Metal Stamping Rear Quarter

[J5hort]

Hey All, recently removed some plastic trim permanently (see my other thread) on my 95 Explorer Sport.
When removing the rear quarter flare that extends over wheel opening and to rear umper, I was expecting a smooth piece of metal beneath. What I found was a metal stamping that included a ribber grommet and a few holes that held the trim in place. See image.

Just wondering if there are any creative ideas on filling or modifying this. My first inclination was just to cut it offat the horizontal body line as I haave removed much of the bumper corner. Welding on a flat piece for a shaved look was aleo on my list. This is no show queen so there is some lattitude fro more extreme ideas. Truck is lifted and has 32" AT tires.

Any thoughts,comments, ideas, etc welcome. Many thanks.

 

[WormsExplorer]

Do not see your image you put in. But I am planing to cut mine off. Just getting to the right point to do it. Want more clearance for getting off of rocks out in our trails here in Colorado. But if you do something like that a shaved look I look forward to seeing the out come.

 

[BKennedy]

I cut that off of mine many years ago after it got squished a little. I extended the bumper to protect the remaining body. These are mostly flex pics that show the rear bumper, some old, some newer.

You can see the gap is widened due to frame flex.

Gap narrowed due to frame flex. Occasionally the bumper contacts the body, but only on the corners and it has self-corrected over the years.

If I was going to do it over, I would have made a much lighter bumper that didn't hang down so far. Its nice knowing I can back up and whatever I run into isn't going to do any damage, but its very heavy. I would make one out of tube that was just enough to protect the body and hang tire and gas can carriers off of. @Rick bumper fits that bill nicely.

 

[J5hort]

Sorry for the missing pic. I'll try to post again. I rercently chopped the rear stock bumper and removed all plastic. Looks ok and I am planning to fab a bumper. I do like the way the rear bumper wraps where the lower rear quarter was removed on BK's rig. I was thinking of running th exhaust tips through the lower rear quarter pieces, but I have 2-1 exhaust and can see how damage would happen easily off road. Slicling them off now would not hurt the look.

 

[toypaseo]

If you really wanted to keep that piece of metal, you could buy/fab some through-body exhaust bezels/ports/surrounds/what-the-correct-term-is...

 

[Hacra]

I'd use piece of paper and/or cardboard and make silhouette of the hole (use tape to attach the paper to the car while you cut the silhouette). Transfer the silhouette to piece of metal and cut similar piece to weld to it.

It'd leave cavity inside of course, i'd probably fill it with closed cell polyurethane from the side which still has holes in it to prevent future corrosion damage. Or alternatively just cut the stamping, but the stamping does provide structural integrity, if that really matters there.

 

[BKennedy]

When I cut that off and added to the bumper, I was thinking of running the exhaust through it but decided someday it would get squished.