# 67 lemans, removal and replacement of panel between sails?



## virginiavenom (Feb 20, 2011)

Good morning Gents, 

I have removed my back window in my lemans and found rust through on it. I'm curious as I have purchased a replacement panel, just how exactly do I remove this panel. I would imagine it doesn't just pop out.


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## jetstang (Nov 5, 2008)

With a grinder or cut off wheel, cut really close the the edge and seams and cut the old one off, then grind the remainder down really close to the sale panels. Then use a chissel in between the spot welds to brake the remainer lose and grind the spot welds smooth. Sounds easy, isn't really, lol.. I did my 70, and now my 66 is in progress for over a year. I hired my buddy to do the welding on it, and rebuild the sail panel corners-hardest part.


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## virginiavenom (Feb 20, 2011)

yep....this sucks. that's a lot of work...what a pain. thanks for the info....I don't know why I was expecting something dramatically easier. I should know better by now.


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## Eric Animal (Oct 28, 2007)

When I had mine done, since it isn't 'factory", I had the bodyman fill the seam with weld and "flush it in...should look pretty cool...I hope! Also, there is a special drill bit for drilling out spot welds, MIGHT be easier than a chisel, but I can't say for sure...E


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## jetstang (Nov 5, 2008)

In the window and trunk channel you can drill them, but on the sides it's hard to get a drill in there. I just ground it all the way off, my buddy did the chissel thing, and it worked pretty good and you don't drill a bunch of holes in the sail panel.


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## Rukee (Feb 8, 2007)

Mine had soo much bondo in the window channel that by the time I ground out all the bondo with a grinder, the panel bout fell out on it's own!


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## jetstang (Nov 5, 2008)

I'm with you Rukee, my rear window channel was built out of fiberglass, no metal left, along with my gasket channel in the trunk, guess the guy thought he was working on a corvette..


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## virginiavenom (Feb 20, 2011)

excuse the term, but the mexicans who owned the car before me attempted to prime and paint it with house hold paint using a wagner power painter (no I'm not kidding, that is how it was done. its horrendous. and they liked to use a big chisel and hammer instead of doing things right. like putting speakers in the rear window tracks....or punching a hold through the firewall, or putting speakers in the rear accessory panel. or how they used household carpet nails to nail in shag carpeting on the inside of the car. again, no I'm not kidding. scratching my head at why they did half the things they did. horrible. will be working on that in due time.


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## Eric Animal (Oct 28, 2007)

Yep, nothing quite like a package shelf with 2) 6x9" speaker holes cut in with a can opener! People do some sinful things to cars over 40+ years......


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## virginiavenom (Feb 20, 2011)

not just on the shelf, but on the rear panels in the steel. is a jig saw or a sawsall or a torch, or plasma cutter that hard for people to get their hands on? sinful is right. rediculous. I'm still in awe at the house hold paint on the car.


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## Eric Animal (Oct 28, 2007)

One of my doors looked like someone used an IED to make a speaker hole in it.........


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## virginiavenom (Feb 20, 2011)

can be extremely frustrating.


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