What Is a Quarter Panel?

Quarter panels make up a large part of a vehicle's exterior body. A vehicle's body is made up of a series of connected parts, all of which are separate and unique. These parts, when part of a complete vehicle, fit and mesh together much like the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. The following article explores one of the most very important parts of a car.

Function

  • An automotive quarter panel is one of four separate locations on a car. Quarter panels are located on both the front and rear of a vehicle. The front quarter panels consist of the front fenders; the rear quarter panels consist of the area between the side doors and the trunk. Rear quarter panels are often times welded into the overall frame of a car, which usually includes the roof and side pillars. As a result, rear quarter panels are oftentimes one complete unit. Front quarter panels, on the other hand, are normally single units that are easily removed, much like a car door.

Features

  • A quarter panel is just a particular exterior section of a vehicle. It is made up of the exact same material as the rest of a vehicle's body. On car's that have side gas cap doors, these are located directly in the center of a rear quarter panel. If a vehicle has side moldings or pin stripings, a quarter panel will have these as well. One of the main features that separates a quarter panel from other areas of a vehicle are the wheel well openings. All quarter panels, whether front or rear, have circular designs at their tops which allow for the placement of, and visibility, of a vehicles tires.

Types

  • Quarter panels, just like the other exterior parts of a vehicle, come in different shapes and sizes. Quarter panels can be highly aerodynamic and streamlined in appearance, or they can be fairly rigid and basic in design. The type of car, whether a sports car, family sedan, or coupe, will determine the shape and design of the vehicle quarter panel.

Identification

  • Quarter panels are easy to identify on a vehicle. Simply locating where the vehicle wheels are will indicate a quarter panel's location. Quarter panels are unique and separate parts in relation to the other exterior parts of a vehicle. Car doors, the roof, the side pillars--these are all separate from a vehicle's quarter panels.

Considerations

  • Quarter panels are the parts most frequently damaged by car accidents and fender benders. Most minor to moderate car accidents, which involve low to moderate speed, will damage at least one of a vehicle's quarter panels. Typically, if damage to a quarter panel is extensive and widespread, the entire quarter panel will be replaced with a new one. For minor dings and dents, a quarter panel can be easily repaired with bondo (body filler) and repainted.