Reference Pictures for Rear Quarter Panels

[JimsTBird]

I am restoring a 1956 TBird and have to replace both back quarters because they are rotted out. Problem is I do not have any reference as to what is supposed to look like on the underside. I have the patch panels but they do not fit in an intuitive manner and I suspect I will have to trim them to fit. But I need to know what I am aiming at. Search of the internet and posted pictures has not been fruitful in finding any good reference shots of this area of the car.

Can someone with a finished car (that hopefully is original) please post and/or send some good quality pictures of the rear quarter panels from the underside of the car from the wheel opening to the rear bumper?

[ICON 1956]

Here is a few pictures of my car that was fully restored by Jewel Meetz of Brillion Wisconsin hope these help.

[JimsTBird]

Thanks, but not quite what I was looking for...I need pictures of the underside of the rear quarter, from the wheel opening to the bumper, as detailed as possible because I have to fabricate some of it.

[fordrodsteven]

Thanks, but not quite what I was looking for...I need pictures of the underside of the rear quarter, from the wheel opening to the bumper, as detailed as possible because I have to fabricate some of it.

I have a rear clip for a '56 in my garage. I can take the pictures you want. Do you want drivers side, passenger side, or both? This clip may have a little rust under there but you might be able to see what you are looking for.

[Alan H. Tast]

Having reproductions of the body/trim/sealer assembly manuals in your library would be in your best interests here. The assembly manuals have exploded views of how things were originally assembled. Granted, the bodies came to Dearborn Assembly as welded units, but there are underside engineering drawings and diagrams that show a wealth of information. The manuals are available from '55-'57 T-bird vendors that advertise in VTCI's "Thunderbird Scoop" magazine and are in the vendor links for our website. Please purchase from them as they help keep our website up and running.

[JimsTBird]

FORDRODSTEVEN...

Pictures of the rear clip of both sides would be great..thank you very much.

Alan Trat

Hi Alan. I have all the manuals but none of them show the detail I require. Thanks for the suggestion though.

[ICON 1956]

Do you have one? if not you can purchase from Nation Parts Depot for $14.95 plus S&H order # TL 1 for 56 year or TL 2 for 57 year. I think this will answer what your looking for...
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[JimsTBird]

Yes I do have copies of these manuals. But the illustrations are not 100% accurate and they are so dark it is hard to discern the details of how the rear wheel house extension fits together with the exterior quarter panel. No matter how I fit the panels together the bottom edges do lay flush to one another. Therefore I suspect I will have to trim the wheelhouse extension. But a detail picture would speak a thousand words.

So to the gent who offered to take pictures of both sides of the underside of the rear quarters of the 1956 rear clip you have, please do so and send them along when you can. And a big Thank you.

[ICON 1956]

I heard awhile ago the manuals from some time ago were darker..These are not...If you tell me what page you can't see I will take a picture and have you judge for yourself.

[JimsTBird]

That would be page 20 (6-3204). But even it does not show the detail I need. A shot at 90 degrees or from slightly behind would show the front edge of the two panels and how they fit. It also does not give great detail on how the end of the quarter is fitted together. From what I have now ( two separate outer quarter panels and two wheel house extensions from two sources) on the front edge (wheel opening side) the wheel house extension leading edge extends about 1 1/2 inches beyond the profile of the wheel opening at the top of the panel and the lower edges are not quite flush.

Hence the need for pictures with good detail. I will follow and trim according to how pictures of real cars are put together.

Thanks for your continued concern.

[ICON 1956]

Is this a better picture than you have.....

[fordrodsteven]

FORDRODSTEVEN...

Pictures of the rear clip of both sides would be great..thank you very much.

Try these pictures that I took today.