Can anyone tell me if a right rear quarter panel is available from anywhere except Mazda? The body shop needs one to fix my 84 GSL (see photo).

Thanks!
Ray

 

Have a junkyard torch out a huge section of that area (much larger than the effected area) and take it down to the body shop to have them weld it in.

 

yeah, our cars are unibody design, meaning the whole *** end is all one piece with the floor and "frame" rails of the car.... you can't just go and un-bolt a 1/4 panel from another one likesome cars...


Junkyard is probably your best option... most FBs I see are wrecked from head-on collisions, or the engine just died so they towed it...

 

You know, honestly it should be cheaper just to find another good shell rather than replace that whole area. I have a felling "it will never be the same car".

 

I don't know, the car looks to be in pretty good shape. I've brazed in large sections of sheet metal before, works really well.

 

I know you can get rear 1/4 panels replaced. Ive seen it done on an RX-7 before. I just think that you would have to get one from Mazda. As a matter of fact, theres a site on Car Domain with one person thats done it.

~T.J.

 

rotor vs piston, you are driving a v8, what do you know?

Ray

 

he musta really loved his car to have get that done, holy jeebus.

 

A good bodyshop man can fabricate rear quarters and weld them in for you. One of my friends is very good at this type of thing and has completely rebuilt two first generation RX-7s for me, frame,floors rear quarters and the four suspension to frame areas. Don't let anybody give you any guff,it can be done without chopping the car into two pieces . As a matter of fact you can do it yourself - a sheet of body metal and a mig welder is all you need. Find a wrecked car and cut out the front fender for the wheel arches etc. Pretty basic stuff.

 

Thanks for the feedback, now I'm having second thoughts. The body shop guy said there are two seams, one at the roof line, the other just to the left of the Mazda insignia on the back, which allow a new rear quarter panel to be inserted, a part that he could get from Mazda for about $600. In fact I can see where the seam has ripped in the back, so I think he is probably right about this. However some of you have mentioned that the RX-7 has a unibody construction, meaning that the damaged area needs to be cut out and a corresponding new or used piece pasted in. If this is the case wouldn't it be easier (ie a whole lot less expensive) to bang out the dent and use bondo to get the lines back? This would also limit the repainting to just the damaged area, rather than the whole rear quarter panel and rearend of the car, which would preserve more of my original paing job, which is in excellent condition. I don't like bondo but if it saves $1000 and gives decent results I would do it. I also like the idea of keeping all the original body parts together. I really appreciate all the feedback on this..

Ray

 

I'll asume you're joking. But when FB shells can be had at $150 and you get allot of spare parts along with the shell it just makes sense to go ahead and get the shell. You have to remember why FB's are so great, they're cheap.

 

Yes, I'm joking. But I'm not sure what you mean by a "shell". I don't want another car, the one I have is an exceptional example of a bone stock 84 GSL, with all the original trim and components intact and working (except the extracted cat). It has the brown leather interior and seats all in excellent shape, all the power options work fine (I just installed a new power antena which I think survived the wreck) and the original paint still shines like new. I especially like the pin stripping, which is all perfect (except on the right rear!). I haven't seen a lot of other 1st generation RX7 in my travels aroung Atlanta (I don't think they are THAT common anymore) but I have only seen one (an SE) that was in as good a shape. And it had been restored, unlike mine, which has been very well maintained and preserved. So I would like to fix it, just not sure what the best approach is. It sounds like cutting a quarter panel out of another car is how a lot of people do it, so I am looking into this. Any donor cars out there in the Atlanta area? Or advice about pounding it out and filling it in?

Thanks!
Ray

 

Bondo works and looks great until you wreck it in the exact same spot again.

 

Head over to the SE section. Someone in town should be able to help you out. Or PM BadAssRX-7
He is south of ATL and and works on and keeps some 7's.

there are a good bit of 7's in the Area. I seen two today on P'Hill.

 

Damn, I got a 1st gen that is the same color and everything and it has front end damage. Its in a garage in NJ. Ran fine when I parked it and joined the air force. I would be glad to donate it to you as a parts car since I don't have a title for it anymore so you could part it out and hack up the body, but you live kinda far away from where it is.

 

Thanks for the tips, I am headed for the SE section next (for some reason I have not been able to access rx7club for the last few days, so I have some catching up to do). Still thinking about bondo, since I don't plan on getting rear ended again, but I also am seeing an opportunity to buy another 84/85 GSL (as suggested by rotor vs piston) as the primary driver or parts car, which ever works best. I got a good insurance settlement that is eating a hole in my pocket, I just love an opportunity to go shopping for a 7!
Please let me know of any 84/85 GSLs using the beige and/or brown color scheme that is pretty much in stock condition. (Yes i'll be checking the for sale section in a moment) Thanks! Ray