I know this has been resolved by someone. These are all repro parts, I indicate in the pictures where the problems are. The first problem is there is a gap between tail panel and the back of the quarter. second, the tailpanel is too far foreward at the top. Please help me out! Look at the pics and help me with some techniques to fix this.
http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z121/vrdanna/restoration/tailpanelgap.jpg


http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z121/vrdanna/restoration/paneloverhang.jpg

Use a ratchet strap (cloth) Place it around both quarters,and pull it up tight. This should remove the gap in the pics.

The old ratchet strap trick. I saw the body guy wrap those around the quarters on my car when he replace all rear sheet metal.

he also used them to set the gaps between the quarters and trunk lid.............all repop metal also.

as all said above. make sure trunk is even on both sides.most times repop chit dont fit nice together.after trunk is aligned. weld it the gaps can either be filled in and left that way or take a drammel tool to make a fake body line.

I will get some rachet straps today. thanks

Any body have pics of the ratchet straps hooked up? Are you hooking together or one end on a leaf spring?

I use about three pairs of vise grips on each side. Start at the mid section of the tail panel and quarter, then keep bringing them together. Sometimes you cannot get it tight enough with first pair of vise grips, but then you just have to go back and tighten them up. Then if the gap between the trunk lid is too larger, next remove the vise grips and push down on the tail panel and up on the quarter. You can then get the quarter further up on the tail panel as it wraps up onto the tail panel. Just make sure the tail panel is high enough after you attach the quarter so that you can close the trunk lid and the fit is good.

I had better results with the vise grip method. the straps wanted to slide off the back as it was tightened. I have a question about welding the panels. I can't get my spot welder in the tight space to weld the tail and quarter together, so how is it done? plug weld???

I just tack with the mig. Only a couple tacks on the ends of the folded over tabs, plus one plug weld should do the job. Once I get it tacked, I don't want to dismantle everything to drill a hole, so I just use a carbide bur to grind a spot through one layer of the two pieces of sheet metal, then plug weld.

I have a picture of ratchet straps about half way down this page: http://john.my67.net/body3.htm

John

Hey John, first off very nice firebird. My camaro has been years in the making also. I bought it in '83. This should be the final and complete restoration! anyway, did you not have a problem with the strap sliding off the back as you tightened it? if so what did you do to stop it. Also it appears that the firebird sheetmetal has the same issue as the camaro concerning the gasket channel misfit and the tail panel not fitting the 1/4 panel curve.

Hey John, first off very nice firebird. My camaro has been years in the making also. I bought it in '83. This should be the final and complete restoration! anyway, did you not have a problem with the strap sliding off the back as you tightened it? if so what did you do to stop it. Also it appears that the firebird sheetmetal has the same issue as the camaro concerning the gasket channel misfit and the tail panel not fitting the 1/4 panel curve.

Ran into this problem as well, and we used a couple of vice grips in the trunk weather strip gutter to keep the strap from slipping off the back of the car. (the vice grips were set below the strap).

Since we were using an NOS tail panel, the fit was a little worse. We ended up splitting the metal in the upper right hand corner of the quarter, doing some hammer and dolly work to sharpen the lines, and finally pulled it tight by using some vice grips.

Still working on it, so I don't have a final solution for you, but I expect that once we have the quarter tacked in place, we will fill in the split we made. I will try and post pictures of what we have done a little later on.

Greg

I used the vise grip method. this allowed me to fit it nice and flush. i then used small self tapping screws to pre assemble to make sure all lines are were they look the best. I am replacing many parts, tailpan is by far the hardest.

I have seen that pic before somewhere....oh yea, my own garage.... If you go back and look at the first link again, you can see where the portion around the tail light looks rolled. Mine is the same. I used a body stone for some of it, but how do you fix something like that? I got an error message trying to post the pic I have It is in this forum somewhere...

I have a similar problem all my body lines are dead on but the trunk lid bumper stopportion of my new quarter seems too short. Do I have to cut it out and add a short peice of sheet metal? any help is appreciated.
Kenny

Vice grips and then screwing it together always worked for me also.. But make sure you test the truck for fitment before progressing.. It's a good time to do any little bit for better alignemt.

vrdanna: Thanks, I think everyone else answered your questions the way I would. Use screws and tack welds to hold it and then check your trunk gaps (with and without the gasket). The Firebird quarters are the same as the Camaros except for the gills. I'm sure there is an intermediate stamping process to add the gills and that the same basic dies are used for the overall shape.