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Old 04-10-2017, 10:36 AM   #1
blazer2007
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help with car quarter panel trunk gap.

I hope someone can help on my botched quarter on a 67 belverdere,not getting any help on the mopar forum.I replaced the taillight section and the gap on the trunk was good but after finishing the stich welds the gap is too close now.Any ideas on how I should try and move it over abit, a relieve cut somewhere and push it over some how or cut the spot welds on the bottom of taillight section and pull it over? other side of trunk is OK and there is no more room for adjustment
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Old 04-13-2017, 12:28 PM   #2
hugger6933
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Re: help with car quarter panel trunk gap.

Yeah I think your gonna have to make a slice cut then pull over with it getting tighter as you go back start at the back and work your way forward.
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Old 04-13-2017, 12:45 PM   #3
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Re: help with car quarter panel trunk gap.

I agree with hugger 6933. I would cut the top of the quarter a slice that was wider than you need at the back and tapering to nothing at the trunk lid attachment area. Dolly it over till it's a larger opening (slightly) than what you want to end up with. Then weld her back up.
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Old 04-13-2017, 08:36 PM   #4
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Re: help with car quarter panel trunk gap.

You would be surprised how little it takes to do this. Slice it right next to the gap as close as possible, just an 1/8" away max. Cut it with a 1/32" thick cutoff disc and where it needs to be a little more cut that with a 1/16" disc. Tap it over from inside the gutter with a body hammer and check trunk fit. You will probably have to go back and forth a few times, widening it a little more maybe and checking it again. Then weld up the seam.


The hard part is that fender extension is over too! It's pot metal and you can grind it some to thin the end of it. You can cheat a little on the trunk lid too grinding the edge a LITTLE I mean VERY LITTLE, but you can get a tiny bit out of it too.

There is nothing I can't express more than to not try and make it perfect, unless you cut the end loose you welded on and put it straight you are going to have to get it "nice" all around instead of perfect. Don't leave the other side and the back perfect and try to make this side perfect. "Screwing up" the other side a little to make this one acceptable may be where you go with this. Remember, stock, these cars of the vintage did NOT have panels that fit like todays cars. They fit like CRAP, I have a 65 Buick Skylark that I put a LOT Of time into making the panels fit like they do now, they did NOT fit well from the factory 50 years ago.

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Old 04-14-2017, 03:14 AM   #5
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Re: help with car quarter panel trunk gap.

Did you do any planishing of the weld seam across the top? It appears the shrinking effect has pulled the rear of the quarter toward the center of the car.. I would focus some planishing effort on the weld seam, specifically toward the trunk opening, before attempting any slicing. If it doesn't help the issue, then go ahead with the slicing.
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Old 04-14-2017, 08:55 AM   #6
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Re: help with car quarter panel trunk gap.

I did no planishing ,was my first try at this and couldn,t find much help except u tube stuff.The trouble was all the lines are nice and straight like the other side and can,t really see where the mistake is but I guess it doesn,t take much.
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Old 04-14-2017, 11:55 AM   #7
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Re: help with car quarter panel trunk gap.

There isn't much to think about, you welded that end on crooked. There is a possibility it could have been welded too hot on the right side at the trunk and it shrunk while cooling bringing it in at the back as MP&C suggests. But damn that would have taken a lot of heat in the gutter all at once without anything being welded out on the outside at the top corner at all, I honestly don't think it's very possible.

It's more about it being crooked when it was welded.

I see that the trunk was on there while you were fitting it, but was it checked a LOT as the job progressed?

Trial fitting parts like that tail light/quarter extension and all is a MUST while the work progresses.

And of course the right way to repair this is cut the thing off along the top and move it over straightening it out like it should be.

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Old 04-14-2017, 06:30 PM   #8
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Re: help with car quarter panel trunk gap.

My first thought would be to remove the welds in the bottom area, move it out a little, measure it and re-tack it,
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Old 04-14-2017, 06:42 PM   #9
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Re: help with car quarter panel trunk gap.

i know the pictures aren't perfect, but looking at it seems that the back piece added on is not following the correct body contour , maybe its an allusion, seems kicked up a little in the back part,
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Old 04-14-2017, 07:13 PM   #10
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Re: help with car quarter panel trunk gap.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Dayton601 View Post
My first thought would be to remove the welds in the bottom area, move it out a little, measure it and re-tack it,
I agree, that would be a good start and along with maybe cutting the gutter right where it was spliced may allow it to move enough, good call there Dayton.

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Old 04-15-2017, 09:14 AM   #11
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Re: help with car quarter panel trunk gap.

I t finally quit raining so had a chance to look at everyones suggestions.cutting the top will not work as taillight and chrome trim is too close but taking the spot welds out where daytona suggested looks like the best way and there is.not many welds on that section. The top body line is sorta a illusion but it is supposed to have a slight down ward flow.I know now I should have checked the trunk more often but was my first try and got caught up on the outer shape.
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Old 04-26-2017, 09:36 AM   #12
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Re: help with car quarter panel trunk gap.

I got some progress done,cut the spot welds out like posted on the bottom and put a 2x4 and jacked the quarter over and it did work but the quarter is spring loaded and will go back to original position with the 2x4 removed.Should I weld it while it is spring loaded or try to do more spot welds to help loosen more or will any hammer dolly techniques work
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Old 04-26-2017, 10:19 AM   #13
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Re: help with car quarter panel trunk gap.

