‘55 Wagon - replacement side body panel question

PKPons

Bigger Hammer
Oct 17, 2017
121
Olmsted Falls,ohio
First Name
Paul
Willys Model
  1. Wagon
  2. CJ
Willys Year:
  1. 1948
  2. 1955
A question fall those of you that have rebuilt a wagon. Purchased new sides for my Wagon along with inner fender panels. The sides are high enough to reach the mid body line. My question is will I have to cut above the mid line to get the inner fender panels in.73E44169-2C25-4461-A0F2-51BF3ECA0949.jpegBE960D90-FA7A-40ED-9595-445E06781DB1.jpegp
 
I just did my drivers side quarter panel. First off, the new panel will probably not fit. Mine was to long at the rear pillar and none of the bends were sharp. The panel actually was about 1/2 " longer then I needed. I made the mistake of removing all the old panel while waiting for my part to arrive. A bodyman friend said I should have waited and seemed the front on the vertical post behind the door, leaving part of the original panel. This would insure that the door would close with the factory gap. The rear, being too long required me to make a vertical cut to pull the panel in so it would fit the pillar. All those bends had to be worked to sharpen the new panel. I bought a panel flange tool from Harbor Freight for about 30 bucks. I panel flanged the new quarter so it would slide up under the existing panel on the truck. The flange tool makes about a 1/2" tall indent. I then laid the new panel up and clamped it where I needed it. I traced a line on the truck where the flange was and SUBTRACTED the 1/2" to get my cut line. Erase or cover with tape your first marks so you don't cut the wrong place. The flange tool also will punch 1/8th " holes for plug welds. I punched holes about every 4-5" in the truck edge. After placing it all where it goes and clamping it in place I screwed through those holes into the new quarter that was slid up behind. I then used a Panel Bond adhesive to glue the horizontal seam together using my predrilled holes as a way to clamp the pieces together while the panel bond set. This worked excellent and saved welding and warping the long seam. I did a similar flange on the vertical edge of the new quarter. I fit both pieces together before panel bonding the large piece. I welded that seam and indide the pillar like the factory did. I did also install a new inside arch panel. I welded that to the wheel well and used panel adhesive to clamp the panel arch to the inside arch panel. It came out great for a first timer. Good luck and feel free to ask me whatever might help. I have plenty more pictures.
 

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Woodbutcher said:
I just did my drivers side quarter panel. First off, the new panel will probably not fit. Mine was to long at the rear pillar and none of the bends were sharp. The panel actually was about 1/2 " longer then I needed. I made the mistake of removing all the old panel while waiting for my part to arrive. A bodyman friend said I should have waited and seemed the front on the vertical post behind the door, leaving part of the original panel. This would insure that the door would close with the factory gap. The rear, being too long required me to make a vertical cut to pull the panel in so it would fit the pillar. All those bends had to be worked to sharpen the new panel. I bought a panel flange tool from Harbor Freight for about 30 bucks. I panel flanged the new quarter so it would slide up under the existing panel on the truck. The flange tool makes about a 1/2" tall indent. I then laid the new panel up and clamped it where I needed it. I traced a line on the truck where the flange was and SUBTRACTED the 1/2" to get my cut line. Erase or cover with tape your first marks so you don't cut the wrong place. The flange tool also will punch 1/8th " holes for plug welds. I punched holes about every 4-5" in the truck edge. After placing it all where it goes and clamping it in place I screwed through those holes into the new quarter that was slid up behind. I then used a Panel Bond adhesive to glue the horizontal seam together using my predrilled holes as a way to clamp the pieces together while the panel bond set. This worked excellent and saved welding and warping the long seam. I did a similar flange on the vertical edge of the new quarter. I fit both pieces together before panel bonding the large piece. I welded that seam and indide the pillar like the factory did. I did also install a new inside arch panel. I welded that to the wheel well and used panel adhesive to clamp the panel arch to the inside arch panel. It came out great for a first timer. Good luck and feel free to ask me whatever might help. I have plenty more pictures.
Click to expand...
Hey Steve, looks like you made lemonade with the lemon repair panel! I know the feeling. Two questions; 1- How did you attach the panel to the floor? 2- How did you fill the screw holes along the horizontal seam? Bonus question- Was it difficult to maintain a “fair” line along the lower edge and through the wheel arch? Q4- Did you make any patterns in advance? Thanks.
 
Being a beginner, I didn't know what I shouldn't be able to do. Once you cut the side off you're committed. LOL. I welded on a sheet metal L shaped piece that I plug welded to the floor. both front and rear of the wheel well. Then When the panel was in place I welded it. I also plug welded the panel at the door jamb. Since the holes for the screws were not on a structural part I just bondoed the holes when I filled the seam. I was afraid of warping the panel so I didn't weld it. For alignment I used the horizontal rib as my guide. I wanted that to be as exact as possible. I had one of those contour gauges to help me to keep it consistent all the way down. The inside fender well was a trial and error thing. I actually duct taped the new panel in place till I could figure out where it met the underside of the panel lip. Once I had it in place I screwed it to the wheel well and final fit my quarter. Then I welded the screw holes up and welded in the panel. No patterns.
 

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I installed both side panels and wheel wheels wells. As prior described, the replacement panels "are not an exact fit! " or even close on the ends. I watched one u-tube body panel ( don't remember site name ) fabricator who cut out most of the existing panel ( left about a 6" lengthwise segment below top body line ) then clamped the new panel up against old, used a air grinder, thin cut blade, using the panel edge to guide lengthwise edge cut ( at 45degree angle ), which left a good weld able seam. He was then able to pull the remaining old panel segment out from the inside ( ends were loose ) leaving the clamped panel in place. I used that process and it worked for me. I did vertically cut the rear ( new ) panel, ( at taillight line as I recall ) pulled back section under forward and overlapped it approx 3/4 " and re-weld, this done to pull the overlength panel up to the rear post and get the tailgate lip set in, rather then cut off and attempt to re- bend that mess! Bondo'd the overlap seam, seam sealer squeezed into inside overl-lap to close off rust prone area, worked good for me. Obviously, lot of time spent on the joint welding. If I do it again, think I would put an inside lap plate along the weld lines- panel bond in ? then weld the line???

Like the angle iron to floorboard idea. Had some rusted sections along the floor at the panel and wheel joints that I cut and pasted new segments into, there is a downward lip on the floor,so I drilled holes thru the new panel along that line and plug welded.

Total newby to body repair, so relied on this site and some u-tube instructors. Also did front floor, intimidating until you get started, it's why I called my build thread " building confidence!"
 
sounds like Hoffy 1039 figured it out except If you use a flanging tool on the overlap you can stitch weld it , grind it and make it disappear with very little filler
 
I have never used Panel-Bond.
But, just recently, a friend who is a 40-year autobody guy was telling me that with newer vehicles, most all panels are now bonded together with Panel-Bond. One point he mentioned is: if needing to remove joined panels, the Panel-Bond must be heated up to 400 degrees for the bonding material to release for separation.

Those new panels look super-duper. nice efforts !!

So, the little green Willys CJ looks pretty clean and ready to rock. :)
 
Thanks to those who replied to my post. Looks as though there are several options: full panel replacement or partial panel replacement. One thing is true, de-burring is not in the manufacturers vocabulary.

@Woodbutcher, you can be sure there will more questions.

The little green machine is a '48, and I pretty much have ironed out the issues I had over the years

Best to all,


Paul
 
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