Getting ready to install the 1/4's, I have already removed the driver's 1/4, and both wheel well's, tail panel and deck filler panel. I have temporarily set all these back in place, and held them with several screws, seem to have everything lined up really well, according to the trunk lid and bumper. I'm just about ready to order the wheel well's and pass. 1/4. My question's are:


1) Should I wait and get the passenger side piece's, and test fit them to the other new panel's I've set? I'd need to remove the old panel's on that side, but the driver's side, and tail, and filler panel are all set perfectly. Just wondering if I shouldn't get all the panel's test fit vs doing the driver's side then finding out the pass, has something wrong.

2) I bought lord fusor #108b/t30 medium set adhesive, for it's medium set time, sound right?

3) Was going to glue the wheel wells together, then glue the assembly to the car, using some screw's and clamps to hold it together. Do I need to weld anything on this assembly?

4) When installing the 1/4 skin, was going to weld the sail panel, at the factory joint, and along the vertical edge of the trunk. Using glue to assemble the wheel well lip, around the deck filler panel, also along the rear window, and along the trunk drop-off.

5) What should I do along the door jamb, and along the bottom where the panel meet's the rocker?

6) Was also going to glue the deck filler panel, and the tail panel in place using adhesive and clamps, or should I use some weld here?


Hopefully, this will all go as planned. Got a new miller 135, and my brother is coming up to do the welding, and be an extra set of hand's. I've studied MartinSR's basic's of basic's, even got it bookmarked. Just want some specific to chevelle info here. Thank's for the help, Dave.

1. IMO weld up as much as you can. Remove too much and the car comes unstable or can move on you.
I would mock up one side first getting everything to fit right. Fit the new parts to the old ones on the other side.
Especially with that tailpanel, you DO NOT want and try to fit that piece without knowing where one side atleast goes, what a friggin PITA that is!! Fit the tailpanel to the 1/4 and the old one as well. If you leave as much original metal in place it acts like a guide helping you show you where it needs to be.
With all the parts removed you are guessing to where the proper fit needs to be.

2. Sounds fine but whats the work time on that glue? Work time is how long you have to work with the glue before it sets up. The large panel glue IMO is better because it gives you more time to algin and adjust if needed. I think the large panel in fusor is 2 hrs work time.

3. I would test fit the inner wheel well to the car first. Fit it to the trunk floor and other related panels. Hold it in place with vise grips or srcews. The test fit the outer to the inner. Hold it in place with clamps. Once you belive the fit is ok test fit the 1/4. I promise that you will need to tweak something to gain the proper fit alround those three pieces.
Once you have everything in place and fitting drill some 1/4-5/16 holes throu the inner to the outer, and weld them up. Get those wheel wells welded up as much as you can with the 1/4 mocked in place, IMO it helps hold everything in place. Once you have welded everyhting you can remove 1/4 and finish the welding.

Those wheel wells believe it or not are HUGE strucutal part of that car. You should weld them in place

4. Weld the sail panel at the roof joint, door jam, rocker and vertical joint at rear bumper. I would glue to the outer wheel well, deck filler panel and trunk seem where the weather strip goes and trunk drop off's. Glueing or welding the rear window to me thats up in the air, but in all reality i would weld it.

5. Without a doubt WELD IT

6. Tailpanel is made of two pieces. The main piece that has the holes for the bumper to bolt too. Then a second piece that welds on top of that that then welds to the 1/4.
I would weld the main piece to 1/4's and trunk floor.

I would also weld that second piece because of one reason. The angle that piece sits affects how the entire rear of the car fits. It sits too low the 1/4 will sit low at the corners. Decklid will NOT algin across the back and you either wont hit the weather strip or hit it too much the lid wont shut right.
I welded mine and just knowing when I relpaced my entire tailpanel I needed to twist that top piece at the corners pretty good to get the proper gaps. Am just wondering if the adhesive would fail, but when welded it wont.

The angle at the corners of that top piece where it meets the 1/4's affect panel fitment and so does how far back or forward it sits on top of the main piece.

I do have pics to help explain my ramblings but unless you know why when I upgraded from window's ME to XP and now the picture cd's wont read I cant help much...Eric

Sevt, thank's for looking. I'm using fusor that has 70 minute's of set time, look's like I should get the driver's side all set in before I remove the pass. side. Here is some pic's of where it's at right now, see what you think and let me know. I've still got some clean-up and DP to shoot before final install. Thank's, Dave.http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/71metbu/doorjamb.jpg
http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/71metbu/rockerquarterseam.jpg
http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/71metbu/quartertailpanel.jpg
http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/71metbu/dropoffwheelwellquarterpanel.jpg

http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/71metbu/trunkbumperseam.jpg
I need to figure this picture thing out.
http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/71metbu/sideshot.jpg

I used 108B on the rocker area and wheel well to quarter. Made sure I welded the wheel wells in. I think this is too much structure to not weld. I know they are a PITA, but worth it.

Make sure you are ready with the 108B. It sets in about 30 minutes, trust me I know this from today, I glued my rear window filler panel on. Just couldn't see myself trying to weld in that channel area with a MIG welder. Too narrow. Just had enough time to set it up and clamp and screw it.

I wouldn't go much more gluing than the rocker and wheel well to quarter. The reason I did the rocker area was because the left side was originally glued and the right side was spot welded. Probably made on a Monday, I know they didn't use adhesives back then, but I am telling you there was not welds there. They did use either bondo or some type of adhesive between some of the spot welds. IMO this would be a PITA to weld again, just glued it and screwed it. If the factory did it, it must be ok, it lasted this long. Update, I didn't glue the door jam area. Welded that.

Good luck.
Marty

I would NOT glue a rocker on!! GM didnt use adhesive back in 1970, someone has been in here.

Dave what other problems or questions you have?
So far it looks good! One thing I would do before you weld anyhting is to trial fit your bumper. I mean I would send it off for rechrome and test fit the newly chromed bumper before final welding.
When I did mine I mocked everyhting up, sent my bumper out for straightening ONLY. Checked my fitment again with the newly straight bumper, changed a thing or two then welded it up. Once that was done I sent the bumper back for chrome.

I say this because even thou that bumper looks good and straight it could/might be bent and you dont even know it. You fit/weld your parts to a tweaked bumper, then get the bumper fixed. Now the whole back end of the car is off.

Sevt, thank's for the comment's. I understand what you're saying about welding my way out of the wheel well's. It's kind of what I was thinking in the first place, so that's what we'll do. Didn't think about the bumper, will need to check into getting it checked out, I think that a new one is about as much as getting one re-chromed. Where would I look to get one straightened locally? Probably check with a local body shop. Need to get the under seat re-placement pan ordered and in so that I can set the inner wheel well to it. Got enough to start with, but trust me, I'll be back for more info. Two more picture's, one is from the first day I brought it home. Thank's for the info, Dave.
http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/71metbu/deckfiller.jpg
http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/71metbu/DayOne.jpg