Inner wheel arch rusted out

[zippy500]

They say ignorance is bliss, and well i was very happy with my moggy.....

till i started trying to find an electrical fault in the boot area.

The inner arch on the passenger side is completely rusted through. the wing i think is held there by gravity

So how easy is somthing like this to replace. I understand that I will have to remove the wing. and cut out the old.

But how do you go about realining the new panel so everything goes back together.

The other side looked as it suffered the same fate. the previous owner has welded plates over the rusted parts covering the fixing holes. I think there are 3 blots holding that wing on.


Cheers

I have never attempeted anything on this scale before

[Handy]

I had the same problem.I must admit that I didn't have time to do a proper job so I used a couple of self tappers and a large dollop of filler.
I had already decided to sell the car on so I wasn't really all that bothered about it.You can hide some bodges very well
Once you start working on a Moggy,the jobs just pile up and you end up spending all of your spare time on the car
I now run a BMW E30 3 series which is structurally sound and much more fun to drive.
I actually drove my Moggy through the bad weather rather than spoil my BM which cost a small fraction of the price I paid for the Moggy which I lost a lot of money on
On the positive side though,you get free tax and cheap insurance.
Aftermarket parts are crap and they spoil the Moggy experience even more.

[Willie]

If the curved section on the body which the wing mates up to has rusted away
you can buy replacement parts but I found it a nasty job, second only to changing a centre cross-member.

[Pyoor_Kate]

I had already decided to sell the car on so I wasn't really all that bothered about it.You can hide some bodges very well

I have to say, comments like that are why people end up with sheds having paid far more than they're worth. And if you've done that then you instantly lose any right (imho) to complain about unscrupulous people selling you junk with polish on.

Aftermarket parts are {useless} and they spoil the Moggy experience even more.

Err. y'what?! My mog is quite definately the most fun I've had driving; although having the drivers door shut again will be nice.

So how easy is somthing like this to replace. I understand that I will have to remove the wing. and cut out the old.

Aye, 's better to do a proper job in the first place (can you tell I'm from Brizzy? Proper job...). Have you done any welding before? That's a fairly important question; if not and you need the car you might be better off getting someone else to weld it in for you; I think ESM actually sell repair panels for this section (as I should think do most other mog suppliers)... It's definately do-able, depending on experience

[zippy500]

Yes it is the curved section that the wing bolts to that has gone.

I have done a welding course at the local tec-which the lecturer was happy with my welding.

Its just the cost of the intial outlay for welder-and that replacement panel have been quoted 68+vat+post.

Could be quite an expensive project.

Will i be opening a can of worms once I start taking panels off. What lerks underneath.

[Cam]

Yes, you will quite possibly be opening a can of worms, but if you intend keeping the car then at least you know that those jobs are done and it will be solid on that side.

Best to do it right first time and be proud of your work. Bodges don't last and are utterly pointless as they'll have to come off again in the short term to do the job properly. Also, depending on where the bodge is it could compromise the structure of the car and make it dangerous. Not recommended practice.

Don't forget, we are working on OLD cars (35 to 58 year old) so you've got to expect a few rust related problems and mechanical wear. Minors are generally cheap to run & repair on the whole compared to say a BMW E30 3 series when (and if) it gets that old.

[brixtonmorris]

If the curved section on the body which the wing mates up to has rusted away
you can buy replacement parts but I found it a nasty job, second only to changing a centre cross-member.

i think i may prefere the center cross member to welding that curve.

to get started on this, a wing fitted somehow into position, and working from the inside bolting the repair pannel onto the wing and gently pulling the repair pannel into position. take car and time to get the repair panel sitting well. then when your happy with it, tack the repair panel into place. when it is held, remove the wing and finish welding.

watch out for heat distortion on the original outer panel. bucket of water /wet cloth.
Watch the leaded portion on the rear panel. dont weld there or the lead will all melt.
avoid seam weld, to much distortion. weld 1/2 to an inch welds and allow to cool. dont forget the area near the rear seat will have to be done to.
i hope its a 2 door.

[Welung666]

Best way to avoid heat distortion....

Big sponge and very cold water and weld 3 to 1... IE weld an inch/centimetre (depending if your metric or imperial) and skip 3, then go back and start again.

I've always done it that way on thinner steel

[brixtonmorris]

weld from the centre of the repair panel and work to the front and back of the panel. if that makes sence. it will stop an error building up in an important position. best have the errors near the bumper on this one.

[Welung666]

best have the errors near the bumper on this one.

Preferably behind the valance

[brixtonmorris]

u got it welung.

but were not working to the standards of HANDY here.

its just that it is easyer to cut and reposition here then in the middle top of the inner wing.

(ps i should say this is probably one of many ways there may be to do this job)

[Willie]

Take note of what BRIXTON said, there is a section on the rear wing panel
which is LEAD LOADED i.e. finished off in the factory with lead. I spent a
frustrating evening wondering why the damn welds wouldn't take before I
realised that I was trying to weld lead!

[Onne]

Where exactly is that? Is it the same place as on CKD cars?