I recently started removing the paint from my Chevelle and I noticed that half quarters were put on the car at on time. (This is my first attempt at body work) The thing is when I removed the paint and filler from where the the half quarter meet it seems that the half quarter is overlapping what was left of the original and has a good sized raise in it. Also the half Quarter looks to be riveted on instead of welded. My question is what should I do? Remove the half quarter and weld it in? What are my options?

Thanks in advance.
The Germ

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The Germ

If you have the cash I would cut off the halfs and install quarters that at least go up to the top lip of the rear of the car. Half quarters are very hard to get straight. If you dont have the cash, then at the least get the halfs welded on and get rid of those rivets. Rivets will vibrate loose over time, cracking the filler you put over the seam and ruining your paint job.

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Dave (NY)
70 chevelle ss396 conv
66 chevelle ss396 hdp/conv
72 chevelle
TC member #493
Never forget Earnhardt!

Germ, I remember finding this on a '68 Camaro R/S I had, what a bummer. http://www.chevelles.com/forum/frown.gif But tell me, where is the splice? And is it welded on the "pinch welds" at the bottom, in the trunk jamb, the door jamb, and in the wheel well? This would be a huge factor in whether I would swap it.

By the way on my Camaro the spliced it in a vertical cut straight down from the front edge of the deck lid to the top of the wheel well, and bent the edge in about a half inch from the end down about a half inch. Then the BRAZED it! http://www.chevelles.com/forum/eek.gif I "fixed" it by cutting a strip of metal and laying it over the "trough" they had made and mig welding it in on both sides, it turned out great and the brazed mess was buried for ever, it took very little filler to finish it off.

Now I know I should have removed all that mess and welded in new metal, but it was a "quicky" and that was the "bestest fastest" way to do it, it actually turned out pretty well.

You may be able to just weld up the seam and then drill out the rivets (I assume pop rivets) and then weld up those holes. It may not be the best way to hang a quarter, but in the real world on a street car this is fine.

How you take care of it will hinge on ..
How much money you have to spend.
How much you want to spend on THIS car.
Think about it honestly, before you tear it off.

There are times when you have no choice, someone has done such a bad job, you have to fix it, but think about the above questions first long and hard. http://www.chevelles.com/forum/smile.gif

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1965 Buick Gran Sport Convertible
1965 Buick Skylark H/T
"Fan of most anything that moves human beings"

It's spliced at the body line in the middle of the quarter, it pretty much rivoted all the way around, at the pinch, in the jambs. I also found that the original quarter panel (what's left of it) is still there. The previous owner just laid the new half quarter over the old quarter. I talked to a body man he said I'd be better off just replacing the quarters. I really don't know if I can float that kind of cash right now but if it's the only correct way then I'll have it done.
Anyone know of any good Reproduction Quarter Panels??

Thanks,
The Germ

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The Germ

Go with the complete full quarters with door jams and trunk jams. I know they cost a lot compare to half quarters, but you will save in the long run. You won't have as much time trying to mud over and reconstruct the body lines as you would with half quarters. I'm a body man and I've replaced both kind of quarter panels, and by far I'd invest in the complete full quarter any day. When I started out, I put half-quarters on my '70, but after the experience of putting on full quarters on a customer's car, I would never use half-quarters again. Besides you don't want to put a couple of thousand into a new paint job, and have either the mud or paint start to crack a few years down the road. I'm not saying it will, mine hasn't, but it is a possibility. Furthermore, body panels should be welded not riveted, this may cause problems down the road.

This is my first attempt at body work by myself as well. I will tell you I helped the guy put half quarters on my car a while back. They held up nicely however they did start showing signs of fatigue and stress (8 years later) in the form of cracks.. I was apprehensive on doing the full quarter body work myself.. However it has proven to be easier.. Take a part of the panel off at a time, Look before you cut, get a spot weld drill bit, and go at it.. Everything is fitting like a puzzle, no guesstimates, no cut here leave overlap, weld on a body line, fill the heck out of it and hope it's straight with full quarters.. IMHO it's 100 times easier.. Check out my thread in this section titled Progress.. There are pictures that might be of help to you.. Good Luck and read the posts in this forum... They've helped me ALOT..

Oh yeah Goodmark makes good panels.. I think it's www.goodmarkindustries.com (http://www.goodmarkindustries.com)

[This message has been edited by normie (edited 04-30-2001).]