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this was removed from inside a trunk between fender well and quarter panel. Is this even used anymore

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Looks like a jute rope. Depending on the year it could be used to make the space between the metal sound and/or water tight. My '49 uses a pitch based material similar to dum-dum. Today they'd call it seam sealer.
They used this around drain plumbing also. You fit teh bell and spigot together and tamp it in the space at the flange then pour molten lead on top to create a seal.

I believe that was a sound deadening material to keep the wheel well and outer fender from oil canning and touching and also to keep the fender from drumming. In some cases it may have also been a kind of seal to slow any dust or fumes in the trunk from passing thru the wide open channel between the two into the inner parts of car. Have also seen big gobs of body putty used in that area in addition to the factory rope like material. The putty may not have been factory applied and maybe was more of a reinforcement by a dealer. Pre 51 Clipper style bodies also have similar stuff at the rear of the trunk floor to fill a void between the floor panel and the outer skin.

With the different body construction today not sure if it is still used much but there are some modern equivalents such as form rod advertised for the same purpose at some restoration material places.

thank you for the info i was thinking it looked like oakum

Oakum would probably work well in the application but don't know the diameters it comes in.