Hi,
Getting around to tackling the rust on my Hillman Imp.
Have been to a 9 week night class to learn how to weld half decently in a stright line on 2mm plate but replacing a wheel arch seems like a totaly different bucket o' frogs to me!
First time i'll have touched the car with the welder.
Essentialy i'm wanting some pointers as to WHAT TO DO NOW?! As currently im a little clueless and daunted as to the scale of the task.
Heres where i'm up to on the passenger rear wheel arch:
Have sanded the arch down. Rust has gone through both outer and inner arch in a number of places. In other areas it does not look to bad.
So, what now?
Firstly i suppose i need some replacement panel sections.
Obviously i'll need an outer arch replacement.
I also guess im going to need an inner arch as well? Or do you think i can attemp to build up what left myself?
So when i get the panels i need then whats the process?
I'm guessing I then take an angle grinder to the whole of the outer arch cutting it off taking as little good metal as possible.
I presume originaly the outer was spot welded to the inner via the arch lip, i suppose i'll need to tease outer from inner with cutter/grinder as well.
If i have a new inner section do i then cut what i need out of that and weld in repair sections or do i cut out the whole original inner and weld in the whole new inner?
Its seems I can then either butt weld the outer into place or have a slight overlap sliding new outer under original wing a tiny bit. Then lap weld.
Obviously distortaion is a problem so tack it into place plenty. Then do short seams a different locations around the arch letting it cool.
How do you connect outer to inner??? Some websites seem to say use auto seam sealer, the gungy stuff that goes hard. Apply to lip of inner then put outer section into place, squeezing the lips together.
Or you you drill and spot weld?
No doubt i'll think of some more questions but thats enough of my babble.
Essentialy where do i go from here?
Thanks
Graham
Getting around to tackling the rust on my Hillman Imp.
Have been to a 9 week night class to learn how to weld half decently in a stright line on 2mm plate but replacing a wheel arch seems like a totaly different bucket o' frogs to me!
First time i'll have touched the car with the welder.
Essentialy i'm wanting some pointers as to WHAT TO DO NOW?! As currently im a little clueless and daunted as to the scale of the task.
Heres where i'm up to on the passenger rear wheel arch:
Have sanded the arch down. Rust has gone through both outer and inner arch in a number of places. In other areas it does not look to bad.
So, what now?
Firstly i suppose i need some replacement panel sections.
Obviously i'll need an outer arch replacement.
I also guess im going to need an inner arch as well? Or do you think i can attemp to build up what left myself?
So when i get the panels i need then whats the process?
I'm guessing I then take an angle grinder to the whole of the outer arch cutting it off taking as little good metal as possible.
I presume originaly the outer was spot welded to the inner via the arch lip, i suppose i'll need to tease outer from inner with cutter/grinder as well.
If i have a new inner section do i then cut what i need out of that and weld in repair sections or do i cut out the whole original inner and weld in the whole new inner?
Its seems I can then either butt weld the outer into place or have a slight overlap sliding new outer under original wing a tiny bit. Then lap weld.
Obviously distortaion is a problem so tack it into place plenty. Then do short seams a different locations around the arch letting it cool.
How do you connect outer to inner??? Some websites seem to say use auto seam sealer, the gungy stuff that goes hard. Apply to lip of inner then put outer section into place, squeezing the lips together.
Or you you drill and spot weld?
No doubt i'll think of some more questions but thats enough of my babble.
Essentialy where do i go from here?
Thanks
Graham