1955 Nomad Quarter Panels Repair

This is for a friend who makes the sign of the cross when he sees a computer.

He has a 55 Nomad that was an old drag car run in the Delaware area. It must have been low-buck because the racing mods are pretty primitive.

It has pretty good quarters, except they cut the wheel openings, radius-ing them for slicks. They cut about the last 5 inches on each side facing the front (yes I know pics would help but I am not near his car presently and I just spoke to him about it) up from the bottom of the rocker. The outer wheel arch is intact, but its the area that wraps around the quarter that's gone. Think the piece of the arch that would generally face the tire tread, the wrap around transition.

So we need to fix both sides.

I read once that you could flip fenders and that the left front contains a wheel arch pattern that approximates the rear passenger quarter arch, and vice versa. However, when he spoke to a local "Nomad guy" he was told since it was the bottom five inches up from rocker bottom that a standard sedan quarter patch would work. Yes I know they make full quarter skins, but I dont like the idea of sawing off otherwise good quarters. I also am skeptical that the "gasser arches" they sell would work to patch. Oh and let me mention my friend doesn't have a ton of money so he wants to get a pretty exact idea of what he needs so he is not buying extra stuff.

I will end up helping him with the work, as my shop is set up to do it, but I want him to source the parts.

So Nomad-ers, thoughts? Best way to patch the lower 5 inches of a 55 Nomad rear wheel arch?

I will try and snag a pic and post it.

Scorp

I am resurrecting this post folks. Just got word my friend has several spots on his lung. Not a good thing. I think the next several months will be a challenge.

I was planning to help him but dont think he is going to be up to it or even focused on the Nomad, so I called another friend and we are going to tackle the work. Fix the quarters and a few holes in the floor and give him back something to work with. No I am not 100% up to it, but I have walked in his shoes and it might help.

Here is what we are dealing with:

Attachment 9540

Attachment 9541

Attachment 9542

What is the best approach to patch?:

1) flip fenders and use wheel arch from opposite side front fender?
2) Go with the standard 55 patch and re-arch the wheel opening? or
3) leverage a patch pannel from something else?

I am sure the fix has been done without full quarter removal but the Web is not giving up its secrets.

He doesnt have the money and now he probably has cancer. I would like to help him.

Scorp

I don't know where you got the idea of the left front arch working on the right rear. It won't.

There are repro patch panels that have the wheel arches and more. You may want to trim them.

If that's the extent of it I don't think it's too bad to fix. However, I'd take a good look inside the quarter and see how far up the rust extends, or if it's been patched previously. It could be a lot uglier than it looks.

I'd go with the patch panel and see if you can make it work. Seems like we discussed this here before a couple years ago.....maybe in one of Rockytopper's (RIP) posts.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Rick_L

I don't know where you got the idea of the left front arch working on the right rear. It won't.

There are repro patch panels that have the wheel arches and more. You may want to trim them.

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Rick, right here:

https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/...arters.558468/

Scorp

First off, the fronts won't have a piece for the front vertical edge. They also don't have the same contour at the bottom rear. I also would bet that the top of the front arch is much longer than the Nomad arch. No guarantee that the radii match either, though they are somewhat close.

That said you could probably get parts of the contour by cutting up front fenders. Where are you going to get the rest?

I would strip that whole panel first to see how much work it needs. Pay special attention to the bottom all the way up to the door.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Rick_L

First off, the fronts won't have a piece for the front vertical edge. They also don't have the same contour at the bottom rear. I also would bet that the top of the front arch is much longer than the Nomad arch. No guarantee that the radii match either, though they are somewhat close.

That said you could probably get parts of the contour by cutting up front fenders. Where are you going to get the rest?

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Thanks Rick-

At this point I am just doing the research. I really need about 6-8inches up from the rocker corner.

I thought that I could get part of what we need from the stock 55 patch panel- at least that would take car of the rust hole and give us the rocker corner as well as some wheel arch.

Scorp

http://www.trifivechevys.com/showthr...ch-ones-to-buy

Cnut-

Thanks! I went looking but couldnt find this thread. Its exactly what I needed. Many thanks.

Scorp