bodywork problem

Post by **gentman** » Fri Sep 26, 2008 6:46 pm

hello, i am a new member and i have a bit of a problem wit a 1967 morris minor as you can see from the pictures the inner wheel arch lip has totally disintergrated and taken some of the 1/4 pannel and i had an idea on how to fix it basically buy a new inner arch and lip repair and weld them to the car and then try and bridge the hole (which goes all around the wheel arch) and if nessary fill the rest of it to blend it in anyone have any thoughts
would really help
cheers<br>

<br>

Post by **bmcecosse** » Fri Sep 26, 2008 7:06 pm

Remove the wings to reveal all the damage - then decide if you need new panels, or if you can patch in sheet metal sections to eliminate the rot. It looks quite bad - and there may be more to see once the wings are off.

Post by **gentman** » Fri Sep 26, 2008 7:08 pm

it does need inner wing and lip repair as to be honest the lip isn't even there and the inner wing is rotton at the back and alon the botton

Post by **bmcecosse** » Fri Sep 26, 2008 7:11 pm

I'm not sure i'm understanding 'lip repair' - to me the 'lips' are on the outer (removeable) wings where they turn over at the edge ?

Post by **gentman** » Fri Sep 26, 2008 7:22 pm

it does need inner wing and lip repair as to be honest the lip isn't even there and the inner wing is rotton at the back and alon the botton

Post by **gentman** » Fri Sep 26, 2008 7:27 pm

I'm not sure i'm understanding 'lip repair' - to me the 'lips' are on the outer (removeable) wings where they turn over at the edge ?

its where the wing butts upto when it is bolted on
http://morrisminorspares.co.uk/shop/pop ... 991d87ecb4

linearaudio · Post by **linearaudio** » Fri Sep 26, 2008 9:32 pm

Hope you're handy at welding/tin snipping, and have plenty of patience. Large size "family pack" frosties box opened out is good for making templates for repair sections, but be prepared to do a lot of fiddling to acheive compound curves. Any sections you can buy are probably the best starting point, as those curves can end up as a lot of flats if you're not clever with metal forming. Best of luck to you!!

Post by **gentman** » Fri Sep 26, 2008 10:15 pm

LINEARAUDIO wrote:Hope you're handy at welding/tin snipping, and have plenty of patience. Large size "family pack" frosties box opened out is good for making templates for repair sections, but be prepared to do a lot of fiddling to acheive compound curves. Any sections you can buy are probably the best starting point, as those curves can end up as a lot of flats if you're not clever with metal forming. Best of luck to you!!

thanks to you reply i have actuall had a go at welding small square plates in to try and creat the curve but it just ended up straight when we bought the car all this work was coverd by filler there was so much filler that we had to have the big back doors on the garage fully open for all the dust to escape couldn't belive it,.

Post by **bmcecosse** » Fri Sep 26, 2008 10:54 pm

Well - hidden away under the wings - 'flat' patch sections are not too bad provided they are structurally strong!

Post by **gentman** » Sat Sep 27, 2008 9:52 am

bmcecosse wrote:Well - hidden away under the wings - 'flat' patch sections are not too bad provided they are structurally strong!

yeh thats my thinking however the damage does go all the way to the 1/4 panel so some how i will have to blend it in which is why i thought of using the repai panels

Post by **bmcecosse** » Sat Sep 27, 2008 12:01 pm

Ahh - right. Yes - I guess you do need repair panels then. However - with this level of damage showing here - have you surveyed the rest of the car very carefully - you may as well find out now exactly what other hidden problems await you! No point doing some work - then finding other catastrophic rot that makes the car unviable.

Post by **gentman** » Sun Sep 28, 2008 3:51 pm

bmcecosse wrote:Ahh - right. Yes - I guess you do need repair panles the. However - with this level of damage showing here - have you surveyed the rest of the car very carefully - you may as well find out now excatly what other hidden problems await you! No point doing some work - then finding other catastrophic rot that makes the car unviable.

well actuall sayin how bad the rear 1/4 is the floor is only a light patch work the o/s inner wing i brill and the front is only some patch work it needs new sills both sides and boot floor and i think thats all that is needed to be honest the some mechanica and electrical bits and bobs but then i think it will be fine hopefully

Post by **bmcecosse** » Sun Sep 28, 2008 4:01 pm

Well - main thing to check is the condition of the crossmember where the rear end of the torsion bars locate, the rear spring mounts (fore and aft) and the front chassis members where the front suspension lower arms connect - and further forward where the tie-bars connect.

