Just bought this, quarter panel swap

[cosmick]

I used to have a '95 Z28 conv., so this isn't my first 4th gen.
And I had an '86 I swapped a 3.4 in to, so I'm not new to 3.4s either.

[cosmick]

Re: Just bought this, quarter panel swap

It's a '94 with an autotragic, 303,600 miles, the crash bent the exhaust and the panhard, It was like this when I bought it and drove it home. At least it's a hardtop. It was $700, then the "new" quarter was another $125.

[cosmick]

Re: Just bought this, quarter panel swap

As weather permits, I'll be showing how I do this myself. My highest priority is making it fit right, both looks and strength. Easy is a bit less important, but I don't want unnecessary difficulty.
This car will end up with a V8 swap.

[CFreed11]

Re: Just bought this, quarter panel swap

Glad to see you saving the car, a lot of people wouldn't even consider it and let the insurance take it to the scrap yard for rear quarter damage. Sounds like you know what you're doing, good luck on the restoration.

[cosmick]

Re: Just bought this, quarter panel swap

Thanks!
First was a new wood chisel to expose the spot welds for drilling. Then I got a sharpie to mark a few, and the sail panel on the B-pillar is a problem, so I'll probably splice and butt-weld under it rather than drilling the welds hidden by the sail panel. It was extremely stupid of GM to glue it, it needed to be unboltable. Would you glue the oil filter on? Or the spark plugs in?

[cosmick]

Re: Just bought this, quarter panel swap

[cosmick]

Re: Just bought this, quarter panel swap

[ssms5411]

Re: Just bought this, quarter panel swap

Just a question, do you weld the quarter panel on the use fiberglass and sand and paint? Just for future reference. In case I need to do it or someone else.

[cosmick]

Re: Just bought this, quarter panel swap

You're getting ahead of me, but I wasn't planning to do any fiberglassing for this job. So far I've just been drilling spot welds, and removing some of the metal that won't be part of the end result.
Also, while I'm at it, I'm fabricating an overkill hitch much like the one I fabbed for my '86 Camaro. The bulk of this design sits inside the trunk area anyway. Pics as I progress.

[ssms5411]

Re: Just bought this, quarter panel swap

Sounds good, I guess I'll have to wait. Lol

[cosmick]

Re: Just bought this, quarter panel swap

After much labor, aggravation, frustration, cursing GM forgetting how to build a Camaro, and cutting discs for my angle grinder, here's where I'm at:

[CFreed11]

Re: Just bought this, quarter panel swap

Not bad so far. I too would have avoided the sail panel area due to the glue as well. I'm looking forward to seeing your welds when it comes time to put the new quarter on!

[2.8 Bird]

Re: Just bought this, quarter panel swap

Very interested to see how you're going to do this.

Off Topic, since you have experience in this... I've been thinking about that 3.4 long block going into my 3rd gen. Would the stuff from my 2.8 be a direct bolt on to a long block 3.4?

[nascar24jd]

Very ambitious project. Best of luck with it. I look forward to seeing the progress and result.

[cosmick]

Re: Just bought this, quarter panel swap

I've had to revise my cuts based on what welds I couldn't drill. My welds are seldom pretty. Today will be getting the cuts to match up. I'm using a cheap stick welder from Harbor Freight, on the lowest setting, 80 amps, and HF's 3/32" electrodes, cut down to 3.87" ea.
Once the fit is close, I expect to find a few of the holes I drilled in each to match up well enough for a couple of bolts to keep it from falling apart long enough to make some welds. Which will need to be ground smooth.
2.8 Bird: Yes, no problem, check out www.thirdgen.org, they even have a sub-forum just for the V6 guys, with a couple of stickies about what you're thinking.