I am thinking of grinding down whatever bondo/filler is left on the quarter and re-bondo-ing (new word ) this straight and fill in those screw holes at the same time.

I have a new door, I just have to install it.

Im trying to resurrect this 'ROC.

Would metal replacement be easier / better?

Any better ideas / tips / suggestions?

 

well is it rust or bondo, it almost looks like its rust under the paint, if its just bondo though just take a palm sander to it or and sand it down until its flush, if its rust your better off replacing the door and filling in the other spot with new metal

 

ouch...gotcha work cut out for yah there No worries though dude, get'r'dun!

 

If there is no rust underneath, i would just apply some light coats of bondo to build it back up. The hardest part is going to be forming that lines that meats with the door. As long as there is no rust and not alot of bondo piled up, it should last. However for some, this is not called the "correct way".

If there is rust or you know how to weld, a patch would be the way to go. Good Luck to you.

 

I dont know if u have a welder but if it was me i would go to a junk yard have them cut out the part of the rear fender i needed off of a another car and use it like a patch panel. As for the door they are cheap and fairly easy to find i would just buy another used one in good shape. I have a feeling if u got rid of all the bondo and rebondoed it would come back to look the same down the road. Dont cut corners do it right. Bondo is really designed for small dings and ridges not dents.

 

If thats just metal, put something behind it and bang it as close to how it was as you can, then use a little filler to clean it up.

 

If it were me, I would take out the door jamb vent and try to work the metal as smoothe as I could via whatever tools I had that would work.
Obviously replacing is the best bet but, not everyone is or knows a welder.
After the 'baby huey' treatment, I'd start with skim of metal-to-metal filler to plug holes and fill in the lowest spots that couldn't be shaped back in place. Through the vent I would put (use) a cold galv. treatment (like ZRC, galvaprime) on the backside and then use a sealer or undercoat to help prevent future internal rust around the fixed area.
Outside, after sanding/filing the metal-to-metal filller, use body filler as per norm for minor dent work, high-build primer for final detals, seal, paint.
Just my opinion though....

 

looks like somone had some fun with a slide hammer and a can of bondo- get all of the bondo out- cut a peice out of the junk yard and weld it to your car- i used bondo on my car once and then took it all out it just botherd me i dont know why.

 

Thanks for all the tips guys!

As far as I can tell it is not rust, just bondo, but the dingbat who got his slide hammer out sort of went nuts on it.

The door still shuts beautifully so what I think I am going to do is to measure out a patch panel and cut one from a thidgen in pick-n-pull and weld it on mine, then the only area I might have to fill would be a touch in the doorjamb to make it all meet and look flush.

I'll post more pics after my new project gets home and that bondo gets removed.

But this will be all worth it for an original black on gold manual trans 'ROC.

What do you think would be the best tool to cut out both panels?

 

i always find a nice cut off wheel works great as long as you take your time and dont heat it up- i have used a sawzall in a bind but if your not carefull it beats up the pannel. i marked off in painters tape where i wanted to cut, went on the inside tape line, and went from there- just take your time and it will come out great.

 

Man....I wish I'd have seen this earlier, I would have cut that part out of the quarter on the car I scrapped today (no flames.....it was JUNK). I would have given it to you....plus shipping
Sorry

 

No worries my friend, I appreciate the thought of an afterthought

There's a few good quarters at my local junkyard so I will see about picking up a piece real soon.

 

looks like that door got blasted with a 12 gauge or something. Im no body-man, but that doesnt look like the easiest thing to fix. Id have to say though, go with welding new metal in, bodyfiller just doesnt cut it always. Good luck with the project!

 

that sucks thats going to be some work. at least its not a huge hole

 

dont cut and weld that patch int eh 1/4, ur gonna **** up the whole car like that, once you have your new door, put it on, line it up with the fender and make sure it closes easy and is lined up with the striker an ****.

then you can grind off all that bondo and use a drill and a slide hammer to get that metal as close to perfect and you can, then grind it again to metal, and make sure you grind each hole a little so it doesnt stick up through the bondo and make a small pankakes all over the job.

fix it, dont do the path, its gonna be way more envolved then just some body work.

 

That's not really possible (at all) just by cutting out a small section of the ¼ panel rear of the door.

That's where the existing holes on the ¼ panel came from (part the looks like it was hit with buckshot). Why make more ?
Using "bondo" (body filler really, as there are more companies than just Bondo that make body filler) to patch holes is just asking for future problems to surface.
A metal filler, leading or, welding is the most permanent solution to filling holes. Body filler works, and can last if sealed from both sides properly, for a long time but, there are better methods.

There are a hundred different way to fix the problem. None of which are the absolute right way.

The only way to narrow down the 'best' way to fix it is by knowing the skill level/abilities/connections of the person doing the repair.

All strictly my opinoin which doesn't amount to jack---t usually.....

 

OK, i see where you comming from, but do you work at a body shop and do this **** everyday, if you do, then you know that cutting into a car is the last option, ever. If not, learn and then talk.

 

Well i work in a body shop been doing body work for 9 years.Cutting in patch panels should only be done if u can not get the hole part. And u wanna try to straighten parts (welded on parts) Before cutting them off. If that was my car i would weld the holes up.( if u are thinking about getting a patch panel u must know someone or u have a welder) I would straighten it.Plus if u weld in a patch panel chances are u are going to warp the metal and will need just asmuch filler to fix that.There is a tool that welds little pull rods to the metal so u can pull out the low spots.But they are like 200 bucks and to use once its not worth it. Someone said to pull the vent out that will work. Go to and auto parts store get a cheap dolly. U can hit all the low spots out.Than hold the dolly on the back side of the metal and tap any high spots in.Than get some good filler. Not bondo. Use z grip made by evercoat. Its good stuff. Sand, block, prime,block again, looks good as new. easy as 123.. But just me 2 cents

 

with a torch and lead .

 

true, i dont like to cut up a original body no matter what, so take out the vent in the 1/4 door and get a dolly on a stick and a body hammer after you grind all the bondo away first. just make sure you dont strech the metal, if you do that, you will be ****ed, then your gonna have to cut a slit in it and overlap the streched letal so its back to the same area.

Like he said, a stud gun is expensive, even if its the best option, for a one time deal fix, its not worth the money.

 

If u do strech the metal its not that big of deal u can heat up one spot just intill it starts turning blue have a cold wet rag. Put that right on top of were u were heating. This will shrink the metal. Or another way is they make a metal shrinking dolly. But i like the heating and coolong way better.

 

Thanks again for all the insight guys!

I'm still working on bringing this beast home and once I do I will be able to clean off that bondo on the quarter and write a damage reprt (take some new pics for you guys ).

 

double post