quarter panel install

[thatildo68]

im looking at installing new quarters and thought it might be a better option to have the weld seam an inch below the body
line (about half way between that and the wheel arch) so to keep the original line, as most of the aftermarket quarters from what i here dont fit that well, that way i get to save all the good quality metal above that
is that what most of you guys do?
oh! and once i have replaced the quarters,floor and trunk pans, rear valance,tailight panel etc can i really say i own a
original numbers matching 68 r/t ?

[Charger-Bodie]

get the FULL replacement OEM style 1/4's and you will be way ahead.

[suntech]

get the FULL replacement OEM style 1/4's and you will be way ahead.

Do yourself a favor.......it´s a no brainer

[Drop Top]

Boy am I out of the loop. When did they start makeing full replacements? Who sells them for future refeances? I agree if you can get a full replacement, get them. Much easier in the long run.

[Charger-Bodie]

Boy am I out of the loop. When did they start makeing full replacements? Who sells them for future refeances? I agree if you can get a full replacement, get them. Much easier in the long run.

Classic Body Designs (made in USA , but much more money) Auto Metal Direct (made over seas But much less money)

[Drop Top]

Thanks for the info. Witch one is a better quality? I don't mind paying more for better quality, its cheaper in the long run.

By the way after replaceing all that sheet metal. Yes, you'll still have a matching numbers Charger. But if you can cut the numbers off the old 1/4 on the drivers side and under the trunk gasket and weld it into place on the new one.

[Charger-Bodie]

Thanks for the info. Witch one is a better quality? I don't mind paying more for better quality, its cheaper in the long run.

By the way after replaceing all that sheet metal. Yes, you'll still have a matching numbers Charger. But if you can cut the numbers off the old 1/4 on the drivers side and under the trunk gasket and weld it into place on the new one.

Those numbers are on the trunk gutter not the 1/4 panel.

I have personally never installed either yet,but Ive heard good and bad about both......I think its just like anything in the respect that part need to be fit and arent going to just Fall on the car.

[Drop Top]

If they don't include the trunk gutter,the door jam and the sail panel area that goes up to the roof and down to the rear glass, then the are not a compleat 1/4 panel. I have installed many 1/4s in my time and some of witch were factor nos panels. The factory panels included all of witch I stated. I do agree, even if you have NOS panels They aren't going to "fall into place" and any aftermarket panels no mater how good will need a bit of feness. I would hope that the more expensive one would be of thicker material. That makes it a bit better as long as the fit is close. 

[suntech]

I would rather duplicate the # on the lip of the rear quarter, but that is just me. I dont see the point in cutting out the piece, to weld it back in, to "hide" the quarter replacement.
As far as sheet metal, Auto Metal Direct has a big variaty of sheet metal for the Charger now, and more to come.
Classic Body Design has full rear quarters, and door skins.

As far as quality and fitment, there should be plenty of reading here, by doing a search.

I would hope that the more expensive one would be of thicker material

Both panels are 18 gauge, as they should be

[Charger-Bodie]

If they don't include the trunk gutter,the door jam and the sail panel area that goes up to the roof and down to the rear glass, then the are not a compleat 1/4 panel. I have installed many 1/4s in my time and some of witch were factor nos panels. The factory panels included all of witch I stated. I do agree, even if you have NOS panels They aren't going to "fall into place" and any aftermarket panels no mater how good will need a bit of feness. I would hope that the more expensive one would be of thicker material. That makes it a bit better as long as the fit is close. 

You are wrong!

And it doesn't matter if you installed 543 thousand 1/4 panels.....The Charger 1/4 panel doesn't include the gutter that the trunk seal glues to. It does infact include all of the other areas you mentioned though.

[Silver R/T]

Boy am I out of the loop. When did they start makeing full replacements? Who sells them for future refeances? I agree if you can get a full replacement, get them. Much easier in the long run.

not so easy on your pocket

[Mike DC]

You can save a few hundred bucks on the partial panels in exchange for spending a few dozen more hours on their installation.  I fail to see the big gains there. 

And the final result is still worse than the full panels.  Everything before the full panels fit like total sh*t.  Some of the seams on the partials are off by entire INCHES.   

[elitecustombody]

You can save a few hundred bucks on the partial panels in exchange for spending a few dozen more hours on their installation.  I fail to see the big gains there. 

