Glued on qt panel

Rob R

Rob R

Well-known member
Earlier this year I was suppose to put a quarter panel on a 69 Sat but it had been hit in the back years ago and needed to get the frame pulled.
I told him to go to the frame shop get it straightened out and I'd hang the panel...Well I never heard from him until this morning.
He said the new panel is on but the quarter window leaks and the trunk extension doesn't fit very well could I have a look at it.
So he drives up and from 30 feet it looks OK I get a litter closer and it's still not bad...
After a closer look it's just the usual problem the quarter was put on wrong...just out to far and no way for the outer window seal to be adj close enough to the glass.
I look in the trunk and it looks like someone smeared a 4" wide strip of caulking along the new quarter join...
Then he tells me his buddy glued the quarter on with a universal bonding adhesive [smilie=2:...not even 3M...Evercoat Maxim..
He pop riveted the quarter on to hold it in place and glued it.Then after that dried he drilled out the pop rivets and really went to town with the the glue he must have used 10 tubes...
I don't think it's going to fall off anytime soon or ever...I just think that there's just too much everyday flex and strain for a big sheet of metal to be held on with just adhesive.:huh:
I tell you it's sure feels stiff with 4-5" of that stuff all the way around.
Anyone ever heard of someone else doing this...
Where's Mike when you need him
 
Never fear. Mike is here. :)

Gluing the quarter on is ok, BUT, never the way this one was done.
Never, ever, ever, ever, overlap panels and bond them with adhesive. At some point, the seam is going to show. Gauranted.

Personally, on an older ride I'd weld the panel. Some guys with loads more experience than me say adhesives work fine and will never give a problem, if done right. I''m old school that way, stick to the tried and true methods on something that is structurally inefficient.
New cars? No problem. Bond away.

In my opinion. :)
 
REALLY...that big 1/4 can be glued on :eek:... wow.There's a lot of strain on the 1/4's on these old shit boxes...I just thought it was really funny...but I'm OLD.:p
 
Rob, most of the structural adhesives have displayed crash test results better than welded panels. The "bond" on bonded panels is spread over a larger area than welds, and no heat means less strength is removed from the seam. But, it has to be done right. There are very specific steps that need to be adhered to.
It's a whole lot faster and cleaner too.
 
Is he running one of your engines? pulling wheelies in the street? Just a couple issues I didn't see discussed, might have bearing on how well that glue job will work.
 
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