[67'7F6'Bird]

The passenger side quarter will remain on until we are comfortable with the other panel alignment. We have installed small sheet metal screws to easily reference the known good attachment points on the drivers side quarter panel; this helps in keeping everything easy to install, re-install, re-install, re-install you get the idea.

[67'7F6'Bird]

Here we are inspecting and guarding the tail panel. It was ordered through Frank Pontiac Parts. The box was labeled "The Parts Place" - I was told by Frank that The Parts Place originally manufactured these and the tooling is now used by other venders.

[67'7F6'Bird]

As far as getting the Tail Panel in place it only needed some minor fitting around the new quarter panel. I can see the ratcheting straps definately being used to help get the fit almost perfect. The passenger side quarter panel was cut in the trunk weather-stripping area, by doing this we could line up the Tail Panel on the passenger side without any cutting or manipulation to the new metal.

[esahlin]

Wow....you guys are making quick progress.

Using the air chisel to remove the tail panel is a great idea....I wish I would have thought of that when I was doing it.

Yes, from my understanding there is just one manufacturer of the tail panel. All the vendors get it from the same supplier it seems. Its a pretty nice piece except for the weatherstrip channel needing a little work.

I am currently just finishing up welding in my tailpanel. I am welding all the seams between the qtrs and the tail panel because I decided I wanted to fill the seams with fiberglass filler when done. Just a personal preference.

From your pictures it looks like you have some good looking seams and the qtr is fitting the tail panel well. Nice work.

[67'7F6'Bird]

Hello Esahlin, Thanks for all your replies and compliments - I appreciate the time you put in to help us.

The tail panel was removed in about 15 minutes with the air chisel. Have patience with using it and adjust your speed as sometimes the Spot Welds pop easier than you'd think.

The Picklex 20 and the Twenty Gauge Welding Wire arrived today.

We sanded down the inner structure with a small handheld sander and with the 3M 4" grinding wheels - I love them; we applied the Picklex 20 to all the metal, and just for comparison we left some metal with the surface rust to compare - results coming soon.

Also posted is the measurement were getting from the lower quarter panel to the spring. Is this measurement correct?

My brother is modifying the aftermarket outer wheel well, the contour needs some work, as it sat in the quarter panel lip it was a little more than a 1/4 inch to short and the lip did not match - we are patching the original panel in 2 locations previously mentioned.

[esahlin]

I'm just finishing up what you guys are starting on so its been interesting to see you guys open your car up and tackle the same work....and I thought I would pass on a few tips I got from other guys who had been all thru it before me.

On the picklex 20.....Wire wheel or sand the rusted metal as best possible (like youve already done in some of your pics) then its best to apply the Picklex 20 with a small brush stiff bristle brush like a tooth brush. Pour some of the Picklex in a small cup and then U can use the brush. Let the Picklex that you applied to the rust set/dry for about 2 minutes......then lightly dab the excess Picklex that is left with a paper towel. Now, let the Remaining Picklex dry for about 15 minutes....you will see a film over the metal/rust form after the Picklex has dried. Then you can lightly scuff the Picklex film....just break the film that has formed over the metal dont try to bear into the metal with the sanding sponge or sand paper. Now you can paint over the Picklex prepped metal with a good epoxy primer. The Picklex is a rust converter/remover so work it into the pittted rusted metal well with the brush you apply it with. A little bit of the picklex goes a very long way so you dont have to use lots of it to coat the metal. Applying the Picklex to clean metal wont do anything it has to be applied to rust so it can convert it. If you get some on some clean metal just make sure you scuff it before epoxy priming.

On the aftermarket outer wheel houses....Yes my aftermarket outer wheel houses were about 1/4 inch too short also and did not fit into the quarters wheel well lip very well either. Thats why I originally said (in response to your first post) the aftermarket outer wheel houses werent the greatest.....since its a hot seller I dont know why the supplier/vendors dont do a restamp?

On your measurement, from the picture it looks like the lower quarter is too close to the spring....that lower last inch or so of the quarter should mate up to the bottom inch or so of the trunk drop down panel. once you get the outer wheel house on there (or once you patch your original)....I think that will probably prevent the lower part of the quarter from extending to far past the bottom edge of the trunk drop down panel. try another fit after you get the outer wheel house patched up. Then I think the lower qtr should mate to the drop down panel better.