You could cut it in the gutter to relieve a little still not effecting the outside. That may make a difference. If you move it over without a super lot of force and weld it into place it isn't horrible, it would be better if it were "happy" over there and not want to spring back. But sometimes that's all you got. I would think about a few more cuts though.

Brian
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Old 04-27-2017, 10:10 PM   #14
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Re: help with car quarter panel trunk gap.

Could you take a few more pictures, , step back a little so can see the whole area around tail light opening, trying to picture what spot welds you cut, ( drilled) My second thought is that the metal needs shrunk a little, most likely in the flat panel area, that or heated a little when you have the board pushing with pressure, something is pushing back hard for it not to stay in place with out the board, I'm also trying to vision how you welded the bottom of the panel to the inside trunk pan at the very bottom, that donor piece you welded back in could be just a little bit different shape from the old piece, but I can tell you, some where there is pressure and it needs cut or stretched, if you cut and there is a gap you can always tack in a small strip to fill it,

My third thought would be to jack it further past were the gap would be acceptable thus stretching the metal some where, and when it comes back after removing the board the gap may be close, only problem is for every action there is a reaction, and if your avoiding trying to not have to go back over your body work, well you just might have to o
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Old 04-28-2017, 09:18 AM   #15
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Re: help with car quarter panel trunk gap.

OK I will upload some more pics this afternoon. I did move the 2x4 closer to the tailight and got a even bigger and nicer gap and put the taillights back on and they fit good,I thought it might twist instead of pushing but I think it is in the right spot but I would like to remove the tension.
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Old 04-28-2017, 05:07 PM   #16
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Re: help with car quarter panel trunk gap.

Here are some pics. I was thinking off putting a relief cut on top by the trunk gutter where the new piece is welded but scared I will get a kink when I push on it. Let me know what you think.there is a dent on the upper quarter I have to address too. all bottom spot welds remove from below taillight and down the edge of quarter
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Old 04-28-2017, 06:24 PM   #17
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Re: help with car quarter panel trunk gap.

That's looking damn good!

And I commend you for getting out there and doing that work outside like that. Hell, if I don't have my music going and perfectly comfortable with a beer out in my garage I wouldn't ever go out there.


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Old 04-28-2017, 09:19 PM   #18
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Re: help with car quarter panel trunk gap.

Don't forget to test fit the quarter extension and light before nailing down the rear of the quarter. Looks much better!
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Old 04-28-2017, 09:35 PM   #19
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Re: help with car quarter panel trunk gap.

beer and music always. I just have the one garage and the blazer is in there now just finishing the floor. I test fitted the taillight and looks nice and square. I really appreciate the help on this. Not for sale is was just and old sign that got moved when I was cleaning up the interior. Not many around here, I might see one once a year.
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Old 04-28-2017, 10:53 PM   #20
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Re: help with car quarter panel trunk gap.

Cutting the gutter may work, or may not, u might have to go further across than the gutter, but i was also thinking about the lower portion of the quarter panel, was there any work done to the inner fender / trunk floor area portion, I tried to draw some lines showing what i was talking about, perhaps bottom going in a little will relieve pressure at top, also like I said you might have to redo the area where the weld is on the side, something has to give, Picture 2
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Old 04-29-2017, 09:14 AM   #21
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Re: help with car quarter panel trunk gap.

On the inner trunk is a piece called a trunk extension which is only a 4 inch wide x 4 inch piece of thin metal bent at a angle which spot welds to the trunk and then to the bottom of the quarter and is pretty flimsy so bends fairly easy
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Old 04-29-2017, 11:11 AM   #22
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Re: help with car quarter panel trunk gap.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Dayton601 View Post
Cutting the gutter may work, or may not, u might have to go further across than the gutter, but i was also thinking about the lower portion of the quarter panel, was there any work done to the inner fender / trunk floor area portion, I tried to draw some lines showing what i was talking about, perhaps bottom going in a little will relieve pressure at top, also like I said you might have to redo the area where the weld is on the side, something has to give, Picture 2
Great job explaining things there!


Brian
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Chopped, Sectioned, 1953 Corvette 235 powered. Once was even 401 Buick mid engined with the carburetor right between the seats!
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Old 04-30-2017, 09:36 AM   #23
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Re: help with car quarter panel trunk gap.

Well I cut along the top of the fender where the old weld was and pushed it over and got a nice even 1/4 in. gap all the way down,was easy to turn the old bottle jack with a little screwdriver. I,m happy and I think I should just leave it alone. This time I will tack abit then test and repeat instead of getting excited and going too fast. Again that,s for your help,I wish you guys were on the mopar forum. they answer once and never come back.
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Old 04-30-2017, 12:32 PM   #24
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Re: help with car quarter panel trunk gap.

Looking good!


Brian
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1948 Chevy pickup
Chopped, Sectioned, 1953 Corvette 235 powered. Once was even 401 Buick mid engined with the carburetor right between the seats!
Bought with paper route money in 1973 when I was 15.

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Old 04-30-2017, 04:23 PM   #25
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Re: help with car quarter panel trunk gap.

make sure you come back and show us when finished,
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