And the final result is still worse than the full panels.  Everything before the full panels fit like total sh*t.  Some of the seams on the partials are off by entire INCHES.   

yep, buy a nice set of AMD quarters and save the hassle,Drop Top,FYI,new quarters do not come with gutters

[thatildo68]

yeah guys im hearing what your saying full quarters are the way for sure,once on they on for the life
of the car job done and piece of mind knowing that its an americain made FULL quarter right! who wants
half a chinese panel on your muscle car
will keep saving then 

[Back N Black]

yeah guys im hearing what your saying full quarters are the way for sure,once on they on for the life
of the car job done and piece of mind knowing that its an americain made FULL quarter right! who wants
half a chinese panel on your muscle car
will keep saving then 

]

All of the top dollar,numbers matching, rare cars out there have the partial panels on them. 

[AutoRust]

We install panels all the time in here. 98% of the time I would rather install a quarter skin then a full OEM style panel if its NOT needed. The work involved is 3 times as much, and the fitting up is five times as challenging. If its needed because the top of the quarter is bad, well then bite the bullet and dig in. If its just rust around the wheelwell and lower sides, do a skin and go on to the next consumption of time and money
I have a 69 Coronet in the shop right now, got AMD full OEM style quarters, as well as a full roof skin. The full quarter needs a ton of tweaking and does not fit all that exact. We are really massaging it to make it fit. I have there deck filler panel also, its almost to narrow to fit in between the full quarters. When we set it in place before we cut the car up it looked like a perfect fit. We put in inner and outer wheel houses and the inners are missing material the originals had, and didnt really fit that well.   
I fully understand that every car is different and everyone needs work to fit correctly, but I am not as impressed as I hoped to be.
Here is the real kick in the azz. The top of the OEM style quarters, al the lower outside edge of the back window.



WTF ??
A big dam hole in there? Thats a real pain, no I have to patch it up.

[Charger-Bodie]

Auto rust , You are missing a pice there.....There is supposed to be a corner support , just in the corner.The part Im refering to would be under the 1/4 panel in the window corner.

[AutoRust]

I took a look at a few old pictures from previous projects, and it looks like your correct !!   PITA  to fix it now. Look at where the dutchman panel fits to the quarter, we couldnt stretch it enough, now we got to patch that area.
Oh well, goes with the territory !!

[Charger-Bodie]

I took a look at a few old pictures from previous projects, and it looks like your correct !!   PITA  to fix it now. Look at where the dutchman panel fits to the quarter, we couldnt stretch it enough, now we got to patch that area.
Oh well, goes with the territory !!

Only one man walks on water! And that man is not me!

[AutoRust]

Only one man walks on water! And that man is not me!

An Im ascared of water . . . . . . .

[bill440rt]

I installed a 1/4 skin on my '69, this was way before the new full panels were available. First time, too. I actually thought it was pretty easy, didn't see what all the fuss was about. I think it boils down to HOW you install it. Yes, I did it below the top belt line, about 1" down from it and around the front and back ends, leaving those original. I wouldn't say it fell right into place, but it went on way easier than I thought it would.
I did NOS 1/4's on my '70 almost over a decade ago, and they were much harder.

[Charger-Bodie]

I installed a 1/4 skin on my '69, this was way before the new full panels were available. First time, too. I actually thought it was pretty easy, didn't see what all the fuss was about. I think it boils down to HOW you install it. Yes, I did it below the top belt line, about 1" down from it and around the front and back ends, leaving those original. I wouldn't say it fell right into place, but it went on way easier than I thought it would.
I did NOS 1/4's on my '70 almost over a decade ago, and they were much harder.

You're right Bill , the skins aren't that bad to put on if you some body fab experience.

I would still rather have the full replacement pieces given the choice.

[Mike DC]

I think if the panel is spotless above the main side bodyline (the one between the door handles and the wheelwells), then it may be better to partial-panel it right there.  Otherwise get a whole new one IMHO. 

[paironines]

I was thinking of trying to install just a skin on my 68 but there is previous accident damage that really tweaked the upper body line that most guys save.  I don't know if I will be able to hammer/dolley that upper body line back into shape due to it's probably stretched.  The top of the quarter by the window is a little wavy too. What do ya think?

[suntech]

In that case full quarters are the only right thing to put on!!!