Quarter panels, let's cut em off and put new ones on.

[Sublime one]

I'm getting ready to do some major cutting on my 71 dart. I would like to know all the ins and out of cutting and welding new quarters.
Any and everything you can tell me would be great.

I can weld thin metal but I'm not a body guy and have never done a quarter, so let's hear what you did that helped and what you did that was wrong?

Thanks for all the time and advice.

Like you Cope I can weld like a bandit but have literally zero skill and or knowledge on body work. I am diving in this morning and cutting out inner fenders and replacing them. I bought the full set from AMD. I figured with my lack of skill the better part I start with the better chance I have of winning. The AMDs were a bit more cost but all I researched said they were superior? I have no idea. I switched my wire feeder over to 024 wire but my default setting is always my heliarc rig! I am using a cutoff wheel in my grinder as I am much more confident and experienced with it than a spot weld cutter which I have never even laid eyes on much less used. I like the idea of the lap joint vs a butt weld but not sure it is applicable for what I am doing on inner fenders. From welder to welder I will tell you anything I learn today. The one thing I know for sure is if I had the money someone else would be doing them! Hah, who are we kidding. Gotta make a run at it.
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[toplscuda]

Inner fenders will not be too bad to do. get the old ones off and get a nice clean surface. Mock up the new ones, even with the AMD there may be a slight amount of tweaking. Mine was at the very front where they had bent down a bit from shipping. Drill lots of holes in the new part for the plug welds and go to town. On my Barracuda getting them just right in the rear where the quarter and roll pan are was the most challenging

 

[4spdcuda66]

Mine had rust at the lower rear, and severe dent damage up top. Quarters are hard to find for '66 Valiant and Barracudas. Luckily, another FABO member parted one out and I bought the section I needed to repair mine. This is just mocked up for now. I will trim the section to fit the existing panel and then weld solid. I had to rebuild the wheel lip and fix a small rusty section at the bottom, but this was easier than trying to repair what I had to start with. I had a little work to do on the trunk extension also.