quarter panel tolorances

[Topcat]

I'm curently fabbing the back piece on my  left quarter panel. There is a piece that looks like a curved L. On the right side, the over hang over the tail light panel is about a half inch. On the left there is hardly any over hang. Yet the rear piece on both where it begins to curve up, looks to be undisturbed. (I hope this is making sense) 

I would like to know if anyone has this much difference on their left and right side quarters. My left quarter is off right now and I am not at the point of test fitting it yet. I'll need to set all perimeter areas up with fabbed or new pieces. Then use my original quarter as though it were a skin replacement.

My original reference points to re install leave me in doubt on where the panel will sit. So I would like to hear about anyone elses challenges on when they re hung their quarter panels and any advice would be great. This is my first time on ever hanging a quarter panel and it makes me nervous that I could screw this up. So far, I think I'm doing O.K. I didn't bring my Camera today...Sorry no pics of what I am working on just now.

[FY1Cuda]

sent you a PM

[ksierens]

If the 'curved L' you are talking about is the part of the quarter that is visible inside of the deck lid opening, I would say that you should mount the deck lid first and use it as the guide as to where the quarter should be mounted.

[Lunchbox]

 

[farmboy70]

Definitely mount the doors and deck lid when you start to hang the quarters. this will give you a good reference to locate the panel.
Use the old panel marks as a guide but the with other panels hung is a better point to use for positioning.
Be sure to hammer and dolley out the flange edges before hanging the panel, just a little distortion on any of the edges will tip the panel and cause strange alignment problems.
Post up the pictures when you can ,I'm guessing you mean the area where the trim would be on a 73.
Dave

[Topcat]

Definitely mount the doors and deck lid when you start to hang the quarters. this will give you a good reference to locate the panel.
Use the old panel marks as a guide but the with other panels hung is a better point to use for positioning.
Be sure to hammer and dolley out the flange edges before hanging the panel, just a little distortion on any of the edges will tip the panel and cause strange alignment problems.
Post up the pictures when you can ,I'm guessing you meen the area where the trim would be on a 73.
Dave

I agree with both you and ksierens about putting my deck lid back on. I guess just standing back and try to look at the whole picture instead of just one part of it will help solve my alignment situation. So what I think I learned is look at the whole, not the sum of the parts. Next week end, I'll get an update on it an definitely post pics to show these differences also.

[Stacked440]

If the 'curved L' you are talking about is the part of the quarter that is visible inside of the deck lid opening, I would say that you should mount the deck lid first and use it as the guide as to where the quarter should be mounted.

 

[Topcat]

Here's a pic of the left corner. See how little overhang there is?

[torredcuda]

Factory tolerances were not very good back in the `70`s and Mopars were one of the worst.You can either put it together roughly the same or try to get it to fit better-depends on how picky you are.Without seeing the car it`s hard to tell if the quater panel or the tailight panel is off or a combo of both.

[Topcat]

Yesterday I was able to see where everything will fall and it looks like I will need to shift it out a quarter inch for final weld.

Moparnocar sold me this piece. I needed it too because of sheet metal warpage on the top near trunk. The sheet metal is thicker on the sail panel. Probably so it can absorb heat better when they lead it over. So standard sheet metal may not work? What's the thought about this?

Does anybody have just the sail panel area with the lead still in place for sale? It would save me tons of work later on.

[ksierens]

Wow, with that much of the quarter cut up, why not just replace the whole thing, except because of the cost of course.

[Stacked440]

Wow, with that much of the quarter cut up, why not just replace the whole thing, except because of the cost of course.

 

[fishn4cuda]

TC, That's bad. You may want to wait for the new full Qtrs to come out. Looks like too much has been cut from both the Qtr seam and the roof. That's a tough fix without creating a cobled mess.

[Topcat]

my original quarter is still intact with heat warpage near trunk area. Where you see is cut is what had to be cut because of the butcher before.

I may just work on perimeter areas and hold off till the new ones come out. But I also don't think that this is impossible to fix either. Just time consuming as hell. Ohhhh what to do. 

Buying the new one isn't an issue either. I'll shell the 800. Waiting forever is though.

[farmboy70]

If you can hold out for the full panel. If I could have I would have to stay away from all the filler work on mine. I think those panels are due out next month.
Dave