Best way to go about replacing rear panel?

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Duskope

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99 tahoe 2 door. Found a 97 2 door yukon at junkyard with intact panel. How much of a ***** would it be to swap the panels.
 

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Hipster

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It's welded on, so the glass has to come out bumper has to come off all the trim pieces on the quarter need to come off, Also the interior trim panels and carpet need to be rolled back because you are going to be welding it back on after drilling and cut the old one off. Tail gate/ door probably need to come off for welding purposes. That's the short answer. But it looks like it could use a sheetmetal pull to line everything else up before you cut anything loose. It will be easier with tools. Do you have any? What about a welder or welding experience? Don't worry about the color of the junkyard piece because after welding and seeming the rocker panel in and mudworking it, it's all going to need to paint anyway.
 

TonyM

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Not a small job at all. You'd have to gut the interior on that side, remove the glass,bumper,lights,filler neck and more, then drill out all the spot welds then put the panel on. Tha'ts just the short version of the steps. There's alot more to it in the details. Your looking at 20ish hours of labour just for the panel swap not including paint
 

Hipster

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Not a small job at all. You'd have to gut the interior on that side, remove the glass,bumper,lights,filler neck and more, then drill out all the spot welds then put the panel on. Tha'ts just the short version of the steps. There's alot more to it in the details. Your looking at 20ish hours of labour just for the panel swap not including paint.
I kind of gave the short version, seam seal everything,primer, etc. For a guy that done 100's of quarter panels, on a good day and a half, in my prime ,with all the quick tools, maybe 16 hours give or take to get the panel on and ready for paint. I could replace a frame in less time.
 

Duskope

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It's welded on, so the glass has to come out bumper has to come off all the trim pieces on the quarter need to come off, Also the interior trim panels and carpet need to be rolled back because you are going to be welding it back on after drilling and cut the old one off. Tail gate/ door probably need to come off for welding purposes. That's the short answer. But it looks like it could use a sheetmetal pull to line everything else up before you cut anything loose. It will be easier with tools. Do you have any? What about a welder or welding experience? Don't worry about the color of the junkyard piece because after welding and seeming the rocker panel in and mudworking it, it's all going to need to paint anyway.
Got a buddy who welds and plenty of basic power tools, but sounds like i’ll need more than what i have if i need to have a pull for the metal, and possible frame damage so i’ll probably end up needing a hydraulic kit as well. Rather not bust the glass either, really just didnt want to have to spend 2k on a dent.
 

someotherguy

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Plenty of people can weld but bodywork is a different animal. That's a job for someone experienced in bodywork.

I don't see much potential for frame damage with that one pic. Your bumper looks like it's still straight, yeah? On the SUV's the rear bumper bolts directly to the frame rails, no middle brackets (just the outriggers.)

Richard
 

Hipster

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Was meaning more of a sheet metal pull, weld a tab on the quarter and pull the sheetmetetal back, the outer wheelhouse and the inner structure behind the tailight would also walk back.
 

Hipster

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I have this, but you can weld a link or 2 of chain to some 1/8,3/16 and get a come- a-long on it after welding it onto the quarter down low. Pull opposite the direction it got hit. Sometimes you just get lucky, I would kinda go slowly and try to save the quarter where it can be bodyworked and just put a gas door on it. To put the quarter on it there's no way to do if the glass still in it.
 

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