I was looking for a rear 1/4 repair panel for my '73 CS that has developed a nasty case of rust on the upper wheel well. At this time due to $$$ constraints there isn't a dang thing I can do about it except watch it get worse. And won't be able to do anything about it until February when I get my annual bonus. Joe P pointed out that no one makes rear quarter panels for the '73-'75 Cutlass, but they make them for the '76-'77 model years (Thanks Joe P). Yet ANOTHER let down for me that parts for my '73 CS are not available. So I have to wonder....Is there any GOOD reason they don't make re-pops for those years? I also have to wonder this....Since the '73-'77 Cutlass basically share the same rear 1/4 panel design (with exception of that stylish little body swoop forward of the rear wheel for the '73-'75), could I use a '76-'77 re-pop panel and cut out what I need of it (upper wheel well portion) and use it for the repair? I don't have any '76-'77's to compare my '73 to to know if they are exactly the same. Experts........?

 

If you are going to go to all that trouble why not just repair what you have? I don't know the extent of the rust but I'm guessing that it's on the lower panel just between the door and the rear wheel. That's where mine was and it's typical for our years.

It was the size of a thumb nail but I had them cut it out and weld in a steel patch. They used some new king of forming putty or so I was told. Anyway they guaranteed the bodywork and paint for as long as I own the car.

This is much easier than trying to custom make a quarter panel to fit your car. Now if you can find a rust free example on ebay...but if not, consider repair instead of replace unless the whole panel is ready to crumble. Good luck.

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Your choices are repair what you have or find an NOS or western used quarter. The shape of the wheel opening is different between 73-75 and 76-77.

 

The reason that they don't repo those parts is demand, there just isn't enough demand in the market to justify the costs associated with making this parts. I would like repo front fenders for my '69 but it ain't going to happen. My '73 Supreme had really bad rust in the rear quarters from the salt used on Michigan roads, and I found a body shop that welded in patch panels, which outlasted the originals, and that was over 30 years ago.

 

Keep in mind the upper part of a '73 Supreme quarter is different from other '73 Cutlass models. The rear of a '73 Supreme quarter is different from 74-75 too. For a full quarter you are looking for 73 Supreme only.

 

Ok, thanks. Just looking at pictures to compare the years I thought the wheel well openings looked similar, just the wheel well openings not the rest of the panel. 442much; On your wheel well opening if you rotated that whole section of the wheel well lip backwards directly over the wheel, that's where mine is bad and getting worse. I guess I'll have to just ride it out and see what happens. Hoping for the best.

 

There is a 73-75 patch panel. It does not fit the 73 as well as 74 & 75 but you can make it work. It is different at the rear side markers. Its on EvilBay and I have not used it yet....
Cut what ya need off of it and patch it in. It would be easier to someone who has done this before and if you posted a picture of the extent of the rust....