Rear O/S Wing

[jamesbradbury]

I am doing up the body work on my 1960 built but January 1961 registered 2 door saloon.

On the rear O/S Wing about 25mm from the botton on the leading edge where it butts to the quarter pannel, the wing surface seems to groove inwards so that it is below the level of the quarter pannel, the plastic sealing strip is in place but this does seem like a huge water trap as water running down the wing has nowhere to go exept into the bottom of the tight joint between the wing and quarter pannel right at the bottom.

A previous owner had filled the area with bodge filler, should I refill it or should it be like I have tried to describe?

[jonathon]

The wing should fit nice and tight onto the mounting flange, when held in place you should have a constant gap along the mounting edge.
If you have this gap and the rest of the wing fits well then I'd be tempted to re do the area in steel, ie weld in a new piece, then skim if needed to give a closer fit. Do not fill around the captive bolts asd when you tighten the wing into position you will crack the filler.
Do you have another wing to try on the car just in case the wing rather than car is at fault.

[jamesbradbury]

I do not have another wing to try, I will have to wait until another rally to check other Minors, may I point out that the wing is not rotten in any way, the steel actually contours in that way, I have taken the wing in that area back to bare metal, it does seem strange though, I am not sure if they are original wings or replacement items, if replacement I estimate they must be at least 20 to 30 years old.
Thanks for the advise.