themadcanadian

I have started to do a ground up restoration and I can't seem to find anyone that makes a Left rear full quarter panel from the lead line on the roof down. Does anyone have any suggestions???

joe_padavano

You can't find them because they don't exist. Your only choices are to find an NOS factory quarter (only the optional solid gold ones are available today), a good used rust-free quarter, or the partial quarters that require much work to install and finish properly.

cutlassjoe

Ditto what Joe said. I am going through a restoration too, and they do not do the full quarters anymore. Not sure why, probably cost and trying to get them to fit. Even with the partial quarters, there is a lot of work involved to get them on straight. One thing I have learned over the past year is that there is very little bolt on stuff...Good luck with the resto. Where in Canada are you? I live in Windsor, and work in Detroit.

Oldsguy

Welcome to CO.

1964f-85

if your are not doing a concourse restoration, I found on 71 & 72 Cutlasses that the driverside front fender makes a near perfect patch for the passenger side rear quarter panel. Did this on an old cutlass S back in the late 80's and no one ever knew the difference. I actually have photos of the welded patch and the finished quarter.
I found that it was cheaper and easier to find good front fenders than good rear quarters.

themadcanadian

I live in Richmond hill. My restoration started off with just fixing a few dings and dents. Well, after discovering that the left quarter was repaired once before, I decided to look a little deeper into the repair job. All I can say was: WTF!! While I was waiting for info on the quarter panel, I moved to work on the trunk then so on and so on. Now the hole frame is sitting outside the shop and the body is on a wooden home made frame on casters. Who would have thought that just repairing a quarter panel would had led to a frame off.
Seeing how I am the second owner on this car and it was my high school car one day I would like for my boy to have it. I better do the job right.

Gary's 2 442-S

Same thing happened to me. Next thing I knew I was doing a total restoration,just took my time and finally everything is coming together and feeling really good about not taking any short cuts

bulldog

Welcome to CO.Most cars from around here have their share of bondo and repairs. You won't be sorry when its finished.If you have any pictures of your project please post them.Good Luck.

cutlassjoe

Wow, it's like deja vu all over again. Mine started out as a new frame and floor pans, turned into a complete nut and bolt resto. Not exactly what I was plannin, and not really prepared for the time or the expense. Same thing with my rear quarters. Someone had repaired them years ago, they put the new quarters over the old ones.....wtf. Good luck with the car, and post pics. This is a great site, with good people, and great info and support.

themadcanadian

I posted some pictures and more to come in the new year. I'm not sure how to link them to messages. I posted them in the gallery

themadcanadian

I would love to see the picts. Im trying to wrap my head around the idea on how it worked.

cutlassjoe

Here are pics of how the car looked without the rear quarters. You can see how the cut the quarter so the replacement will fit in. I have also included a pic with the finished quarter on the drivers side. This process also required new inner fenders as well.

oldzzy

Welcome to the site. I am just down the road from you in London, and am looking forward to some pics of your car. Joe those are some pretty small pics!

themadcanadian

I must agree, pretty small. Where did you ever think of using front fenders? My issue is that the person that put on the last quarter butchered the fender from just under the lead line, so I wouldn't have much room to weld. I would like to see those pictures close up if you want to send them to me. You never know when a trick like that could come in handy for another project.

J-(Chicago)

www.tabcobodyparts.com

cutlassjoe

Sorry they are so small. I moved them from Face Book because the shop I am using has all the progress pics there. If you are interested you can go the the Facebook site for JH Restorations. They have all the cars there they are working on. Mine is listed as Joes 72' Cutlass. This will show the progress from start to where we are now. Oldzzy, I love the pics of your car on the photobucket thing. Going through what I am I have a new appreciation for the nut and bolt restoration. This is not anything I want to do again....

oldzzy

I hear ya on the restoration being a BIG and slow process. It seems like it will never get done. Dealing with having never done this before and the time and money thing, it is a big job.

starfire_62

Just checked out JH Restoration´s facebook page, they really do some nice work with the cars up there... / Michael

cutlassjoe

Thanks Michael. Yes they do very good work at reasonable prices, which is a very hard combination to find these days. Thanks for looking.

joe

themadcanadian

Those are great pictures. I have to make my self a body jig and with those pictures it really helps. I am pretty lucky though when it comes to rust, I didn't have that much. I just can't wait until the day I can turn the key and feel the rocket at my feet.

oldzzy

Well i hope your right about not having that much rust. I knew i had some, and when i stripped it down i found rust in places where i didn't know it existed. The deeper you go into a resto the more you are going to find! I am glad i found the rust now rather than it show up later on.

themadcanadian

I already have the frame off the body and the body to bare metal. Frame is pretty much mint. I guess I will find out more after I sandblast it clean.

oldzzy

I found my surprise rust in the trunk when i blasted it. It looked pretty good until all that spackle paint and seam sealer was removed. You should post up some pics.