Rust in Wings

[myoldjalopy]

OK peeps. Ten years ago the two front wings of my car were repaired with metal, where rust occurred at the bottom near the front doors - a classic spot for rust on a Minor.
Roll on ten years and the rust has appeared again in the same areas, so the two wings will have to be repaired and re-sprayed again. A bit annoying as the car is not often out in the wet. Is there anything I can do to stop this happening again? The rest of the car is rust-free.

[ManyMinors]

Basically you have to use a good quality steel to carry out such repairs and then a good quality anti rust primer prior to good coats of paint on BOTH sides. Then you have to protect it all with a good rustproofing wax on the inner surfaces.

You haven't done too badly in some ways.... I recall purchasing a Morris Minor when only just 10 years old (the car, not me ) and both front wings were falling apart!

[philipkearney]

From memory, that part of the wing rusts from the inside out due to curved strengthened/fitting piece on the inside. Where they come together, there is a slight gap and all the water, mud and road salt from the wheel gets fired straight in to that gap - with these results. If ember reading about a Minor owner who, before fitting the wing, poured liquid fibreglass resin into the gaps to fill and seal them up before painting and stonechipping the inside. Possibly even a semi structural body sealer or similar could seal that gap off. It would be great if someone could develop inner wing liners similar to those on new cars, that could slow down or stop the rot on the front and back of the wing.

[myoldjalopy]

Thank you for your replies.
'ManyMinors' - how do you judge 'good quality steel' as suitable to make the repairs?
Philip - I seem to recall having seen some kind of baffle fitted at the back of the underwing area, but don't know where now, or whether it was effective. The problem is undoubtedly water getting in behind the wing and rotting from inside. Most will come from that thrown up by the wheels, but I think some may dribble down from above in wet weather, or even washing the car. What would be disastrous would be to seal the wing in some way and yet still have ingress of water from somewhere that then gets trapped by the sealant. Any further thoughts welcome, as I don't want to have to do this again in another 10 years.

[svenedin]

I'll be interested to hear developments in this thread. My car is getting new wings right now. The originals lasted 55 years but now it is uneconomical to repair them and they are being replaced instead. My wings rotted in the usual place too, in a vertical line near the door. Interestingly, my wings did not rust near the headlights.

Stephen

[myoldjalopy]

Are you sure they are uneconomical to repair if there is only a little rust near the door-line? Looking at the price of new wings, I would think it much cheaper to cut out and weld in a new piece of steel if that is the only area of rust........

[svenedin]

Are you sure they are uneconomical to repair if there is only a little rust near the door-line? Looking at the price of new wings, I would think it much cheaper to cut out and weld in a new piece of steel if that is the only area of rust........

One of the wings has rusted through completely in quite a long line and is flapping about.

Stephen

[myoldjalopy]

Oh dear, yes, that sounds much worse than mine! I've just got a little bit of bubbling under the paint at the bottom.