69oldsguy

Other than the taillight area, what is different between 68 & 69 quarter panels. I looked at a friends 68 and noticed that it was missing a strengthening fold about in the middle, top to bottom, in the jamb section. Has anybody else seen this and are there other differences that I didn't notice? I thought I remember somebody saying once that the side marker cutout was slightly different as well. Looking at my friends car the side marker looked the same. So all you guru's chime in here.

I need a complete right side quarter for my '69 but have not been successful at getting one. I have found a pristine 68 quarter and am ready to pounce if that missing strengthening fold is the only difference.
Thanks guys.

allyolds68

JohnnyBs68S

I had purchased a side-marker light off a '69 from the junkyard (took it off the donor car myself) many years ago to replace one on my '68. I noticed that the '69 side markers were square with the mounting surface (L & R would be identical), while the markers on my '68 had a tilt (making the L & R markers mirror images). Thus, I always believed that the fenders must be contoured differently in the side marker area between the '68 and '69s. I've never had my '68 next to a '69 to really compare in person, so I don't know if there is any truth to this, it may be possible that the quarters are the same and just the markers are different between the years.

allyolds68

joe_padavano

^^^THIS. Also, RH/LH markers will guarantee that the get installed wrong on the assembly line. I suspect that Olds got tired of having to correct that in the post-production inspection area. Someone likely got a bonus for suggesting that they make both sides the same.

69oldsguy

Wow! I didn't even notice that difference. Obviously my observational skills are pretty bad.
I will take a picture of that additional fold that I'm talking about so you guys can see it. I guess I just assumed it was on all 69's, but maybe not.

69oldsguy

Ok, this is pretty funny. The extra fold I was talking about is only on the right side. I'm now beginning to wonder if it is just part of the damage from the accident. It doesn't make sense though. It really looks as though it is supposed to be there plus I can't think of what could have caused it. The impact forces were all in the opposite direction and the quarter and jamb was all shoved to the rear of the car. I will post pictures. I bought this car in this condition so trying to understand all of the damage is difficult. I know what happened to the car, but never saw it before the accident. The previous owner sideswiped a parked car. The damage started about the middle of the fender and progressed worse as you went back. The damage subsided just behind the rear wheel opening. The fender and door were both replaced before I bought the car. I have been looking for a decent complete quarter for about 8 years. I was always either too slow or didn't have the funds when I did find something. I'll post the pictures up later today and you guys can tell me what you think about this strange fold.
Thanks.

69oldsguy

Here are the pics. Any of you other guys with 69's have the same fold?

allyolds68

69oldsguy

That is so weird. So what in there could have punched that forward like that?

forddom

Hey 69 olds guy these folds are factory I presently have two 69 convertibles in my shop one has them one does not both cars are unmolested accident free cars. one car is built in NJ (WITH THEM) the other was built in Lansing.( without them) So I would say its either a early or late thing or different tooling from plant to plant. JMO

69oldsguy

So the car that has them, does it have them on both sides? As you can see on my pictures the left side on my car doesn't have it. If you look close on the left side though, you can see what looks like it might be the beginnings of that fold that just didn't fully develop. Very peculiar. Wish I could get in the way-back machine, go back and see what was happening. I find it humorous that when I was 16 and buying these cars for $500 bucks I couldn't have cared less about small nuances like this. Now the curiosity can make me spend days thinking about how some of these things might have occurred.

Thanks for the info. At least I don't have to spend days trying to figure out how the accident could have caused it.

rcorrigan5

My '68 4-4-2 convertible (Lansing car, early April '68 build) doesn't have the folds on either side. My '69 4-4-2 convertible (Fremont car, mid-May '69 build) has the folds on both sides.

Randy C.

69oldsguy

Randy, My car is also a Fremont car and was actually purchased from your neck of the woods. I bought it from a guy in Eugene. I wonder why it isn't there on the left side. ???

Very neat info though. Thanks.

69oldsguy

Well I did buy the quarter and it is in great shape. So it is just a matter of getting it put on. I hope to get that done over this summer. That will be nice. Other than the side swipe the car is in excellent condition. I believe the mileage to be accurate at just under 60,000. Sure do enjoy driving it smashed quarter and all.

rcorrigan5

I have no idea why there would be the fold on one side and not the other. Odd thing is that, when I was involved in the restorations on my cars, I never did see this difference until you pointed it out! My '68 started out as a Portland OR zone office manager car before it went to a dealership in Coos Bay OR where my parents bought it. Part of the driver side quarter was replaced when we restored the '68 but the entire door jamb was retained. The '69 went to a San Francisco dealership and was first owned by a family member of that dealership. It was obvious the '69 had been bounced around a bit but it still retains its original quarters.

Of note on the side markers, I don't believe it was mentioned but the left and right quarter side markers for '68 actually had different part numbers. However, I have yet to discover the difference between the two. For the '69 model year, the same part number was used for both sides.

Congrats on picking up a replacement quarter!

Randy C.

forddom

Hey Oldsguy Yes both sides have them. I agree we let these strange things get to us but its all good. Have fun with it!

Yellowstatue

Randy; You have both cars. If you put them side by side you can definitely see the difference in the marker lights.