Rob M Budd

I've run across some pretty bad RQPs and often they look like they're beyond hope. This one was warped and busted up pretty well, but I managed to get it straight. I figured I'd pass along a few tips.


Take the mounting brackets off. You can rivet them back later.
Take the foam off. It won't survive the repair process and its cheap and easy to replace.
Heat the warped area along the edge and toward the inside about 6-10 inches.
Use a real heat gun. A hair dryer doesn't get hot enough.
Get it hot enough so you can't touch it but not enough to burn it.
Clamp two pieces of 3 inch flat metal stock to each side.
Tighten the clamps enough to hold the metal in place.
While its still hot, slowly tighten the clamps.
Turn on some music and have a couple beers nearby.
If you hear cracking, stop and apply more heat.
Take your time. It took years for them to warp. It'll take a few hours to get them straight.
Once the clamps are tight, reheat the entire area.
Let it cool overnight.
Repeat the process if it didn't get it completely straight the first time.
If the curved B pillar or top section is warped, the same process works using a 2 inch pipe clamped into the concave area and a piece of sheet metal on the opposite side.
Replace the foam and mounting brackets & cut out the speaker holes

I didn't get a pic of adding resin and fiberglass to repair the cracks and adding broken sections back. Laying fiberglass is a whole other project for another time.

I've yet to add the leather cover but will post a pic when its done.

ceedee

awesome, that is the info i was looking for.
do you got something on the doorpanels as well?

Ed Hughes

Great tips Rob. As with most cosmetic projects, it pays to be patient.

0utlier

Rob, your way of fixing sounds really good. Thanks for sharing. These types of writeups are indispensable for seeing what works. It would be nice if there was a sticky thread at the top that we could consolidate all the write ups for different things. Just a thought.

Below are two links that one might find helpful. One is for taking out the quarter panels. The second is how I fixed mine.

1. http://www.928s4.info/interior/quarter_panel_removal/

2. http://www.928s4.info/interior/quarter_panel_warp_fix/

Ed Hughes

Nobody would ever look at them. Just like the FAQs. Best to have these in the technical section

heinrich

damn that is good work rob thanx for sharing

Rob M Budd

Thanks guys.

BTW If you can get any of the cheap clamps from Harbor Freight to work at all, note trhat the plastic ones melt.
I picked up a set of metal ones the other day from Home 'Despot' that work OK.
Even in simple clamps, you get what you pay for.

auzivision

Great write-ups!

Has anyone done this without replacing the leather?

My leather appears to be in pretty good shape... just the typical warping under the quarter window. I was hoping to pull the leather back a little, flatten/reinforce the fiberboard and reapply the existing leather.

ceedee

i think it is the shrinking of the leather that does the benging. so it'll prolly brake or the thing will look the same again, in pretty short time

Rob M Budd

I forgot to mention that areas on the backside of these panels are coated with fiberglass resin to help keep the shape.
Of course, if leather is not cared for it will shrink. I've seen some early 928s with original leather interiors in excellent condition. The owners obviously kept the leather clean and treated the leather with conditioners.
That same advice and instruction is being given to the customer with the panels.

You can use the same process on door panels. Its a matter of finding the right size metal stock to clamp in place.

Marcquito

Awesome job! I needed to see this. My QP's are fooshed!

jon928se

OK I'm confused (And I need to do this repair on both 928s)

I had in my mind that the RQP's were some kind of fibreboard and that people had had success wetting them with water (tomake them flexible) then clamping back to the correct shape.

Rob demonstrates that heat works which makes them some kind of thermoplastic ?

Gary Knox

Jon,

I did a similar repair about 5 years ago on an '87 S4, and used both moisture and heat. I do believe they have at least some thermoplastic nature. Holding that top outer edge in place as Rob has indicated was the key.

Cheers, and to Rhonda as well,

Gary Knox
West Chester, PA

Rob M Budd

I'm not sure what they are made of. It looks like a combination of fiberglass on the corners and edges and fiberboard in the flat areas.
I didn't want to use water because I thought it would break down the whatever is used to hold it together.

jon928se

Mmmm thanks for the answers. I'll try carefully and patiently.

The leather on mine is quite dry but intact. I'm thinking that I should try and condition it before trying to remove it to guard against cracking. But if I "fill the leather full of conditioner" thinking it will be nigh impossible to get contact adhesive to sork to refit it.