[PonchoV8]

I have a rolling project (71 LeMans Sport) with obvious rust through behind the rear wheels (and blistering under the vinyl top). One of the quarters might need more than a patch once the old paint starts coming off.

If you were paying a shop, what is the cost difference in a skin and a full repop installed if it's BORDERLINE? I'm talking about the part price + labor compared between skin and full. Is it easier and just as "cheap" (cost effective) to do a full 1/4 if you're paying? I'm just doing some metal work now. No paint.
TIA.

[rexs73gto]

A full 1/4 is a little more in price to buy but it is a little easier to put on. Also with a full 1/4 you get all new metal up to the roof & around the back window where they rust alot. If it were mine I'd go with the full 1/4 panal, I did when I put them on my car & am glad I did. If theres rust under the vinyl top you have to pull it up to that point anyway, so go for the new 1/4. Also there not as much work inside the trunk area to finish out with a full 1/4, your not trying to hide that LONG seam inside the trunk where the weld seam is.

[1968firebird455]

Go with the full quarter. It will take care of any sail panel and window channel rot as well as keep you from having welds along the side of the car. My shop would charge less to properly install a full quarter vs. butt welding in a skin.

[mikes2nd]

I got my full quarters for like 350$.. of course living hear summit helps with no shipping.

It just depends on how much damage is all over.

I just know skins suck now, full quarters are pretty good from Goodmark.

I returned my skins to Summit, exhanged for full quarters.

[gtomike72]

What are you guys doing about the curve around the rear window where it comes to a sharp point rather than a curve also the rear bumper insert? These were made wrong and it causes a straight bumper to look bent downward

[mikes2nd]

Originally Posted by gtomike72

What are you guys doing about the curve around the rear window where it comes to a sharp point rather than a curve also the rear bumper insert? These were made wrong and it causes a straight bumper to look bent downward

? not sure what your talking about, but alot of that stuff has to be made by hand.

If your talking the window channels, i made my own. Down around the tail section, I patched mine where it rotted.

Circle on pic the area your talking about, skins don't hit any of those. Quarters replace most of that.

[PonchoV8]

Here is the rust in my car. Advice?
There is no filler in this car (yet).

Right side behind wheel, then right side in front of wheel.



Left side: Left side behind wheel and then left side above wheel.

[Ragtop Man]

IMO, call GM Sports and get complete quarter/wheelhouse/turndowns from a dry car and have those installed, even if you have to postpone other projects to do it.

Original GM metal came off the same tools, has the same guage and the same pinch points, and came off similar (or the same) body jig.

You can have it blasted nice and clean before install and use the factory seams, it will be like nothing ever happened.

Stuff you will never see, like trunk floors, etc, are good for repops.

[mikes2nd]

gm sports will rape you on that stuff.

if they even have it, you have to buy their full quarter and your talking like 600-700 shipped at least for a quarter if not more.

between the lower patch and stuff you can fab what you need. That's not bad.

You will need to carefully clean out the bad metal and or blast it.

For example the areas around the trunk drops will need cut out and remade.

Since it looks like its there you should be okay.

And actually I picked up a passenger side quarter skin that will have that upper section and the front part on the passenger. But I honestly think you just can clean that out and patch it. I would carefully grind off that upper edge to get rid off the rot. Then build it and weld it in. Its going to take some time so be patient.

When your cleaning the rot from the bottom of the lower quarters... I would grind off the bottom to see how much of the trunk drop(metal behind" and see how it goes.

I guess it also depends on how bad your wheel housings are. Gonna probably take work on those also.

[gto406]

My passenger side has rot/rust in the same spots. I have a pair of quarter-skins. Trying to plan of attack - I may try and just graft in at the body line (everything above that is solid). My outer wheel-house is partially rotted, but I will graft in only what i need.

Full quarter is overkill and is more work than earlier posts suggest. You have to break all the spot welds and cut out the old one. That will be time consuming (even with a spot-weld cutter)!

Keep us in the loop on your progress.

Cheers,
Brian
'72 GTO.

