Here's where we left off last month. The old quarter-panel has beenremoved, leaving the upper body line, doorjamb, and side-marker lightopenings.
Last month we explained how to properly remove a quarter-panel so thatas much of the original factory look as possible could be preserved. Infact, when this work is done correctly, no one should be able to tellthat the quarter was ever replaced. No telltale scars should show. Notonly that, but the new panel should survive at least as long as theoriginal.
As you saw last month, removing the cancerous part always uncovers moreareas that need proper treatment. There's hidden rust, dirt, debris, andold undercoating that needs attended to. You do not want these things tocontaminate all your hard work and cause the body to reject your newpanel. Take the time and spend the effort to treat these areas, and youshould never have to be concerned about a relapse again.
Prepping the new Year One panel starts with cutting off the top portionat the body line, and then removing the lips at either end, the doorjambedge, and the edge around the taillight opening. This way, as much aspossible of the factory look is preserved.
No two cars were assembled exactly the same. In fact, the same car isnot the same from one side to the other. Everything wasn't intended tobe perfect, it just had to be within an acceptable tolerance. Now if youadd thirty or so years of usage and maybe even a bump or two, you cansee why no car is going to be perfectly "square."
The reason we are reminding you of these things is that even when usingquality reproduction panels, each panel must be custom-fitted to eachcar. Prep work is never fun or glamorous, and it sometimes doesn't looklike you are really accomplishing anything. It can be dirty, dusty,tedious, and time consuming, but if you don't get this part right, thosethings that you are covering up will begin to grow again, eventuallycausing future problems by reinfecting the new parts you've labored sohard to replace. So, don't be in a hurry to slap that new panel on.Invest the effort now, and you'll be rewarded for many years to come.
The wheelwell lip on these panels tends to be a little wide, so Johnadvises using some 3/4-inch masking tape along the outside edge of thelip as a guide for the Whitney/Roper punch. This ensures the 3/8-inchholes that you punch will line up properly with the inner wheelwell lip.Once the two lips are plug-welded together, the excess lip will beremoved with a grinding disc. | 
The e-coating must be removed from all areas that will be welded toprevent the e-coat from contaminating the welds, which could causeporosity problems. Use a 3M bristle brush for the flat butt weld areasto avoid heat warping. A Clean and Strip Disc is fine for theplug-welded seams. | 
Don't forget to clean a generous area around the marker-light opening inthe new quarter-panel, as this part will be removed during theinstallation process. |
The initial panel alignment is critical. since most of the originalfactory attachment points have been retained, you'll have a surprisingamount of leeway, and, in this case, you can focus most of yourattention on that long body line that runs the length of the panel andon the opening around the wheelwell. | 
Once you have your panel where you want it, drill a couple of 1/8-inchholes through both the new panel and the original quarter, and insert acouple of Cleco fasteners about 1/2 to 3/4 inch from the top. If youdon't have Clecos, small sheetmetal screws will work.You will also wantto clamp together the seams fore and aft of the wheel opening. | 
When you are satisfied the panel fits like you want it to, start on thetop of the panel in the middle, and begin adding additional Clecos allthe way around both ends about every 6 to 8 inches. You'll probably needto reclamp the lower seams as you go. keep checking to make sureeverything is staying lined up. |
This is how far off the new marker-light opening would have been if wewould have used the opening from the new panel. It might not look likemuch, but it would effect how well a new bumblebee stripe will fitlater. | 
Next, grab your West Cut 4-inch cutoff wheel, make a slice through bothlayers of sheetmetal, peel back the two strips of the new panel, andplace a tack weld right between two of the Clecos. Now, working onalternate sides of that first weld, place additional tack welds about1-inch apart, keeping the heat to a minimum. Use a small screwdriver tomake sure that both panels are lined up perfectly. John likes the WestCut wheel because of the thin cut it makes. It leaves a gap that's justright for tack welding the two panels together. | |