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69 Chevelle quarter panel replacement

26K views 204 replies 4 participants last post by  Too Many Projects 
#1 ·
I decided to do full quarters on my 69 Chevelle. I used my new HF plasma cutter to cut out my LH quarter today. I got the jamb all removed and part of the trunk. I'm concerned where it is mounted to the rocker. It looks like the awesome repairs before, they brazed the two together. So, I'm assuming that I need to replace the rocker as well to get the correct lineup.

Just looking for some input and any advice.




 
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#65 ·
I got the car frame on jackstands and made the car level, lined up the holes for the tail light housings, adjusted the trunk to get it level and even down the quarters. I'm going to order the trunk drop downs and replace what I need. My new glass came in so I will test fit it and make sure that's good. What kind of clearance should it have? And any other pointers?








 
#66 ·
Pointers, you say? Man you've got that thing looking decent already as far as I can see from here. I'm not on the PC but what I see looks good on a small screen. Hope the leveling helped with that. Half or three quarter inch around the glass is about what's normal, just enough to work the clips plus a little. What to look for there is just even spacing all around the glass, and a level bed for it to lay on. But you want to be sure theres not any big gaps between the "bed" and the glass that the adhesive will have to make up. Sometimes the aftermarket curvature isn't just right.

At my work we took in a decent 69 Chevelle yesterday, it has all the glass out and stuff. So if you have any reference needs, I can look at it or measure stuff if you're patient.
 
#67 ·
I put two fender spacers together and spaced the glass, it doesn't look like enough. For the trim clips, they pieces are all gone with the new pieces. Am I supposed to just screw in new clips? As for the gaps, they are close, but I'd like to get them closer haha
 
#69 ·
Like IDJ said, the gaps REALLY came in with all the leveling...:thumbup: The left trunk to q-p looks really close. You need to have about that much room for paint and still have a decent gap. The right side is a little wider, but you can maybe pull the q-p up and push it in a slightly to close that up some.

Rear window, no way to see the gap at that angle. How thick are the shims ? The trim clip studs are usually held on repro panels with screws and the clips them selves are only about 3/8ths thick, so 1/2" is OK. Lay the trim on and you'll have a good idea how much gap you have to work with.

As for moving the lid up, install the tail light extensions to see how the edge of the lid lines up with them first. Again, I can't judge the lid to glass extension gap at the angle of the pic, but it looks close...1/4" is pretty much minimum to allow for 3-4 coats of paint and 3-4 coats of clear. If single stage, you could close them up a little.
 
#70 ·
I'm still on the small screen but the glass gap I told you is too much. Half inch all around would be spacious. With the wide moldings theres lots of play. Yes to screws or rivets but I'd rather studs. Screws specifically for those are available, ask your clip supplier. I'll have a better pic study when I get home. You're working your way through this quite gracefully.
 
#73 ·
I think you're right. Man thats lookin real good. For what its worth theres a lot of cars running around with awful mismatches at the back corners of the decklid. Go with your noggin because thats working so far. I can't spot trouble on the glass fit from here but if there was a major problem you'd have caught it and shown it. Probably not easy to get pics of but you're there so you be the judge of that.

Maybe get your moldings, clips, and fasteners and confirm fit by mocking up a few. Put some blocks of rubber under the glass to simulate the adhesive if you want to split hairs. Just so theres plenty of glass (say, 3/8 - 1/2") overlapping the bed all the way around and room for studs n clips too. The glass will break (probably shatter) if it touches metal anywhere except the molding itself after installation.

If you clean and look at whats left of any original window bed flanges, you might find arrows stamped into them. Those indicate "stud goes here".
 
#74 ·
Yup, looks like the lid could move up, but watch the body line 6" up, where it matches the housing too. It's usually a compromise on those 2 locations.

Can you move the trunk extension down any to gain clip room at the glass, or will that mess up the corner alignment for the trim ? IDJ has the best idea of obtaining the clips and do a mock-up for fitment of the glass.
 
#76 ·
Thanks for all the pointers. I actually bought new clips a while ago as well as metal screws that have some supposed weather tight adhesive. I'm not sure which ones are for the rear and the front glass. I believe the smaller ones are the rear and the bigger ones are the front. I placed the trim around the window and there is a severe misalignment on the RH quarter and roof seam. There was previously bondo on the roof and around that quarter in the channel. There isn't a way to move that quarter in any more to close the gap. I think the roof is wrong and is causing the misalignment, but I could be wrong. I moved the trunk lid up and it closed the gap as well as lined up with the tails. I still have the problem of the awesome previous panel fitting. I zipped up the package tray with the filler panel and it's perfectly level. I will just have to fix the part where it attaches to the rest, as the package tray is higher than the previous repair. What type of gap should there be where the quarter meets the rocker?












 
#78 ·
I think you're right about the clips.

I want to know if the tail panel is centered.

The curve around the window on the right quarter panel does look wrong but does it match the other quarter at the top?

The Rocker Gap just depends on how the metal is bent there.
 
