Too Many Curves

I had intended to make a single L shaped or Z
shaped patch to fill this area but it had too
many curves in so many different directions
that I chose to make one flat piece for
the top first. It took me 3 hours to shape it
alone using nothing but hammers and dollies.

Slightly Big on Purpose

The top patch was left slightly big. I used a
manila folder to trace the shape of this area
from the opposite side of the car that was
undamaged, then reversed the template
and traced it on to this side. The result was a
perfect mirror image and a great fit...
You'll see.

Shaped and Tacked

After the trim. A wet rag makes an AWESOME
heat sink for the welding. I didn't have
anywhere near as many blow throughs.
Also... weld through primer makes a HUGE
difference. Well worth 20 bucks (nicer welds)

Good Basic Shape

For a beginner... not bad.
I was freakin' stoked at the overall results.
Would have cost my first born at a body shop.

Take That $90/hr Body Shops!!!!

End product. The vertical piece is also a flat piece
with the bottom edge folded over towards the inside
of the car like the original. Butt welded in an L
shape... edge to edge. Also fixed the lower piece
in the trunk gutter and the upper piece where the
window channel ends. I mirrored the other side
of the car for the design.

The Fit

Here's a look at how it mates with the filler panel.
Keep in mind that the filler panel is still not
tacked on the top and bottom,
that's why it seems raised in both ends.
But when held down... All I can say is...
Thank goodness I didn't screw this up!

Back at the Doctor's Office

After the cancer was removed, here's what needs to be resculpted.

Notice how nicely the metal under the filler panel sanded down.

It was mostly surface rust. The filler panel took the brunt of the damage.

Here's the First Patch

Actually...two. The window channel was a flat piece.

Then it was welded to an L shaped piece I shaped with a hammer and dolly to match the shape/roundness of the quarter. The welds aren't beautiful now but they turned out much better.

Closer Look

A better feel for how the L shaped rounded quarter patch meets the flat stock channel patch.

The First Finished Quarter Panel Patch

It looks much better after I ground down the welds. All it needs now is the other 4 or so patches to finish this area and some All Metal filler.

With so much of the metal gone... I temporarily laid the replacement filler panel from NPD in place to correctly measure how wide the patch pieces needed to be and how long a flange to give them to attach to this new filler panel. Hope this works out or the panels will look like they don't align right.

Let the Major Surgery Begin!

Just a quick before shot before I pull off the rear

window/trunk filler panel. It wasn't in bad shape but

its window track area is a little lumpy from rust...

so why not play it safe.

Lower Bottom Corner of Rear Window Channel

A good view of what's waiting for me when

I remove the filler panel.

Not sure how I'm goint to fix these holes since

I can't afford to get a new quarter

How to Remove This Dang Thing?

No matter where I looked or who I asked no one could

give me a good answer. This thing had enough spot

welds on it that it was almost welded straight across

the whole piece. I decided to get a better feel for the

situation by removing as much as possible with a sawzall.

Where to Make My First Incision?

I cut as close to the upper end

(before the window channel) as possible.

Then cut on the inside of the butt joint

where the filler panel and the quarters meet.

Easier to Find the Spot Welds

With the filler piece now pulled/rolled slightly towards

the rear it was a lot easier to find the spot welds on the

upper end, the weatherstrip channel and the flanges

that mate the filler to the quarter. Notice how much of

the quarter flange needed to be cut off though.

Ought to be a joy to fix.... WHATERVER!

OUCH!

Though I knew some metal was going to

have to be replaced... DAMN!

Not this much! This shape will take a lot of patience

to reproduce and I'm a beginner with no funds

to buy a new quarter. Ought to be a growing experience.

Again... WHATEVER!

Overall Look

So here's a view of what I found when the panel was removed.

Look closely and you can see the metal missing on the

passenger side quarter. Look closer on the driver's side quarter

and you'll see the marks where I intend to cut the quarter

and fabricate new pieces. Again... I've never come

close to tackling something like this before.

Never welded until I got my hands on this car.

Pray for me... Really, really hard.

Extreme Close Up

I may not be the best welder or body guy in the universe but

I'm quite happy with my third sheetmetal repair.

The entire repair was fabbed from scratch

out of flat stock metal. You have no ideas how many

little patches this actually includes and how

many compound bends there are.

Perspective

Here's a better idea of the size of the

repair of the passenger side quarter