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Getting ready to start 1/4 panel replacement, 65 fastback.

J

jtfx6552

Member
I am going to replace the 1/4s on both sides (along with the tail light panel and inner and outer wheel houses).

My plan is to hang the doors and trunk lid, then cut off one 1/4, replace the wheel house and the 1/4, then do the other side, then do the tail light panel.

Does that seem like a good plan?

What is the best way to get the lead out of the factory seams?

Thoughts appreciated,

JT
 
Take a propane torch and a welders wire brush, I will heat it up and scrap the bulk of it off with a putty knife, then finish it with the brush to see the spot welds, just did one today on a 67 fastback. Rich.
 
I think your plan sounds good. Rich, I have done that too. here is a pic of an example on my buddy's 65 FB after we melted the lead out. He didn't have a full quarter so we made a seam but the rear section attached like the factory quarter.
 
"tarafied1" said:
I think your plan sounds good. Rich, I have done that too. here is a pic of an example on my buddy's 65 FB after we melted the lead out. He didn't have a full quarter so we made a seam but the rear section attached like the factory quarter.
Click to expand...

Wow, they really look apart when the 1/4 is off!. How did you handle the rusty area on top of the rocker where the 1/4 mounts to it? To you have any close ups of that?

How about the door post, was that just surface rust, or did you need to patch that?
 
the door post area was just surface rust. we wire brushed it clean. The rocker had to be replaced. It was rusty and bent. this fastback needed everything, we cut a coupe in half and used the rear frame rails and part of the rocker to repair this car.
 
Wow, that looks great!

Hate to keep bugging you with questions, but how did the rear wheelhouses fit? Did you use the "preassembled inner outer" version? Do you know which brand?
 
your not bugging me, that's what the forum is all about!
The wheel houses were not pre-assembled and they fit pretty bad. The inner wasn't too bad but the outers were horrible. I don't recall the brand. I think they came from CJ Pony Parts.
 
"tarafied1" said:
your not bugging me, that's what the forum is all about!
The wheel houses were not pre-assembled and they fit pretty bad. The inner wasn't too bad but the outers were horrible. I don't recall the brand. I think they came from CJ Pony Parts.
Click to expand...

Thanks!, I started on the drivers side, man this thing is tough!. I am replacing the whole thing, and it goes under things , over things around things....

Behind the side window, I can't get my drill on the spot welds, not enough room. I guess I'll use the cut off wheel grind it away method.

Not sure how to get it out from under the roof without bending up the roof too much.

I plan to reuse the trunk corners. It is a shame I don't have an oxy set up to melt out the braze. I guess I'll try and grind away the braze and the 1/4 without touching the trunk corner.

I already screwed up where the rear window to trunk panel wrapped around the 1/4 inside the trunk edge. I guess there is no way to get the weld cut away and "unwrap" it.

I started to cut out the whole middle to just leave the edges, thought that would make it easier to sneak the perimeter out from under and over things, and so I can see what I was doing, but my air hammer stopped hammering about 1/2 way through. Not sure how that thing is supposed to work. I hate stopping to fix the tools in the middle of a job.
 
Keep in mind they weld the qtr on first from the factory, then lay the roof on next so your spot welds don't line up. How I do it is drill the roof spot welds out first go inside and you will see the qtr spot welds through the cut outs inside the qtr. Hope that makes sense. You still want to use low heat to melt the lead, that's why I use a propane bottle. Rich.
 
I kind of figured that out today, took awhile. I had the top to 1/4 spot welds drilled out, and the 1/4 was not moving from under the roof.

I eventually managed to get that tucked in between part of the 1/4 out, and didn't really screw up the roof all that bad. I will be doing the 1/4s on both sides, not really looking forward to having to do that on the other side. The back of the roof/window lip is pretty rusted, so I'm wondering if I shouldn't replace the roof skin.

According to the weld and sealant manual, it is "only" 44 spot welds on each side of the roof panel, .75" apart... Actually they spot welds in the drop rail are kind of hard to see or feel, so if I do it, I might use the grind through with the cut off wheel method.

I wish I could know in advance if the repro roof panel would fit good. If I was sure of that, I'd probably go for it. I'm sure I couldn't get the existing roof panel off without destroying it.

Take a look at the attached rear window lip and let me know what you think?
 
as Rich said just use a regular hardware store propane torch to melt the lead. That roof skin is pretty rough around the window. If your good at welding and fabrication I would just make a channel and repair it. I don't like repop metal but that is a lot of work too. Your doing great job, hang in there and don't worry. You can't really screw 'em when they are that rusty.
 
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