Panel alignment question

[truckinman466]

Ok folks,I need advice. Trying to get my rear quarters and sail panel aligned. The quarters are too flat in the area I have marked. Any advice on how to get them to bow out some? Also, it seems my filler panel is too long. It is a cheaper brand. The Quarters are and. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[truckinman466]

Can't get the pictures to load from my camera for some reason. Any suggestions?

[Cuda Cody]

email me the photos and I'll uplaod them.  codyreich@comcast.net

[Cuda Cody]

Here's the photos.  @truckinman466   the photos were to large for the site to re-size.

Cut, re-shape, weld up.    It's going to take a bit of time, but it can be made to fit perfectly.  None of these panels (AMD or any others) are perfect and will all need to be "fit".

[truckinman466]

Thanks Cody for putting up the pictures. Is there a way to put them up from my phone for future use?

[Cuda Cody]

The photos will just need to be taken in a smaller format or resized.  Or just send them to me and I'll re-size them for you and send them back.  It's easy for me either way.  I'm here to help and happy to do it.

Thanks Cody for putting up the pictures. Is there a way to put them up from my phone for future use?

[anlauto]

You could snip a few cuts in the flange of the quarter where you want it bowed out...push it where you want then weld up the cuts 

[jimynick]

Am I missing something here? The circled portion of the 1/4 seems to be the best fitting part of the whole panel with the bottom hanging out an inch. It also looks like there's been inner wheel houses and likely outer ones installed too, and welding them in before getting your fit for the 1/4 is not the way to go IMHO. Just my 

[truckinman466]

Nothing is welded on the quarters. The bottom goes in just fine. The only fitment problem is at the top getting it to follow the curve of the door

[rhamson]

If you look at the top of the panel at the rear window sill you will see that the sill is bent at a crooked angle to the door sill. It needs to be bent flatter to align with the door. As mentioned before relieving the flange around the area where the door is flat will help allow that flat area to bulge out to match the door. Depending how well the quarter panel fits at the bottom is it attached to the rocker or is it just hanging loose? If it is attached you may have to bend the door to make it fit. As far as the deck lid, the gap to the quarter is excessive but this happens a lot. I bought a new deck lid from AMD and I fixed the gap by welding on new material to narrow the gap.

[jimynick]

OK, if the upper section of the panel doesn't follow the door due to being too flat, I'd take some snips and make perpendicular to the surface cuts about a 1/4' apart in the lip right up to the skin which should allow you to bow that section to your taste. You may have to make very narrow pie shaped cuts if the movement requires it, but try to keep them very narrow so that you can weld them up easily later. As for the upper trunk panel (some call it a dutchman) it'd be much easier to re-define the edges of it rather than weld up and grind down both sides of the deck lid with it's attendant chance of warping the skin. Measure carefully to determine your actual width between the 1/4's and add in the desired gap. Subtact that figure from the actual width of the UTP and split the difference scribing that measurement on both sides of the UTP and that's where you need to re-define your edge. The panel is reasonably flat and you should be able to use an appropriately sized straight edged dolly/mandrel to hammer the egge flanges to that mark. It'll take some screwing around and careful hammer work, but it's a hell of a lot easier than the other way IMHO. Trim off any too-long edge of the resized UTP and you should be on the road to recovery. Good luck 

[rhamson]

OK, if the upper section of the panel doesn't follow the door due to being too flat, I'd take some snips and make perpendicular to the surface cuts about a 1/4' apart in the lip right up to the skin which should allow you to bow that section to your taste. You may have to make very narrow pie shaped cuts if the movement requires it, but try to keep them very narrow so that you can weld them up easily later. As for the upper trunk panel (some call it a dutchman) it'd be much easier to re-define the edges of it rather than weld up and grind down both sides of the deck lid with it's attendant chance of warping the skin. Measure carefully to determine your actual width between the 1/4's and add in the desired gap. Subtact that figure from the actual width of the UTP and split the difference scribing that measurement on both sides of the UTP and that's where you need to re-define your edge. The panel is reasonably flat and you should be able to use an appropriately sized straight edged dolly/mandrel to hammer the egge flanges to that mark. It'll take some screwing around and careful hammer work, but it's a hell of a lot easier than the other way IMHO. Trim off any too-long edge of the resized UTP and you should be on the road to recovery. Good luck 

I agree with the door to panel solution because I would do the same thing to angle it back down to match the door. However the dutch man panel cannot be narrowed as the rear window is set by the glass. If you narrow the dutch man and pull in the quarter panel as it goes up the roof line the glass will not fit. Yes it is tedious and heat warpage is a real concern but it is the best way without interfering with the glass. Or you could leave it as many do without worrying about the gap.

[RUNCHARGER]

I thought the dutchman was wider than OEM. The new part should be modified to be the same as OEM if it isn't. Please tell me you put new bushings and pins in the doors and aligned them to the OEM quarters before removing the original quarters.

[YellowThumper]

Yes from explanation and pic, the dutchman is too wide and needs to be narrowed. Slice and weld as necessary depending on comfortable skillsets.  I would slice off on top plane close to the bend and weld back on. This way the original curvature would be contained. Not strong on welding, make a buck (hardwood can work) and then work on forming it to desired length. Slow and steady to move it uniformly with minimal stretching.

[rhamson]

If the measurement between the bottom corners of the rear window measure 54-7/8" then the dutchman is the right size. If the measurement is wider then the dutchman has to be shortened.