[PonchoV8]

I'll look into having it media blasted in those areas. Not sure what we have available locally. The trunk is bad in this car, and the top is poor having stripped the vinyl cover off yesterday.

[mikes2nd]

Originally Posted by PonchoV8

I'll look into having it media blasted in those areas. Not sure what we have available locally. The trunk is bad in this car, and the top is poor having stripped the vinyl cover off yesterday.

the only trunk I would get is the 3 piece off ebay.

his name is partsoverload_com on ebay, maybe performance years here can confirm they have the same kit?

http://stores.ebay.com/Parts-Overloa..._sid=711126781

Center part number is TF03-682C for example, its like a single part from their "7 piece kit". If your supports under the trunk are gone, get the 7 piece

never ordered from this guy, but he comes up on search with that part number.

http://www.ctcautoranch.com/Catalog/...cessories.html

There are TWO sets of 3 piece trunk kits... its farking annoying... both made by golden star. One is thin and crappy, other is more to the original style and actually punches the ridges out. there are two edp coated... then there are the edp two piece, the one piece(beware!)... then the uncoated kits...

I ordered them all(mostly from summit, since I could return with no penalty)... even the spectre uncoated(thicker than stock!).. horrible fitment, partially stamped...


Check my posts.

You should blast it yourself if you can, you don't have to blast it, since its so small you can strip that yourself with a wire wheel. Make the cuts close to those areas and then wire wheel.

The trunk is another story. Its not cheap dragging the body and getting it blasted.

You can start cutting with care on metal you know is rotted.

I actually cut metal out of mine before having it all blasted and primered because I wanted the blaster guy to hit the lower quarters inside.

[PonchoV8]

I found that post about the trunk you made. I read about the '68 trunk and the Chevelle trunk issues. This LeMans will be a good practice car. I have a Judge needing left side trunk, drivers front floor and full 1/4s. I might not tackle that car, but I'll understand it.

This car is still on my trailer. The crevices inside the bottom of my 1/4s are a concern. I tapped the outer 1/4 and thought they were full of filler until I realized the pockets were filled with dirt and decomposed MDF particulate. Looks like a Carpenter's laborer owned this car. I vacuumed out the pockets and it was still packed in there. I had to dig at it some with a big Craftsman screw driver I found in the 1/4 drop off while digging. I got it all out. The splatter paint is still all over the inner surface but I'm sure it's gone from the bottom crevice. I bought this car for $700 a few yrs back to make an HO clone. But I think I'm going to do a Saginaw 4 spd with unmodified 400 engine instead.

[1968firebird455]

Strip the quarter to bare metal and then make a decision. If thats the only damage I would just patch it in.

[PonchoV8]

That's what I'll do.
I found a fender today that I forgot I bought for the car.

[gtomike72]

Originally Posted by mikes2nd

? not sure what your talking about, but alot of that stuff has to be made by hand.

If your talking the window channels, i made my own. Down around the tail section, I patched mine where it rotted.

Circle on pic the area your talking about, skins don't hit any of those. Quarters replace most of that.

The window channel curve I'm talking about is right below the rear 1/4 window that has the groove indentation comes to a sharp point in the aftermarket full quarters rather than the curved indention that is factory. Minor detail for some but bugs me.

The rear bumper insert isn't perfectly stamped and isn't level and actually bends slightly upwards which causes the bumper to look bent down on the sides when the bumper is installed.

These are the setbacks I'm waiting to be corrected or I may have to section out sections of the full quarter

[gtomike72]

On the partial quarter the wheelwell lip is no where near correct or is the bottom section where the panel folds under the car. IMO the partial skin is garbage and is a waste of money. I have one on my pass side that I'm going to cut off and scrap.

[gtomike72]

My recommendation for your car is to buy the full quarter and section out the bottom but cut it below the bumper insert and it should look factory

[PonchoV8]

I probably confused myself, but is there a Goodmark skin, or is it just a full?

Been looking it over and with the patch in hand, I don't have the skills to make that work and still have a wheel well molding. I was thinking of going with the skin if it had a better profile.
With this being a $700 LeMans body and just a 350/auto car it doesn't make sense to use a full quarter.