Whiile i was in the process of stripping my car i found a whole lot of rust in a whole lotta places… I dont know how to weld so i am going to pay someone to hang new quarters and redo the trunk. I called 2 places both had a number around 5 grand without even seeing the car. Is that right? They will pretty much be doing every body panel from the door jam back? Is there anyway of doing this for less? Anyone know of a good place that is reasonably priced in the NY area? Thanks for the help…

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1970 chevelle
406 - TH-350 - soon to be 411's

My engine (http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/engine.jpg)
updated pictures to come after the weekend :D

That's a ridiculous quote and they know it. That's their 'polite' way of saying saying they don't want it. Very few shops like to work on older cars. Collision is where the quick money is. Even if you took your car there it would be held hostage for 6 months or more. The other options you have are:

Find a bodyman who does work on the side. A 'professional hobbiest' if you will. To find this person, you'll have to talk to many people at car shows, cruise ins or at the race track.

Buy a welder and either take a class or buy some instructional auto body videos. You'll save money, learn new skills and have a welder when you're done.

Yea we were in the same boat a few months ago. No one wants to touch these old cars! Jimmy is right on. If its feasable you can invest in the equipment for under a grand and it's useful for a lot more stuff. Our website is all DIY stuff including quarters.
good luck, you are not alone.
Oh yea, we couldn't weld either but it's easy with a mig and some practice.

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The ongoing saga of the MALIBRUISER 70 SS fake
MALIBRUISER (http://www.motorhead.iwarp.com)

[This message has been edited by hoffman7476 (edited 11-28-2001).]

I might just do that i was feeling pretty confident about the trunk think but im concerned about the fenders and getting rid of the beeds from the weld. The car being tied up for 6 months isnt really a major concern of mine as long as its done right! How much is a mig welder anyway? Will I need a 220 outlet? How will i remove the old fenders? If i put tack welds down for the fenders do you think a shop would be interested to pick it up from there? I'm currently stripping the car completely. I really appreciate the help guys, thanks…

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1970 chevelle
406 - TH-350 - soon to be 411's

My engine (http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/engine.jpg)
updated pictures to come after the weekend :D

Not sure to what extent you're trying to duplicate originality, but Goodmark makes full quarters for the 70 that will go back to the factory seams. You can drill or punch holes in approx the same location as the factory spot welds were and fill them in with a mig and with a little dressing, they'll apprear close to original at a glance. One problem you're likely to encounter is the pan right above the rear bumper that holds the rear of the weatherstrip for the trunk. Nobody's repopping that piece and every junkyard car I find has it rusted out also. Goodmark has been saying "about 6 mos. for well over a year, and last time I talked to them it was "about 6 mos. if at all. Buy a quality spot weld cutter too, and try to remove the old stuff as the factory put it on, and also, I'd do the panel under the window and one quarter completely before removing the other quarter. It also might be helpful to perfectly align the trunk lid and doors before removing any sheet metal so you'll have something good to line up to. Good luck. (I'm fixing to tackle my 70 Chevelle also as soon as I can find a decent rear most panel.)

Well I dont want junk but the car isn't match #'s and isn't in anyway a concours car so if the construction is good thats the way I'll go…

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1970 chevelle
406 - TH-350 - soon to be 411's

My engine (http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/engine.jpg)
updated pictures to come after the weekend :D

I think you'd find the complete quarter replacement easier as a home project with limited welding experience. I've seen a shop put on the partial quarters, splicing at the top edges and it looks like good sheetmetal welding technique would be an absolute necessity.

Go with the full quarters.I just put the %80 skins on and i estimate they take 2,maybe three times the work and a lot of welding.They are very tricky to fit up and i do this every day for a living.They should be butt welded and it would be hard to butt weld a seam down the center of the panel for someone not so expericenced in this area.On the other hand the full quarters are not so bad if you already have the interor and back glass out.5k is not so ridicules.There probably figuring about $1200 per side on the quarters,and usually you need the outer wheel houses,lower trunk drop offs,plus the trunk pan possibly trunk braces and gas tank braces.shop rates vary,where i work we do restoration and customs and it's$65/HR.You probably have 60 to 100 hrs. worst case scenario so a quote for 5K without seeing the car is not that far off.

[This message has been edited by 70isfine (edited 11-28-2001).]

I bought full Quarter Panels for my 70 from Goodmark, and I will be diving into that project pretty soon, but if you get a new panel, get it from Goodmark and get the full quarter.

Matt Brown

Buy the full quarters from goodmark, they fit and look great. The end result is much better then those partial panels. Yes more then likely you will also need the outer wheelwells and probably the inner. I just got done installing them on my car and also they fit and look great.

You dont not have to have a 220 volt welder, I got a 110 lincoln unit, it welds up to 1/4 steel and works wonders on sheetmetal. If you buy a mig buy one that is set up for gas already, as the kits can be spendy. As for what they cost anywhere from 400 to 1400 bucks depends on the brand and options you get.

Replace a panel at a time dont just start hacking and cutting away. If you do the car can flex or move around thus leaving you lost as where the alginment goes for the parts. If you have to replace the trunk floor a good bet is that the braces will be bad also. I would start by replacing the braces for the trunk first. Getting them to fit to the old trunk floor, then replacing the trunk floor. Now you have the idea to where the floor needs to be. Now that you have the braces and trunk replaced and fitting to all the other parts, remove a quarter. With the quarter off you can replace the inner wheel well if need be, fitting it to the new floor and the braces that attach to it. Fit the outer wheel well to that and the new quarter. Also if need be the quarter ext can be replaced during this time but I would fit them before you remove the orginal inner wheel well.

