Full quarter or skin

[gzig5]

Am I short changing myself by going with a skin instead of a full quarter?  The upper half of the quarters look good.  As far as I can tell on my car, the rot is all below the top of the wheel well and it has never been hit in the back.  I don't feel like I need the top surface going up into the roof.  I can get both AMD skins delivered for the price of one full quarter before shipping so that makes the skin doubly attractive.  The savings would pay for a floor pan or TTI headers.

[Shoooter]

If you dont require full quarters me personally I would just do the skins , keep as much original metal as you can. I like to save the factory body lines

[RUNCHARGER]

Part of it depends on your patience with long welds and grinding. The other part is if the top half of your original quarters are truly damage free.

[gzig5]

Patience level is yet to be seen but outlook is good. I enjoy welding and metal forming The quarters appear to be untouched so I'm hopeful that I have a good base in this area.

[RUNCHARGER]

Any rust around the bottom back window corners?

[gzig5]

Very light in the right rear window corner, but it is "surface rust".  Still very thick metal there.  The insides of the quarters show that everything was stock, no repairs. I've spent a lot of time with my head in the trunk and under the car.

[340challconvert]

gzig5

Glad you were able to get the discount for the quarter skins for your Cuda 

[anlauto]

A quarter skin requires more welding and more bondo... just depends on what you want out of your final product

[JS29]

I have two car's that i used half panels of skins on, a 78 nova and a 77 trans-Am. Thirty years ago and they still look good. I used a flange tool, spent a day welding, another day grinding. approximately three inch swath of filler with duro-glass brand filler for the base. I still poses these car's, And they still look like they did from day one. 

[Shane Kelley]

The AMD full quarters are decent but far from perfect. In my opinion if everything is as you say the best choice would be get the skins and use only what you need. That will eliminate dealing with the known issues with the full quarters. While they are pretty nice they do have some issues.

[gzig5]

A quarter skin requires more welding and more bondo... just depends on what you want out of your final product

I want it nice of course, but it's just a '73 340/727.  Not worth a $100k restoration.  It will make a nice driver/fun car and should look pretty good.  If it has a wrinkle here or there, I'm not going to sweat it.  It's more important to me that it drives well (and fast) and is reliable and structurally sound.

This frees up a bit of budget that I am looking to put towards the Dynacorn back half.  Need to get that ordered now that I'm done traveling for a couple weeks.  Seems like the easier way to take care of the trunk pan and rear frame issues.

[dodj]

I put skins on mine back in '93. Sounds like I did exactly the same as JS29. Still looks good, no regrets. It was also painted in '93 and is still wearing the same paint, no issues.

[7E-Bodies]

Full quarters, especially on a Challenger is a PITA, yet I'm confident in sheet metal alterations. That being said, I only go with full and use lead at the rocker and sail panel. JMO.

[Dynamo]

I had the same issue and wants with my 72 Challenger and only replaced from the lateral line down. I butt welded the joints and ended up very satisfied with the finished job. butt welded joints will pull fairly even with the heat. A good fit up is essential. quarter skins are not perfect either as mine were not correct at the marker light or where it meets the lower valance

[JS29]

As a side note, BONDO is a brand of filler, and is garbage. People would build it an inch thick and try to fill in rot holes with it. I have seen body fillers hold indefinitely by toughs who know what they are doing.