#79 ·
The tail panel is centered with the trunk. It's just aligned poorly. It was replaced at the same time I'm guessing. I filled in the holes because I didn't want the trim.

I verified the quarters have the same curvature. I used this plastic tool that replicates whatever it is pressed against, and it is the same on both. Which leads me to believe the roof is wrong.

As far as the gap, should I bend it more to achieve less gap? Also, how is the filler panel attached to the quarters? Is it supposed to be spot welded on the visible seam that aligns with the trunk lid?
 
#81 ·
^That's quite helpful. I thought that is the way it needed to be, I just wasn't sure. So I need quite a bit more plug welds than I thought. I'm going to take out the filler panel and package tray and make those connector pieces. Then I'll mock it back up and get to welding. I like the way they are fitting now and would rather not take them off and get them to try and fit the way they are now. Is there a problem with just drilling through the top metal and plug welding it? I do have a pneumatic punch and it's more work to do it this way, but I think I'd feel better leaving it on. As far as the roof goes, it was replaced ****tily as well. There's brazing all the way down each drip rail and across the front. I found out this used to be a vinyl top car, so that's why all the rust up on the top or at least it didn't help.
 
#82 ·
Ah, I see. Roof also crappily replaced :rolleyes: Now I remember.

Well, as I said, the new roof can be your guide on that. Better try it on because it may change things more than anticipated.

Don't fear taking something apart and going back together a hundred times, but DO sweat welding before absolutely ready. Screws are as good as welds until then, and you can make spray paint dots over screw heads and panel edges to make sure it goes back the same.

I have some flat-nosed spotweld cutting bits that I use for making the holes with panels together. A regular bit can also be used but the drill-to-not-through is trickier thats all. Theres more potential for trapping rust prone debris in the seam that way but its a valid method.

I strongly suggest having roof and everything worked out in mock up screws before zapping any of it. Glad the pics were a help, I know how it is to get a little lost with so much rust and previous repair. Just keep using your head and planning ahead.
 
#84 ·
Yes, it has tiny resistance welds in the channel originally. But if you are buying the drip rails also, you can just chop those away to simplify roof skin removal. One of the Camaro pics probably shows how the rail flange is just spot welded to the part behind it, way up above the rail itself. I believe GM intended the rails to be replaced with the roof because of how simple that would make it. The front corners of the roof are welded but it's buried in lead like the rear was originally. Who knows what you'll unearth, lol. It's a pleasure to assist you, you're capable and digest info well. Keep on truckin!
 
#85 ·
Wanted to add another tidbit...

After studying quite a few cars, I noticed that the OEs always seem to skip a weld a ways in from each side on glass beds. I'm all about replicating stock number and location of welds. You had mentioned needing more welds to look like mine and I thought I'd mention this because I believe it may be for better glass retention in a crash, allowing only a portion of the seal to pop in a hard side hit. You make of that what you will, but I always try to honor OE weld locations and number. That's why I never let scraps get away until the car is gone! In your case, you're mostly hosed on that already but I probably have examples I can show ya if you wonder about that.
 
#88 ·
Awesome, thanks for the pictures! On the El Camino, is that where the lead seam was and you just patched it? The way the Camaro is, looks like the drip rails are attached under the roof skin. I looked at mine, which isn't the best reference, but it looks like it goes along the outside. I suppose it doesn't matter either way, it's going to come off.
 
#89 ·
I was looking trying to see the drip rail area in one of your pics, where the quarter is cut away. It does appear to be not like the Camaro. Pics of that new part show a horizontal flange that would attach to the inner structure where the weatherstrip channel does. As far as I can tell. More of a pain to separate since its upside-down drilling or grinding, but probably still OK to chop off rail and roof edge in one cut. Cool. Couple of my yesterday pics are also on page 1 too, LOL. Pardon.

On the front seam, yes thats where it was leaded and I just patched over it with lead removed. Done that on more than one car, works fine. Even done it at the rear once when using an OE-style roof with the stepped flange. All steel kinda melts those cracking concerns away.
 
#90 ·
Ok cool.

So I was looking at purchasing the tail panel. That piece includes the portion that the quarter attaches around the tail light. So, what should I do here? I'm thinking to disconnect the braces in the trunk and hopefully move it in place. It's off on the drivers side and money on the passenger side.
 
#91 ·
Quick answer, gotta run... if the braces are in the correct position, disconnect them then move it. If they are also wrongly positioned move them with the tail panel attached. It would be a far stretch to imagine there's not at least a little leftover collision damage behind all the lovely prior repairs.

I'll check back later.
 
#97 ·
This will work just fine.
I like the confidence you're gaining as you go along. Somebody really did do a number on that car, and now you know some things to look for on other cars. :cool:

Figured you might have been talking about braces to the floor this morning. Is that end piece included with a tail panel or are they seperate? Parts probably did not fit for the guy who was there before you either. No telling what the thought was behind all the messes but thats what old car work is about these days... mess correction.:(
 
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