I am replacing the original steel fenders and quarter panels and replacing them with fiberglass. What is the best way to remove the 1/4 panels? Where are all the places that i need to separate the metal? The same with the front fenders. I am planning on selling the old pieces so I dont want to screw them up when i am removing them. Any tips/suggestions are much appreciated. Oh ya its a 73 2.0L, if that makes a difference.

Rob Watson... time to shine!

You should check this thread Click Here For Rob's Thread. There's another thread out there showing the quarter panel coming off in detail but I can't remember it.

Or... you can get an idea of how to take metal off by looking at my thread here.

You can either get a spot weld remover. It's a special drill bit that drills out the spot welds or you can use a small stone grinding wheel and grind the spot out. Another option is a special chisel on an air-hammer. It has a "V" notched in the blade and is made for separating spots.

Here's the scoop. The drill is probably cleanest and leaves the piece you're taking off in reusable condition. If you get familiar with either the grinder or the air hammer it will go faster.

I used a hammer here. I needed to get the front braces out to install the GT shroud.

My body shop used a grinder but wasn't concerned about the pieces coming off so... the six restoration thread was all done with a grinder

I don't have any experience with glass panels other than flares so I don't know what type of edges they have for attachment. You'll have to be the judge there.

Eric, thanks for the endorsement. Here's the original thread.

I've been working on cleaning up the fender for about 2 weeks. I expect to take another 2 weeks before I'm finished.

Interesting. I may be considering a 74 914 with fiberglass fenders. May want to replace with rust free stock fenders. I may want to buy them from you. Why are you replacing them? Michael

Here is what I found when I removed mine.

Sorry about being upclose and personel.

IMHO I would not install F/G fenders on a street car. There are many negatives and few positives. It is not an easy process and I would say the value would drop.

Paul

Some day I'd like to build an all glass GT car. Hoods. Doors. Fenders. Quarters. Bumpers.

That'd be a blast...

Ya if you are interested let me know. I am replacing them with fiberglass because of the weight and also the fenders and 1/4 panels that I am getting are flared. I am also getting 916 front and rear bumpers and probably fiberglass front and rear hoods.

Any rust? What color? Any idea what you would want in $$? Rgds, Michael

They are all stripped to the metal and no rust on the outside, but ill know when i remove them if there is any on the backside. As far as price, i dont know yet. I was gonna list all of them on ebay and see what i get for them, but if you have any offers i would be willing to listen. They probably wont be off for like a month or so.

What are the positives and what are the negatives?

I have no idea as to their worth, perhaps others would have some idea. Timeframe is not important. I'd need to factor in shipping to CT. Let's see what develops. Here's my cell 914.720.8300. Rgds, Michael

Ya ill try to give you a call tomarrow-Josh

This is based on a STREET CAR with f/g 1/4 panels:

Positives:

1. They don't rust.
2. Lighter,but is being lighter on a street car a positive?

Negitives;

1. If you're going to remove all four 1/4 panels and replace with f/g you better add a roll bar and add back in some steel to hold the car together.

2. The resale value is less.

3. Bonding them to the car will be a PITA and will look like crap. Joining a f/g to a car is not as easy as welding on a steel fender. All the pieces require fitting and rework. Have a look at the 911s that had body kits added in the '80's that are now for sale on Ebay. They didn't hold up too well.

4. The cost is more than buying used sheetmetal.

If you need fenders for bigger tires, add f/g flares to original steel fenders. Replacing entire panels is not the way to go for a street car.

Now if it is a street/track/fun car and you don't care that much about resale, do it.

Paul

Ya i dont care all that much about resale because i plan on having this car for a while. Plus the full fiberglass panels are a whole heck of alot cheaper than getting steel flares, and as far as f/g flares I hear that they dont bond very well to the steel fenders.Thanks for helping me out though

dude. keep the stock fenders and go GLASS gt flares. f/g looks like crap as ury said above. youll hate full glass fenders so much. one bump and goodbye. this is coming from a fellow youngin- (18 yrs) i bumped something in a ranger that had glass flares and they disintegrated.

your car- do what you wanna do.

how well can the f/g gt flares bond to the metal and also what is the cheapest you can get a set of steel gt flares

Glass bonds great. You just need to attach them properly. "Vette-Bond" them to the fender and glass the back side. Fill with "MarGlas", then filler.

Paint. Be happy.

I may have a set of glass flares coming off my car. I found metal ones and a new tub. $100 for all 4.

Sawzall time!