Quarter panel questions..

Patron022 · Jul 6, 2011

My car was hit last year while being parked outside in the winter. Whoever hit the car hit and ran which sucked :BangHead:. But this is were my questions come in. Should I get it fixed and repaint it or go to the junkyard which I know has the same color quarter panel and its in great shape, But how do I take it because it seems that is welded everywhere :sad5:?

Picture I took before the modding started :laughing5:! Now that the car is looking cleaner the quarter panel just bothers me and its time to get it fixed or changed. What do you guys think I should do?

Ninety8stang · Jul 7, 2011

Umm sorry to tell you this but you can't pull that off like other panels on the car. That rear quarter is fixed to the body. You can either get it as straight as you can and get your bondo on or you will have to cut the panel out and have a replacement welded back in it's spot. Both are which a pain in the a$$. I've seen worse though. I have to say bond is your best bet with a fresh coat of paint.

Musturd · Jul 7, 2011

When I did my quarter pannel swap it wasnt fun but we cut the pannel out with the floor right into the trunk jam. Then I drilled out about 500 spot welds and got it off. I did mine right into the door jam. But that looks pretty fixable

Inspector13 · Jul 7, 2011

A body shop may be able to fix that. Personally I don't really car for lots of bondo, a tiny spot with a thin layer to smooth seams is fine. If your going to do it I say do it right. I personally would order a new quarter panel as opposed to getting one used. Usually cutting one off warps the metal and sometimes it's more work getting it straight then just welding a new one on. If you do it yourself make a spot weld then move a couple inches and make another spot weld and keep doing that until it is all welded up. Grind the welds down and put just a little bit of plastic filler over them to smooth it into the rest of the body work before guide coats, priming, painting, and clearing. Make sure where the welds go is sanded down to bare metal and you may have to use some self etching primer to make sure it sticks.

Musturd · Jul 7, 2011

You'd be surprised what a real body guy cam do with a hammer and dollies mine was beyond fixable this time soni replaced the whole quarter pannel did it myself. But the pic only shows one angle there and that doesn't look bad at all

Musturd · Jul 7, 2011

Use

Inspector13 said:
A body shop may be able to fix that. Personally I don't really car for lots of bondo, a tiny spot with a thin layer to smooth seams is fine. If your going to do it I say do it right. I personally would order a new quarter panel as opposed to getting one used. Usually cutting one off warps the metal and sometimes it's more work getting it straight then just welding a new one on. If you do it yourself make a spot weld then move a couple inches and make another spot weld and keep doing that until it is all welded up. Grind the welds down and put just a little bit of plastic filler over them to smooth it into the rest of the body work before guide coats, priming, painting, and clearing. Make sure where the welds go is sanded down to bare metal and you may have to use some self etching primer to make sure it sticks.

. Use seam sealer and I wouldn't recommend buying a after market quarter they don't fit like oem. My quarter is off a 98 cobra vert on my coupe an it fits flawlessly.

330CubeGt · Jul 7, 2011

Had the same problem with the Blue V6 when it got hit and now the Black car that i purchased hit in the same spot. I had a car i was parting out so i took a angle grinder to it with a cut off wheel cut out the 1/4 of my car and the donor car and welded it in place and did the body work its a ton of work and to be honest your 1/4 Looks like its somewhat of an easy fix from the picture as long as it didn't do to much damage to the door jam.

If you have to get a new 1/4 you have to buy a cordless cutting tool of some kind and go to the JY and get it but after your cut yours out paint matching is no longs a problem because everything will have to be re painted anyway.

330CubeGt · Jul 7, 2011

Im getting ready to cut mine out here in a few weeks when i find a straight 1/4 to replace it with.

RycheGT · Jul 7, 2011

Call a paintless dent repair guy, and let him work his magic on it. They can at least get it straight enough that there will be minimal body filler used to finish the repair. Ive seen one paintless guy straighten a crushed Acura fender in my buddies shop in a couple of hrs, and when I say crushed. I mean crushed.

BigTang · Jul 7, 2011

RycheGT said:
Call a paintless dent repair guy, and let him work his magic on it. They can at least get it straight enough that there will be minimal body filler used to finish the repair. Ive seen one paintless guy straighten a crushed Acura fender in my buddies shop in a couple of hrs, and when I say crushed. I mean crushed.

its either one or the other, either paintless or body shop. Just take it to the shop, it'll be cheaper than you think. paintless repair will get most of it out but it looks like its missing paint at the wheel well opening so it will continue to chip and you'll be pissed off every time you go to get in your car.
There is nothing wrong w/ using body filler but you have to get the metal as straight as possible 1st, don't use it like the guy that comes to you in the mall parking lot asking if you gots any dents you need hammers out.

ttocs · Jul 7, 2011

330CubeGt said:
Im getting ready to cut mine out here in a few weeks when i find a straight 1/4 to replace it with.

you know we can't see any of your pics right? Bandwith exceded.

robb15033 · Jul 8, 2011

I have the same issue, same side of the car. I went out in search of paintless shops and my first proposal was $1300. I will be concentrating on it again soon. Let us know what happens.

Inspector13 · Jul 8, 2011

Musturd said:
I wouldn't recommend buying a after market quarter they don't fit like oem. My quarter is off a 98 cobra vert on my coupe an it fits flawlessly.

I've never gotten aftermarket quarters. I've only gotten new OEM quarters. Never had a problem with them. (^_^)