Here is the passenger-side quarter-panel on our Road Runner. The rot does not look horribly bad, but we won't know the truth until we begin cutting it out. A careful cleaning with a hand check on metal strength both on the outside and from inside the trunk is where it begins.
Rust-the cancer of the automotive world-is something most of us are familiar with. The oxidation and subsequent destruction of sheetmetal is, unfortunately, a big problem with a lot of old Mopars. Salted winter roads, high humidity, and poor vehicle storage result in the dreaded body rot. Such was the case for this '68 Road Runner. From the doors forward, it was in good shape, but a few decades of barn storage with the tailend exposed to the elements created a lot of problems.
The owner decided to forgo a complete rotisserie program, instead focusing on the rear sheetmetal that needed to be replaced. As a result, the factory frame and floor undercoating are still in place. ironically, though the trunk was shot, the floorpans were solid in this car. By the time we began working with the metal craftsmen at Wise Guyz Rod & Custom, Jonesborough, Tennessee, the rotted-out trunk pan and drop-offs had been already roughed in, which is an important first step when doing rear-area bodywork since it creates a good work platform.
A lot of their regular work is hammering tin on high-end street rods and drag cars; the Road Runner presented a chance to make use of some of the skills twenty years of metalwork had yielded in a stock restoration project.
Here is the first look at the ugly truth-rot has eaten away through the wheelhousing, and water has puddled down inside the quarters and truck floor. That sloppy OEM body sealer probably didn't help. how bad will it be once the fenders have been removed?
When doing bodywork, tools will almost always include MiG and TiG welding outfits, air-powered saws and chisels, basic metal-forming hand tools, autobody work pieces, and, in the case of this shop, the use of bending brakes and rolling hardware for sheetmetal. Having access to this specialized equipment will allow you to get the work done efficiently and, more importantly, effectively.
Tools