body damage help needed

[jwrape]

Ok.... About 2 years ago now I was driving my SVO and the car in front of me locked it up and so did i and my brakes pulled me to the right and slammed the Undercover Atlanta detective's car beside me.
Well without making this a long story, my rear passenger side quater panel is crushed in.

My question is: Do I replace the whole quarter panel or cut and weld pieces or pull and fill?????

You guys are the experts and the consumers. I don't think i will ever sell it, so re-sale value is not a real big concern of mine, but I still don't want the value to dimenish and I want the fix to last.
what do you think. I will attach pics.
http://ml.truckmoxie.com/gallery/jwrape/82037.jpg

http://ml.truckmoxie.com/gallery/jwrape/82036.jpg

http://ml.truckmoxie.com/gallery/jwrape/82035.jpg

[jwrape]

You can see the rest of the car here

Pics of my car here

[Spencer]

If it was me i could fix it no problem, only because i am a professional collision technician. I've fixed stuff 3 times as bad. If placed in the right hands of a skilled technician it can be easily repaired with very little or no body filler. Thats just my stand on it. The plus side of this is you wouldn't have to refinish all the seams that you had to remove in order to replace the quarter skin. Whoever fixes it will probably remove the interior trim to access the damage easier and also to restore corrossion protection to the interior of the quarter panel. Good luck and find a good quality collision facility, or restoration shop. Might not hurt to see some of their work they've done on other vehicles.

85 4E

[jwrape]

Yea, I have a personal body shop that has done all my other cars that have had accidents. All but this one were not my fault. Any this one was only partially my fault. But anyway, the shop that does my work usually does volvo's only for dyer and Dyer volvo.

THe Manager is my father-in-law. All my cars come back better than they went in. He said it would be about $300-400 to fix the dent and then the paint would come out later cause the whole car needs to be prepped. Removal of lights, emblems and trim. Also will take about $3500 for the paint job. No discounts there, but it will be a good job which is worth it's weight in gold.

[Spencer]

It sounds like they will do the job the correct way, like i always say you can't get a good quality paint job cheap. Unless you don't want a good job done.

[jwrape]

yea, I was actually wondering how hard it is to paint a car yourself. My father used to do it and he says it's not difficult but VERY important to get all the dust out of the room where you do it.

what do you think? too much work maybe??

[Spencer]

Its not too hard to do the painting part, but the most important is the body and prep work before you start the painting. If you've never painted before i wouldn't attempt it without practice. Unless you have a good friend that has a lot of free time to teach you. When painting a car you want a good clean enviorment to paint in, ie- paint booth, and don't forget all the correct respirators and paint suits. Theres alot to painting a car, more work and knowledge than most people think. If in doubt seek a professional.

[jwrape]

Yes, I think you are correct.

[bob tweedy]

repair

it doesnt look too bad from the pictures. i would have a reputible and competant body shop do it however. i agree that you should see some of the work they have already done. if you want the car to look like it should it should be repainted. of course any paint with a red pigment is the most costly. and i also agree that most of the money in the paint job is in the prep.
i have painted cars off and on all my life and with out a good deal of practice you cant just pick up the gun, point it and pull the trigger. again get a reputible painter from a reputible shop.
bob

bring back muscle cars-ban low performance drivers

guns dont kill people-drivers with cell phones do