge is rounded compared to the factory edge which is crisper.I cut mine and used about a six inch piece x the whole width to just use the window channel,and I can tell you it took me a long time to get where I thought it looked right.Like I said,buy the new one that has the whole gutter as your welds will be back where the factory spot welds are,and the top will be left untouched.Spend a little more money,but get a nicer job with alot less time and aggrevation.

what he said all the way!! the year one piec is just that a "piece" of crap!!!

[yeahitsgotahemi!]

Hey all,
Just wanted share pictures of my progress. Despite the advice given above, I went ahead with the Y.O. panel, which was a big piece of crap like I was told. I simply didn't want to pay the extra buck fifty for the other panel, and deal with the return, ordering the new panel, waiting, not getting my Charger done, ect. So here it is. Thanks agian for all your help, and next time I'll fork out for the better panel, but I'm happy with the results, even though it took forever to make it right.
- Mike

[yeahitsgotahemi!]

more pictures of the rusty support under the filler panel. I hacked it out at first thinking about the best way to repair it, but it turned out good, even though it was a pita to weld in.

[yeahitsgotahemi!]

Finally, the finished product.

[BROCK]

yeahitsgotahemi!,  Lookin good

[charger2fast4u]

good job turned out pretty nice in the end. i am going to have to replace mine when i get working on the body i'll be buying the new one that replaces the whole panel and some of the gutter. 

[Charger-Bodie]

Looks great , but remember to check and keep checking the rear windiw trim as you go ! they are very fussy and the opening needs to be right on for them to go on nice.

[yeahitsgotahemi!]

Thanks everyone. Yeah, if I did it over agian, I'd try the new panel. Thanks for the reminder about the trim. I need to do a little more massaging, but the fit isn't bad.