[Entropy11]

Posting it here instead of the body section as I’m more concerned with hopefully recent experience with 68-69 only. These panels seem to “evolve” over time with the same manufacturer, let alone between manufacturers.

I’m most likely only using the whole wheel arch area (2” above at most), possibly trailing off low towards the rear bumper, and leading in low towards the arch from the stampingbi wind up using. I could also piece a front wheel arch patch panel with the separate rear arch patch panel but my concerns are successfully using the wheel lip trim in the future. I can get a Sherman quarter for about the price of those 2 patch panels. I could also spend more for other brands that all have the ability to tie in higher towards the rear window channel, only to cut it off with the other 60% I don’t need.

As far as wheelhouses, if I’m doing inner/outer together, is there any advantage to using a complete wheelhouse as opposed to just welding the two halves together. I guess I’m just kinda torn not knowing how well they fit in these cars. If the full housings are garbage I’d be better off welding 2 halves together to the with I need instead of ripping a full down the center to change it and weld it back together.

Sorry, pretty specific yet vague questions I’m asking all at the same time… just kicking ideas around in my mind before ordering. With the way the industry is, it appears as though someone posting “AMD/Dynacorn/Goodmark was decent in 2004” has no bearing on the current offerings. Thanks

[HoovDaddy]

I've replaced a lot of quarter panels back to when these cars were crashed new. Patching the outer skin like you described will be more physical work than replacing a full quarter into the roof, at least to me. I would buy the wheel housings separately and weld them yourself once they are fitted to the inner body structure, trunk drop offs and quarter panel. Are you replacing the inner housing because of rot at the floor line?

I have had recent experience with Sherman fenders for a '65 Mustang I'm building. Thought I'd give them a try. Fit and stamping details were horrible, there was a 1/4" gap at the headlight housing area and the rear was 1/2" too short at the windshield area. I ended up waiting for NPD to get them and they are a totally different stamping, and they will fit with minor tweaks. Typically I buy the 3 brands you mentioned, but nothing is going to fit out of the wrapper, they all need to be tweaked. Sad, but these days it all boils down to availability.

[Entropy11]

Thanks Hoov, that’s exactly the type of info I’m looking for.

The floor line isn’t bad at all, it’s more of the extension below that which sort of aprons over the frame rail (looks like a previous attempted repair, then more rot), some minor rot where the support attaches leading up towards the rear deck filler/trunk hinge area is, and lastly I saw a few pinholes looking up from under the wheelhouse towards the quarter window crank handle area. That’s without knocking off the remnants of undercoat that remain. The inner and outer are both original to the car, the quarter has never been hacked except for some poor repairs around the lip. I could strip in something easily on the overhang and form up something small where the support mounts as they’re easy to access, but the pinholes just left me thinking I should replace. I guess I really should get it all down to metal and reassess before jumping the gun with a poor quality inner replacement.

Oddly enough, the best stampings we’ve ever received were our most recent (Cuda L & R front floor pans). We needed only small pieces but for once practically wanted to use more just because they were so exact. Sadly, I bought them not knowing the manufacturer, they had zero markings on them, and the seller had no idea of the source. I’d love to say something good about a manufacturer this time, but can’t!

Thanks again.