After stripping and sanding, I have found that my "good quarter panel" is not so good. Kudos to the person who applied the 1" thick filler....had me fooled. Anyway, I'll get to the point. The qtr has the usual rust down low behind the wheel well, and a 1" hole down low in front of the wheel well. It looks as if it has been in an minor fender bender because the metal around the marker lamp hole is rippled a bit. The rest of the panel is very good. I can't see justifying a new qtr panel, but have been considering a 80% skin from Goodmark since it covers the area aroung the marker lamp and would take care of the rust. However after reading several posts, I am a little spooked about the body lines lining up correctly. Is it unheard of to chop up a new skin to use the parts you need? Or is it better to install the whole thing. Thanks for the help.

I wanted to be more direct I guess with my question (and cheat a little by moving my post more up to the top :D ) Do the Goodmark Quarter Skins, the ones just below the full sized qtrs, line up well? I know I've seen posts on this before, but cand find the links. Thanks again for all the help, and sorry if you've all answered this question a thousand times to other members. graemlins/clonk.gif

I would reccommend going with the whole panel. I purchased my car with two freshly done skins and I cut them off and replaced them for several reasons. Unless you are good it is difficult to install and weld without warping, full quarters tie in at factory joints. Unless you are really good it is hard to preserve the detail line stamped in the panel that runs the length of the car. And unless you are really really good it is hard to not have a ugly joint in the trunk.

Just my 2 cents.

Do yourself a HUGE favor and spend the extra cash for a FULL OEM type quarter.

It saves time it saves MONEY and in the long run it will be a MUCH BETTER REPAIR.

Why anyone would even think about using those 80% quarters now that Goodmark has Full OEM type is beyond my knowledge :confused:

Gee guys maybe the $400 price difference per side. Dont know about you but i can do alot with that cash and if you take your time the 80% skins can be installed no problem.

To be honest, it was the price that made me cringe. I know that they are worth it. I've seen some on ebay (says "Licensed by GM") for a buy it now price of $469 I think. In your opinion, is it easier to install a full qtr as opposed to a skin? I would think it would be, but a pain to deal with the overlapping metal of other panels. Is this true? Thanks guys.

the full replacement panels are far better than the partial panels. Faster to install also. I do use the partial skins occasionally, but they are trimmed and installed with a butt weld from end to end-a very time consuming job. Buy the full panels in my opinion-you'll be money ahead if your time is worth anything. graemlins/beers.gif

What kind of bracing do you guys recommend before the qtr is removed? I also need to replace the deck filler panel (between trunk and rear window), trunk to qtr panel..panel, and that one panel that forms the rear portion of the trunk ( not sure what it's called, I know Ground Up Restorations has just released them). Anyway, I think I can get the desck filler and trunk portion from my parts car. What is the best order to do these? Just when I think I have it figured out, I see another panel that relies and sits on the other, blah, blah. Thanks again!

7dss. i am in the process of welding up my last side (full goodmark quarter) i replaced rt. full quarter first allong with the outer wheel well. the wheel well was a real bi**h graemlins/angry.gif but had to, car was hit on that side. the left side had patchable rust in the bottem corners,but it was a vynal top car!there was rust arround the back window and of corse the filler panel also!so i replaced the lert quarter. my tail panel was rusted where the seal sits!i replaced that also.if i had to do it agin i would put goodmark full quarters on it agin and agin and agin!!they fit darn good!! graemlins/thumbsup.gif and need little cosmetic fixes on them! need any tips let me know . i'll be glad to give you some tips whyle thier fresh in my head.

Robo3,

Absolutely! Any help is greatly appreciated. My car is also a vinyl top car, so I have the same issues. The cheap a$$ spot weld cutter I bought from Harbor Freight stripped in .6 seconds, so I'm sure a different spot weld cutter is in order. Any suggestions you can give would be great.

The panel you refer to is called the "tail panel".I'm replacing both 1/4's also, slowly saving for the passenger side now. It really makes it easier for the beginer to get the body lines correct, if you use the full panel. On my first chevelle we used partials, it never looked good enough for me. I'll take welding and fitting over sanding any day.

Like I said eariler a full quarter will save time and money. You have tons less time involved cutting, fitting, welding and sanding. All the welds are hidden at factory seems instead of one huge 6ft seem running down the middle of the quarter.

If you've NEVER replaced sheetmetal before a 80% quarter is NOT the way to go. A full panel instal is pretty much idiot proof, unlike a 80% quarter.
If you dont prep the 80% quarter right that seem WILL show itself later on down the road, THATS A FACT.

Ive installed 2 sets of Goodmark FULL OEM quarters on my 70 chevelles. They fit great, very little tweaking was needed.

Sorry but the 300 dollar difference is NOT worth the added time and effort it takes to install the cheaper 80% quarters. I guarentee you that if you do go ahead and install that 80% you'll be wishing you spent the extra cash for the OEM quarters.

As for the spot weld bit, these are the BEST hands down. Those cheap hole saw bits are a joke and waste of money...Eric

http://www.dentfix.com/acb2/showdetl.cfm?DID=6&Product_ID=23&CATID=3

i made my own drill bits like sevt-chevelle showes i used old drill bit and ground it with thin cutoff wheel looks just like thoes. but i angled the cutting edge mure aggresive! worked awsome!!!!!! cost me nadda! not counting the first 16.00 for the first cheepie cutter i bought and broke after several welds! best of all if i chip the bit i can re grind it. :eek: by the way before you cut off any parts, put your trunk lid on and alighn it and leave it on till your done! makes guessing easier! graemlins/thumbsup.gif

Just had both rear quarters on my 72 SS done with Goodmark full quarters by the same people who did the goodmark chevelle restoration. They are awesome! they only need minor tweaking to be perfectly straight. I would not suggest any other repair unless you can get away with just patch panels but if you need trunk drop off's and wheel housings go ahead and spend the money, you will wish you did 6 months afterwards.

