Rotten wheel arches.
Unfortunately this article applies only to mk2 models with rotten arches. One of my project cars, an early non bodykitted had rot around both rear arches. Now this is a common problem across the mk2 range body kitted or not, especially older cars, and repair panels only appear to be available in Europe. There had been a rumour going around that the arches cut from mk2 front wings could be used to repair rear arches, so i decided to try this out on my project car, and i can confirm it works.
First off, heres the drivers side rear arch i need to tackle, certainly not the worst i’ve seen (anyone who has read my Project DARE restoration thread will know what i mean !) but still in need of attention for the MOT…
Next up, i cut a section from a scrap wing , and trimmed it to suit the rotten area..
On the first picture, if you look at the edge of the arch, you will see it is double skinned. I slid the repair piece into the slot between the two skins, and once i was happy with the fit, MIG welded it in place.
What look like small holes or perforations in the metal, is just where the welded seam has been ground down, to get as flat a surface as possible, prior to the whole repair being skimmed with filler, to achieve a good finish . Remember, this is a non body kit model, so the finish needs to be as good as possible, obviously on a bodykitted car, the repair will be hidden anyway.
You will need a drivers side front wing to repair a passenger side rear arch, and vice-versa. So remember, always cut the arches from any scrap front wings, as they could be a life saver to someone else.!!!
Cheers.
Mark.