TDI rear lamp quarter panel removal

Has anyone removed or replaced the rear tail light quarter panel on a 300tdi. I have a nice V8 but it is dented around the tail light unit but also have a spare tdi for breaking and was wondering if I could swap the panels over but not sure how this panel attaches to the main quarter/ side panel although it does have screws in the rear door jam.

I think it's spot welded.

Yes, the two are spot welded, it would be easier to replace them as a pair

Thanks guys, didn't want to go to all that hassle so I will panel beat and fill instead.

what are the screws for then???


i have wondered for a while

They're to connect the panel to the bodyshell. Removal of the full quarter panel. requires the removal of those screws, as well as the removal of the entire interior on the side your removing, in order to get at all the screws. then you need a thin flexible blade to cut thru all the tigerseal that's between the panels.

It's also possible to remove just the rear section of the panel. But you have to cut thru the spot welds with a recip saw.

thanks

Just changing our own quarter panel after a small ding below the light cluster.

£400 to knock the dent out and respray, £600+ VAT for the complete quarter panel including the corner panel, £220 for the corner panel alone.

Bumper off, inside trim out etc etc and there's a LOT of fasteners.

We ended up buying a secondhand quarter panel off ebay, taking it off the quarter of the car that came with it was useful, as it showed us what we have to do on the car to get the panel off.

It is all bolted and screwed plus lots of sealer, the only welds are between the main quarter panel and the corner panel, and if you replace both then the welds don't need to be disturbed.

The used one is in the painters now.

I'll probably take some pictures when we do the swap.

Peter

listerdiesel said:

Just changing our own quarter panel after a small ding below the light cluster.

........

I'll probably take some pictures when we do the swap.

Peter

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I'd be interested in that. Rear panels are all where I have issues, front's sound ..

Paul D said:

I'd be interested in that. Rear panels are all where I have issues, front's sound ..

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Once you've done one, then you know where all the 'gotchas' are, like the rivet holding the stiffener on at the bottom, and the row of bolts at the top that you can't see!

We will fit ours over a weekend when we have time to do it without rushing.

Peter

listerdiesel said:

Once you've done one, then you know where all the 'gotchas' are, like the rivet holding the stiffener on at the bottom, and the row of bolts at the top that you can't see!

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Heheheh .. I'd end up with issues after fixing my issues on one side, and a good panel the other then ..

listerdiesel said:

We will fit ours over a weekend when we have time to do it without rushing.

Peter

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Nice one. When it's warmer I intend to look at/replace mine, both sides need doing, as I have to do it outside ...

What you did Peter was pretty much what I did. It's not a difficult job, just approach it methodically and take your time

See what I started.

I have a spare disco for parts but have not had much time to have a look at it but main quarter panel on this is not great and don't fancy repmoving it on the V8 as it is spotless save the dent at light.

Looks like i got to remove the rear Quarter panel and the piller as well ater a knock at the weekend, i am I reading it right its just screw's and tiger seal that I need to remove?

any one got any pics.

Big Stu 12 said:

Looks like i got to remove the rear Quarter panel and the piller as well ater a knock at the weekend, i am I reading it right its just screw's and tiger seal that I need to remove?

any one got any pics.

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It may be stating the obvious, but you need to remove the interior trim from the rear quarter. If it is the offside panel then you will find it easier if you remove the tailgate door as well. This is because you will remove and replace the rear quarter and rear light panels as one unit. The two are spot welded together.

You need to know that there is a small bracket just forward of the rear wheel arch, it is some time since I did mine, but I think the bracket is between the outer and inner panels.