5 Star Rising Posted March 6, 2019 Share Posted March 6, 2019 Hey so I'm building a early 71 240z and getting it ready for the paint shop. I have some rust that is kind of spread out in different spots on my lower quarter panels and I put a screw driver right through the panels.. I have never cut and replaced metal panels before, I only used bondo back in the day on my Chevelle and 20 years later that didn't work out so good. So my question is: going off the pictures, would you guys just cut and replace small sections of metal in the existing panels or buy the store bought panels from zcardepot and weld them in place. The panels are a little pricey and I wasnt sure if they are the same size and gauge of metal as stock.. Would I be doing more damage to my Series 1 by hacking the entire lower quarter panel out a d trying to weld in this aftermarket panel or is it best to just get some sheet metal and make my own patches? Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rturbo 930 Posted March 6, 2019 Share Posted March 6, 2019 I don't think the panels are all that pricey, but they are reproductions, and are not perfect. I don't know for sure that they're the same gauge as stock, but series one cars have slightly thinner metal to start with, so I doubt they are. The first thing you need to do is get a wire wheel and take all the paint and rust off the dogleg to see what exactly you have there. FYI, it's probably worse on the inside than the outside. It doesn't look too bad, so you might be able to just go get a sheet of 20, and make do with some simple patches. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5 Star Rising Posted March 7, 2019 Author Share Posted March 7, 2019 So you think the thinner 20 gauge would be better than 18 gauge on the series 1? I also have an old 240z door in my back yard where the bottom of the door is badly rusted but I was thinking about cutting some metal off the top of the door that looks descent. Looks like the PO did something to the seam between the lower quarter and the rocker panel on my car, going to get out my wire wheel and pull it back, might be bondo or rust. Wondering if I should put body filler over the seam to make it look like one piece when I'm done or keep the seam, I guess its preference. Do you guys leave the seam? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rturbo 930 Posted March 7, 2019 Share Posted March 7, 2019 Most of the body is 20 gauge, use that, although series ones use slightly thinner metal. But it won't really matter if you use 20. Don't use 18, it's not only incorrect, it's also harder to form. I'd leave the seam since that's how it came from the factory. Also, if you ever go to sell the car, a potential buyer that knows the cars will be expecting to see that seam there, and if it's filled, it's going to make him think there's problems hiding underneath, since usually if that seam is missing its because someone repaired the area incorrectly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5 Star Rising Posted March 8, 2019 Author Share Posted March 8, 2019 I thought about selling this door to someone who could do metal work to it and save it.. Then I thought maybe I should just take all the parts off the rusted door shell and cut metal patches off it , then scrap it. Its probably from a 73 240z. Hate to see a 240z door get destroyed, but at the same time what could I get for it $20 bucks? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5 Star Rising Posted March 8, 2019 Author Share Posted March 8, 2019 Grabbed the wire grinder, and these panels are pretty bad. There was a good amount of bondo on the passenger panel. Looks like the rust is spread all over like cancer , there is tiny holes on the bottom. Thinking if I make patches and miss a spot it could maybe bubble my new paint later on in a different spot as its eating the metal from the inside out... I'm leaning towards buying those aftermarket panels. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rturbo 930 Posted March 8, 2019 Share Posted March 8, 2019 Yeah, I think you need a replacement panel. See if the rust extends upward past the body line on the dog leg. If you can cut below that it should make your life a little easier, but I see some spots on the wheel well lip that may require you to cut above that. Otherwise, start drilling spot welds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neverdone Posted March 8, 2019 Share Posted March 8, 2019 You should get the panels for the sole reason of cutting out the exterior sheet metal so you can properly treat all the rust that inside of there. Yeah, it's 100 bucks now, but you'll have gladly spent that for WHEN your paint goes bad (not if). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LLave Posted March 8, 2019 Share Posted March 8, 2019 Yeah, you can't leave those. Cut it out, repair anything inside, shoot with weld through, put new panel on. Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cgsheen Posted March 8, 2019 Share Posted March 8, 2019 Those Tabco dog leg panels are much thicker metal than stock. It's not that bad of a repair and you definitely need to get behind there and treat the rust... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
