Rear bed/tailgate corner and quarter panel replacement question

[HoldMyPocket]

I've removed the lower quarter panels to replace with new panels that have the flare built in, decided I need to also replace the bed-corner/taillight housing/tailgate-corner (not sure what to call it) and I'm unsure about a few things:

1. What is the order of mounting? If you look at the first picture you can see I currently have it as: corner, quarter panel, inner flange. I think it's supposed to be flange, corner, quarter panel but wanted to confirm.

2. As far as lining up the bottom of the corner and quarter panel, is there quite a bit of massaging involved to get these to line-up? I have everything very loosely clamped into place but just want to know what to expect here.

https://imgur.com/5gfD6ja

https://imgur.com/AbIdN9x

 

[AZ73]

I don't remember exactly how I did mine and I checked my post about it noted below. What I do recall is I had a hell of a time making face directly back. It seemed to want to rotate slightly to the outside. I recall it being a lot easier to weld the spots from inside the wheel well and upper fender, but I'm afraid it was so long ago I forgot exactly what I did.

https://classicbroncos.com/forums/threads/barn-find-restomod-build.217635/page-4#post-2308053


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[HoldMyPocket]

*Bump*

I think I have the order of mounting figured out but what I'm more concerned with now is panel alignment.

If you look at the first picture I posted you can see two holes which are spot welds I drilled out, that's where the flange of the corner and quarter panel were originally aligned to. It seems like I need to weld the top of the corner and the inner flange closest to the tailgate first, then try to push/collapse the corner into the Bronco to try and get the flange of the corner to line up with where those holes are.

Is that much "massaging" of these replacements panels expected?

 

[phyler]

I remember having to weld through the taillight housing to get everything together. Self tapping screws are your friend to keep everything in place while you do it. Get everything aligned. It may or may not line up to the original. New metal is never perfect.

 

[widowmaker77]

Some parts of it you have to weld through the brake light housing and other parts inside the fender well. Also you will need to drill two or three hole into the upper rearward face of housing as that part is spot welded to the flange of the tailgate post underneath. I will say the driver side was the worst fitting pieces I dealt with out of everything I did to my 66. It took a lot prying,pulling and bending to get that tailight housing to line up with the lower quarter and sit flush with the tailgate.

 

[bronkenn]

Where the new quarter panel meets the taillight housing, I had to cut the weld flange all around the radius and fit the quarter to the housing. These grips are your friend when it comes time to clamp the inside of the housing.