rtanner68

I have a 71 coupe with rust on the quarter wheel wells. The rear wheel wells- at the front and back of them. I know the skin is available, but has anyone attempted to repar and patch this area.How did you replicate that lip and curve?Anyone who has done this type of metal work, please chime in. Thanks.

71 Cutlass

I think the best approach is to buy the entire quarter pannel skins, and have them welded on to the car that does not need fixing. This takes the guess work out of a lot of tough "angles" to replicate. Am looking to do the same, and have been advised to take this approach by every classic car repair specialist I have spoken to.

joe_padavano

Any sheet metal shape can be replicated with enough skill and tooling. Hot rod shops regularly form replacement and custom panels for cars that don't have aftermarket support. The articles in Street Rodder make it look simple - ASSUMING you have $50,000 or more in machinery and three or four decades of practice!

There are specialized tools for forming the shapes you seek. These start from simple shrinker/stretchers to sophisticated Pullman die press machines that require custom machined dies to form the shape. What many folks do is to form small sections of the right shape and weld them together. That requires significant sheet metal welding skill and metal finishing skill.

Sorry to be blunt, but the question you asked makes me think that 1) you don't have these machines, 2) you don't have this experience, and 3) you're trying to save a couple of hundred bucks on patch panels. I won't discourage someone who's trying to learn these skills, but don't expect your first attempt (or tenth, for that matter) to come out nicely. This type of panel forming and welding and metal finishing takes practice and the right tools (TIG welder, for example). It's your call as to whether you want to spend the time to learn how to do it or just buy the patch panels.

69 Ragtop

RTanner, I sent you an email.