Rusty wheel arch on Fiesta. How would you treat the job?
Discussion
Have just had an initial look/removal of a fare bit of rust from around one of the run around Fiesta wheel arches. As you can see the rust had hold of a fair amount of the arch.
Problem is, there's still rust in areas that I'm unsure about taking anymore of the arch away.
and
In the circle you'll see the rust still sitting between the panels. But if I take anymore away I'll be cutting into the body. I just wanted to cut away within the arch if I can help if. (For ease of following the lines when reshaping it with fibreglass).
If I can hang on to them, I've got three reasonable sections to give me something for the fibreglass to follow when I rebuild the edge of the arch.
I'm not looking to do a pro job, just enough to do an ok job.
Have filed, sanded down and treated rust patches with Hammerite Rust Removal Gel. Inside and outside the wheel arch.
Any advice on best way to build the new arch back in without it looking like a comedy GT wheel arch?
I know people are going to say the job will only be done properly if the section is cut out and a new one welded in. But the car's a shed and I dont want to spend more than the cars probably worth anyway. I'm just running her until she gives up the ghost beyond my ability to repair her.
Hence not wanting to spent anymore than is needed.
Cheers.
Problem is, there's still rust in areas that I'm unsure about taking anymore of the arch away.
and
In the circle you'll see the rust still sitting between the panels. But if I take anymore away I'll be cutting into the body. I just wanted to cut away within the arch if I can help if. (For ease of following the lines when reshaping it with fibreglass).
If I can hang on to them, I've got three reasonable sections to give me something for the fibreglass to follow when I rebuild the edge of the arch.
I'm not looking to do a pro job, just enough to do an ok job.
Have filed, sanded down and treated rust patches with Hammerite Rust Removal Gel. Inside and outside the wheel arch.
Any advice on best way to build the new arch back in without it looking like a comedy GT wheel arch?
I know people are going to say the job will only be done properly if the section is cut out and a new one welded in. But the car's a shed and I dont want to spend more than the cars probably worth anyway. I'm just running her until she gives up the ghost beyond my ability to repair her.
Hence not wanting to spent anymore than is needed.
Cheers.
Ouch! That is going to need a repair panel, you can load it up with fibreglass and filler but it will be so fragile that one slight bump with a trolly and all your hard work will be shot. Repair sections are peanuts to buy and ask around for someone with a mig welder.
Normal repair would be two repair sections, use one for the inner arch and one as the outer, you can cheat with just one, cut it to the shape you need, slide in between the inner and outer arch, few mig spots and fill it over, it might help you to take whats left of the wheel arch back all the way up to the rim and weld the new one along that semi circular edge, be careful to do small local welds or you'll warp the panel.
Normal repair would be two repair sections, use one for the inner arch and one as the outer, you can cheat with just one, cut it to the shape you need, slide in between the inner and outer arch, few mig spots and fill it over, it might help you to take whats left of the wheel arch back all the way up to the rim and weld the new one along that semi circular edge, be careful to do small local welds or you'll warp the panel.
Do you know of any website worth trying for a replacement arch? Plus looking to spend as little as possible for it. I could google it but you never find the right sites unless you know of it.
When you mention cut back to the rim. Are you talking about the point where the bodywork starts to crease into the car? The section that just sits flush with the rear passenger door edge.
When you mention cut back to the rim. Are you talking about the point where the bodywork starts to crease into the car? The section that just sits flush with the rear passenger door edge.
Edited by jimsayshi on Sunday 3rd July 19:54
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