C4Luver

I'm considering a project Vette. Runs & good, but needs a front and rear bumper and it has this damage on the right rear quarter.
1... Is this a bolt-on panel that can be replaced by a mechanically skilled wrench-turner, or will I need a bodyman?

2..... Is there a structural piece beneath the panel that might need welding? I can straighten out minor damage, but I'm no welder. I can replace any bolt-on component.

3. The car is a 6 hour drive away; do I need to request pictures from underneath this area, or would a camera not be able to see it?

any feedback is appreciated. Thanks.
Cody.

FAUEE

I believe that piece is glued on, whereas every other panel is bolted on. It's the worst panel to try to replace of course.

Damage doesn't look too bad, doubt theres anything under it messed up. Just a pain in the *** to replace that panel, it wraps around the whole back of the car.

SuperL98

Good post on rear panel here

https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...l-removal.html

C4Luver

Thank you. Great article.

C4Luver

Indeed, it looks painful. If I get the car, I might try pulling the inner fender well, holding it straight and putting a fiberglass patch on the back side (completely unseen) as a get-by while I work on other things. I wouldn't do anything resembling a hack job, but that's a little more labor intensive than I want to tackle this year with all of my house repairs in progress. I can handle some filler and primer on the car while I'm working on it.... I might put a late rear bumper and wing back there and either a late or "stalker" front bumper on it.... IF, I buy it. He's asking $2500 for it and I'd gladly pay $1500, so we'll see where the negotiations go.
thanks again.
- Cody

ChumpVette

Panel looks to be salvageable. Roughly about 2k to fix at most quality body shops.

jh-pop

Hi, I'm before a similar decision. Please advise me which adhesives are most suitable for gluing the fender. Thanks for advice

zr1fred

Its a fairly easy repair, if you can do bondo. You don't use bondo but rather panel adhesive that is compatible with SMC products. Norton and 3M as well as others make a variety of them. They come in two tubes and you use a tool that looks somewhat like a caulking gun. Any automotive paint store should be able to help you. You use it straight to reattach panels/parts, and inpregnated in fiberglass MAT for fractures in place of traditional fiberglass resin. It doesn't shrink, is very strong , and works/sands/feathers easily. Lasts forever

Natty C

I'd pass on the car, based on that alone.

As was mentioned, though, the easiest route to take would be a body shop. It does look fixable.

But no way I'd attempt to take that section apart. Just not worth the headache.

Natty C

Personally, I'd rather put the two thousand into a different car.

ZHammer

Nope. Easy panel fix. Great car to buy and repair in my opinion. OP needs to give it a shot. It will be worth it in the experience alone.

hawk454

It is repairable both side panel and rear fascia. But you still have to paint it. That makes the bill several thousand unless your doing some of the work. I removed and repaired my rear fascia and some fiberglass same corner as that. I did all the urethane and fiberglass myself. It looks good. A professional could do better. I was able to get repairs and paint done for $2500. And I think that is cheapest your gonna find. It just goes up fast from there if your outsourcing work. If I did it all over I think I would pass on any car needing a paint job.

Natty C

I've been patching and rebuilding body panels since I was 15 or 16. Remember the days of fixing old beaters to drive around? Maybe the fenders were rusted through or whatever?

That's why I said what I did about it. Experience is what led me to say that.

But, your point is valid, I'm not going to argue against it. These days, I'm just like, yeah, screw that.

What I would do if it were me and I wanted it fixed is go down to the marina and find someone doing side work. Those boat repair guys do good work. Particularly where contouring and shaping is involved.

When I bought my '90 sight unseen (for the most part) and had it shipped up here, the seller never told me that the floor pans were cracked and all busted up on both sides. It wasn't really, really bad, but it wasn't good and definitely needed a like-new repair.

I paid a boat repair guy to do the work. He did real good work and at a fraction of what a body shop would have cost me. I already knew the guy, though, so not like I just went down there and asked around or called the place or anything like that. But that's beside the point, I guess.

beasticles

Thanks for the feedback. On the painting, I actually did not have it re-sprayed in Ruby Red Metallic, but rather went with a Ford color (I know, the horror) that was pretty darn close to Ruby Red that I actually preferred as it was a bit more brilliant and had more of a metallic shimmer to it (and it was more readily available, and thus cheaper). It's Dark Toreador Metallic (JL code). So I think any body shop could replicate that on the panel assuming it's repairable, which should also help with costs should I buy it back or it be repairable in the eyes of insurance.

beasticles

For kicks, here is the color and a few more pics of the Corvette post-paint job. It does have sentimental value and as I mentioned above, I just dropped $1,500 in services I won't get back if it is totaled (transmission fluid and filter, power steering fluid, coolant flush, brake fluid, rear transfer case fluid) - basically I had all of the fluid jobs I don't like doing myself done. Insurance won't cover any of that.