Fitting a replacement lower quarter panel section all EJ-EH
With the lower quarter panel section for an EJ-EH, all body styles use the same panel. For a ute or van, you just need to trim the back section off to suit. When you get the panel in your hand and hold it up to the back of the ute or van, you will see what I mean. When you have decided that a replacement section is required, be sure you are confident in welding sheet metal edge to edge if you want to do a really neat job.
After placing the replacement section over the quarter panel and deciding whether to use the whole piece or not, mark where the replacement lies. Cut less than you have to to allow for trimming. If you are doing the lower back panel as well, then remove it before proceeding any further, as the lower quarter goes under it. Clean the deadener out from inside where you are going to weld and make it shiny steel. Same goes for the outside. This will ensure a clean weld. Treat any rust that is showing, and do any inner panel rust replacements now before you put the outer on.
You can see here the replacement and the original quarter were trial fitted many times and carefully trimmed back by grinding back less than a millimetre at a time, until they fitted each other with no gap. The panel has been tacked in place. The edges can be trimmed later.
As the panel is fabricated, the rear corner has a series of cuts. These can be welded in place to ensure the correct curve is achieved. You can see the treated inner of the back panel.
A partial shot showing the welds ground back, and the panel finished ready for the lower back panel to be placed on.
