Eastwood No-weld patch kit? (1 Viewer)

[CMD82]

Hey guys, I have some rear qtr panels for my 60, and unfortunately I do not have any welding experience or resources. I am looking for options (cheap) to get these panels installed. I have talked to IPOR about fabrication of new panels, but unfortunately they are a bit out of my price range. Although this was before I came across replacement panels, so maybe just cutting and welding the new panels may be significantly cheaper. Their facility and fabrication are top notch, btw.
I do not have a problem cutting out the existing panels, as I would like to coat the interior of the body with some rust neutralizer/protective paint. In researching options for installation of the panels I came across this Eastwood product, Eastwood Co. - Eastwood No-Weld Panel Repair Kit
Does anyone have any experience with this?
Would you recommend this route?
If welding is the best option, what do you expect the price to just cut and weld the new panels in?
Any help is appreciated

Thanks,
Chris

 

[agent orange]

Replacing quarters is a pretty big job. There are spot welds all around the whole panel (i just tore apart a parts truck and was checking them out, as i was planning to use them when i extend my fenderwells), and it can be challenging to keep everything square when welding. I dont think that anything short of welding the new panels in place would be adequate, they are a fairly major part of the structure of the body.

It wouldnt be the end of the world, but its a pretty big project. I would try and find someone who can weld who could help out, as any shop that is capable of doing a job like this will charge you a premium and considering the work involved it would be justified. Is this truck your daily driver? I would offer to help myself but i dont know how long it would take me, ive done some sheetmetal work before but the quarters are a pretty involved job.

 

[CMD82]

Thanks for the reply Orange. No, the truck is not a DD, so timing is not a factor. If you want to check it out give me a shout, I am free on the weekends.

Any other thoughts from fellow mudders?

 

[Joe_E]

Don't know about that system but have seen how tough that panel adhesive can be. Watched a show on tv where they were building Peterbilt trucks and they used adhesive to glue the whole dang cab together.

 

[CMD82]

Anyone else have any thoughts? I believe that Eastwood makes pretty good products.

 

[D'Animal]

I would be worried about quarter panels that were glued on.


Take your old panels, cut them up and reweld them until you get good. Then put the new ones on.

 

[agent orange]

The big issue with that adhesive is that for you to run a bead around the whole panel, you would have to cut the panel free from the roof, wheelwell, pillars,and the metal behind the bottom of the quarters that the panel is attached to, rather than just snipping it at a convenient place on the pillar and leaving the easy to fubar roofline intact.

 

[CMD82]

The patch panels are from CCOT so they just are the lower qtrs. In addition to the adhesive, the Eastwood kit utilizes counter sunk rivets. The panels are an older version of these: Quarter Panel

 

[agent orange]

Oh, that is a different story. In that case you arent really getting into the structural part of the panel as bad. The only issue may be getting a flat flange to lay the new panel into on some of the curved portions of the panel, the eastwood stuff cant be butted together it has to have overlap between the patch and the old panel.

If you want me to weld them on, shoot me a pm. I am a lot more open to cutting the bottom off the quarter and welding in a premade patch than trying to f with the whole panel itself. I also have a parts truck to cut up in case you need some of the wheelwell or the inner structure. Let me know.

-Matt

 

[CMD82]

PM sent!

 

[micnicholasj]

oh, the glue

there is some awesome panel bonder out there. I manage a body shop and we use it all the time. it saves time if you know what you're doing, we glue on a lot of truck bedsides & roof skins. a lot of new cars have welded and glued on quarters. Welding is nice and safe & guaranteed but opens up potential for corrosion/rust. you could glue on a quarter I suppose but you would need a flange or a sleve to attach it too if there isn't a good lip all the way around your opening or just using a patch instead of full panel. i've done some crazy glueing but the glue isn't cheap. we like 3M automix panel bonder but it's almost $30 a tube + the gun to mix it. you're gonna need to drill off the old quarter(drill out spot welds and cut it in your desired spots) fit it up the new quarter, use some vice grips to hold it in place to get your gaps right. if you're using patch panels you will need to glue on a sleeve first overlapping the remaining original quarter first so there is something to glue the patch too. then bring on the glue and a buddy, plus all the vice grips or clamps you can get to hold the quarter in place till it dries. the more the better because you want as much pressure until it dries so it doesn't try to pull itself off. a few well placed self tapping screws will also hold it in place till it dries, then run then back out.
I glued some carbon fiber quarters on my 911 because you can't weld carbon fiber to steel for obvious reasons. did some tests before dikking up my car of course. glued two pieces of carbon fiber together with the 3m panel bonder and baked it a few times in a paint booth to assure it was glued and cured. couldn't pry the pieces apart. ended up taking an air hammer/chisel to it and the carbon fiber broke before the glue. that was good enough for me. check out my sweet ride.
so the point, you could glue it but to get everything set up and prepped to install, and if you haven't done body work before or fitted structural panels before, you should probably bite the bullet and find somebody to weld that thing on for you like it should be because it's a hassle either way and you're gonna fight it if it's a first time. and once the glue dries that thing ain't coming off.
you don't necessarily have to pay a shop or welder to finish it up, whole nine yards, grind & bondo the welds, then paint it. for a few hours of labor to install and weld the part on and you know it's gonna fit right without rubbing the rear door and back hatch. everyone is on a budget, sometimes all you have to spend is a case of beer and ask nicely.

 

[alaska60]

fusing metal together with metal (welding) rather than glue, sounds like a better option. I know my cruiser isn't glued together. is yours?
I would utilize agent oranges offer of welding your panels together for you. He can also teach you a few tricks to welding too.

 

[CMD82]

Yep, agent orange has generously been helping the last few weeks cut out the old and weld in the new. I hope be finished soon and will post up pics.