GoodOldsGuyDougie

me as Charlie Brown-(Ughhhhh!!) I just came back from the body shop and it looks like I need two lower patch panels. Both on the drivers side. Both are notorious problem areas. One on the lower fender and one on the rear quarter. I called several Dealers who actually said they had some but they were junk! Three different Olds Parts dealers said the same thing. Can anyone steer me too anything worth a damn. The Body guy said he might be able to make some but I liked to find some if possible. Thanks everyone for looking.

Rocket Richard

Not that I'm an expert in this subject, but maybe if you let the guys here know what kind of car you have and where you are located.

I think your options are: finding a patch, finding a junk yard that can cut you out the pieces you need from a rust free car, getting your body man to make one, or making one yourself.

No matter what, watch out for bad repair work. Lap welded patch panels over rusty sheet metal, and covered in bondo... makes me feel a little dirty just thinking about it.

But then again I'd likely cringe at the price to pay someone to do it properly too. Lol

scr8p

i'm gonna guess the patch panels are for the car in your avatar?

if so, the 68-69 lower fender patch panels out there are horrible. you'd be better off making your own.

dejavu442

if the requirement is for a driver's side patch panel, I got mine from Summit ( made by Goodmark) and they appear decent. I have not installed them yet, however. Same with rear quarter panel.

I don't think that you can find a patch panel for the rear quarter panel. You will find "skins" which are not quite an entire quarter panel. Once again, available via Summit (made by Goodmark). Price on the skins were like $220 and I think the front patch panels like $80.

The good news is that the front panels will ship right away. The bad news is the rear skins take months.

The above is assuming the intended vehicle is a 1968.

Rickman48

My '69 442 had the left side rear qtr., behind the rear wheel, totally rusted out, along with the 'drop' from inside the trunk!
I made/bent another from the body line down, and went 1/2 way up the trunk 'drop', using the same thickness metal from a '60's hood we had lying around.
Probably took about 10 hrs [with hand tools] to bend, but only 2 to weld in - came out great, for a first attempt!
That was in '81, before 'patch panels' were available.
Let your bodyman make the panels - some are artists!!

GoodOldsGuyDougie

Thanks everyone. Looks like he'll make them and he says its no problem whatsoever. He just thought I would prefer the patch panels. I've seen his work and its flawless, so I'm in good shape. Yes.. I'm referring to the car in the Avatar, that's mine. For some reason I thought everyone had there own cars in there Avatars. Once again thanks everyone.

MDchanic

Some people have more than one car, but only on on their avatars .

- Eric

gearheads78

Most patches out there are junk. Its not a 68 but you might get some ideas here start at post #385

https://classicoldsmobile.com/forums...tml#post182480