Technical Rear quarter panel

[the beasto]

ok when i first started college some P***K in a punto opened there door and made a door shaped dent in my cinqs passenger side rear quarter panel.

now i was just wondering if its possible to change one of these?

thanks kris

 

[SkinzCinqSporting]

Shouldn't think so, looks like it's part of the body shell.

 

[the beasto]

:bang:

 

[fingers99]

Possible: although it's part of the body shell, the body shell is only a collection of panels welded together.

Impractical: you'll need a new panel, a jig to hold the body in alignment while you remove the bent panel, access to a mig, spot or tig welder, spray equipment and the requisite skills. It's a big, big job.

A more possible alternative is to gain access to the panel from the rear and carefully push the ding out. If you can't get to the rear, you may be able to use a suction pad to pull the panel into shape. Failing that, you can drill a hole or two and use a self tapping screw attached to a slide hammer.

Some filler is almost cartain to be required and you'll need to be carefull not to stretch the panel by pulling or pushing too hard.

Why not file an insurance claim?

 

[SkinzCinqSporting]

ePER shows you can get the panel's separately, but at around £40 in March 2005, then you've fitting and spraying costs. Impractical for certain.

 

[fingers99]

Another way would be to simply replace the damaged part of the panel. Mark out a template slightly bigger than the damaged area, take this to a scrapper and cut the part you want out of the scrap car. Cut out an area slightly smaller in the "good" car and joggle the edges, then weld the reploacement section in. That way it'll cost less for parts and you won't need a jig.

 

[The younger modder]

Another way would be to simply replace the damaged part of the panel. Mark out a template slightly bigger than the damaged area, take this to a scrapper and cut the part you want out of the scrap car. Cut out an area slightly smaller in the "good" car and joggle the edges, then weld the reploacement section in. That way it'll cost less for parts and you won't need a jig.

For a start a jig is not used in a rear quarter replacement in 9 times out of 10, its used to check and pull a shell back into shape after a substantial crash and sometimes one isnt even used here if a small time bodyshop as jigs can be very costly

in answer to your question YES the rear quarter can be replaced as can many panels of the cinq shell BUT it is a big job and is only needed when totally necessary a dent from someones door will NOT require a rear quarter replacement unless the punto owner was possesed and really didnt like his door:devil:

Get inside the car and pull off the rear quarter card now once youve established where the centre of the dent is (trickier than it sounds) use a large hammer turned round so the end of the wooden shaft is pressing against the centre of the dent and slowly push it out BUT do take great car when doing so its easy to make it look more of a mess than when it was damaged by rushing and being rough

wayne

 

[fingers99]

For a start a jig is not used in a rear quarter replacement in 9 times out of 10, its used to check and pull a shell back into shape after a substantial crash and sometimes one isnt even used here if a small time bodyshop as jigs can be very costly

I use jig here more in the sense of something to maintain the rigidity of the shell: it could be nothing more than a few (substantial) peices of wood carefully wedged and bolted in place or some angle temporarily welded in. We've all seen cars droop to the point where a door can only be shut with difficulty -- if at all -- when jacked up at one point. To replace the rear panel the hatch and one door has to be removed as well as a substantial part of the shell. Doing that without a means of ensuring the rigidity of the shell is --- notwithstanding the practice of small body shops --- a really bad idea: at best the shut gaps are likely to be all over the place, at worst the car will cheerfully crab down the road.

 

[The younger modder]

I use jig here more in the sense of something to maintain the rigidity of the shell: it could be nothing more than a few (substantial) peices of wood carefully wedged and bolted in place or some angle temporarily welded in. We've all seen cars droop to the point where a door can only be shut with difficulty -- if at all -- when jacked up at one point. To replace the rear panel the hatch and one door has to be removed as well as a substantial part of the shell. Doing that without a means of ensuring the rigidity of the shell is --- notwithstanding the practice of small body shops --- a really bad idea: at best the shut gaps are likely to be all over the place, at worst the car will cheerfully crab down the road.

do you work in a bodyshop by any chance?

and know what you mean about cars drooping weve all seen it with minis:bang: you replace one panel (yeah right) and end up trying to line the bugger up

but the cinqs are surprisingly ridgid as on my 899 i had a rear quarter put on, the rear quarter was cut off half way down the pillars as is usual and then it was left for two days as my uncle had to do overtime at work but it caused no problem and all doors and the boot was left on just opened when necessary and being totally honest it lined up bang on the door gaps were band on all round and after a bit of fiddling i got the shuts totally flat:slayer: and not one person off here ever noticed even though i put up pics regularly and no one when taking it to places noticed except for a couple of experts who noticed due to me just painting the rear quarter and blending the top rather than blending into the door and laquering the side :bang:

wayne