help question on how to fit this mismatch
 

tail panel to rear quarter panel -same for all 70-73 firebirds...……

have a pretty good mis-match here, other side is good.

way I see it, the only option is to cut the rear quarter panel a few inches in and add a splice piece of metal to lengthen the quarter to match them up.

am I thinking right? any other way? asking because i'm not real experienced and sometimes I realize after the fact I could have done it a better way.

Thanks for any help

is that filler on the edge or the seam sealer? Could the quarter be caught on an edge and not allowing it to fit properly?

that's an understandable observation, but no, its where it needs to be as far as edges, and lining up with the upper corner area.

I think what I have is an "accumulation of tolerances" and I suppose lucky to have this so minor. that is......repop outer wheelhouse, trunk drop off, quarter. then add a first time effort "per best shop practice" and thus all together I have the mismatch.

actually I don't need to lengthen the quarter I need to cut it at the contour where it turns in and add material to the curve. its not much, I don't think it will be noticeable when done. only way I know to do it.

the tail panel is where it needs to be straight/true and proper width. can't alter that anyway. anyone with a better idea i'm all ears.

Quarter skin (repair panel) or full replacement quarter? If full quarter I suppose you have proper door gap to quarter and the trunk lid length matches the upper part of the quarter?

Started with full quarters and cut them to skin panels so I could cut to what I wanted. needed the jamb pieces for splice repairs there anyway.

I maintained the rear corners of the original quarters that way and the front jambs.

so yes, being a skin there are no issues with to far fwd or aft etc which is exactly why I didn't want to attempt the full quarters. didn't need full ones anyway.

I may be able to do some minor tweaking but at this point, i'm going to have to cut and splice a little. the skin fits good everywhere else.

Did you replace the rear body panel too?

just the lower inner and out tail panels were spliced in. matched up exactly to the original portions. (see floor/torque box/frame rail thread in this section for all the metal work pics iv'e done)

there's no moving anything at this point. maybe can get the quarter a little closer when I tack it up.

i'm going to have to cut the quarter and fabricate the area to match up, was just wondering if a body work guru out there had any suggestions.

I really believe its just due to multiple repop panels coming together. and I actually feel pretty good about having just this one area to rework. and in a good spot down low below the bumper at least.

I read thru your torque box replacement thread, great work by the way!

The one thing that caught my eye was the trunk extensions from the left to right side look to be at different heights. It may just be an illusion in this pic but they look to be different at the rear valance. They even look different in front at the tire/tread. I'd take a measurement from the shop floor to the bottom edge of the trunk extension panel on both sides, maybe this is causing the fit issues at the right rear?

Here's the rear pic from your other thread:

Steve, you have a good eye. I was aware of the condition you speak of. I didn't address that until I began fitting the quarters. the trunk drop offs are fairly easy to adjust, the drivers side I put a 2x4 under and used a hyd jack to raise it up. then had to apply pressure as needed to move the drop off(s) in to the same angle. the early pics show them prior to adjustment.

.....i'm going to check all that over again and measure as you suggested, to see the pics and notice that, you must be the experienced guru I was hoping to get advice from.

these 2 pics show the drop off(s) difference prior to adjustment. I actually thought the drivers side was going to be the problem area, but after jacking it up, and adjusting in, it was the better fit. you brought it to my attention, maybe I can yet adjust the passenger side to match the drivers better.

actually the trunk drop offs don't dictate the quarter fitment much if any. i'm guessing even nos drop offs would have to be formed to fit to the quarter flange. forming it up was easy, forming in to the proper angle also. the rear flange is easy to manipulate also. the drops off are formed to fit the quarter not vice versa.

I measured the tail panel at several angles, close enough to same both sides. measured the quarters from the aft of wheelhouse to furthest aft point of the quarters, again same.

really think its just repop fitment differences with the outer wheelhouse and quarterpanels. feel lucky being my first time with this and having just this relatively minor area to overcome. not 100% sure exactly where to "manipulate" the panel yet. but i'm going to have to cut to do it.

the angles at the tires are near exact now, at the time of the drop off install they had not been adjusted yet.

I basically built my entire car from panels just as you’re doing. I had the same issue that you are. I used a wide ratchet strap hooked into the tail light opening and ran it down over the back tail panel and under the car to the frame rail and pulled it in tight and tack welded it. I made mine fit as well if not better than factory.

I stuck on some green tape to where I’m talking about putting the strap. You will need to weld the top first and leave the lower loose.

You can see my build here.

http://lateral-g.net/forums/showthread.php?t=56230

Been there, done that too.
 

This one has the original rear bumper, rt. rocker and A pillars. I don't think there was an external panel that didn't have to be cut and altered in some way to make it fit.

I am curious as to who's sheet metal panels you guys are using??

goodmark when possible, have had the best received condition and fitment. other panels from various suppliers, dynacorn etc but always see if goodmark has it first. thru rock auto was my best pricing.

Mine have been all Goodmark and AMD.

The point of my Earlier post was other than the package shelf, upper half of the inner wheel houses, the outer cowl panels, and the inner roof structure everything else is replacement panels. I was able to make everything fit with some persuasion by pulling and pushing. I didn’t have to cut or splice any of the panels.

I am VERY satisfied with the panels I bought compared to some of the junk that was available 10 years ago.

stan65, that strap is a good method to.

I like seeing others having used all the available repop panels, and I agree overall I am very pleased with all the panels. where would we be without them? and they've gotton much much better.

get these quarters done and I can move to final gap fitment. looks like your well beyond that.

400 4spd, you have been there, done that. looks like a nice car. can't wait to be taking pictures and waxing mine.

77 or 78?
 

that car reminds me of being 16 and working at wendys hamburgers in high school my manager bought a brand new blue with blue interior and T-tops, 1978 loaded trans am with the 400 and a 4 speed. even had power windows which were back then a high end option. would still like to have one like that.

This is a '78 with auto, cruise, a/c, p/w, p/l. Original 400 block, carb (Thanks Cliff!) and heads, 390 h.p.

Mis-match solved
 

I couldn't think of a way to get pressure on the panel, then came up with my floor jack and a heavy rubber wheel chock. the jack was on my rubber floor mats so when I raised it, it stayed put under pressure and the wheel chock conformed to the tail panel without risking damage.

it worked! I had to apply pressure by hand on the bottom of the quarter to get the trunk drop off/quarter pushed over so I had to tac weld 2 spots on the outside of the seam groove. the top tac is behind the bumper so i'll just leave it, bottom one i'll clean up when its grind time.

glad that's behind me, no known fit issues from here forward as far as the quarters go.