[67'7F6'Bird]

Hello Esahlin,

I was expecting some fit issues witht the outer wheel well, you did give me the heads up on them - Thanks. We have made a patch to the lip of the wheel well and are gonna try to make it work - if not I may need to order a new one.

I got some prep work done on the rear panel bracing, I used a thin wire wheel to get in good where the weatherstipping will sit - this worked great.
Sanded it and 3M wheeled a few areas. I cleaned the bare metal with paint prep and was ready to brush on Eastwoods rust encapsulator as my first coat, this can be used as a primer coat too but when I Prime other areas this may get a coat of Epoxy Primer, I then will apply a top coat of Por 15.

I went over the areas better on the side bracing, removed more surface rust then applied Rust Mort on all the bare metal. Fusor Panel Adhesive will be used in the drip rail, where the quarter sits on the rocker panel and the vertical lip of the door jam - the rust mort in these locations is temporary and will be sanded off completely when Im ready to Glue these locaions. The panel adhesive is applied (bare metal to bare metal). I did use the Picklex 20 on the sail panel area where the factory seam is located because I will be welding there.

[67'7F6'Bird]

Esahlin, Regarding the trunk drop down, the quarter panel looked too low becasue I hadn't secured the Tail Panel well enough and it dropped slightly. I have more C-Clamps coming on Monday so this won't happen again. I like using the screws but only when the fit is near perfect.

I drilled out the spot welds on the trunk and lower rear panel - the trunk drop off dropped off. HAHAHA

The trunk floor was straightened slightly as this was another area that showed signs of the damage from the accident.

[esahlin]

looking good.....your car actually looks like it is not too bad on rust. Mine was a bit worse.

I am gearing up here to replace my roof in the next month or so. After I get the back half of the car pretty much finished.....will start tackling that. the car had a vinyl top and there are a few holes in the roof up near the front. I patched them a couple years ago but decided that since Ive replaced most everything else might as well do the roof too.

I am not a big fan of POR 15 since I applied a bunch of it to my car about 5 years ago. Applied it to the badly pitted and rusted roof after I removed the vinyl top. I was trying to take the easy route and sidestep replacing metal and hence went the POR 15 way. But anyway just this past year I decided to remove some of it and it basically peeled off with ease and the rust underneath was alive and kicking. I did use their metal ready product and followed their process....but all that i have removed didnt seem to do anything to slow the rust underneath. Now I cant stand the stuff and have spent more than a few hours removing all that I applied 5 years ago. Now that Ive found Picklex and I now spray a good high quality epoxy primer I wont go back to POR. But I do know some people love it and stand behind it.

[Hammered]

I caught this post a little late, but it looks like you're doing just fine. esahlin has already noted most of the problem areas. I did this a couple years ago now and have some pictures posted here:

http://john.my67.net/Body%20Progress.htm

You started with the easy side as the passenger quarter quality is not as good as the driver side.

[Region Warrior]

Dont suppose you'd like to come to Indiana for a weekend.
My 67 needs qtr's.
You' guys have done in 2 days!

[67'7F6'Bird]

Hammered: Thanks for your Link! I enjoyed reviewing your pictures - Very Nice Car!!!

Region Warrior: You pay air fair and food - keep watching and you'll be able to do it your self.

We were very unhappy with the fit of the outer wheel well so I located both NOS outers and picked them up Saturday morning. Here are some photos of the wheel well lips major difference. I couldn't waste any more time on fitting the patches from repo to the exististing panel.

The pictures below are from left to right:

pic 1 ( NOS left )
pic 2 ( NOS bottom )
pic 3 ( NOS top )
pic 4 ( NOS top )

[67'7F6'Bird]

I initially had some reservations on cutting off the remainder good metal of the outer wheel well but it had to be done the right way with the best panel available. The pictures show how we cut off the outer wheel well. We are not going to install the inner lip of the NOS wheel well between the side supports and the inner wheel well - I dont see the need to cut into all the other metal, the old lip which is rust free will remain on the car. The NOS wheel well rotated right into place, the fit is so much better and the metal is noticably thicker too. We did get the quarter panel back on and there are no fitting issues. We are happy.

[esahlin]

Sweet job on scoring the NOS outer wheel wells.....Where did you find them so quick?? Amazingly, I can see from your pics that the stamping of the NOS is different than the Taiwan one.

