1973 Cuda quarter panel plan

[oldmoparbuff]

I am trying to develop a plan for metal work on my quarter panel.
I am a novice welder with a Miller Mig welder and a little trigger time.

The quarter panel on my car was replaced in the early 80's before me owning the car.
Who ever replaced the quarter did on okay job, buy used a quarter off of a 70-71 car, brazed the top edge about 1' inch on top.

I have quarter panel skins and not full quarters.

I have rust in the wheel arch and low behind wheel well, outer wheel house is good.

My original plan was to replace the marker light, wheel arch and lower rear behind wheel well in three separate pieces and use as little of the replacement skin as possible.
I was trying to stay close to the body line.

I was told by a friend to avoid working the brazed area as it would be difficult to weld.

will upload more photos soon.

Looking for some guidance.

[oldmoparbuff]

Is the existing quarter better material than the replacement skin?
If I wanted to remove the old quarter there is enough material on the 1/4 skin to get past the brazed areas by about 1/2 inch.

[1 Wild R/T]

The new repo full quarters are very good, I'd plan on using full quarters... That way you'll would have to second guess the repair once it's painted...

[Rich G.]

3 separate patch's is not the way to go. When I do just a skin I never go on the top of the quarter but yours is already like that. If that is good and the door jam is good then I guess you could leave it. Don't know what they did with the jam but if that's bad you're better off starting all over with a full quarter. So assuming the quarter fits perfectly, the way I do a skin is I cut a few inches Below the top edge and few inches before the door jam and the tail light. If the wheel well and trunk extension are bad,replace and just clamp them on. Clecos work great and you should have them if you have to take a piece on and off. Then I'll trim and slip the new skin under the original panel and get a wiz wheel with the thinnest wheel and cut through both panels a few inches and with my pocket screwdriver bring the two panels together and put a tack weld on. Peeling back the old quarter as you keep cutting until is all on. Then just keep tacking and cooling each tack (100s) and that should minimize warping the panels. Never run a bead.

[oldmoparbuff]

Door jam and top edge are done well, as are trunk area.

I already have purchased the quarter skins.

Thanks for reply's.

I do understand the part about cutting through both panels at the same time to create a proper fit.

[Cuda70-74]

Rich G. Is right that how i did mines.

[Rich G.]

A picture tells a thousand words. If you think about all the tack welds you have to put on and grind off it's actually easier to replace the full quarter when available.

[oldmoparbuff]

This photo is looking up at the top edge of the quarter panel.
This is the brazed seam where the 71 quarter is attached.

Here is yet another reason to replace the whole quarter in one piece.

The good news is the old quarter looks to have been cut of at the body transition or top edge.

I should be able to grind away the braze and hammer and dolly to a good fit.

Using a profile Gage to match sides.

[RUNCHARGER]

Get the brass out of there. 3 patches is just as much, maybe more welding than welding the whole skin.
If you can return the skin, do so and buy a complete quarter. A basic rule is the less weld length the better.

[oldmoparbuff]

Picked up a wide grinding wheel tonight. Try to remove braze this weekend.  Do some metal exploration.
Wish me luck.

Thanks for the help.

[Topcat]

Brazing is horrible.   

It cooks the metal to the point it looses its malleability.

That means the metal is dried out...in so may words.

A pillar on mine had it. Was cooked to a crisp.

[Cuda70-74]

I never understood why brazing was done. What was the purpose of it?

[JS29]

I never understood why brazing was done. What was the purpose of it?

Back in the day that was all they had, mig welders were few and far between and expensive. but almost every body had torches. 

[Cuda70-74]

I never understood why brazing was done. What was the purpose of it?

Back in the day that was all they had, mig welders were few and far between and expensive. but almost every body had torches. 

Oh ok makes sense. 88 baby here lol

[oldmoparbuff]

This car has been in my possession since 1984 ish.  The repair of the quarter was before I owned it.
For the most part the repair has held up well.

It's time to repair it with todays technology and parts.

I wished I could TIG weld.