Thread: D1 rear 1/4 panel removal

Originally Posted by loanrangie

Can you remove a 1/4 panel without damaging the paint, i understand they are are bonded to the shell.
Had a small altercation with a tree and i know where a straight 1/4 is with the same paint colour.

Hey Nick pm Outback1 He has done done a few D2`s which are the same
He has it down pat

Originally Posted by loanrangie

Can you remove a 1/4 panel without damaging the paint, i understand they are are bonded to the shell.
Had a small altercation with a tree and i know where a straight 1/4 is with the same paint colour.

There are some rivets under the plastic trim at the passenger door end and some screws at the rear door end, there are around 10x10mm bolts around the frame and some spotwelds around the wheel arch.
The hardest part is breaking the bond of the black mastic, esp directly under the gutter rail, I used a wide wood chisel and hammer to break along under the gutter.
For the rest of the mastic I used a 2" wide paint scraper dipped in a jar of thinners, I've done 2, there could be some connections around the guard wheel opening, keep thinners up to the scraper or it will just stick, been a couple of years since I've done it so there could be some other connection points, go easy, Regards Frank.

I'm going to see how it looks once i have pushed it out before tackling a panel replacement, it has popped the tail light out a bit so that area will need massaging.

A heat gun is your tool for that job, makes peeling the panels off a lot easier.

Can be done. I removed one a few years back can came off with no damage to paint etc. once all the bolts and internal screws were out it came off pretty easily just wiggling to break the sealant.

Originally Posted by PSI250

Can be done. I removed one a few years back can came off with no damage to paint etc. once all the bolts and internal screws were out it came off pretty easily just wiggling to break the sealant.

You must have had crappy sealant or it had been removed once before.
I had to use a wood chisel to break the seal on the outside below the gutter rail and heat was useless.
You need to be able to reduce the stickiness of the mastic otherwise it will just rebond, thinners on a 2" wide paint scraper allows the scraper blade to penetrate the mastic and render it inert so it doesn't restick, Regards Frank.

I have to remove it from a wreck at pick a part so i will just use a palette knife and stanley blade, only part i saw that could be trouble is the plastic trim piece near the door opening.
It seems to be screwed from the inside ?

Originally Posted by Tank

You must have had crappy sealant or it had been removed once before.
I had to use a wood chisel to break the seal on the outside below the gutter rail and heat was useless.
You need to be able to reduce the stickiness of the mastic otherwise it will just rebond, thinners on a 2" wide paint scraper allows the scraper blade to penetrate the mastic and render it inert so it doesn't restick, Regards Frank.

Must have been. As all I had to do was work it back and forth and it came apart!!