Another suggestion before you weld on your quarter.....see the "hinge support" area for your trunk lid? See how that whole trunk lid hinge support mess there is kinda rusty......well now that you have decent access to it with the quarter and outer wheel well off and the tail panel......I would remove the rust there and Picklex it and epoxy prime it (if you have the spray gun etc). I spent alot of agonizing painful time laying in my trunk area trying to wire wheel the rusty trunk lid hinge and support pieces with both quarters already on the car. I just didnt have good access and did a poor job.

Also think about wire wheeling and treating the rust on the bottom of the package tray area....if you were laying in the trunk and stuck your head under the package tray area and looked up.....all that rust there. With the tail panel off and the quarters off it might be a good idea to get at all the rusty areas in the trunk treated/sanded/wire wheeled etc. No tail panel on the car makes it more comfortable to lay down in the trunk if needed.

Also, When you weld on the new outer wheel house to the inner ....there will be a gap there that is exposed inside the wheel well right above where the tire would be. You might want to consider using a good 1K or 2K seam sealer to fill that seam between the outer and inner. Most of the good seam sealers (not the brushable ones) can be applied over primed metal and can be painted over. I used the Fusor 800 1K sealer that can be used in a standard caulking gun.

[67'7F6'Bird]

Esahlin - I purchased the NOS wheel wells locally. I remembered I saw them forsale in a weekly publishing. I think Im going to give that job you mentioned to my brother, clean the underside of the package tray metal and rear valance panel. hahaha

I will get some of that seem seeler and give it a try. - Thanks.

I have posted the inner wheel well, cleaned and wiped with Picklex. I am now working on the underside of the the trunk floor near the trunk drop off. I need a suggestion on what special tool to use in getting in the tight spots there and below the inner wheel well especially in the seams - the wire wheel works well but I can't use it in those spots.. I do not want to sand blast. Has anyone tried soda blasting? I hear it works well but makes a mess. My brother has filled in all the spot welds on the trunk lip where the tail panel attaches. I like new panels so much better.

[esahlin]

I havent done any soda blasting so its a tough call on cleaning those areas and seams. Ive used paint remover on the painted areas that are hard to get at then it only takes light pressure from the wire wheel (on the end of an electric drill) to remove the paint that can be stubborn and hard to get at.

Those seams your talking about on the trunk above/near the drop down.....those are tough. I replaced that panel there (trunk extensions I believe they are called) with new. Since you have that roll bar welded to the bumper/tail panel brace that make things tough.....cause I would recommend just replacing that panel and the bumper support brace.....would be an easy job with how far apart your car is.....but that hefty roll bar welded to the bumper to trunk to tail panel brace makes things complicated.

http://www.parts123.com/parts123/yb....Z5Z5Z50000136d

[Hammered]

You can sandblast those structural panels without any problems and it will make less of a mess than soda. You might consider buying a siphon feed blaster from HF or Sears because you have so little to do. Plus, it's virtually impossible to damage any metal with a siphon blaster because the pressure is much lower.

[67'7F6'Bird]

Esahlin: Hello, I looked at both panels you mentioned, other than the minor rust on the seam - its in great shape. I do like the galvanized coating on the original bumper support brace.

Hammered: Hello, I do have a siphon feed blaster, I have used black beauty before - but I feel its too abrasive. I went to a media blast company today and they suggested silica, which I purchased. I will pull the car out of the garage and blast those hard to get spots. I will be back on track next week and hope to get most of the prep work completed.

http://www.dawson-macdonald.com/product.html

Thanks,

Steve

[67'7F6'Bird]

We finally had some time to get the sandblasting done on the drivers side. I still need to do a little more on the underside of the trunk pan and above the differential. For the time involved it took I may use the sandblaster more than I wanted to initially, it made quick work of the rust removal. Now we can get some paint on these pieces and be done with them for now.

We used plastic bags and tie raps to cover the exhaust,fuel lines, fuel pump and rotor. Very little sand ended up in the car. A quick vacuum and we were ready to apply the Picklex.

[Hammered]

Steve,

It's looking good. The media blast company gave you good advice. Brown silica sand is cheap, it breaks down easy (less aggressive) and it's not too big a deal if it gets into the yard. I like to lay down a big tarp and collect and reuse the sand.

It is much slower going with a siphon blaster, but you can't hardly do damage either. You will be glad you did this. I'm looking forward to more pics!

John