I have done a search and can not find how to replace the upper and lower quarter panels. I am body work challenged, so bare with me. I have read you need to brace things before you take it apart. What do you brace, if you are taking off upper and lowers? In what order do you remove them and how do you line them back up? Replacing the rocker and striker post was I first experience at body work. So the beginner edition please.
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Replacing quarter panels
- Thread starter deltarat
- Start date
- Joined
- Feb 1, 2004
- Messages
- 1,964
Sorry but that is a job only for a very experienced body man, unless you do not care how terrible it will look. That is probably the toughest area on a bronco to r/r. BI
That's not the advise I was hoping to here.I'm not saying it's not good advise, I was hoping someone would say it was not too hard and have pictures as to where to brace and such. I want it to look nice is why i am replacing the panels rather than trying to patch them. Thanks for the honest advise though. I would rather here that than-it's easy,just tear it off and weld it back.
I have already ordered the panels,so if it looks as if I can't do it, I will have to carry it to a body shop to get done.
The top quarter is the one that really needs replacing. From the way it looks as the way they are put together I would probably mess up the lower getting them apart, so I would just replace them both.
How much easier would it be to just replace the top section?
I have already ordered the panels,so if it looks as if I can't do it, I will have to carry it to a body shop to get done.
The top quarter is the one that really needs replacing. From the way it looks as the way they are put together I would probably mess up the lower getting them apart, so I would just replace them both.
How much easier would it be to just replace the top section?
DCarter001
New Member
DR, I started removing my lowers today. I was bodywork challenged a few months ago when I started this project. Since, I have learned how to weld sheetmetal, hang doors, paint, pray, apply body filler, pray, dial JBG & Duffs. Did I mention, pray? So far, so good. I'll admit it was a haphazard approach. The truck was in such poor shape when I began, I decided to learn and live with the results. I put the front fenders and grill back on today after having completely rebuilt everything forward of the firewall and both door posts. I'm not totally satisfied yet, but I still have room to adjust some parts. I hope to get my lines together tomorrow, today I was just happy to hang everything back on the truck.
Since I am not removing the uppers, I can't offer a lot of advice on order of removal. I do know it is a pain working around the tail light housings. There are also over 30 spot welds along the seam between the upper and lower quarters, not to mention the ones on the door latch post and tail light housing. As far as bracing, spot weld some tubing between your inner panels from front corner to rear on opposite sides. Take good measurements between your sides as insurance. I would consider it wise to remove your fuel tanks prior to any cutting and welding on the panels themselves. Just thought I would mention that, since I forgot to remove my aux tank.
Keep us in the loop on your progress.
DC
Since I am not removing the uppers, I can't offer a lot of advice on order of removal. I do know it is a pain working around the tail light housings. There are also over 30 spot welds along the seam between the upper and lower quarters, not to mention the ones on the door latch post and tail light housing. As far as bracing, spot weld some tubing between your inner panels from front corner to rear on opposite sides. Take good measurements between your sides as insurance. I would consider it wise to remove your fuel tanks prior to any cutting and welding on the panels themselves. Just thought I would mention that, since I forgot to remove my aux tank.
Keep us in the loop on your progress.
DC
You could brace from the striker panel to the floor and from the tail light end to the floor. I only changed the lower quarter, but low experiance talkin here measure everything and take your time. Dont get in a hurry, and things should be allright. As for the lower, after you do the upper punch holes in the flange about ever inch and drive sheet metal screws in it to hold it into place. You do this so you can get the panel where you need it to be and you can move it around to make it fit better. Once you got it where you want it, remove a screw, and spot weld it. Just keep doin that and perty soon it will be where you want it. Sorry I couldnt be more helpful with the upper, just didnt have to do that one. Good luck. I learned most of what I know from the paint and body editions of Hot Rod magazine.
allenfahey
Bronco Guru
- Joined
- Mar 18, 2004
- Messages
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It doesn't matter if you take off the upper or lower first or all in one piece. As a beginner you should get a spot weld cutter. It will do the least damage to the sheetmetal underneath the panel you are cutting off. Once all the panels are off you grind the existing panels where you are going to do the welding to. Apply a light coat of weld thru primer. Drill holes in the new panel every 6" or so and grind the e-coat around the holes. Position the panel on the Bronco, screw or rivet a few places. Check your gaps. Weld away.
Sounds easy but as stated before the 1/4's are the most difficult of the EB body. It's because the fitment of the aftermarket sheet metal is awfull. When I did Mark Shainmans Stroppe I had a bodyman I work with do the 1/4's and tailight housings. He had a very hard time to get everything to fit. One thing he did do was use bonding adhesive on the lip between the upper and lower 1/4's. No way to get a weld in there and it will also keep any water/dirt out of the seam.
You should try it yourself because you will have a very hard time finding a bodyshop to want to work on it. Shops like to only work on insurance jobs. They are quick in and out, a job like yours will be in there for a while because the fitment/rust issues. You are a bit far away from me to help out but someone on here might point you in the right direction to a bodyman who might do it on the side.
Sounds easy but as stated before the 1/4's are the most difficult of the EB body. It's because the fitment of the aftermarket sheet metal is awfull. When I did Mark Shainmans Stroppe I had a bodyman I work with do the 1/4's and tailight housings. He had a very hard time to get everything to fit. One thing he did do was use bonding adhesive on the lip between the upper and lower 1/4's. No way to get a weld in there and it will also keep any water/dirt out of the seam.
You should try it yourself because you will have a very hard time finding a bodyshop to want to work on it. Shops like to only work on insurance jobs. They are quick in and out, a job like yours will be in there for a while because the fitment/rust issues. You are a bit far away from me to help out but someone on here might point you in the right direction to a bodyman who might do it on the side.
Thanks Allen. I had thought about the panel adhesive, but didn't know if it was strong enough.I have several spotweld cutters. I was going to setup a jig before I removed any panels to reset the new panels back to try and get the body lines straight again. Anyone have any pictures of such braces? I have already done the striker post and the tail light housing is good, so I have those to line back up on.
1975stroppebaja
Bronco Guru
- Joined
- Apr 18, 2003
- Messages
- 1,405
Well, I have done this but mine was a bit different than what you're proposing. I removed everything from the striker posts back so bracing didn't come into play. The only original piece back there now is the tailgate support brace. It was definitely a very complex jigsaw puzzle and the repro parts were good but not great. As I've said in many earlier posts, the repro taillight corners are junk so I cleaned up a set of used ones I bought from Broncitis (Drew). It took a LOT of time and measuring to get all of the parts in place but its definitely do-able.
You can see all of my build and progress here: http://www.frontiernet.net/~jmray/baja2.htm
Before
Now
1975stroppebaja
Bronco Guru
- Joined
- Apr 18, 2003
- Messages
- 1,405
Thanks! It took me quite a while to get to this point.
No, I didn't attach them together before installing them. I tacked the upper qtr in place to set the length and then I put the lower in place. Since I didn't have any inner qtrs in the way, I was able to weld them together easily.
