I am in the process of a full frame-off resto. of a 1966 chevelle ss. I am looking for the best quality sheet metal out there.I will be replacing floor pans and braces(is it best to replace with full pans or the smaller pcs.),trunk floor and braces(same ques. as above)outer and inner wheel housing(where to find inner wheel house)and both rear quarters. Has anyone used AUSLEY's reproduction quarter panels(includes door jam + trunk lip)$299.00 seems like good price
Goodmark is comming out with full quarter in JAN 2002 $450.00


THANK FOR THE HELP
Al

I would use NOS only if possible. If you want it to be 100%

Almac, I was at a car show in Minn this spring and a vendor had some of those quarters-full door jam, trunk lip and part of the sail panel. I looked them over really well was highly impressed with the quilty of those quarters. Nice straight lines, smooth curves, overall nice panel.

As for the full quarter if its anything like the full quarter that they make for the 70 it should be really nice. I just got done installing them on my car and loved the fit and overall finish. Ive installed 80% quarters, NOS and now two pairs of the goodmark quarters for 70 chevelles, and the goodmark panel fit just as nice as the NOS parts fit. As for buying that ausley quarter over the goodmark is pretty much on what you are willing to spend on the project. The ausley piece will be harder to install and require more welding and bondo to finish off due because it doesnt come up to the original seem at the roof and doesnt wrap around and go into the back glass seem. I just remember them have a slight lip there on the bat wing not going all the way around. But if the goodmark pieces are a full OE style part, it would go to the sail panel and go to the back glass making it far easier to install.

As for replacing the floor one question...is there just one or two spots that need to be fixed or the whole thing? If just one or two spots it is better to just replace those areas. But if all over then replace the whole floor. Goodmark makes about the best sheetmetal out there. I bought my floor from the Paddock because noone else had a floor that included the tranny trunnel. Very happy with the fit and finsih of the paddack floor.

The best way to replace anything is one piece at a time. Dont just start hacking and cutting as the body will flex or move and you WILL loss the alginment. So say when repalcing the floor start with the braces, remove the old braces carefully and install the new ones. Just tack weld the brace in place and get it to fit to the old floor. Once both braces are tacked in position remove one half of the floor and install the new half, alginnng it to the new braces and the old half of the floor. Once that fits in place tack it too and remove the last half of floor and fit it the braces and the newly installed floor half. This is true for the floor under our seats or the trunk floor.

Replacing the trunk floor and fitting the new floor to the old wheel wells is better or easier then fitting the new wheel wells to the old trunk floor. Once the new floor fits replace the wheel wells, but do ONE SIDE at time dont try to do both. So dont remove both quarters and wheel wells at once. As far as I know noone makes an inner wheel well for the early chevelles just the 68-72 chevelles.

Good luck anddont be afraid to ask questions if you dont understand...Eric

ERIC thanks for the info this is just what I was looking for. The Goodmark quarter is described as factory style with full sail panel. Great info on the floor, I was ready to cut it all out braces and all! I will be replacin entie floor - combo of rot and previous owner cutting up trans tunnel. In your reply you said you used Paddack floor pans because of full trans tunnel - would you use ALL Paddack floor pcs. or could you mix and match with Goodmark.

THANKS AGAIN
Al MacDonald

Al, on something like that its best to stick with one maker dont mix match. Like I said earler the paddock parts fit really nice. I also used the paddock for my trunk floor too because their two piece floor covered the most and have had very good results with them in the past. Iam just not a fan of the three piece trunk floor but I think that all you can get for a 66 chevelle is a three piece floor.

Al, From the list of parts that you need, you may come out ahead by locating a
junked/stripped 4dr parts car with a good underbody, wheel wells and trunk and cutting out the original metal for your car. If you are replacing the quarters, you'll be able to replace the trunk as one whole piece from the parts car. Just another option. The passenger side quarter panel will likely need to be reproduction, but there are still a few drivers side nos panels around for $500-800.

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Tom Wood
Gold Member #66
502 Powered '66 SS

Some pictures of my '66 under construction;
My 66 Pictures (http://people.ne.mediaone.net/tkmwood55/photos.htm)