Another quarter skin question

[soundcontrol]

First I was gonna use Goodmark skins, the fit was good, but the body line sucked and the gas filler cap did not fit so I changed my mind and got AMD skins.
I use AMD outer wheelhouses that I had to cut for the convertible top patch, I welded the driver side (just a few spot welds)
Now when I try my AMD skins they sit about 3/8 too low, (bodyline) and I can not push them up anymore because of the outer wheelhouse.
Not sure how to fix this, so I removed the spot welds and now the outer wheelhouse is loose again.
Still hard to fit, what I wanna know is how to best go about it, should I have everything loose and try to get it in place or fasten the outer wheel house
first? Or fasten the quarter skin with screws on top so its in the correct place and then try to add the outer wheelhouse?
Seems to me that I might have to make a cut in the wheelhouse to get the outer edge (that goes with the quarter) up some and still fit in the rear with the inner wheelhouse.

Also, I measured a friends car that untouched, from the top edge to the body line in the rear, and if I put my quarter skin so it looks good with the bumper indent it's 5mm (13/64") lower  than my friends car, is that within the specs? (Did they even have any specs?  )

[Rich G.]

I use clecos and fit everything first before anything gets welded. This way when you take it apart you can start welding and everything goes back exactly where you took it apart

[7E-Bodies]

I'm using AMD panels on my 70 hard top Challenger and had the same issues with the body line falling about 3/8" too low. It was very obvious where it met the lower end of the tail panel. I had to add bend at the top of the quarter, which lifted the entire panel into place. It's nothing to have to remove, tweak, and replace a panel a dozen or more times, so use clamps galore instead of welding right away. Make only minor corrections each time and don't over do it. You also have to get very inventive in rigging up something solid enough to finesse the bends. I'm very impressed with AMD steel over Goodmark, but Goodmark blows them away on fit (based on a 73 Barracuda I replaced quarters on. I use masking tape notes all over the panel reminding me what and where to make corrections when pulling it back off. I had to snip off steel in some areas and even add a 3/4" strip underneath behind the wheel. I'm finding Challenger quarters to be a bit trying. Take your time. It's only steel. You will win.

[soundcontrol]

Thanks! If I fit the quarter skin without the outer wheelhouse in place now, I can get it to fit fine, bodyline is where I want it and the door and tail panel matches,
it's the wheelhouse edge that needs to come up about 3/8.
And I can't see that happening without cutting a wedge out towards the back of the wheelhouse, because it fits fine with the rear flap.

I hear the pros's talk about "massage" the panels to fit all the time, not exactly sure how much modification that includes... bending, reshaping, yes....but cutting?

[dodj]

I use clecos and fit everything first before anything gets welded. This way when you take it apart you can start welding and everything goes back exactly where you took it apart

Clecos make the 'on again', 'off again' pretty easy.
Just curious, are you lining up the quarter with the door and fender installed and aligning them all together?

Never mind. Just checked your other thread and you have them all on there...

[RUNCHARGER]

I have no problem massaging outer wheelhouses to make stuff fit. You just have to triple check beforehand is all. Does the valance fit correctly or will you have to work that edge as well?

[soundcontrol]

I have no problem massaging outer wheelhouses to make stuff fit. You just have to triple check beforehand is all. Does the valance fit correctly or will you have to work that edge as well?

Thats the word again... "massage"?  Sounds so easy...
This is so much harder than patching smaller rust areas, finding that out now.
Does it include cutting wedges out of them? What do you think I should do to raise that edge a bit?

My rear valance does not have any flanges at all, the previous owner cut them off for some reason, so I have to make new ones.

[RUNCHARGER]

I can't really suggest a method without being there to be honest. Sometimes you can rotate the wheelhouse slightly to make it work or you might have to cut somewhere to slide it up or possibly roll a new outer flange higher up. It would just be too easy to give bad advice over the internet in this case.
By cutting wedges I think you mean in the inner/upper part of the outer wheelhouse and then weld it back together which should bunch it a bit and move it up. That sounds to be fairly easy actually and could be the easiest method. Like I say though without being there and seeing it in person I would not want to say what is the best course of action. If you do it that way I don't think you would have to make the cuts very wide at all, you would have to proceed with thin cuts (probably 2 or 3 and start with maybe 1/16" wide or so by maybe 3 or 4" long).
I have no experience with Convertibles so hopefully someone who has will chime in if they've worked this problem out.

[RUNCHARGER]

Does the outer wheelhouse fit nicely into the quarter patch off the car? I wonder if you could splice a wedge into the outer part of the outer wheelhouse to add material so you could raise the middle of it up? If it conforms nicely to the fenderlip of the quarter patch I don't think that would work though.

[soundcontrol]

Yep, the flange fits perfectly on the quarter panel outside the car.

I don't even have to cut a wedge out, I think, if I just make a straight cut, then move the outer part up some, I believe the cut parts will overlap itself,
then I can grind it from the inside and butt weld it shut again. It's the rear part that prevents the rest of the wheelhouse from moving upward.

I also have the original outer wheelhouse, I used that as a template, will check again for differences.

I like @7E-Bodies line "Take your time. It's only steel. You will win" 

Thanks a lot Sheldon! Very nice to get an experienced opinion.

Gonna hit it this weekend, and win.

[RUNCHARGER]

Are the wheel opening flanges tight to each other inside to outside? If the outer wheelhouse flange is tipped and only contacts on it's edge it could be stretched up with a body hammer (most likely 3/8"). You probably already checked that though. And yes if you just zipcut a slice up in the middle and then horizontal from it going front and back, it would come together pretty fast and be easy to weld/finish.

[soundcontrol]

Are the wheel opening flanges tight to each other inside to outside? If the outer wheelhouse flange is tipped and only contacts on it's edge it could be stretched up with a body hammer (most likely 3/8"). You probably already checked that though. And yes if you just zipcut a slice up in the middle and then horizontal from it going front and back, it would come together pretty fast and be easy to weld/finish.

Yep, the flanges have good contact with the quarter opening.

[soundcontrol]

Fixed it! I just needed some reinsurance and the guts to cut up my brand new AMD stuff 
It only took one cut to make it fit like a glove, I also bent the flange a little bit, and it also made a difference.
A very small wedge cut, about 1/8" at the top (widest spot), just need to weld it up tomorrow, of course I brought the wrong glasses
so I could not weld good today (sucks getting old!). I lined up the quarter skin and everything fits, gaps are good, and body line is at the same height as
the reference car I measured.

[RUNCHARGER]

Lovely! Great job figuring that out.

[HEMICUDA]

Fixed it! I just needed some reinsurance and the guts to cut up my brand new AMD stuff 
It only took one cut to make it fit like a glove, I also bent the flange a little bit, and it also made a difference.
A very small wedge cut, about 1/8" at the top (widest spot), just need to weld it up tomorrow, of course I brought the wrong glasses
so I could not weld good today (sucks getting old!). I lined up the quarter skin and everything fits, gaps are good, and body line is at the same height as
the reference car I measured.

You talk about us "professionals"?  What we have are the tools and no problem doing is exactly what you ended up doing, grinders, cutoff wheels and welders are your friend.  If you worked on cars professionally like we do, you would get as proficient as we are bumping around sheet metal.  Nice job on that.