Since I used the cheaper non-licensed by Chrysler side panels, they did not have the word Jeep embossed in them. They were cheap. I got a good deal. I couldn’t pass it up. I saved hundreds. Free shipping even. But alas, if it’s a steel bodied Jeep it needs to have Jeep stamped in the sides.
So when I disassembled the original body I kept the original panels and laid them aside in the garage until I could deal with them. That time has finally come, and the left side is done. Done-ish? Welded, metal finished, ready for primer and blocking done.
I only took a couple pictures. Maybe I’ll do better when I get to the other side. Basically the process was measure the location on the original panel, measure on the new panel, draw some lines, remeasure, draw more lines, measure again, then cut the Jeep logo out, sandblast, measure some more, cut where the Jeep will go, measure again, and weld. And don’t forget to measure. It seriously bugs me when I see a Chevelle SS Clone with the SS logos on the fender in the wrong spot, so I was determined to get the Jeep back where it belongs.
So after all of my work to figure out where to place it, here is what I came up with. Draw a line straight through the center of the 2 holes where the bottom door hinge would bolt and take that line down to the bottom of the panel. The end of the P on the left side, or the beginning of the J on the right side, will just barely touch that line. Now draw a line forward from the Bottom of the door opening parallel to the bottom of the side. The bottom of the P will just barely touch that line.
But on this side I had the panel down to the bottom and forward to the front edge, so these were better references. I allowed an extra inch or so around the Jeep and cut it out.
Then I cut a hole with he same measurements in the new panel, did some test fitting and more measuring, then finally sprayed the back side with weld through primer and welded it in. You can get to most of the back side once it is done, but it is important to get some primer in the area that will be against the brace.
