[borrone821]

Hey guys,
About to cut up my 69 quarter. Have the skin from Goodmark and was wondering if anyone had a good template or idea where to make the cut. Everything I've read on the A-bodies says the coupe vs. convertible quarter begins to differ about 6 inches above the wheelwell. Is that above the lip or where it begins to curl? Is there a good way to ensure it's a cut parallel to the ground, because I have no other reference and the 1/4 botttoms aren't parallel.
Any help on how to cut these up would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
Jim

[borrone821]

Anybody?

[nh68gto]

Some guys go right up to the body line of trunk area. Some stay down 6-8". Being parallel to the ground is not important.

Make your cuts to get rid of the rust ares first. You can zig zag in all the directions you want (to keep as much factory metal as possible), as long as lines are straight.

After car is cut up, you can start to fit the new quarter. Fit and refit and refit and oh yea refit. Cut up the skin and trace it to the car. If you are lapping the joint leave 3/8"-1/2" if but welding. Trace, tape trace line and cut. and oh re-fit. Lots of guys have different methods to do metal work. Big thing is fit and after welds are ground make sure they are clean, because the rust will come back.

[Aus Goat]

I think V8 tv did a segment on a quarter panel change on a chevelle convertible.
have a look it could help .
Good luck

[GTOBOB]

I was hoping some GTOAA Concours Judge would answer this one, but while we're waiting I thought I'd offer a suggestion. Try not to cut the top 6" of the original quarter panel. You'll loose the concave shape. (I don't know if Chevelle convertibles have this concave shape or not.) If it were me, I'd roughly follow the contour of the top edge, cutting about 1" above the marker light at the rear to about 6" below the stainless molding where the top boot goes.

If you look at my avatar, you can see that my quarter was cut too high when I got the car.

Experts: Please feel free to disagree with me. The important thing is that the info is accurate.

[2manyponchos]

RIGHT ON GTOBOB! The aftermarket skins for a hardtop do not have the concave shape (curved in) that is in the convert quarters about 4" or so (going off of memory) below the top body line. The converts have a definite concave line that is missed quite often when shops skin the quarters at the top. If you can stay below that, do so. Only replace what is needed. We have skinned cars at only a couple inches above the wheel lip. That "concave line" is in the hardtops as well, but not as pronounced on the verts. There is actually a lot going on with the "coke bottle" shape of the 68/69 quarters. I love looking at the factory metal on my 68 Tempest. The Pontiac styling group knew what they were doing! -Doug

[webfoot]

Originally Posted by 2manyponchos

here is actually a lot going on with the "coke bottle" shape of the 68/69 quarters. I love looking at the factory metal on my 68 Tempest. The Pontiac styling group knew what they were doing! -Doug

Holy cow, you aren't kidding. It makes it tough to sand properly for a novice like myself.

[2manyponchos]

Honestly, by the time any car is primed and blocked (even on top of factory metal), it is very hard to hold all of the factory definition. The area behind the door jamb, below the rear quarter glass body line where the coke bottled 1/4s blend is actually one of the toughest on those 68-9 quarters, IMO.

[my69gto]

If you have a quarter that is too trashed to save, is it possible to recreate that "concave" shape with one of the repop skins or is it not feasible?
From years of my car sitting outside rusting, my passenger quarter has that "oilcan" effect where the metal has thinned even up near the top and it can be pushed in quite easily. Someone mentioned to me that heating it and cooling quickly with water will shrink the metal a little to tighten it up... just curious what options I'll have when I get to that point later this year?

[GTOBOB]

Originally Posted by my69gto

If you have a quarter that is too trashed to save, is it possible to recreate that "concave" shape with one of the repop skins or is it not feasible?

I think it's possible, but I believe it would take a skilled set of hands and an english wheel to do it. In your case I think this is a little radical. If I were faced with your situation, I would start to install the panel like nothing is wrong, betting that the oil canning goes away. Cutting the old panel will relieve a lot of stress in the metal. If, after you tack the panel in place, it still boinks (am I allowed to say that?), I'd take it to a torch guy who really knows his stuff and let him complete the weld. He'll know how to shrink it correctly.

[my69gto]

ok...thanks Bob!
I'll follow that and see what happens.

[PaulatFast]

I might add that Bob did a good job when skinning his 68. He actually achieved a flat surface where the concave is on a factory panel, most converts that are skinned have a rounded bulging look after the seam is mudded over.

We "worked" one that was skinned to have a slight concave shape, next to a factory panel it was still too "fat". My 68 GTO convert had been skinned years before I got it. It's shape is nowhere close to correct. Not a single person has ever pointed this flaw out to me. I notice the difference immediately. I also notice a reproduction front fender from 100 feet away. My point is very few folks will pick up this anyway. I'd try to save as much of the area as possible, be sure to at least make both sides of the car the same.

[my69gto]

Thanks for the followup Paul. Good points for sure... especially about making both sides look the same regardless.

Thanks,
Dave

[paint guy]

Certainly don't mean to hijack the thread,but can someone tell me how far the concave shape on a vert carries through?Going from back to front,does it "die out"(for lack of a better term)at about the middle or first 1/3 of the wheel well,of does it go farther?the reason I'm asking is I have an"oil can"in one of my quarters that i have to remove,(car was hit dead center in the wheelwell)and the concave shape seems to carry farther on that side than the other.I will make both sides the same,but at this point,I really would like to make the car (body-wise)as correct as possible.thanks for any help.

[PaulatFast]

The concave starts about 6-10" from the front and carries to about four inches from the rear of the panel.