Quarter Panel Patch- Stupid Question

I need a lower quarter patch on my 74 Swinger- picked up a cut from the Carlisle this summer.
It has the quarter panel skin and the trunk extension still attached together. Should the two be separated and just patch the quarter or cut the existing quarter and extension- Have it welded as one piece? Any benefit to this method- someone mentioned to me it may prevent any warpage on the quarter?

Duster7286 said:

I need a lower quarter patch on my 74 Swinger- picked up a cut from the Carlisle this summer.
It has the quarter panel skin and the trunk extension still attached together. Should the two be separated and just patch the quarter or cut the existing quarter and extension- Have it welded as one piece? Any benefit to this method- someone mentioned to me it may prevent any warpage on the quarter?

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I'm no expert but the few quarters I worked with you better off to leave the original quarters on and just weld in patches, a good welder can put that in with very little mud and warpage ,

All this would depend on the condition of the car. What are you working with? If the trunk extensions are in good shape its probably better to leave them on the car.

I have always replaced the least amount of any section possible which was (maybe is) the old school idea. Replacement panels of long ago did not have very good matching detail lines and a lot of them need to be majorly reworked before they looked or fit even close. Then there was the quality of the metal. Most people found that for the best looking repair. You'd buy a parts car, most generally a cheap old, know body wants it any way, four door. Take your repair needs and scrap the rest. Now having said all this. The replacement panels I have purchased in the last several years seem to be more up to standard. Most still need some reworking but not like before. If I am able to get an entire panel at factory seams. I replace the entire panel. If it's a patch panel then I plan out the replacement to create the best repair I can. Taking in to consideration, detail lines, warp-age, access to the back of the panel, and ease of work such as grinding, paint repair and again, access to the back of the panel.

Duster7286 said:

I need a lower quarter patch on my 74 Swinger- picked up a cut from the Carlisle this summer.
It has the quarter panel skin and the trunk extension still attached together. Should the two be separated and just patch the quarter or cut the existing quarter and extension- Have it welded as one piece? Any benefit to this method- someone mentioned to me it may prevent any warpage on the quarter?

Click to expand...

I did a trunk extension and lower quarter panel patch last year and for me, the trunk extension was much more difficult to do than the quarter panel patch. Lots of tight areas and different tools required to get all the spot welds out for the trunk extension. If your trunk extension is in good shape, I'd leave it alone and just do the quarter panel extension.

Welding it all as one piece will not prevent warpage because the warpage is going to come from the butt weld down the outside of the quarter panel. Not from plug welding the quarter to the extension.