How To Install Rear Quarters And Mini-Tubs

One of the shortcomings of the early Camaro is the lack of room to stuff some serious rear tires under the stock quarters. The shock mounts are outboard of the framerails, and the framerails themselves angle outward toward the rear corners of the car starting at about the axle centerline. These two factors have eliminated the option of traditional mini-tubs-that is until Detroit Speed & Engineering developed a kit to make mini-tubs, and a 335 tire, possible inside the stock F-body quarters. The Detroit Speed kit comes with a DVD and detailed instructions for installing these parts in a solid body, but this car needed both quarters and a trunk floor which, in a way, makes things easier because removing those parts grants greater access to do the wheeltub and framerail modifications.

Because high-quality, accurate parts are essential to the success of any restoration, Muscle Car Restorations (MCR) in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, uses Auto Metal Direct (AMD) as its source for sheetmetal. The modified inner halves of the wheeltubs from Detroit Speed played very nicely with the outer halves from AMD. Although we're taking a pretty big bite doing the quarters, trunk floor, and mini-tubs all at once, this is more than likely what most of you will be faced with. So let's go for it.

Start by getting all of the old parts out of your way to gain better access for drilling out spot welds. Be sure to properly brace and support the car so everything stays straight and square. In this photo, the outer and inner quarters have been removed, exposing the rusty wheeltubs and trunk extensions.
Start by getting all of the old parts out of your way to gain better access for drilling o
Even after the spot welds are drilled with Blair Rotabroach Cutters, some parts may need a little help getting separated. You should also plan on using up a few Spedecut cutoff wheels and an air chisel to aid in removing some of the remaining pieces.
Even after the spot welds are drilled with Blair Rotabroach Cutters, some parts may need a
When you are pulling panels, be sure to leave the shock mounts in place, as you will be cutting them per Detroit Speed's measurements.
When you are pulling panels, be sure to leave the shock mounts in place, as you will be cu

Before you remove the inner part of the wheeltub, add a brace to support the trunk hinge mount and rear valance area. The mount will need to be removed, shortened, and fitted to the new inner tub.
Before you remove the inner part of the wheeltub, add a brace to support the trunk hinge m
Surprise, surprise! MCR found some hidden damage and determined that it would be best to replace the framerails also. It's not that much extra work with everything else out of the way, but custom jigs must be built prior to removing the originals to ensure that the new AMD rails will fit exactly like the old ones. A positive surprise was that the AMD rails were made from 0.095-inch steel; the factory ones were made with 0.040-inch.
Surprise, surprise! MCR found some hidden damage and determined that it would be best to r
The quarter is actually glued into the driprail channel, so you'll need a grinder to remove that edge. Again, cut away the major portion of what's left so you can gain access to the various spot welds and can then pick away at the rest of it.
The quarter is actually glued into the driprail channel, so you'll need a grinder to remov

Leave the original doorjamb in place so its gap can be adjusted later for a perfect fit.
Try to save a short piece of the quarter along the rocker seam, as it's difficult to gain access to weld the new quarter to the rocker. The new metal will be cut and butt-welded to this old section.
Try to save a short piece of the quarter along the rocker seam, as it's difficult to gain
Here you can see how the shock mount and the marked section of the framerail would prevent a larger inner tub from being installed. Detroit Speed provides a template that marks the section of the frame that needs to be removed.
Here you can see how the shock mount and the marked section of the framerail would prevent