I am looking at purchasing a 70ss convertible. The owner tells me that it has the original rear quarters. On the top of the 1/4's, below the rear window, where the connect with what I will call the top of the trunk, there is a seam. (where the 1/4 attaches to the trunk) This seam was filled with filler and painted over. It now has developed a hairline crack. (On both sides) Now, another guy who I was talking with tell me that on a 70 convertible, there is no seam there. It is all one piece across the back. He sdaid somebody has replaced the rear 1/4's with non convertible rear 1/4's. Obviously they are not original 1/4's if this is the case. Can anybody tell me who is correct?

Ok lets see if I can help with the confusion.

On 70 convertibles the rear 1/4's were connected with a filler piece just below the rear window. Where you see the hairline cracks is where the factory seam is filled and smoothed out. On hard top cars the seam is not filled. Now I can say that it is VERY common for convertibles to get those hairline cracks as the body flexes in that area and cracks the filler/paint. Our 71 cracked within the first 2-3 years after it was painted.

hope i have helped with your confusion!

later graemlins/waving.gif

On convertibles the seam between the quarter panel and the filler panel was "finished" somewhat.Different assembly plants did the job slightly different. The seam may be faint or nonexistent. However they DID NOT use bondo.
If bondo is present it may be a repair or replacement. As mentioned by others there was a tendency to crack at this location....