Restoration Done Right: How To Seamlessly Weld a New Quarter

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What is the best way to weld two sheetmetal body panels together? This is one of those topics that many people have strong opinions on. It could be argued that the exact technique doesn't really matter as long as the end result meets the need, so let's start by defining what the end result should look like.

First off, the general level of restoration work being done today far exceeds what was being done when most of these cars were "restored" the first time around. Muscle Car Restorations in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, has probably seen it all when it comes to restoration techniques. Everything from pop rivets to wire mesh has shown up in cars after they have been stripped. Even the formerly approved method of welding overlapped panels has become unacceptable today. The common denominator with all of those repairs was the liberal use of body filler, sometimes approaching an inch thick.

So let's agree that any use of body filler for anything other than skim coats is unacceptable. Under no circumstances should body filler be used to reshape panels, fill holes or dents, or bridge gaps. In other words, body filler is not for fixing bad metalwork, with the exceptions or covering factory leaded seams. An ideal repair should bring the panel back to the equivalent of factory original.

We're going to show you what that looks like as MCR installs a quarter-panel. We chose a quarter because it's super easy to see the work, but other areas of the car will work just the same.

Is the '68 Dodge Charger the "best car" like David Freiburger says? Maybe, but the General Mayhem is definitely one of the most iconic Roadkill cars. Watch as Roadkill Garage hosts Freiburger and Steve Dulcich give it tons of body upgrades and engine-saving modifications before hitting the road for proper break-in procedures—aka burnouts! Sign up for a tree trial to MotorTrend+ and start watching every episode of Roadkill Garage today! Video created by Little Dot Studios.