The Ford Barn

Lamar Wadsworth · 08-07-2023, 01:27 PM

Nobody makes the patch panel I need for a 4 door '55-'56. I need the back 8" of the driver's side rocker panel and the dogleg from the rocker panel to the top of the wheel opening cut out of a parts car--preferably in NW GA or NE AL so I can bring my Sawzall and cut it myself. My '55 is mostly solid, perfect floors, just this one section rusted out. I've welded in front fender patch panels. My parents bought the car new, so I want to do it right instead of doing fiberglass or bondo sculpture.

Daves55Sedan · 08-07-2023, 07:46 PM

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I see your dilemma and had to deal with that very area (which was completely gone) on my '55 sedan a few years ago (2017).
I ultimately discovered that a rusthole had developed at the front of the wheelwell so that everytime it rained, my back tire would sling water into that void causing it to rust away.
So here is what I did:
I bought a '55/56 tudor rear quarter patch panel. It really needed a 4-door patch panel but none were available. So I cut (using a jigsaw) where the flare contour meets the main body portion and built the curve around behind the back door myself using my mig welding outfit and scraps of 18 ga metal.
Turns out that not much bondo went into the final repair and I initially used fiberglass at the curved portion behind the door. For the horrible mess that it was once I cut all the rusted metal off, it turned out pretty good.

08-07-2023, 01:27 PM	#1
Lamar Wadsworth Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 315	Need a patch cut from a '55-'56 4 door parts car Nobody makes the patch panel I need for a 4 door '55-'56. I need the back 8" of the driver's side rocker panel and the dogleg from the rocker panel to the top of the wheel opening cut out of a parts car--preferably in NW GA or NE AL so I can bring my Sawzall and cut it myself. My '55 is mostly solid, perfect floors, just this one section rusted out. I've welded in front fender patch panels. My parents bought the car new, so I want to do it right instead of doing fiberglass or bondo sculpture.

08-07-2023, 07:46 PM	#2
Daves55Sedan Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Granite City, Illinois Posts: 3,008	Re: Need a patch cut from a '55-'56 4 door parts car Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) I see your dilemma and had to deal with that very area (which was completely gone) on my '55 sedan a few years ago (2017). I ultimately discovered that a rusthole had developed at the front of the wheelwell so that everytime it rained, my back tire would sling water into that void causing it to rust away. So here is what I did: I bought a '55/56 tudor rear quarter patch panel. It really needed a 4-door patch panel but none were available. So I cut (using a jigsaw) where the flare contour meets the main body portion and built the curve around behind the back door myself using my mig welding outfit and scraps of 18 ga metal. Turns out that not much bondo went into the final repair and I initially used fiberglass at the curved portion behind the door. For the horrible mess that it was once I cut all the rusted metal off, it turned out pretty good.