morbias Posted March 12, 2019 Share Posted March 12, 2019 Keep in mind the jacking point strengthening panels are inside the dog legs and could need replacing if they are rotted. As far as I know, repros aren't available so they would have to be fabricated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5 Star Rising Posted July 18, 2019 Author Share Posted July 18, 2019 On 3/12/2019 at 8:21 AM, morbias said: Keep in mind the jacking point strengthening panels are inside the dog legs and could need replacing if they are rotted. As far as I know, repros aren't available so they would have to be fabricated. Is this the jacking point section you are talking about? Its rotted a bit.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5 Star Rising Posted July 18, 2019 Author Share Posted July 18, 2019 Just now getting around to this area of the car again... I bought the replacement lower quarter panels. They seem a bit bigger than the stock section, I had to cut the top of the new panel down and it looks like I will have to cut the front of the new panel also as it over laps the body line crease under the door. Shit! I hope i don't screw this up. Taking my time. Already had to fabricate a bottom section that faces the wheel well as it was rotted out. I hit everything with rust stop Ospho metal treatment as far as I could spray up there and everywhere, then hit it with rust stop paint. Excepting pointers on mounting these new lower quarters if I haven't already screwed it up.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5 Star Rising Posted August 6, 2019 Author Share Posted August 6, 2019 How do you guys install these lower quarter panels? I still haven't welded mine on yet, afraid I'm going to screw it up haha. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LLave Posted August 8, 2019 Share Posted August 8, 2019 Take your time. Get the fit really good. Leave a little gap, about the diameter of the wire you are using. Tack the part in, then slowly ticky-tacky all the way around. The 3M green corps 01991 discs are great for grinding down weld material. Loud and messy, but they remove material quickly and don't over heat the part. They are designed to finish grind mig welds. You got this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5 Star Rising Posted August 9, 2019 Author Share Posted August 9, 2019 Hey thanks, I just ordered some of those 01991 discs, looks like alot of people use them for that and like them..thanks. I was a little worried about a few things.. the pitch/angle of the new panel being that it is tucked behind the body, feels like there could be a weird section in the middle, like I might need a little too much mud to make it true? Not too fond of that.. The other worry is that the aftermarket panel is longer than the original and I need to make a precise cut with my die grinder of about a inch or so to keep the factory look crease/gap where the panel under the door meets the new quarter. This is my first time working with automotive panels like this and ofcourse I would be learning on my beloved series 1.. Haha, oh well I guess it could be fixed if I messed it up but at the expense of my wallet in a over priced body shop, here goes nothing.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rturbo 930 Posted August 9, 2019 Share Posted August 9, 2019 I'd probably just butt weld it at the top joint. I don't think I've ever seen someone do what you're doing there, mind you, I'm not a body expert. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LLave Posted August 9, 2019 Share Posted August 9, 2019 16 hours ago, 5 Star Rising said: Hey thanks, I just ordered some of those 01991 discs, looks like alot of people use them for that and like them..thanks. I was a little worried about a few things.. the pitch/angle of the new panel being that it is tucked behind the body, feels like there could be a weird section in the middle, like I might need a little too much mud to make it true? Not too fond of that.. The other worry is that the aftermarket panel is longer than the original and I need to make a precise cut with my die grinder of about a inch or so to keep the factory look crease/gap where the panel under the door meets the new quarter. This is my first time working with automotive panels like this and ofcourse I would be learning on my beloved series 1.. Haha, oh well I guess it could be fixed if I messed it up but at the expense of my wallet in a over priced body shop, here goes nothing.. I should have looked at the pictures better. Typically these repairs are done with a butt weld, you do not over lap material. If you do, you need to bend an offset flange. Harbor freight has an air tool that punches holes on one side and offsets on the other. You are going to have a hard time blending a piece that is stacked like that. For you to grind it flat, you will have to grind all the way through your new material. I would rethink your approach. Cut your patch panel to fit the hole, to make it easier to weld and to fill the holes you drilled, add some material behind to make a flange. Like this: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5 Star Rising Posted August 11, 2019 Author Share Posted August 11, 2019 On 8/9/2019 at 9:46 AM, LLave said: I should have looked at the pictures better. Typically these repairs are done with a butt weld, you do not over lap material. If you do, you need to bend an offset flange. Harbor freight has an air tool that punches holes on one side and offsets on the other. You are going to have a hard time blending a piece that is stacked like that. For you to grind it flat, you will have to grind all the way through your new material. I would rethink your approach. Cut your patch panel to fit the hole, to make it easier to weld and to fill the holes you drilled, add some material behind to make a flange. Like this: Yeah, if it was a flat panel I think I could get away with bending a offset flange and sliding the panel behind, but because the panel has a moulded grove in it, it makes it almost impossible to flange it with that tool. The best approach might be to place some material behind the new panel like you suggested and the video suggests and butt weld it. I had a body shop guy come to my house and suggest overlapping but it doesn't make much sense to me doing it that way if nothing lines up correctly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rturbo 930 Posted August 11, 2019 Share Posted August 11, 2019 I don't know why you're so hung up on having material behind it. Just butt weld it. Don't make it more complicated than it needs to be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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