Here is my new purchase - 1970 cutlass s - all original. The rear of the car has rust in the quarters especially around the lips of the wheel wells.

What would you do here? How would you get after these area? Is it repairable? Or should new quarters be hung? Let me know what you think? Thanks

Doug

 

Doug, I am going through a restoration right now. It would be best to replace the quarters if possible. If you have rust on the wheel lips, and the rear there is probably alot more underneath. Just my opinion, let's see what else is out there.

 

I had ended up replacing my quarter panels also. I agree that if the wheel lips have rust on them your are probably going to have to replace the outer wheel well housings also. Another thing that I found was that I had to replace the trunk drop downs also because they were rusty also. the only way you are going to rid yourself of the rust is to cut off whatever is rusty and replace with new metal,at the time I replace my quarters there were no lower patch panel and I am not certain they are not reproducing them now.

 

Hey Doug,
I replied to your other thread about when you just bought this.

I also have been through this kind of pain. The pics you put up on this one are way more revealing than the other thread. Gotta agree with Cutlassjoe, I would go with new quarter panels. If the other side is like this, do them both. Be prepared to have to do trunk floors and rebuild parts of the wheel liner.

If it's this bad where you can see it (and I hate to say this), how is the floor under the rug? Also check for rust bubbles under the vinyl (which looks to be in remarkably good shape) and water marks inside the rear deck or front cowl area. Once you start looking, it seems like it never stops. Front fenders? They usually rust out at the bottom behind the wheel - to the end of the panel. Most of the time caused by leaves and crud blocking the water escape channel.

You are taking on a monster challenge my friend.

 

How hard are the outer wheel houses?? Take the qtr off and see whats there?

 

not easy to replace if you are not familiar with body work. you going to have to weld or spot weld(the wheel housing) and butt weld the quarters.you are going to need a body saw or a cut off the remove the quarters.

 

Doug, what's your location? I have a 1972 parts car with clean rear quarter panels. But shipping the whole quarter plus inner wheel housing would be difficult and expensive. John

 

I am in the home of OLDSMOBILE Lansing MI. any chance of cutting out just what is needed??? or would it be easier to cut the whole things? What do you need for them?

 

I had the same thing on my 72'. New quarters were put over the old ones. and they started rotting through the new ones. I have heard several other people mention this as well. It is a lot of work replacing the rear quarters and inner fenders. With regard to the drop offs, they do not make for one for the Cutlass. The shop where my car is used one for the Chevelle, and modified it to match the olds. There is a lot of fitting, cutting, measuring, fitting and welding. If you are not experienced in metalwork have someone do it.

 

I suggest taking a hard look at the following:

1. Front cowl - A bodies tend to rust out here, and the repairs can be extensive.

2. Vinyl roof - They tend to trap moisture, and rust the roof out.

3. Rear window channel - See 1 & 2 above

4. Body mounts - If the car is rusty on the surface, then there is a good chance that the body mounts may be rotted.

5. Frame - Look closely at the frame, especially under the cowl.

Your car looks to be fairly rusty. Unless you are qualified to do panel replacement, the body work cost could be substantial.

It is always better to start with the best body and frame that you can, as these are the most expensive areas to repair.

I would suggest that if your car has substantial rust, you may want to start with a better car.

 

Cutlass Joe, you mentioned that the trunk drop downs are not made for the Cutlass but yes they are. I bought mine from Tamraz about 2 years ago and have already put them on.I like the points that MY 442 makes about rusty areas. I ended up replacing both quarter panels both inner and outer wheel housing,the trunk and the floor.luckily the rear window channel or the roof was not rusty because my car had a vinyl top on it and I was so surprised no rust underneath. A rusty car is a pain in the rear.

 

MY442 has hit almost all of my issues. Except the rear window, and vinyl roof since mine does not have that. The boddy looked good, but once we got into it all those spaces were nasty. When we took the body off the frame, there were only two body mounts holding the body on the frame. Everything else was rotten. I should have tried to find another body, but hindsight is 20/20. I think the only original parts on the car will be the hood, roof, trunk....

 

Yeah, when I cut off my quarters I also had to replace the outer wheel housings and the trunk drop offs. I purchased the drop offs from the parts place. They actually fit pretty good. X2 on the cowl area. Especially at the bottoms where the water drains out. Hard to see without pulling a fender or fenderwell.

 

If you want to see what kind of work is involved in this, and you are on facebook. Go to JH Restorations. They are located in Windsor Ontario. They have all the pics of the work being done on my car, including the rear quarters and all the rot on the body and frame. Not for the faint of heart!

 

I don't know where you are located, but I believe that the going labor rate for a good body shop that can handle the type of metal working you need is about $85 per hour.

The labor to replace a quarter panel, trunk drop off, and associated work is probably 40 hours. 40 x $85 is $3400.

Do both sides = $6800

And, you still have to paint the car.

You could easily be looking at $10,000 in body work.

That is why anyone in this hobby who cannot do this type of work needs to buy a car with a clean body and frame.

 

Thanks for all the repsonses guys! I'm going to go for it. It will be a long term project but a fun one. The floors are in pretty good shape, cowl looks good frame mounts good, trunk solid, the rears are biggest deal and I will try and get someone to do the replacing. The rest I can and will do! Interior is mint, Let the fun begin

 

I think this is very fixable by someone experienced with gorilla hair and bondo. A good body man can do that up very nice which will hold up for a very long time if stored inside.