Rear quarter panel repair?

[Juanhmi]

Welp... finally got into a wreck with this old rig. Made a left on a yellow light and someone in the opposing lane decided to give it a full send, and slammed my rear passenger corner going about 45 as I was just about done making the turn. Don't seem to have any mechanical damage, and I had a spare taillight assembly lying around anyway, so I'm back to having lights, but what a dent. Of course, the other guy drove off in his Lexus with antifreeze dumping all over the road, so no help from insurance.

Bumper is an easy junkyard find, but I've really never done any body work. I'm a semi-competent welder. I guess what I'm saying is I need advice. What's the best way to go on this? Total rear quarter panel replacement? Cutting this part out and welding new sheet metal in, priming and painting? Ponying up the money at a body shop? I'm planning on driving this old thing for quite awhile longer and I'd rather not have it looking like a total trash pile.

Gotta say, I'm pretty impressed I just drove away without even having the fuel pump cutoff switch activate. Definitely no suspension damage or alignment issues. They don't make 'em like they used to...

 

[Mbrooks420]

If you can weld, and have the patience you can replace the quarter. It’s more tedious than it is difficult.

A body shop is going to want thousands to fix that.

 

[J_C]

Ugh, when a post is chosen as best answer in forum Dark Mode, background becomes teal and text pink(?) = unreadable.

Yes weld, hopefully you can find a patch panel somewhere rather than having to harvest off a vehicle, since Louisville is not too far away from me so I know they can accumulate rust there.