Technical Repair or Replace quarter panel 1957 Chevy

Finally started the restoration of my 1957 Chevy 2dr ht a few months ago. The body was found to be in pretty good shape after three layers of paint were removed.

There was of course bondo in areas of the car but nothing too bad until they got to the rear passenger side quarter panel. Here was lots of the stuff and the restoration shop wants me to make a decision to repair the quarter or replace it.

The shop owner started off by asking me how long I going to keep the car before asking me to make a decision to fix or replace. Wondered where things were about to go after this question.

According to him, someone had beat the dents out with a ball hammer then used a grinder on the metal and got it too hot that warped and "stretched the metal" in some places.

At a glance, it looks like a skim of fiberglass filler would be the obvious fix but he said in some places the filler would be thick and with it being on the quarter that has little support against flexing, the filler would eventually crack causing the paint to bubble. This fix would cost about $600.

To replace the entire quarter from taillight to door jam would cost about $2100; materials and labor. Not sure of the skill level needed to do this kind of replacement. I did tell the shop owner that if we did decide to replace the quarter panel and the rear tailight, bumpers or trim didn't fit on the car as they had before, I would have to assume the quarter was put on crooked and it would be on them to make it right. The shop owner agreed.

As far as longevity of the repair, it would maybe last for a few years; not sure.
Replacing would last longer.

This will be a driver quality car but want to keep as much original metal as possible while still doing the right thing and trying to stay somewhere within a budget.

Considering all the modern advances in techniques for repairing metal, what goes into making a decision to repair and how bad does it have to be before surgery really is necessary?

I've posted some pictures of the quarter but not sure if they tell the whole story. Maybe someone with a better trained eye can tell if this is repairable or needs to be replaced.


If the decision is to replace, it would help to know who sells the best quality of sheet metal, with the best fit at the best price.

I know Danchuk sells sheet metal as many other tri five parts suppliers do but would like to hear about real life experiences from people who have bought and used these parts; who to use and who to stay away from.

Some articles I've read mention the original metal for the quarters were 18 gauge but most replacement panels are 20 gauge with various metal gauges at different areas but the quarters were 18 gauge. Would like to stay true the original 18 gauge.

Who has 18 gauge quarters with a good reputation, fit and price?

 

Real hard to see via your pics. A real skilled metal guy could fix that yet. A bondo spreader could too.
Being what the car is, I'd put a new quarter on it and not have to worry about a poor patch showing up later on.
Danchuck made the replacement quarter that's on my car.

 

I'd replace. Best to know the job is done right and have no regrets later.

 

If I was worried that the guy I picked to do a restoration couldn't do a quarter panel replacement, I wouldn't have used him to start. I agree with the above. Someone competent could do a proper repair in either direction but long term, I'd replace but you shouldn't have to replace the entire quarter.

 

Also looks like there is some rust between where the two chrome strips go down the panel. Like Gearhead said, It could be repaired either way, how much do you want to spend? $2100 to replace the quarter? sounds high but I'm sure I way out of touch with the price of this stuff. I have replaced many quarters and never thought it as that hard, in fact a lot of times it is easier to replace than repair. And you are right, if they weld it on and it does not fit right, they should fix it. But that should go without saying. So what, it's another $1500 to replace the quarter than to repair it? how much it the complete job? If you are getting a 10K paint job, another 1500 is not that much more.

 

Either repair it correctly or not at all.

 

^This^.
You will not regret doing it right.

 

Well.............I'll go "against-the-grain " and say....repair it. Not with a load of bondo OR fiberglass but hammer & dolly what you can and put in patch panels where the above won't work!
I went through this with a 66 Mustang just a couple years back. I bought a "skin" (not the entire rear quarter" and welded in the rusted out fender lips and used the "left-over" pieces to cut out patches and weld them in.
I have new metal where rust holes once were! Body man had to skim coat some of the spots but he said he would need to skim coat anyway on other spots that were a little wavy.
ALL replacement panels are Tiawan made junk. (Unless you can find some 60+ year old NOS parts)
The fit is NEVER like the factory stuff so why replace it?!
JMHO
6sally6

 

tri 5 chevy QTRs are some of the easiest to repair
old school hammer, dolly shrink repeat
I will trust OE over aftermarket every time
sounds like its at a paint shop and not a body shop

 

"Do it right" is a phrase I hear a lot. Replacing a 1/4 is no guarantee the job will be done right, neither is hammer and dolly. I can't let my brother get near a hammer and dolly. That said I've had bodymen that I know do excellent work repair panels and I have replaced 1/4s as well as only welding in what is needed. I have found that the lines, curves and fit on most patch are not as original. I've found that an entire 1/4 panel still needs exacting fit and welding. Do your homework on the pieces you buy or the competence of the bodyman you choose and good luck on your project. To answer your question it certainly looks repairable without replacing, remember the "original lines" are only original once.

Pat

 

Replacement quarters are about $900. That means he wants $1200 to put it on. That against $600 to repair. I can see the indecision. I honestly think the time to repair or replace should be about the same. If that was the case I would go with replace the quarter. I think he is charging too much to replace the quarter. Just my opinion.

 

And here we go again , People who have never done this work or ran a shop expressing opinions on what a job should cost. Crash and dent shops in this area charge 75 to 80 dollars an hour and they are going to stud gun out the low spots and mud it and still going to charge you 10 to 12 hours plus material. Metal finishing out a panel as distorted as that one is and the fact that somebody work harden the shit out of it is painstaking and exstreamly time consuming . I have been building cars from the ground up for over 40 years , had a restoration shop for 25 years . I have done dozens of tri fives over the years. And dealing with the mind set of what a customer and his friends who all think they know what it takes, is why I closed up and sold the shop in 2007 and have never looked back.

