hinge pillar

Post by **stag36587** » Sat May 24, 2008 10:12 pm

hi, please can anyone tell me how the a-post/hinge pillar is welded to the front inner wing? I can see a couple of blobs of weld between the two in the door aperture, is the rest spot welded? Reason I ask is that I'm tempted to replace the entire inner wing though the hinge pillar itself is still very sound. Is there any way to remove the inner wing first leaving the hinge pillar in place or is it really just better to cut the lot off and replace?

The other alternative might be to cut the new inner wing panel to fit the rear of the hinge pillar and seam weld there?

thanks

Post by **MGFmad** » Sat May 24, 2008 10:39 pm

This is a job I am going to start tomorrow (providing my back holds out), like you my hinge pillar is fine. My plan is to cut down the old inner wing about 3/4" before the hinge pillar is attached to the old wing, then joggle the edge of the new wing to fit behind this 3/4" flange that is left and weld to it - I will probably do a line of spot welds to secure the remaining flange through to the new wing then seam weld down the joint.

I will try and remember to photograph it!

Post by **bigginger** » Sat May 24, 2008 10:54 pm

Be aware that the kidney panel touches the inner wing directly behind there when it comes to chopping time

Post by **MGFmad** » Sun May 25, 2008 7:13 pm

bigginger wrote:Be aware that the kidney panel touches the inner wing directly behind there when it comes to chopping time

Yes, I found this out today - luckily I cut above the kidney panel so was able to remove the wing panel with a bolster to cut through the spot welds.

Post by **MGFmad** » Sun May 25, 2008 7:45 pm

Here is the photo of the area bigginger means

I did my inner wing replacement today, similar to what I had planned above. There was just enough room to get the inner wing panel end slipped in behind the hinge pillar

At the top along the horizontal join, I left the original flange of the old panel in place and cut the new panel down so it would fit underneath this, then welded them together

Post by **bigginger** » Sun May 25, 2008 8:33 pm

Very neat, though I must admit I'd worry about the vertical (hidden) join not being welded to the other end of the flitch/inner wing

Post by **MGFmad** » Sun May 25, 2008 10:13 pm

bigginger wrote:Very neat, though I must admit I'd worry about the vertical (hidden) join not being welded to the other end of the flitch/inner wing

Not sure which join you mean - the remainder of the old inner wing was seam welded to the new one so in effect its as before - 1 continuous panel so the area behind the hinge pillar is unaffected. I do have a friend who is a retired panel beater guiding me through the work so I am doing it the correct way.

Or do you mean the joint behind the inner wing that is welded to the wheel arch?

Post by **bigginger** » Sun May 25, 2008 10:35 pm

I was talking about the join between the new and old pieces of the inner wing, behind the A post - presumably they ARE joined and I can't see it

Post by **aupickup** » Sun May 25, 2008 10:36 pm

hmm i must agre it becomes one solid complete panel,
not sure either what BG is on about

Post by **bigginger** » Sun May 25, 2008 10:57 pm

This one

Post by **aupickup** » Sun May 25, 2008 11:06 pm

ah ok

but with the front being seam welded , then it becomes one peice in fact surely

BTW was there any need to replace the whole lot

Post by **bigginger** » Sun May 25, 2008 11:18 pm

I just can't see if the whole thing was replaced or if not that the join was seemed, that's all. I'm sure I'm just being thick