DIY Rust repair - Rear quarter/fender

[Smaggo]

My car is rusted out. I am going to try and fix it. Perhaps some of what I do can help you fix you're own car.

TOOLS

Welder - I use a MIG welder with .23 solid core wire - 75/24/1 Argon mix

Angle Grinder - cutting/grinding/sanding

Jig Saw - For cutting the wood used to mold the sheet metal

Hammers and Dollies

Vice-Grips/Clamps

Tape Measure/Square/Ruler

MATERIALS

.22 gauge sheet metal

Wood - I had some Pine Plywood from another project I used

















Work in progress.

[LongGrain]

I think you would have been better off just cutting off your quarter and welding on one from another car, have a hard time seeing that ever looking stock again.

[MisterJerk]

there is a company that makes the rear quarter in sheet metal, they also make the rear(tail light) panel.

i will update this post, if i can find it again

Found it!:

http://alfaparts.net/toycor.htm

[ga_goosh]

nice job. you have some body skillz. Iv seen people take the rear section of a fender and use it to repair the rear quarters also.

[RuizXIII]

I think Club4AG needs a thread dedicated to just rusty corollas getting sheet metal repairs.
I will be contributing to that in the near future as I have some horrible rust in my driver side sills, Q/P and rear rocker.

Good work and effort here. That is some gruesome rust. I hope the end product turns out well.

[KonaTrueno723]

Looks good smaggo..its hard work doin it in small sections like that. I too am doin a similar project but its a whole rotted section for a customers truck. Pinch welded a whole new outer skin, it takes time..im sure your diy will turn out lookin great.keep up the good work

[Smaggo]

Thx for the comments. This is the first time I weld sheet metal/shape it.

I was told by a guy advertising on CL as a welder with 30 years exp, that I should junk my car, that it would be impossible for me to fix, and that people charge thousands of dollars to do this type of repair on classic cars.

I will add more details on the work as I go.

Primer on bare metal


Final clean up after welding the holes where I burnt thru



Some Bondo... Not exactly sure how this will end up yet.


All suggestions welcome, thx in advance.

[broncanus]

I like it! brings back a lot of memories of my challenger project... everyone said the same thing about that car too. from the looks of it you figured it out pretty fast (a lot faster then me) but for any who are reading, when spot welding that many welds like that, you do one on one end then move really far away and do another somewhere else so it can stay relatively cool. those burn holes are a good example of a hole starting and then "oh no I need to fill it" which makes the hole bigger. if any holes appear, stop and move on and come back later when its cool enough to fill. welders make sheet metal hot REAL fast!

looks really good though! I was skeptical as well but it looks good!

[KonaTrueno723]

^^x2..heat likes to distort thin metal too..it takes time to do. it taught me patience

[Smaggo]

I like it! brings back a lot of memories of my challenger project... everyone said the same thing about that car too. from the looks of it you figured it out pretty fast (a lot faster then me) but for any who are reading, when spot welding that many welds like that, you do one on one end then move really far away and do another somewhere else so it can stay relatively cool. those burn holes are a good example of a hole starting and then "oh no I need to fill it" which makes the hole bigger. if any holes appear, stop and move on and come back later when its cool enough to fill. welders make sheet metal hot REAL fast!

looks really good though! I was skeptical as well but it looks good!

You are %100 right. That is exactly how they happened, and even though I wanted to just stop, I couldn't resist just trying to fill it immediately. I need to practice more self control, and welding 8)

[yellowsnow4free]

Wow, props to you on tackling this yourself (and good for you for not scrapping it like the guy on craigslist suggested)

If that was your first time welding it came out great; I'm especially impressed with your metal forming.

Keep at it

[grappletech]

Awesome job man, keep us posted! means a lot to the guys here who have not done a project that they think is too big for them. i figure if its already yours dont worry about others say, just do it and watch them criticize from the sideline

[buffalohunter7321]

Does any one know where I can get front and rear wheel well replacement panels for my 1987 FX-16 corolla?