How to Attach a Quarter Panel Using Glue

In a typical restoration you would replace a panel the same way it came from the factory. however with our 1960 Austin-Healey Sprite Bug Eye Sprite the rear quarter panel is difficult to access with a welder so with the help of Tom Prescott from the The Body Werks we used some 3M panel bond to securely attach it.
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[@jameswhitelaw8137]

I so glad nobody got killed in this video guy using the air chisel meanwhile second guys right in front of said guy with air chisel 16" from guy #2's head. Lmao grinding with no PPE and wire wheeling with no mask. I love it!! Hears your sign.

[@chrispollard8548]

Very helpful. I can weld, but like a lot of the guys have commented here, I don't do it often enough to be good at it, particularly on thin metal. I can see the advantage on hidden seams, such as the rear quarter on the bugeye. Aircraft have been glued together for decades, including military aircraft, and that includes composite to composite, composite to metal, and metal to metal. Also, most high-performance cars with aluminium panels are glued rather than welded or self piercing riveted. This technique was pioneered by Lotus on the Elise and it works fine. Crash reports suggest the metal fails before the bond in many cases. I don't hold with this theory that insurance companies only approve it because it's quicker than welding. It's better on complex shapes, it reduces fatigue thru point loading, it largely eliminates interstitial corrosion, but it's actually slightly more expensive than welding due to the adhesive material costs. I'll be using it on a future restoration (my 67 splitscreen VW camper) as an experiment. Thanks, guys. Good vid.

[@skip7243]

Used this method on a Mopar B body several years ago Did both quarters, mostly because my welding skills are lacking, especially on light metal. I had never used it & did the research first. It worked out great & have had no problems whatsoever. Another real advantage is the sealing of the joint which inhibits rusting.

[@Shaft-Industries]

What brand adhesive did you use?

[@skip7243]

@@Shaft-Industries Honestly it was 5-6 years ago & not sure but I believe it was 3M Automix with the glass beads. A friend also used it on a Charger restomod which is not yet finished. I don't drive the Plymouth much but it shows no signs what so ever of any kind of failure.

[@Shaft-Industries]

@@skip7243 When you applied the material were you using sheet metal screws to hold it in place and if so, how far apart were the screws? I know that you could finish it with rivets permanently but as far as welds go 3M recommends a true spot weld but did not mention anything about MIG plug welds. Just trying to get some good practical info here. My quarters are kind of thin and the gluing process really appeals to me. Thanks for your response BTW.

[@skip7243]

@@Shaft-Industries I sort of developed my own unique method which worked because of the trim my Satellite has at the belt line. I guess without the trim you could drill holes that could be repaired some way. Will be hard to explain but I'll try. I decided to make my joint just a hair below the belt line trim attaching holes. Using long flexible magnetic strips I plasma cut the car panel at that location. I then mocked up the new panel & marked it at this cut line. Using the same method I cut the new panel at that mark. This left me about a 2" strip of metal matching the profile. I then glued this strip to the back of the new panel using many clamps, this panel is nearly 7' long. This created an overlap panel on the inside. I then mocked up the new panel on the car, after allowing plenty of time for drying, & with a centering drill setup I drilled smaller holes through the trim attaching holes into the overlap strip. This was to allow sheet metal screws to be used for temporary clamping with out altering the trim attaching holes. Also at this time I made sure the fit at the outer wheel house & trunk drop off panels was correct, as well as the door jam & rear panel of course. I then used the adhesive on the horizontal overlap joint, the wheel house joint & the drop off joint. Used screws, as mentioned, on the horizontal joint & clamps at the wheel house & drop off. Recommendations at the time were to weld at the door jam & rear panel. I believe they now have "structural" adhesive. Don't know if I would use it. This left a very thin gap for filler & no problems with weld & grinding warping were created. The joints are completely sealed & the overlap strip on the inside has to be pointed out to be noticed. It should be noted this is a convertible with no sail panel & the metal above the belt line was fine. Also for the adhesive all surfaces to be joined must be clean bare metal. I spent many hours thinking this process out & as I wanted avoid welding on the long panel. I guess it was unconventional but it worked. I hope the explanation was clear enough to indicate what I did. Good luck

[@Shaft-Industries]

@@skip7243 Yes. I understand what you did. That sounds fairly painless. I'm going to try a similar method but instead of another strip to connect the 2 sections together I have a pneumatic sheet metal flanging tool that will eliminate having to add that other strip. I'm eliminating my trim so where I put screws I will have to either rivet or weld when I'm finished. Your quarter panel sounds like it turned out nice. I like hearing that there are no issues. 3M has a impact resistant structural adhesive for this application. They even guarantee it for life. I'm going to try it. Thanks for the good info Skip. I appreciate it. Paul

[@3DLE1010]

Nice job Tim

[@4evertrick]

The self tap screws. Just a few to hold quarter in place? Any particular locations? And then just plug weld the holes when removed? Great video. Thanks

[@andrewjunk687]

Awesome!

[@rogerstephens8980]

You Atilla need to do some welding a honda dealer in Dallas lost a suite for 6 million they had just glued the roof on thunder road auto body I use lord fusor panel glue .

[@chrispollard8548]

PS as with painting and conventional welding, it all depends on the quality of the preparation. Cut corners on that and you are asking for trouble.

[@nicholasgamble6905]

How many ml of panel bond was used?

[@MikeAarset]

Yah but this is a unibody car. This safe?

[@ClassicMotorsports]

Yes it is safe on a unibody car because the strength of the panel bond exceeds the strength of the weld. Most of todays cars are assembled with panel bond and are unibody construction.

[@guzzifabrication3448]

I remember in the early 2000s the insurance companies pushing the collision industry to bond on replacement parts instead of a correct repair, it would save the insurance companies a ton of money, they found out real fast what a bad idea this is..... panel bond is meant for gluing composites NOT metal to metal..... Ask any I-Car certified shop to repair you vehicle like this and they will laugh at you..... Dog and Pony Hack Show......

[@kevinhumphrey932]

That car is ugly enough to just crush and scrap the rest of it