 

To the OP , Sumter sorry about the rant. I have replaced as well as metal finished repaired tri five quarters and the prices given you lead me to believe your shop of choice either does not know what he is getting into or you are not going to get the quality you are expecting. At a reasonable shop rate taking into current day overhead cost he would need to have that repair done in 6 to 8 hours. It is not going to happen. Believe me I tried being Affordable for years and worked a lot of hours for free. Take a task on your car yourself , set a time frame in your head . Then do the job and let me know how it works out. As far as parts I used sheet metal from CARS out of Berkley Mi. Fit and quality was very good but the panel alone is about 900 plus they are shipped by truck. Good luck on your project. Larry

 

Shit man !! Where in the hell do you live !!???? Jim Sibley would fix that. So could Robert, Steve and a bevy of skilled HAMB'r's close to you. Definitely seen worse to start with here.

Can't point you anywhere without your location. You're a desperado .... riding a horse with no name .....singing .... sha la nah nah nah .... singing .... sha la nah nah nah ....

Where's @wbrw32 at ? He loves this no address shit.

 

Thanks everyone for the overwhelming response to my post!

That's a bunch of great advice from everyone and opinions mean a lot also. I appreciate the time for the comments. The condition of the quarter was unknown to everyone until the shop started digging out the bondo revealing what you saw in the pictures.

The bondo in the quarter has been there prior to 1993 when I acquired the car and has been painted over twice. During this time, there hasn't been any evidence of cracking, bubbling of paint or any indication the repair was ever there, hence, the big surprise when taking the car down to metal.

It would mean sleeping better at night knowing there is fresh, new metal on the car if the quarter was replaced. I do have confidence the shop owner can do the quarter replacement.

I am also rationalizing if a repair job done almost 20 years ago can last this long, surely a body man who knows what they are doing can make a similar repair job last at least this long or longer given almost 20 years of improvements made in materials and technique. Is my thinking straight on this?

I have been told that most if not all the quarters for these cars are made by one or two companies so buying from a different vendor may not make a huge difference as for as quality of metal and proper fit.

The body shop is not going to be at a stand still on the car until I can make the replace or repair decision so I can research quarter panels and still listen to other people chime in who have experience with this or someone voice an opinion.

Thanks again for all your help.

 

Some guys who are really good at metal working could do that in 6 hours but they are hard to find. Some selective heating welding and maybe a couple of slices. The local tech school had a body shop course back in the 80s. They got cheap cars damaged them then metal worked them out. They no longer have that program as they can't find instructors.

 

It lasted 25 years with a "bad" repair job...hmmm....I'd just do a little more straightening, and put filler on it, and expect it to last "forever" (because we don't treat 57 chevys nearly as bad as we used to)

 

I agree with Jim...doesn't seem that bad to me. I'd rather have someone fix my original panel if possible over Chinese repop steel..

 

gonna throw this out there, may rub some folks wrong
if that QTR is not replaced in factory locations, or properly fit, (butted together and metal finished), but cut and overlapped, you are taking a step backwards in my opinion.
your better off with an honest straightening attempt over a half azzed patch

 

You could possibly only replace the lower half of the 1/4 with a patch panel. I recently did a 57 Chevy like that. The panel height split the 1/4 about 6 inches above the rear fenderwell . Tied in just above the top tail light mounting holes. I had to drill the lower trim mounting holes. The panel was purchased through Classic Industries. The lower 1/4 was full of bondo and fiberglass. Now just a skim.

 

Is that Nomad?

 

Just a question based on lack of knowledge of 57's, but couldn't you section in a piece of a good original quarter panel cut from this area from another 57? Seems to me you would have most of the original intact and the integrity is still factory original. Also, same gauge metal. Or is such a thing too hard to find making a new full quarter the only option.

 

Good Idea, but finding a donor car with a good quarter to cut off is going to cost more than the price of a new quarter and installation. Might get lucky and find a super clean 4 door, but then its only going to cover up to half of the wheel well. (I played that game, its not a fun one)

 

Its hard to find someone who can work metal panels properly anymore, but to me, that looks repairable. You don't need a complete panel replaced. I would hammer and dolly it and if it seemed too stretched or work hardened, I would just patch that area with a butt welded panel. Thats my opinion.

 

I also like to leave as much original metal as possible....this sounds like a good plan. Just because a replacement panel is a certain size, doesn't mean you have to use it all.

 

If the old repair stayed hidden for at least a couple decades, imagine how long the new repair will last after the bodyman REMOVES ALL THE RUST FROM THE PANEL first. See that? Get that rust off there. All of it. Sandblast it all out of those pits. Any rust left in a pit is exactly where the bubbles will start. Mark my words!

Then straighten out the metal as best as you can afford, and skim coat the remaining imperfections. It will last longer than you will.

 

Gordon C X2.

 

I'd agree. Straighten best you can, blast, and skim coat. Hanging a new quarter panel on it isn't the absolute cure either - trust me, inbetween the chineese steel, and hoping they don't f-it-up installing it.

 

philo426 . It is a home made sedan delivery a guy paid me to build for him. Another angle. It started life as a 4 door wagon with a ton of rot.

 

I’d have them work the quarter a little bit, skim it and let it ride.

I actually think that the guy is telling you the truth and shooting you straight. He just doesn’t want you to be mad at him if something pops up later. Which is the honest way to approach it.

Not to mention... that extra cash will go a long way somewhere else on the car. The way your going to use the car you’d be a hundred years old before it cracks again.

Nothing wrong with a little filler on a real world car.