Hot Rods Paying for mistake.. Need advice

So I learned the hard way(again) how not to do something. I built my car ,49 ford 2 door sedan ,around a missing deck lid. I know - Iam a dumbass but too late now. So after I bought my new deckid and noticed how bad it didn't fit , I've been trying to coax it in without to much damage. How do you stretch the opening width wise on a shoebox? I can lift the right quarter but I haven't been able to move it out? Thanks for any help you could give

 

Why not make the deck lid smaller??

 

Might be able to push those lower quarters out on the bottom across the trunk area with a hydraulic porta power.

 

x2 on making the Deck smaller

 

From the picture it looks like a really big difference in width. You got something bent? Looks like each quarter is in an inch or so. Or is that just how it looks in the picture?

 

i think your right, about a 1/2 inch each side. the passenger side quarter was creased at the bottom and hit behind the door but not to bad. did i shrink it when i beat all that out or when i welded the belt line for the chop? seems like it would stretch? maybe looks weird cause its just hanging there, i bought the ems pan to replace the piece i made(was not too good) but yeah its way to narrow.

 

X 3 -Shrink the lid to fit the opening ( but straighten the quarters out as much as possible without creating MORE work)Good Luck!

 

with that one photo you will need to contact this guy for help.

 

Looks like it fits right at the top; does it? Unless the decklid has been altered, I would disagree with those that suggest making changes to the decklid. altering a good part to make it conform to a couple of bad parts doesn't make a lot of sense to me. Has the car had new quarters installed? If so, it looks like they will have to be (partially) cut off and repostioned to conform to the decklid. If they are original, I don't know what to tell ya'.

 

At this point if you don't want to do body work to the quarters, I would recommend narrowing the deck lid.

 

I agree with tubman, cutting the lid is a bandaid fix. You have to assume the trunklid is correct and make the car fit it. If you are off that much there is some misalignment that will bite you in some other area. Move the quarters out to match the lid and you will be much better off. Plus, if you ever need to replace a trunklid later on you will have the same problem.

Sometimes the right solution is to cut things up and start over..........we've all done it. If you don't get the spacing right the rest of it won't fit either, like the gravel pan, bumper, etc.

Don

 

"i see...cutting..welding..beatingand cursing" hahaha!

 

original quarters. the top fits with pleanty of room. ican move the quarters enough to get the lid inside tight. i know i need to move them out but how? when i push the , the left one moves but not the right?

 

I agree with those that said to modify the deck lid.

 

the bottoms are cut loose and will move but as you go up towards the middle and top towards hinge it will only dive in or stretch up not push out?

 

Portapower at the bottom of the 1/4's or if you don't have a piece of 2X4 the correct width that you insert between the 1/4's.
If you cut the lid to fit, are you gonna cut the bumper also since it's gonna be too wide?

 

You need to take a second look at what Don and tubman had to say. Not to mention, from experience, I'd say you'll have a LOT more work in narrowing? a deck lid (if you don't screw up the skin in the process) than moving the quarters. I can't imagine having to do much more than cut them loose at the rear and "push". I know that's a simplification but I've done lots of this kinda stuff and would much rather do the quarters. I don't think you'll hurt them in the process. Tim

 

I must agree with timwhit.

 

The answer is "Awe- mother fucker!!!"

What's the question ?
What did pinchecharley say when he found out how to fix his car ?

 

Just make it fit

 

don't narrow the trunk lid. either cut the 1/4s loose from the floorpan & push them out to line up, or (the cheating method) cut vertically between trunk opening & taillight openings & narrow that area until the opening for the deck lid fits. or, use the lid as a skin, & weld the trunk shut. access it from behind the seat. it'll be smoooooth...

 

Do it right, do it once. Make the opening fit the deck lid. I know it's a lot of work but I'd prefer to do it the way it should be be done and be factory. You won't regret it later.

 

You probably should move the quarters. But that's probably going to mean a whole bunch of rework or starting over completely once you start tweaking the flanks.
You could move the whole quarter or the offending part with an approach similar to this. Its a 32 ford but you get the idea- this is flop's work.

Here you can see the gaps are off.

Cut the car and move the gap,
You'd be moving it further creating your gap.



Then weld it back up.

 

'Cut the car, move the gap'? Tried that before...Now the taillights are too close together!

 

post #24 is showing what I was referring to in post #22

 

Oh hell no ???

 

I had a similar problem with a '63 Ford that had been center punched in the center of the rear bumper. Didn't want to widen out nearly as easily as it narrowed.

 

Looks like it's time to split the trunk floor, and push both quarters out a bit.

...........................Jack

 

I agree with others to split the 1/4 panels and leave the deck lid as is.

Are you sure you have the correct deck lid? It is possible that 50 is different or a sedan is different than a coupe or convertible.