Thoughts on replacing quarter panels

[Zedder]

I spoke with the bodyman that did my Z and he told me that the car had some pinholes in the quarters when they stripped it and the owner instisted on installing new repop quarters. They welded them on just below the body line and just before the door jamb. Looks like they did a nice job and the car is very straight. My initial thoughts were to replace them with NOS, but then I would lose the dates, factory welds and seams etc. Any thoughts on this? What would most recommend? The car will likely be restored as a high number 2 (I plan on driving it sparingly) or number 1 car.

[resto4u]

Mark, how recent is the bodywork? Last year when i talked with them, the car was black. If the body work was done very well, i would not worry. The only thing is you can see it in the trunk. Do you know if they lapped the quarter seam or butt weld the seam the length of the quarter? Roger

[Zedder]

Roger,

This is not the same car if it was black last year. It was painted last in 1989. I've known the previous owner's brother-in-law (he has a red '67 Z) for at least 2.5 years and it has been blue the entire time. The car has never been black. I also spoke to the bodyman (who also used to be an owner of the car) who prepped the car when he was a student in the late '70's and then repainted the car in '81 when he bought it and then did the body and paint again in '89 when the quarters were replaced and it was painted Quazar Blue. When you commented on the "wife" loving the car I really thought it was a different car you were speaking about because the owner wasn't married (he had a girlfriend) and he couldn't have cared less that it was a Z - it was just a Camaro to him. So there must be another "Z" out there too? Try the phone number you have and see if it works...the guy who owned my car has had his phone disconnected.

The car is extremely straight and the paint is really nice. It is tempting to just fluff the car up a bit and use it as is for a driver. However, I am a stickler for original colors etc., so I doubt I would leave it as is. I can't comment on the weld because I haven't seen it yet, but I know it is visible at this point. I'm leaning towards leaving the quarters on and having the seam in the trunk repaired so it is not visible.

Thanks for the comments!

[Zedder]

Roger,

I did a little more checking and the person you spoke to was the wife of the "other" '67 Z in Mineral Point - who happens to be the brother-in-law of the previous owner of my car. His car was black for years and was just recently painted back to the original Bolero Red. This car would be for sale for the right price I believe.

Thanks again,