Post by **gentman** » Thu Oct 02, 2008 10:24 pm

bmcecosse wrote:Well - main thing to check is the condition of the crossmember where the rear end of the torsion bars locate, the rear spring mounts (fore and aft) and the front chassis members where the front suspension lower arms connect - and further forward where the tie-bars connect.

like i say the rest of the car is suprisingly good it loos to have had its floor waxoiled recently (as had to burn it off) nothing worng with any suspention or chassis componants was very suprised

Post by **Redmoggy** » Thu Oct 02, 2008 10:41 pm

Its not the nicest part of a minor to repair but if it was mine....

Start with the inner lip repair pannel and carefully tack it in place. They dont always have the correct radius so a little fettling may be required.
Once that is in place you need to asses the amount of the rear quarter that needs to be bridged. The rot needs cutting back to good metal. I would probably joggle the edge before making up a patch to lett into the body. The size of the patch is up to you. Weld this slowly and preferably with the help of a hammer and dolly to reduce warpage and the amount of filler that will be required.

Post by **gentman** » Fri Oct 03, 2008 9:04 am

Redmoggy wrote:Its not the nicest part of a minor to repair but if it was mine....

Start with the inner lip repair pannel and carefully tack it in place. They dont always have the correct radius so a little fettling may be required.
Once that is in place you need to asses the amount of the rear quarter that needs to be bridged. The rot needs cutting back to good metal. I would probably joggle the edge before making up a patch to lett into the body. The size of the patch is up to you. Weld this slowly and preferably with the help of a hammer and dolly to reduce warpage and the amount of filler that will be required.

thnaks for your reply the rot goes about 2 inches into the remander of the 1/4 panel basically where the red oxide is really

Post by **Redmoggy** » Sat Oct 04, 2008 9:43 am

If you are a bit of a novice at forming metal then the repair into the bodywork could be approached a couple of ways depending how much effort you want to put into it.

You could just join lots of small patches together grind it down an cover it all with filler before you have time to look at it to much. Or you could spend some time and make a much nicer job of it.

If you dont have one buy or borrow a joggling tool. This will form a 1/2 inch lip in the edge of the pannel to be repaired and will help keep the contour of the pannel. I always use 18swg steel for repairs as it keeps its shape and has less tendancy to warp wit heat. Cut the repair panel so it is much bigger than required and then add some shape using a bit of scaffold pole clamped in a vice. Dont hammer it just work it over the pole slowly with your hands to give a slight crown and keep comparing it to the body as you go. Once it is about the right shape trim it to size and tack it in. Start with a tack in the center of the patch and work outwards to avoid the metal puckering up in the center. Allow each tack to cool for a minute or so and give it a tap or two with a hammer and dolly to keep the repair tight in the joggled edge and dissipate the heat. Once you have joined all the tacks together dress the weld with a sanding disc and your done. Make sure you keep offering up the wing to make sure all is well.

Rod

Post by **gentman** » Sat Oct 04, 2008 10:17 am

Redmoggy wrote:If you are a bit of a novice at forming metal then the repair into the bodywork could be approached a couple of ways depending how much effort you want to put into it.

You could just join lots of small patches together grind it down an cover it all with filler before you have time to look at it to much. Or you could spend some time and make a much nicer job of it.

If you dont have one buy or borrow a joggling tool. This will form a 1/2 inch lip in the edge of the pannel to be repaired and will help keep the contour of the pannel. I always use 18swg steel for repairs as it keeps its shape and has less tendancy to warp wit heat. Cut the repair panel so it is much bigger than required and then add some shape using a bit of scaffold pole clamped in a vice. Dont hammer it just work it over the pole slowly with your hands to give a slight crown and keep comparing it to the body as you go. Once it is about the right shape trim it to size and tack it in. Start with a tack in the center of the patch and work outwards to avoid the metal puckering up in the center. Allow each tack to cool for a minute or so and give it a tap or two with a hammer and dolly to keep the repair tight in the joggled edge and dissipate the heat. Once you have joined all the tacks together dress the weld with a sanding disc and your done. Make sure you keep offering up the wing to make sure all is well.

Rod

thanks rod i will try that and hopefully will have it ready for paint by the end of the winter

Post by **Redmoggy** » Sat Oct 04, 2008 5:59 pm

No probs mate. All the best with it. Got some time saving filler prep tips if you get stuck.

Rod

Post by **gentman** » Sat Oct 11, 2008 10:53 am

cheers rod i'll keep that in mind something tells me that this job may require skillfull filler work