AMD quarter and tailpanel quality, pros and cons, mods required, and comparisons to other panels will follow as time allows. Black EDP panels are AMD, painted panels are GM, grey are new Goodmarks removed from a poorly done job. They all need work, even AMD, but overall AMD is better in comparison to others used, and the metal is thicker. CHL, Legion, Goodmark and Dcorn all shared the same shortcomings to one another. AMD does a better job at matching the contours of a GM panel. Just one area is the tailpanel area. Other companies have the wrong angle and are more round where they should have a noticeable line approaching the bumper. Differences are apparent when the appearance of a GM panel is known.
Quickly drawn together, not ready for installation. Good contour match, minimal work required for duplication of vertical shape as it approaches bumper AMD
GM
Goodmark below. The angle and countour of this area is not correct; not entirely clear in photo. If you look at the shadows in the AMD and GM panels the difference is apparent.
Contour in marker much too round, lacks definition. Same as another non AMD quarter that needed work to duplicate GM shape.
Panels vary. What I've found others have not, and vice versa. AMD also got the RH quarter rear window channel depth correct, others are too shallow. I called to verify.
Sorry, these are '67 quarters. 68's are very similar. Photos of rear is not like a 69. Perhaps the mod can alter the title, I'll ask. Year would become apparent as thread progresses, as time allows of course. Maybe someone who is presently doing current '69 AMD quarters can submit the info for those.
This couldn't have been posted at a better time for me...I'm about ready to jump in head first on my '68 vert. It's going to need a lot of work and i've been searching around trying to decide which brand of sheetmetal to buy. I thank all of you that contribute to this site...
Once again, more great info Scott. Have you found similar problems with the
left side quarters and tail panel ? My left side Goodmark took a ton of work.
Tail panel fit was horrible and the window channel depth was way short. After
fixing all of that and more, I gave up with Goodmark on the right side and went
with AMD. Damn glad I did.
Very timely for my buddy John and I.
We gave up trying to do an 80% DII quarter on his. The areas you show are so out of whack it's impossible to make them fit a factory tail panel.
He's going to save both of us more hair loss and strained backs and get AMD 100% quarters and let a body man have at it. I told him we could handle it but, it's his car.
Person informed me this below was from Classic Industries. No manufacturer name on box, says New Improved. This line is not going to make it. Too low and crisp. There's actually a double line, one faint higher one.
What do you think of the Quarter Panels and Tail Panel from Classic Industries? I am currently restoring a 1967 camaro and will need to order these parts soon.
What do you think of the Quarter Panels and Tail Panel from Classic Industries? I am currently restoring a 1967 camaro and will need to order these parts soon.
Did you see the tail panel photos? I never used CI quarters. They don't make them anyway, they are only distributors. I'll stick with AMD for repro, even with the shortcomings they have. Better than the others I've used. Or GM over AMD obviously.
Here's one issue with AMD in pics below. Shelf at rear measures .530", GM is .700". GM gradually narrows at the front of shelf, just like the repros. Use your GM take offs as a guide. I have to tell AMD about this. They were aware of the rear window channel depth problems and corrected it. Other companies have too shallow a channel.
AMD sent me a photo of the tailpanel so the the bodyline could be approved prior to purchase.
AMD quarter
Easy fix. Weld in a wedge. Tack in place and run alternating short beads. Zero gaps, full penetration and no burn throughs.
Wedge tapered to 1/16" and did not have to all the way to the front.
Below is a Goodmark '67 LH qrt I just took off. Look at how wide that lower wheel well radius shape is between the Sharpie marks. This was the same problem on other quarters. AMD quarters do not have this problem, the wheelwell shape is consistent.
Backs of GM quarters are shaped differently and lines are more defined than repro. Even this GM tailpanel is not a perfect stamping up top. AMD is closer than other repros, but still not a match. Red arrows on AMD indicate a high spot compared to GM. The white lines indicate the lack of line crispness. Green arrow shows the line is not horizontal and the shape needs to be reworked. Every repro quarter I've used was lacking in the green arrow spot. GM
Rework using different hammers and spoons. Gently strike the flat spoon and flat head hammer with another hammer to remove high spot and sharpen bodyline. Also use just one hammer to refine.
Here's the RH side. The light area on the EDP is the result of rework. The line is beginning to show more definition. Refine the shape alternating strike points. Gently hitting to the right of the light area will sharpen the line more yet. The panels must be clamped for reworking. Don't hit panels like you hate them. The rear of the quarter is not supposed to be flat, or not on the same plane like the tailpanel, it's supposed to angle back until approaching the lower area of the taillight housing.
Wow Scott, the side by side pics make the line definition very apparent. I see a
difference in the top of the quarter where it wraps over top of the tail panel. On
your car, the quarter seems to run up hill, where as the AMD seems to run down
hill. (towards the center of the car). Am I seeing this correctly or is it possibly
the tilt of the camera ? Keep the info and tips coming.
It does run up because it follows the GM tailpanel irregularity on the left side. The blue tailpanel below is also GM and does not have that stamping error. AMD runs down slightly at the top, not much at the seam. AMD tailpanel is flatter over the light than GM. Compare to the first photos of the RH side. Mods are not completed on either AMD quarter yet. The lack of definition and crisp lines on repro panels jump right out, especially the back. This is one of the reasons for posting this.
This GM tailpanel below is not like the other GM one with the bad spot. Even GM panels are not always perfect. Below is not an AMD quarter but had horrible definition before being modified with cutting, material addition and H&D work. Dcorn, Goodmark, Legion and CHL were all just as bad. See previous Gmark photos. No pre work photos of this side. AMD saves a lot of time by getting this back part better. AMD rear part is not perfect, but better.
AMD quarters are not without flaws. I'll get to more of those. Another important good quality will also be shown.
This is great info for someone like me who will be buying panels soon but having someone else to the work. A little more money on parts looks like it will save a lot of money on labor. Thanks for the posts.
Scott you are the MAN, this is great stuff! I am not even building one of these cars and it is interesting reading. You are doing a great job and will help so many people you just don't know! Not everyone posts, there are MANY lurkers who will benefit from the time you have spent on this. Very cool!
AMD issue with LH quarter meeting tailpanel is similar to other companies.
RED: Area 1 is not vertical enough. Neither is area 2 compared to GM but that gets addressed later. GREEN: The cross slice enables the quarter to move over easily, fixes the vertical at area 1, and brings the channel closer to the tailpanel. Strike in green area using two hammer method, or use a blunt chisel & hammer. The slice opens and a wedge is welded in. MAGENTA: The cross slice needs to be forward enough so the line maintains flow and there's no bump. BLUE: Blue slice brings the channel over the last bit. Make sure the corner in blue circle gets slightly rounded. The RH qrt fit the tail perfectly.
The indentation below is common among repro panels. Fortunately on AMD it's the only one in the channel area. Others are riddled with them. Easily hammered out although I've seen them left in and painted. (This is a different quarter used for illustration, the dent in the AMD quarter is there, but not clear in the other photo).
This part of repair is done. The inner drip channel piece will be replaced due to corrosion. AMD stamping dent in red on both sides of tailpanel needs to be fixed.
This is so friggin awesome what you are doing here Scott. So often people think these parts just bolt on and they require a LOT of work to even make them fit, besides make them fit NICE. You do some great work on the cars and explaining what needs to be done, very nice work.
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Related Threads
?
?
?
?
?
Team Camaro Tech
2.4M posts
82.8K members
Since 1998
A forum community dedicated to 1st generation Chevy Camaros owners and enthusiasts. Come join the discussion about performance, builds, restoration, modifications, classifieds, troubleshooting, reviews, and more!