71-4 Quarter patch options?

[drobertson]

Hey all, I need to do a rear lower passenger quarter patch on the drivers side of my 73 Charger. I did a full skin on the drivers side using tabco, and it fits well. However, it's not the most accurate around the edges. The AMD 72 charger skin is more accurate but has a different upper style line which I won't be using.

My main question is does anybody know for sure if the rear lower-half of a quarter panel interchangeable between a 72 and 73-4 body? It looks like that from the pictures. Obviously the upper half of a 72 quarter wont fit, but I think y'all get the idea.

Thanks... Drobertson.

 

[slimt]

you have a side view of the quarter on the car?

 

[Montclaire]

If you already used one tabco, I'd cut a full one for the patch on the other side. At least you know they will match.

 

[drobertson]

The tabco is fine, but the rear flange is a bitch to get right. AMD is more accurate in those areas.

 

[drobertson]

you have a side view of the quarter on the car?

I'll have to take a photo and post it here, probably in a few hours.

 

[Montclaire]

Read this:

http://wichargerguy.proboards.com/thread/485/72-quarter-panel-repair

 

[drobertson]

you have a side view of the quarter on the car?

I wasn't able to get any clear photos with the lighting in the garage, but here's and older photo.

 

[drobertson]

Thanks. That info is great to know, I'm not sure why I didn't see that earlier.

 

[Montclaire]

Is anyone still selling the 71/72 lower rear patches? I can't find them anywhere.

 

[drobertson]

I don't believe so. But skins and entire panels are available. The plymouth guys are lucky, AMD makes patches for 71, 72, and 73/4 RR's.

 

[Montclaire]

They really need to make the full OE quarters already. A lot of the SEs have rot around the quarter windows and they are ALL rotted on the bottom. Probably the last big Mopar worth buying that can still be had at a reasonable price but no aftermarket to support them.

 

[Nacho-RT74]

autobodyspecialt.com got those patches available ( also front section between wheel and door ) sometime ago but dunno now

however they are easy to make them "at home".

I bet the inner rocker panel will need to be replaced or fixed too and they are not available anywhere.

 

[Nacho-RT74]

here is a buddy who made a patch similar to your needs on front and rear areas of quarter wheel openings

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,126980.msg1612729.html#msg1612729

check from there and scroll down

 

[Nacho-RT74]

and when making the patch TAKE IN MIND THE DRAIN AREAS!!!!! those are what get clogged and makes that rust

Otherwise, you can get the Tabco one and use those as patch if you don't care to use all the skin... they has being used and tested as a good fitment

As far I recall Tabco ones doesn't get made up to the last vertical lip toward to the floor to weld to that rocker section, but just up to the horizontal bottom area...

 

[Montclaire]

How close are the 71-74 Challenger rockers to the Charger ones? Might be close enough to use as a patch?

 

[Nacho-RT74]

I don't think so.

My inner rocker areas were locally rebuilt using the pics I posted as a guide... same as the full 1/4 skin. I can post pics later

 

[Nacho-RT74]

I can’t find the BEFORE pics but this inner rocker area was built from the bones on my car. Totally new sheet metal from a flat sheet and welded to the car.

Of course the OP won’t know how much of this will need to be rebuilt/made until cut the outer skin

 

[drobertson]

Of course the OP won’t know how much of this will need to be rebuilt/made until cut the outer skin

Well I've got a pretty good idea of how bad the rust is. It isn't bad, this car has lived most it's life in the wyoming desert with no salted roads. I wouldn't have had to do an entire skin on the driver's side if the car wasn't t-boned wayyy back in the day. Driver's side rocker (both inner and outer) are solid as a rock, I doubt the passenger will be different.

Back to the topic of sheetmetal patches, I really don't like making homeade patches. Using stamped factoy or re-pop parts ends up with a better outcome, imo. Thanks for the info on the drain holes I never noticed that before.

 

[Nacho-RT74]

We don’t have winter or salted roads and still get rust on outer skin allong with inner rocker area

 

[drobertson]

We don’t have winter or salted roads and still get rust on outer skin allong with inner rocker area

Ok but doesn't Venezuela have really humid air? Up here it's dry as hell. Rust isn't big issue here.