Beetle spare wheel pannel help!

[side-show-bob]

I am replacing the spare wheel well in my 1971 beetle and have removed the rotten part and offered up the VW Heritage replacement. As you can see from the pic there is a lot of daylight between the new repair panel and the body of the car...

Obviously I wasn't expecting the new bit to fit like a glove but this seems a little extreme. Any one else had this problem with this repair?

Cheers
Rob

 

[peterd51]

Hi,

not specifically with a VW but sometimes the rot spreads so far that replacement parts don't simply drop in.

You need to get a sheet of mild steel from you local car spares outlet and make up some bridging pieces to fill the gaps.

This is where the fun is in car repairs!

Regards
Peter

 

[malcolm]

I reckon the panel has just bunched up a bit in the press - might stretch out a little. Is there any way of pulling it towards where it's supposed to be with clamps? That would be easiest. Otherwise push it with a big screwdriver and use self tappers to hold it in place before welding.

 

[side-show-bob]

There is about an inch gap on both side i looked at pushing the pannel out but i would loose the lip both ends. Would it be safe to add some angle iron to the body and pull the flaps out on the repair pannel and weld them to the angle?

 

[piman]

Hello ob,

difficult to judge from your pictures but I don't like the angle idea. Much better to dress the repair panel first, you may be surprised how much stretch you can get.

Alec

 

[Wozzaaah]

There is about an inch gap on both side i looked at pushing the pannel out but i would loose the lip both ends. Would it be safe to add some angle iron to the body and pull the flaps out on the repair pannel and weld them to the angle?

Angle iron on a car restoration?? Close the door on your way out!
There must be a better way of making the panel fit than that. Could you not just stretch the panel out and add a new lip where needed?

 

[side-show-bob]

There must be a better way of making the panel fit than that. Could you not just stretch the panel out and add a new lip where needed?

So you would strighten out the lips and add new ones so it fits?

 

[Wozzaaah]

Yes, I think that's your best option. You have a welder, some sheet and a grinder so you can add bits and chop bits out until it fits nicely. Good practice too .

 

[TAITSIE]

Have you tried offering up the panel from the top rather than underneath?