What's the name for the rear / side body panel?
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Joined: May 2015
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From: North Carolina
What's the name for the rear / side body panel?
Probably a dumb question, but I know nothing about dealing with bodywork....
On the FC 'vert it looks like the rear bodywork is all one panel that has both quarter panels, a thin connector in front of the boot lid, and then down along the sides under the doors and up to the fenders.
Is this really all just the one panel? Do people usually just purchase the panel in bits and then weld it in? It looks like the previous owner (poorly) welded in a quarter panel, and I'd love to replace the whole thing with one piece. Is this feasible?
Thanks!
On the FC 'vert it looks like the rear bodywork is all one panel that has both quarter panels, a thin connector in front of the boot lid, and then down along the sides under the doors and up to the fenders.
Is this really all just the one panel? Do people usually just purchase the panel in bits and then weld it in? It looks like the previous owner (poorly) welded in a quarter panel, and I'd love to replace the whole thing with one piece. Is this feasible?
Thanks!
yes. it's a unibody car like most that were manufactured from the mid 80's and beyond. almost all cars are built this way now. they are considered 'disposables' as it also allows for easier mass production.
more than half of the body, frame and chassis are fused together. the rear quarter panels can be replaced but it requires welding and grinding.
more than half of the body, frame and chassis are fused together. the rear quarter panels can be replaced but it requires welding and grinding.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 33
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From: North Carolina
I imagine it was involved in a collision at some point, but I'm mostly concerned about the less than stellar welding job by the previous owner which I'm assuming was to repair damage from said collision.
I'm not all that bothered by how terrible the body looks, honestly, but I thought if it was an easy fix I'd give it a go. Seems like it's not, so kind of a bummer, but doesn't affect anything but the looks.
I'm not all that bothered by how terrible the body looks, honestly, but I thought if it was an easy fix I'd give it a go. Seems like it's not, so kind of a bummer, but doesn't affect anything but the looks.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 33
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From: North Carolina
You never met the previous owner 
If it was an easy fix, he would have found a way to make it difficult and then mess it up somehow. Welding in a poorly-painted quarter panel instead of repairing it properly is exactly the sort of thing he would have done. Except that in this case there doesn't seem to have been a better option (except for the lack of color matching or respraying and the fact that he didn't bother to grind the seams down, heh).
If it was an easy fix, he would have found a way to make it difficult and then mess it up somehow. Welding in a poorly-painted quarter panel instead of repairing it properly is exactly the sort of thing he would have done. Except that in this case there doesn't seem to have been a better option (except for the lack of color matching or respraying and the fact that he didn't bother to grind the seams down, heh).