BJ7 & BJ8 Interior Rear Quarter Panels

[BG 62AH]

Guys, I am finally at a point where I can start looking at the interior components of my restoration. I need to do a complete replacement of all of the leather seat covers, panels, and carpet.
My car is a BJ7, and the restoration required all new floor panels, rear seat deck and boot floor.
With the interior, my interior rear quarter panels need to be recovered and repaired (pictured below).
I bought a new interior kit from Moss, and it seems like it will work out decently.
One problem I have is the steel frame piece on the rear interior rear quarter panel is heavily rotted on the bottom. Moss's kit included the wood panel, but I need to figure out the sizes and shape of the steel part that the wood attached to.
Has anyone else ran into this issue? Is there a place that I can get a template to fab a new one, or can I buy one.....? I am trying to make a cardboard template, which I could probably get to work out, but I really want it to fit right.
Any suggestions are really appreciated!
Thank you,
Bill

 

[Patrick67BJ8]

Guys, I am finally at a point where I can start looking at the interior components of my restoration. I need to do a complete replacement of all of the leather seat covers, panels, and carpet.
My car is a BJ7, and the restoration required all new floor panels, rear seat deck and boot floor.
With the interior, my interior rear quarter panels need to be recovered and repaired (pictured below).
I bought a new interior kit from Moss, and it seems like it will work out decently.
One problem I have is the steel frame piece on the rear interior rear quarter panel is heavily rotted on the bottom. Moss's kit included the wood panel, but I need to figure out the sizes and shape of the steel part that the wood attached to.
Has anyone else ran into this issue? Is there a place that I can get a template to fab a new one, or can I buy one.....? I am trying to make a cardboard template, which I could probably get to work out, but I really want it to fit right.
Any suggestions are really appreciated!
Thank you,
Bill

I think you'd have a very good chance at getting used ones because the wood is usually what is gone instead of the metal. Try the usual suppliers for used.

 

[vette]

BG, Here is one of the old rear panels from my BJ7. This piece goes right behind the seat at your outboard shoulder and is attached to a rather narrow flange eminating along the door openning. i'm going to try to attach 3 pics showing the original piece, then a drawing of the dimensions, then a pic of the piece that I made out of metal. I like working in metal so that is what I used. I did not like the way the original piece has that triangle section at the top and the way it is bent outward. In my opinion that piece is a death trap waiting to happen when your head gets snapped back in an accident and the piece is just about the right height at the base of your head. So I did not try to match originality in making my piece. hope this helps. Dave. PS. Now don't laugh to hard at my piece of angle iron across the back. that's my grab bar / parcel retainer that got wrapped with hi-density foam.

 

[KTS]

Hi Bill - Did you ever get your quarter panels done?? I'm doing mine now, 63 BJ7 using the Moss kit. I am fortunate in having solid metal pieces, so if you need a pattern I can make one for you. Seeing as how you were working on them six months ago, you probably got them done though!

I also have a question - How the blankety Blank did you get the Moss kit to fit? I riveted my old metal panel to the Moss board, only one hole didn't line up, at the top. Foam went on easy, trimmed it to the wood. then things get interesting:

The sewing of the kit does not match the original, particularly at the corner, where the Moss stitching is not curved like the original. Did you just fold and glue this corner? I'm thinking of trying to hand stitch the curve. Any tips on where to start trying to fit the cover would be great too. I see the sewn seam needs to be right at the top edge with both extra fabric edges behind the panel. Can't see how to line that up and hold it while pulling the bottom tight and wrapping and glueing that edge first. Did you buy the Moss DVD? If so did it help? And would you sell your DVD if your done?

Nuff for now, struggling in VT! Cheers, Koke T-S
PS. My wife is a Jersey Girl, Livingston and Tom's River

 

[KTS]

Should read the whole post before replying - I see vette sent a pattern, it looks good to me!

kts

 

[grimes6]

Should read the whole post before replying - I see vette sent a pattern, it looks good to me!

kts

Kilmartins sell the steel sections for this panel. I have attached 3 images which show the panels fitted to an original BJ7 car which is unrestored. As you can see , the stitching follows the contour of the panel.

Regards,
Greg

 

[EV2239]

FWIW I think this chap supplies Moss, he's certainly regarded as the best and he does use good materials, but it's not the same as a proper trimmer making everything.

https://www.john-skinner.co.uk

Also I don't believe those quarter panels are the same as the originals. Mine are as I remember the cars were when we had them in the sixties. They are in a state thanks to Rodents 'R Us, but as they should be.