During the fitting process use tack welds and sheet metal screws to hold everything together dont fully weld anything til it all fits.

Once you have everything fitted including the quarter, remove the quarter and fully weld everything together, grind the welds and apply some wash primer to the welded area.

Then repeat the process on the other side. Yes by all means install and fit the doors and deck lid before you remove any panel. Always check alingment before you weld anything, doors, deck lid and rear bumper anything that can affect the overall look of the car when done. Good luck...Eric

very nformative guys thanks, I have know about the full fenders from goodmark and i am probably going to get them. I might not do the fenders but i will definately do the trunk to get a feel for the welding thing. Thanks for all the help i appreciate it…

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1970 chevelle
406 - TH-350 - soon to be 411's

My engine (http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/engine.jpg)
updated pictures to come after the weekend :D

I am doing just this thing too my car right now.. Let me tell you!!! is ti worth 5k YES! it's alot of work, time and money! I wanted someone too do both quarters, wheelhouses and they quoted me 4k too start.. It's not a rediculous number if you want it done right! You can do it right yourself, but let's take a quick look..

Welder 300-400 bucks
Compressor 200-600 bucks
air tools 20-50 a piece (you'll need a cut off wheel, grinders 2 and 3 inch, air chisel at minimum)
Weld thru primer 15-20 (2 cans min)
Sanding disks 20-30 bucks a box (4 boxes each min)
The sheet metal 100-800(1/4's, floor, wheelhouses)
a sawzall 90-200
body hammers 10-30

Assuming the lowest (in some cases what I paid for tools) prices your looking at $2880.00 in tools and sheetmetal. it has been since august 21st since I started on it part time about 4 hours a day average thats 116 days at 4 hours a day is 464 hours (mind you I am inexperienced at this and did not spend ALL that time working on my car) thats 464 hours and I am still not done. now if you did the labor rate at a nominal 40 bucks an hour (lower than body shop rates here) I have 18k worth of labor and I'm sure everything isn't lined up "PERFECTLY" but it does look right. now factor in the fact that I work 8-12 hour days, plus an additional 4 at the shop, with a wife, house, dog, etc I'm streching myself thin.. Is it now worth the 5k? By no means am I saying that you shouldn't do it! If I were in the same boat again I would do it in a heartbeat, cause I am learning and it is fun! but if you want it done right and in a matter of months, you might be best off sending it too a pro! Your going too spend that kind of money either way you do it! It's your can of worms open it however you like.. of course this is my experience and expenses everyone is different. Either way you decide too do it Good Luck http://www.chevelles.com/forum/biggrin.gif Take a look at my signature for pics of this daunting task!

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X-Ray View of my Chevelle :D (http://www.normieschevelle.com/sideview.jpg)
Getting Closer (http://www.normieschevelle.com/passfull.jpg)

I would definitely think of tackling it yourself...If you are confident...

Not meaning to sound paranoid, but pro shops don't always do the best job, which is why they often don't want some picky guy with an old car...

Plus, that $5K can easily grow if they find more stuff that needs fixing... And does the $5K include nice new high quality parts, or just patchwork from donor cars?

I had some body panels replaced a few years ago, and it took me about three years to finish up the body work, etc... I then realized that the panel replacement was not a great job, yet done by a professional and recommended by a very good friend...



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"Once you go RAT, you never go back..."
TC #1366
Tony
1966 SS L78 coupe
1966 SS convertible
1965 Impala convertible
1 wife that has drawn the line...

Well that 5k included pretty much taking the back half of the body off and sand blasting everything, reassembling and the price of the fenders. Since im still in the process of stripping paint the rust isn't all that bad. The majority of the fenders are in good shape but, its the rust in key places like back lower and around the rear window (which is the part that im affraid of). Whats the feeling on patches? Is it the cheap way out? In the event that the rest of the fender is ok but for those couple of spots can patches be made? And will they hold up as long as a replaced fender? I really appreciate this, Im 21 and am learning as i go, this is really taking months off that learning curve.

If you have a small rust hole behind the wheel or confined to a small area,a fully welded in patch will last a long time.But it sounds like you have bigger problems.If you have rust around the back window full quarters will cover it.If you can get a replacement panel,get it.Some things you cant get,then a fabricated patch would have to do.

The rust around the rear window you are talking about is that on the panel that goes from the back glass to the deck lid? If so that is a easy fix. But beware that the moisture sometimes ran down those braces that attach to the inner wheel well and rusted those out along with the inner package try, right above the hinges for the deck lid.

Patches will last if done right but like 70isfine said sounds like you got a bigger problem then patches will fix. Keep in mind that I do body work for living, Ive installed those 80% patches for the quarters along with NOS and also the new goodmark quarters. The goodmarks are the only way to go now. Those 80 are tough to fit and a mother to butt weld and you having not much experience those 80% might be overwhelming. If you dont butt weld its just gonna come back and bite you in the butt and hard.

To add to normies list of tools get your self a 90 degree air drill, Id be lost without mine. Also get a few spot weld cutters amd 1/8 drill bits. I use my cut off wheel to remove most of you spot welds, sometimes it just works better. An air hammer is also a must have along with a few hammer and dollies. My favorites hammers are a long pick, chisel end, and square body hammers. Once again Goodluck...Eric