rear quarter patch panels

[66Dartdriver]

I figured id start a thread on my latest project. I found some nice patch panels for my 66 rear quarters at http://www.autobodyspecialt.com. My Dart had the typical rust right behind the wheels on both sides. Once i got the paint off i found some holes on the wheel lips too. I will post pics as i go. I borrowed my brothers mig welder it worked really well Of course i cant weld worth a crap but i dont think they will fall off haha. I really only wanted to replace the bad metal and leave all that i could of the original metal.

 

[toolmanmike]

Oh man, that beautiful blue Dart needs body repair!? lol Good thread! I need about the same done to mine. Just take your time and don't weld too much and warp the panels. When you weld patches it always looks like chicken poop. I'm sure you welding skills are just fine. This will be a interesting thread for many of us. Keep up the good work! tmm

 

[toolmanmike]

Hey early A Body guys, Keep that link to http://www.autobodyspecialt.com/cgi-bin/commerce.cgi?search=action&category=0171. They have more sheet metal parts for us than anybody has. Thanks for the tip 66DD !!!!!!!! tmm

 

[George R]

I live pretty local to Auto Body Specialties, and they've been in business in that area as long as I can remember. Great company and trustworthy.

I remember driving my buddy up to ABS in my pickup truck to buy a buttload of body parts for his 1970 Chevelle SS........in 1982.

 

[afbill]

looks like your welding skills are as good as mine. I hope my repairs turn out as good as yours. Good job!!!!

 

[66Dartdriver]

Thanks guys yeah ABS was great to deal with and i couldnt believe they had these patch panels. The early a guys know how hard it is to find anything that is made for us. The price wasnt too bad either.

 

[toolmanmike]

You do nice work. To us "non body work" guys it looks like quite an undertaking but you make it look a bit easier. I don't think I'll tackle mine. I'll leave it to the professionals. lol tmm

 

[barracudadave67]

Just put pass, and driver floor pans in my 66 GT. Have to start on same quarters also. Mine are a little worse tho. I got all the pans and 4 quarter patch panels from ABS, good guys. I wish they had full quarters.

66 dart driver, nice work hope my quartes turn out that good.

Heres some pics of mine I did late last summer.

Barracudadave67

 

[66Dartdriver]

looks good Barracudadave67 i agree with you they should have full or even half quarters. Half quarters would probably replace most all rust problems on these cars.

 

[TXDart]

So the quarters you got are the same thickness and you like the quality?
I talk to them on the phone this morning and they are definitely nice people.
I leaning towards them over Goodmark and Sherman.
By the way,You are doing a great job,love your dart.
Quarters are going to be for my 63 gt,but I have a 66 post also.
Martin

 

[66Dartdriver]

I would say they are very close to original metal in thickness. They were very straight and lined up really nice with the original as well. My dart is in really nice shape having spent most of its life on the west coast. The previous owner told me it was painted about 15-20 years ago and it was starting to break through behind the wheels from where it was previously repaired.

 

[66Dartdriver]

Well ya know how you start a small project and it somehow seems to always turn into something more...Ok so i was planning on fixing the quarters and getting some touch up paint to match the paint thats on my car well it seems who ever painted this thing used some random blue. I had my doubts it was the original blue but it seemed pretty close to the door jambs and all. I got a quart of the original ee-1 blue and sprayed the quarter and it is nowhere even close to the color sooooo here we go full on paint job.

 

[toolmanmike]

Good work but man that's not fair. Your first post was only 3 days ago. Wow, you work fast! tmm

 

[toolmanmike]

Let me ask, did you get 1/4 patch panels but just used what you needed? Were the lower rear contour of the 1/4 patches split?

 

[66Dartdriver]

it wasnt split it was just molded or bent i guess you could say, I didnt use that part of the quarter that you have in that box. I can take a pick of it if you want to get a closer look. do you need that particular piece? you can see in this pic its all i used off it.

 

[66Dartdriver]

BTW i have been working on this for about a month or two but just got around to posting the pics lol im not that quick those last pics are from this last weekend. I do have a dillemma sonce i am going for a full paint i cant decide what color blue to go with
1 original ee1 dark blue poly
2 the color it is now id call it vibrant blue
3 b5 blue.
what do you guys think??
here is a pic of the interior so i am sticking with blue

 

[toolmanmike]

Just wondering. Mine came from Laysons and had a split in the box area I pointed out. I would paint it close to the same color it was. It looked great! tmm

 

[66Dartdriver]

ok heres an update finally. sorry im lousy at taking pics and posting them. Well i had a couple of bad spots on the tops of the fenders that i was able to just mig some new metal into instead of cutting out the bad piece and replacing it. And the inner fender had a pretty good size hole that i cut a piece of metal and welded it in sorry no pics of that i was on a roll and didnt take the time to take pics. I am still wracking my brain as to what color to go with b5 blue, the same blue or the original dark blue poly. Ill keep you posted.

 

[66Dartdriver]

btw now that i see it in light grey hmmm how bout white??

 

[toolmanmike]

Nope, stay with the blue. It makes it pop and really shows off those wheels!
(what kind and size are they again?) tmm

 

[66Dartdriver]

Yeah I think your right. I got the wheels from american wheel cover. Nice guys up in Michigan. fronts are 15x4.5 and the rears are 15x7 with 4 1/4 in backspace. The wheels make a huge difference on the car.

 

[toolmanmike]

Huge!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Love that blue.

 

[66Dartdriver]

Heres the lastest pics. If it seems like im going backwards i am. its getting deeper and deeper here. I decided I might as well paint the interior doors they were somewhat scratched up so then i figured i might as well paint the dash while im at it and so on and so on you can see i am still undecided about the color blue i sprayed the one quarter and under the hood electric blue and the other quarter is close to the original dark poly blue.

 

[RedFish]

Nice body work.
My favorite shade of blue is black.
I liked the blue that was on it before.

 

[woodchip]

Since you asked for opinions......I like the "electric blue". Looks alot like B-5 but metalic and brighter. Youve been doing great work so it's understandable that you want it to really POP. Very nice ride and those wheels do make it right. B-5 will make a great statement....Thanks for letting us strangers vote on YOUR color!