What about the full face quarters? Like the ones from NPD part # C-550-101LH? I was thinking about getting those but i cant tell if the panel has the trunk lip ( where the seal is). Has anybody used these before? I have a couple of holes on the ledge by the quarter window and the trunk seal is a little rusted thats why i want to used these. It also has rust around the wheel lip and behind it. but from the door jam back to about 3 inches from the wheel lip are good. Any ideas?

The full quarters I used are from Goodmark industries and yes they go all the way to the trunk seal. The trunk seal itself is a different part but that is where the quarter attaches by spot welds. If you pull up the trunk seal you will see the spot welds. Take a close look at the inside of the trunk drop off and outer wheel house also while you are investigating how many parts you will need. This is the time to replace them if even minor rust is found as they are not that expensive.

From all the opinions I've received, I've decided to go with the full Goodmark Quarter. Even though the majority of my panel is good, the full quarter would take care of other issues like the lower corner of the rear window lip thats missing, and I still haven't found it! tongue.gif I found a supplier locally (in a small town in Kansas!) that will sell me one for $499 no freight! But once I get the panel off, I'll have to address the inner fender wells, trunk to qtr panel,....See how much money you guys are costing me! :( Just kidding. Are there templates available for the vinyl top trim stud locations, or do I just have to measure and mark? Thanks again for all the advice.

Measure and mark, just like you will have to do on the chrome reveal molding clip studs. You are making the right choice and will realize it when actually finished and the $$ pain goes away.

you can make your own template off the original before removal, I did this on a junkyard car for proper trim clip locations. Use some paper and use the trunk opening, quarter window, and measurements as reference points for making the pattern. Heavy guage paper or light cardboard could work-cut and mask the paper until it conforms to the panel then mark the holes and studs. Put the template away until the new panel is installed. graemlins/thumbsup.gif

hey 7DSS where are you getting that quarter from. i live in garden city in southwest kansas and was just wondering. sound like a good deal. might have to go there when i get mine.
chris

C_Boyd,

Tried sending you an email but returned undeliverable, anyway go to the Goodmark web page and click on the authorized distibutors. There is one closer to you (Derby) than I'm using. The one in Derby also quoted me $499, but it make take up to a month to get it unless you want to pay freight. The other place is in Junction City. They are also on back order, but I have plenty to do until then, so I can wait.

hey 7d, i live in salina at the moment, my car is 12 miles south in Lindsborg i have a 70 also. I used 80% quarters, if you care to see what ive done maybe we can shoot down to Lindsborg and you can see how me and my body work guy have done mine. Definatly did some trimming to the quarter to make it an easier repair. Email me if youre intrested. Ill give ya my phone number in the email if you wanna check my project out

Hey thanks 7DSS, ive never looked at the dealer list on goodmarks page. Hey Anthony i bought my car in linsbourg a couple years ago, mabey you saw it before its a blue 72 malibu.
chris

C_Boyd,

It's a small world. Did the Chevelle that you bought in Lindsborg have a gear drive in it???

C boyd, ill bet thats my old car. Looks like you put a differnt engine in it. Email me if ya care to and let me know what all you have done to it. Im workin on a 70 now. I still look at my old pics of that car. gosh i miss it.

holy crap you have my old car if it had a gear drive in it. It had a old mag wheels, vinal top, flowmasters, niel chance tranny and a mini spool rear end. what a small world. People still ask me why i got rid of that car. :confused:

Originally posted by Anthony:
holy crap you have my old car if it had a gear drive in it. It had a old mag wheels, vinal top, flowmasters, niel chance tranny and a mini spool rear end. what a small world. People still ask me why i got rid of that car. :confused: Are you the one that put that inch of bondo on the quarter? graemlins/clonk.gif

No i never did any body work to it. All i did was rebuild the engine twice. i was told it was hit once but never got around to the body work

Yah that its your old car. About a month ago i had to replace the engine since the old one went south. i hit a dip sometime, messing around, and i ended up smashing in the oil pan and didnt know it, then a lil while longer it started knocking and it turned out the oil pump pick up broke off.
the cars been a blast though. had to do some front end work, since the brakes went out on me going through town and i rear ended some one. had two trannys in it now. the last ones been real good, had a guy in town rebuild one for me. the trunk and quarters are realy getting bad with the rust, but other than that the cars awsome to drive, love the thing.
chris

how did you blow up that tranny? i was told it was bullet proof?

I dont know how i did it. The 2nd gear went out and everything in it was shot. the only thing that ended up being good was the case on it. the guy said he only seen one worse that he had to beat apart with a sledge hammer. i think the sprag went out and the bearing on one of the shafts went and it welded the two shafts together. the second one was my fault since i put the old converter on and the metal in it ate up the tranny.

I lived in Lindsborg for 5 years and that Malibu was a block away from my house, right around the corner. Like I said....small world. Everytime I seen it driving down the street with the gear box whining, I would go in my garage and wonder why I ever pulled the body off....all those years I could have drove it. Too late now, I'm too deep into it.

7d who are you???? thats my old car. you should give me a call. i sent the number in my email to ya. im curious to know who you are