Longitudinal Repairs- Can it be done without affecting existing paint?
 

We started the process of reinstalling the battery tray in the engine compartment as it had been relocated by a PO in the rear trunk. The engine is out and the fiberglass repair of the area where the battery tray is to be refit has been removed.

Unfortunately looking inside the longitudinal section reveals they are in bad need of repair. We have looked at the various thread on the repair. but it appears to do an effective repair a good bit of the outer fender has to be removed. The car does has a recent paint job and the external body panels are in good shape. Can an effective repair of the areas be performed without having to do any external body removal and/or have to repaint any external surfaces? Has anyone had any success, if so how?

Thanks
jjs3rd914

long repair
 

I actually did that on my last car, i did not want to cut the quarter, it works but it will require a partial removal of the floor to give you room to work,, by the confined spaced nozzle for your mig, it will help

Freezing

I think you can do it. I did. I wasn't worried about the paint, but I didn't cut the quarter either. Sometimes you just can't weld every hole. You can stablilize remote areas like this with panel bonder. Just make sure you have you alignment correct with predrilled holes and temporary fasteners.

Also, sometimes you can gas weld in areas the you can't get a MIG nozzle in. You can bend an old tip to a slightly different angle with some heat.

One more thing, I have removed the nozzle before and used the "torch" carefully as a wire feed in real tight places.

Thanks to all for the replies and tips.

We will be using the Restoration Design clamshell overlays with a lot of custom made pieces inside the hell hole. The more you dig the worse it gets and we have not even looked at the drivers side! The problem will be getting inside the between the rear quarter panel and where the clamshell repair piece has to tie to the inner fender wall.

Our biggest challenge is the inner clamshell from the jack post to the engine console (which also should be repaired) is weak from the bottom to half way up the inner side. We are not sure how to strengthen this area as there does not seem to be any repair pieces available.

The only good news is the suspension console seems okay.

Thanks,

Jeff

chances are that yes, the proper method is to cut or remove the qtr panel...I had to do this repair on my father-in-laws 911