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Lower patch panels for 32 Ford; are any real good & where to buy?

5K views 6 replies 4 participants last post by  Deuce 
#1 ·
32 5 window shell; and I'm starting on the lower body. I looked at pics of quarter panel patches on Ebay Stores and it really does not look too good at the door edge near the bottom. It looks like there is a radius at/for the bottom tip of the door? Is that correct? The crease of the door edge does not look sharp enough? Opinions on these? Would all the different places get their panels from one source?




Spadaro does not have a good pic.

Has anyone used quarter & cowl patches for a 32 with any good results? if so, where are the best ones?

If I call a parts place they will say "sure, they fit great" :rolleyes:
 
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#3 ·
Most patch panels for oldies but goodies are approximations of what the final completed product is going to be - some door and cowl panels that I purchased a few years ago from Dick Spadaro for a '31 slant windshield sedan were very close tho needed a bit of radius.

Dave
 
#4 ·
I sure do get what you both have said about tweaking. As you may know, there are some repair panels out there for cars & trucks of other makes that just can't be made "close enough", and end up in the scrap pile.

I was hoping to hear that some of you were happy with the basic shapes if you had used them. I just am concerned that the way the 32 bottom edge is curved in 2 directions (swaybacked at the bottom & bowed outwards) that maybe the patch panels don't have the correct basic shapes. If it was straight on the bottom, I'd be tempted to make one.

After heating all the bondo off of the ENTIRE quarter today, I am pretty sure this car was rolled over. I'd really like to start with a recommended good panel to try to get the shapes correct.
 
#5 ·
Unfortunately, most of the panel suppliers have gone the way of a lot of automotive aftermarket, Far-East suppliers. I'd take a chance with Dick Spadaro - he tends to supply the best available as he is too small an operation and can't stand the returns and disgruntled customers. Why not give him a call, take a day and make the trip over from CT - his shop is easy to find.

Dave
 
#6 ·
I did order the cowl & quarter panels from Spadaro. 2 days later I was asked to help a friend grab a car way up north, so we stopped at Spadaro's shop to try to get frame rails, but they just sold the last pair. I did grab the 32 floor that Deuce recommended earlier. That looks pretty good.

I've been trimming & cutting today for one quarter patch and let's say it's going to take a little more fitting. It would go easier if the car wasn't so banged up. Roll it out in the morning for spot blasting of the subrail and then try to get one side done.

Thanks for the leads.
 
#7 ·
F&J said:
I did grab the 32 floor that Deuce recommended earlier. That looks pretty good.



The patch panels you show ... are the same ones shown on the Howell Sheet Metal catalog. Their site is
http://www.fordor.com/

A friend has used their stuff a good bit and has been always satisfied with their panels ... and he is a picky son of a @#%^& :D

I have never used their products ... ( have not needed them ;) ) but they are who I would buy from.
 
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