hey,

I'm new here, but it seems like this is a very knowledgeable place. I need help with a general body question(s).

I to replace the skins on both sides of my car, as well as the outer rocker panel(both sides).

I've never actually done any real body work, but i have absolutly NO choice in this matter, it must be done. Period. Also, theres no chance in hell, no, not one chance, that i can afford to get it done by a pro. I've been told that i'm alright with a welder, so i hope i can come through on that matter, but i just need someone to point me in the right direction right now.

I must also add that I really don't care how much work has to be done, because i want it done right.
Thanks.

 

A while back, a posted some questions about the 1/4's and wheelwells here:

https://www.thirdgen.org/techbb2/sho...hreadid=223594

Tunedport 335(whos has the sweetest thirdgen ever :hail: ) has a link he posted on my question. You can find it here:

https://www.thirdgen.org/techbb2/sho...dy+restoration

Basicly, our questers are connected to the roofs of our car. Its actually part of the whole "shell." In order to remove them, you have to cut it and drill out the spot welds. Also, your best bet will be to buy after marcket 1/4's or cut some out of a donor car at a salvage yard. This is not an easy job. I'm going to have to be doing this to both my quarters. I think GM made the camaro's like this because they were affordable sports cars. Therefore, they took some shortcuts...

Hope some of this helps

 

I do wish someone would make a tech article on this. Theres a demand for a "how to replace 1/4's." I think if you have a mig and are good with it its a possible do yourself, thats if you had some background knowledge of what you were doing.

 

None, you're gonna need to cut them out, like Dirtbiker said.

While they are off though (before the new ones are welded in) you should do any other needed repairs to the wheel wells. If your 1/4s are gone, they probably are too. If they arent, then they arent far behind.

How do you plan to weld them on, with a mig? I'll assume mig... stick welding sucks and tig is too hard for most people (myself included) so you'll need an angle grinder as well, to smooth out the welding afterward. You probably will also need some body filler too, since no panel is perfect, and you'll probably need to fill in around your welds.

I'm not really experienced with much in the way of bodywork myself, but I do know quite a bit about making welds look pretty

 

OK, let me put it to you the way it is, there is no way in any and all hell that you will change the 1/4 yourself with that much knowledge of body work. Im not tryin to stop you from doing the work, but you dont know what you are in for, at all. I work at a body shop, and all of us in there hate doing 1/4, and only me and one other guy do 1/4s because its that hard, the two other guys are in the business 30 plus years, and dont want to touch a 1/4 that needs replacing,...it is an immense ammount of work, crazy hours.

Its better to get another body and start there, thats how much i hate them.

You would need a high speed drill, a special spot welder cutter so you only go thorugh one layer of metal and have sumthin to weld the new one on, you will have to drill and redrill overy hole twice, maybe 3 times, you will have to cut it all out and pry the edges off, then you will have to line up the new 1/4 with the body and weld them together, then your gonna have to do bodywork to make it look like it was never done, tahts the hardest part, you have to benmd the metals of the body and the 1/4 so they meet lower and leave room for bondo to mask it all up, i donno man, if your set on doing it, then go for it, but you will beat urself upside the head if you **** up, cuz there is no going back once you start it....

Hope you get it done,

Alex

 

charged350, how much would your shop charge to replace both rear 1/4's without paint?? Just curious



Something like that on both sides. No rust anywhere else cept the wheel well spots. its basicly mostly the 1/4 panel lip. Any other fixes than replacing the WHOLE 1/4? I would attempt it, but i really dont want to. If youdo deffinetely have to replace the 1/4, what do you mean about bending the metal? Do you mean flanging it with the main body?

 

Thanks dirtbik3r, theres some good info there.

Air Adam, thanks man. My wheel wells are fine as far as i can tell right now, i'm gonna do a run over then with the wirebrush to see, and yes, i plan to use a mig.

Charged, well i'll put it the way it is on this side: i really have no choice in the matter, i can drive around a fully restored car and body that looks like ****. or i can atleast try it myself. i was thinking abot just doing the skins, thats all that it really needs.

thanks. it all helps

 

without paint for two 1/4s well, cheaper if you can find the 1/4s adn brign them, prolly about a close to 1500, thats just ballpark, u cant really tell until u see the car in person and see what all needs to be changed....

As for the skins, thats what 1/4 are, you dont get a 1/4 of the car, you get the outer layer of sheetmetal, thats all, and its a pain in the *** man, try to find sumone who does work on the side at thier shop, and see what the prices are....