 

[maxwedge5281]

you might try info@austinhealeywood.com for the replacement rear panels. i have no affiliation with them. they also make up proper brake line kits as well as custom length cunifer brake lines. i just ordered some custom length lines with proper end hardware for my bj7 with a wilwood dual master cylinder conversion.

 

[BG 62AH]

Thanks, I actually used some of the info from the forum and figured it out the rest. I used a Moss interior panel kit. The fitment was actually pretty good. I appreciate the info for a future project!!!

 

[Patrick67BJ8]

I installed new panels on my BJ8 and the first set I was sent didn't fit worth a darn because the wood was too stiff. The woods stiffness was so great that the there was a noticeable bulge in the metal where it meets the wood. Be sure to select wood that can bend! New panels had to be made by the manufacturer.

 

[vette]

The panels that grimes6 shows look very much like the original panels that were in my car when I bought it, although much torn up.

 

[RAC68]

Hi Bill,

Back in the mid to late 1980s, when starting to address what I thought were minor interior issues, my initial focus was the deterioration of the quarter panel legs (the part that extended to the floor and well deteriorated due to moisture). Since not having the internet or knowing I could get these parts, I carefully stripped the vinyl from the panels and made patterns for reproduction. As Patrick indicated, these panels need to be slightly flexible and the originals appeared to be made from thin plywood similar to a door skin so that is what I used. After cutting and sealing and painting the door skin piece, I patched and painted the bottom of the metal section and rivet attached the metal section to the new wood sides.



Doing extensive traveling at the time, I searched every destination for a source for black vinyl that accurately matched the original graining (I never realize the variety in black vinyl color and/or grains that exist). When up in Massachusetts, I visited LaBarron Bonney which supplied Antique auto upholstery materials (primarily for Fords) and found an exact black grain match. Purchasing a few yards, I carefully separated the irreplaceable waffle patterned side panel material from the front section and sewed in a new back and front section. Installing a very thin close celled foam padding, I glued the vinyl onto the replacement panels and installed both.

Now the warning, the panels came out quite good but the new deeper black now appeared next to the door panel. Also, the door panel was pushed in slightly due to resting my knee against when driving. As a result, I ordered more vinyl and created new door panels using, difficult to work with, tempered bathroom Masonite. To date, the panels remain close to the day originally installed but also required me to continue and replace all but the front and back seats and console cubby top which remain original.

One last issue, I have found finding a good contact glue a hit and miss situation with most contact cements being attached by the vinyl's plasticizer (what makes vinyl flexible) and/or heat and turns into a sticky mess. Someone suggested using weather strip cement and I began using contact cement to stretch the vinyl in place and weather strip cement at the vinyl edges. To date this is working well.

I am impressed by the responses and see some very well done reproductions. I am always impressed at the diversity of skills demonstrated by the Healey community.

All the best,
Ray (64BJ8P1)

 

[BG 62AH]

Kote,

Sorry for my delay in response, I did actually complete the panels not long after my original questions. The answers provided by the forum were very helpful.

I did end up repairing my metal pieces by trimming off the rusted areas and welding on small extensions. There was some trial fitting required to get my final fitment. The sizes provided on the forum were a great start for me. Sounds like this is not an issue for you.

I used the wooden pieces from the Moss kit. It was flexible and did bend properly. There was trimming required, and I had to open the holes for the seat belt bolts a little. The rivet holes were actually pretty decent, but I did tweak a few.

Gluing the panel was pretty straight forward, except for the top front edge (the area directly behind the seats). I had to trim the foam very carefully to a feather edge, and then glue the vinyl directly to the metal piece in the top area where the post is for the soft top boot. I used some clamps to make sure it adhered properly around the corners/edges. That was also a little tricky. I did not get a perfect fit a first, but it did improve a bit after I put on the weather strip from McGregor. (use his, it was excellent).

Overall I was happy with the fitment, and the Moss kit. My car came to me with very little interior intact, so I can't tell how it would match up to perfect stock.

The DVD didn't cover much on the panels, it is good for seats, carpet, and soft top (which I am still working on!).

Here are a few pictures, sorry I did not take more.

If you have any questions, I am happy to share what I can.

Always smart to marry a Jersey Girl!, I did. By the way, my father went to college at UVM. Great Italian restaurant near campus, Bove's, are they still around?