Ok, Im replacing the left rear quarter panel on my 96 cavalier 2 door. I can get the entire left rear corner of a cav for $200 but i gotta cut the skin off that one to. Sohuld i take it to a body shop or do it myself. HOw much will it cost? I am average skill for body work. I have molded kits and fit a few things but this seems complicated. Can i replace the entire panel from door to truck lid and up and down? Thanks for any advance help.
3800 series II supercharged swap in progress
Not now, but someday!
Well, you would need to be able to weld on a big piece of metal perfectly.
I don't know your skill level as a welder, but it seems as if that would at the least be a couple person job...I say have a shop do it.
Bah. You can panel bond it. I think that's how mine is held on since they didn't want to risk any sparks hitting my interior and obviously didn't want to take the time to remove the interior before doing the work.
Regardless though, I'd definitely get a good body shop involved. There's more to it than you might realize. If nothing else, ask if you can be there to see how it's all done so you can decide in the future whether it's something you can do. You've got to get everything lined up right so the trunk still closes properly and you've got to be able to bond in the c-pillar and rear side windows as well.
I'd take it to a body shop.
Yes the entire skin can be replaced but it would involve drilling out all the spot welds (lots of them), possibly removing the quarter window to get to some of them and removing interior panels. Not sure on the cavalier. Then when all the welds are drilled out the new one would be spot welded in. The panel adhesive is another option and it fairly popular now. Less chance of corrosion because your not burning off corrosion protection like spot welding. The panel adhesive is only for non structural panels, the quarter panel would be fine, but any panel that is classified as structural no. Since a unibody doesn't have a full frame more panels are structural.
http://victorylap.50webs.com
Autobody/ paint
i say if you have no experience in replacing sheet metal take it to a shop
allot of work is involoved in removing a 1/4 panel
removing the rear of the interior
and trunk interior
bumper tail lights and yes 1/4 glass and rear window
drilling all the spot welds out and allot of them
cutting the old 1/4 off half way up the sail panel
there is more to it but my hands hurt and i don`t feel like typin it all out
take it to a shop
can i haz bondo
