MKIII - Bodywork Question...

[Grandavi]

Okay, I knew about a little hole I had in the wheel well (driver side) for a while. However.. what I didn't realise what was going to happen.

The water would come in the hole, along with dirt.. I knew that part, so if I drove in water, I tried to clean it out afterwards (preventative medicine while I dilly-dallied about the hole).

Now... I find that the water would wash fine dirt into the seam along the top of the wheel well which built up and then (of course) expanded with water and sat there pushing the quarter panel lip (about 3" up from the wheel well lip) out.

Has anyone ever fixed a wheelwell/quarter panel on their MKIII? I think i have found replacement panels for the wheel well, but looking at it, I dont think this is something I can tackle myself. Just curious if someone has done this, if there is a quarter panel repair patch available somewhere and how to best handle the wheel well rot (this whole quarter panel is gonna eventually go bye-bye if I dont fix this soon.. even if I dont drive it much in wet weather and not at all in winter). Garaged in winter just slows it...

Thanks for reading!

Oh yeah.. this is something I want to fix right away, so if you know of where I can find parts, I would greatly appreciate it (would be nice to be able to buy in Canada as I will never use UPS again.. as long as I live.. lol)

 

[Grandavi]

Lol.. I clicked the link at the top of the page... (I must be a newb... lol)

Man.. that has everything!!

Found the panel.. but before I buy.. anyone know of a patch or am I into buying the whole panel OEM? Or... should I just have the guy rebuild it with metal/bondo.. yikes?

(the panel seems to be about 600..roughly. I dont mind spending the coin if thats my onely recourse)

 

[adampecush]

check my build thread in my signature. i bought new outer wheel wells (unfortunately no longer available from toyota iirc) and had two rust-free quarter panels cut from a car in the southern states. i then had everything welded up by a local body guy.

you can probably get somebody to cut some rear quarters off a rust free car in the southern states with the wheel wells mostly intact. otherwise, you'll have to have sheet metal bent and welded in place to fill the holes.

for what its worth, the whole ordeal, including paint and some other rust repair on the chassis cost around $6k ($5000 for paint and bodywork, $800 for the quarters, and $300 for the outer wheel wells)

 

[jdc4357]

Hi,
Did you actually call to see if this panel is in stock? Toyota has 0 in any of its warehouses. If your able to find a place that has these, please pass on their info.
thanks,
jamieC

Lol.. I clicked the link at the top of the page... (I must be a newb... lol)

Man.. that has everything!!

Found the panel.. but before I buy.. anyone know of a patch or am I into buying the whole panel OEM? Or... should I just have the guy rebuild it with metal/bondo.. yikes?

(the panel seems to be about 600..roughly. I dont mind spending the coin if thats my onely recourse)

 

[Grandavi]

Hi,
Did you actually call to see if this panel is in stock? Toyota has 0 in any of its warehouses. If your able to find a place that has these, please pass on their info.
thanks,
jamieC

Well.. I didn't actually order it, but this link states they have it (up to the point of ordering.. so perhaps they dont?)

Supra Quarter Panel - Outside Skin

note that they refer to pre-90 Supra's as Celica-Supra for some reason, and I am not sure if this is a OEM replacement or not.. I am assuming it is. (I believe Targa-top is referred to as "Sport Roof")

 

[NewWestSupras]

I was quoted a min. of 16 hrs to repair my rusty rear quarters...thats just with new metal being welded in, no replacement panels. So, $1200.00 Canadian just for that. Paint and body was quoted at 6k minimum. That's without my turbo-A duct being installed, and shaving the washer nozzles, etc. gl.

 

[Canuckrz]

I redid both sides of mine from scratch. Its not too hard if you've got patience and know someone who's good at welding. Yours sounds similar to how mine was.

 

[Grandavi]

I was quoted a min. of 16 hrs to repair my rusty rear quarters...thats just with new metal being welded in, no replacement panels. So, $1200.00 Canadian just for that. Paint and body was quoted at 6k minimum. That's without my turbo-A duct being installed, and shaving the washer nozzles, etc. gl.

Thanks for that : )
Actually.. I am forgoing a complete paint job until after I get all the body parts rust free. (figuring maybe next year or the year after, get a complete one done.. by then I should have the money together, plus the motor pulled as I would like to clean the engine bay up as well.)

The car is a lifer for me, I never intend to sell it again, so I figure if I put about 30k into it in total, Im still ahead of myself if I were to go buy new. If its worth 4k in the end.. who cares? lol. I just love the car!

(keep in mind, I have loved Supras since my first 1980 Celice, have owned about 18 Toyotas and this has been my goal for the past 25+ years.. , so to me.. its money well spent)

 

[Grandavi]

Thanks for that : )
Actually.. I am forgoing a complete paint job until after I get all the body parts rust free. (figuring maybe next year or the year after, get a complete one done.. by then I should have the money together, plus the motor pulled as I would like to clean the engine bay up as well.)

The car is a lifer for me, I never intend to sell it again, so I figure if I put about 30k into it in total, Im still ahead of myself if I were to go buy new. If its worth 4k in the end.. who cares? lol. I just love the car!

(keep in mind, I have loved Supras since my first 1980 Celice, have owned about 18 Toyotas and this has been my goal for the past 25+ years.. , so to me.. its money well spent)

Well.. I got my response.. none in stock, none in the world.. phone jupiter... sigh. Well.. now I have to really put my thinking cap on...
Do I just have them rebuilt using sheet metal and a good bodyman? hmm... maybe there is a body kit for the rear?
lol.. everytime I have a problem with this car.. it sends me into a month long research journey...

 

[NewWestSupras]

You can always wait to find a good "southern" car that's been totalled in front. The rear quarters can be cut and shipped...I've got a good body man to repair mine just with metal being welded in. Most shops won't do rust repair anymore, they just want insurance jobs on new cars.. more $$ for them that way.gl.

 

[Grandavi]

You can always wait to find a good "southern" car that's been totalled in front. The rear quarters can be cut and shipped...I've got a good body man to repair mine just with metal being welded in. Most shops won't do rust repair anymore, they just want insurance jobs on new cars.. more $$ for them that way.gl.

Well.. the other option is to merge two Supras. I can hunt down a "dead" Supra out here that has the back half good (mainly). Probably get one for under 800.00 (which is less than what it would cost me to dilly dally with OEM parts). Just Frankenstein the 2.. and that way I could take my time a bit more and do it right. Strip the one car down completely and do a frame up rebuild and then for the 6 months that it sits during winter, I could transplant.
(or is that... subframe up?)
hmm.. possibilities.


It really superly rocks though that there is such a great family of Supra people here though. Just reading through builds, etc.. always revives my hope for what I want out of this car. Cant say enough about how great this site is in bring everyone together.