Front wing repairs

Tom W

Active Member
I removed the front wing to better access a bit of corrosion on the sill. Whilst it was off, I decided to prod at the areas that were just starting to corrode, and one thing led to another!EAB58025-FA84-4AC6-938B-8D144722DB42.jpegE3E23452-4699-4692-A5A2-F065E5320F99.jpeg5CDE6A51-F4BD-4060-A8D4-0B0EFB229673.jpeg1BCB9CE9-BF55-4885-9577-CD57E641BC20.jpegD93D3428-6FCA-42B5-A228-E89D7C4FC8D0.jpeg3E170824-A3C0-469C-B983-86289A8BACF3.jpeg0019ED08-7A42-43CB-9A52-8CA6C66E0678.jpeg3ED4E5B4-FA0E-4E3C-88F7-8B2C289E5189.jpeg17B69C0B-8939-4D9B-B614-2AC7A5382D94.jpeg0A3F02B3-A082-41C7-9A0A-3C72F703FA81.jpegA5E8E6A8-DC96-44E6-AFF8-01BF2BA87E49.jpeg186DBD07-0753-4A5C-879A-0B37835F38DD.jpeg9BFDD9E9-FBF1-4C5F-8C10-3113206C46AD.jpegED8074E3-D534-4867-8602-C5CBC94E88EA.jpegF5308A99-8904-4F01-8F8C-A9861FAC4A3F.jpeg196B398B-41FF-49A3-B1E8-C27A31C46B7D.jpeg1B314251-0A1D-447D-A9A2-2FB36AA71130.jpegB45FBF82-1B4A-4C56-961D-E2FCAF80B4F0.jpeg646F2523-1CF4-40D0-BB0E-BB6EA12752E7.jpeg21B8AC1B-D81F-4AFF-B508-150D50259399.jpeg
 
Ended up with a bit of a hollow around the side light area, which took a bit of work with the hammer and dolly to correct. The bottom corner, beneath the side light is proving challenging.5EB0044A-5C44-4305-BEF6-936BF3004F69.jpeg9CB8CB36-1004-4BC3-8BB7-3006E73C6689.jpegB16AD58C-CF0D-4B5B-82E0-E288DAB69259.jpegF9DD40DF-C6DB-4FFF-8030-2DDC4425608D.jpegCB353CC0-CF7A-48CA-8087-4CB52FAB1314.jpegEC92C205-5DCF-4C5D-B383-F6A9C5A1C0C9.jpeg288178BF-211B-46F4-9C6A-6EA0BA36D188.jpegD5ED1559-6AB5-428A-87DF-591E3C54D793.jpegAB70B512-CEF4-4233-A843-97FDFCA78B3B.jpeg8E32452C-3FE9-4AA4-83F3-7900C435D1E2.jpegC8FF011F-C6A5-4B92-8220-1FDD5D826926.jpeg57F0C980-99D8-4687-B83B-26223EE75288.jpegE15AF8C5-3383-45D2-9A92-9629F6FD8114.jpegC2CE557A-3558-4BE1-9D83-12D3ED57082E.jpegA3167761-ABC6-420B-B178-DBC8FC2BDF6C.jpeg97D797BB-0AF0-4C41-931D-C1AF03CDDB0D.jpeg9F614F24-C80E-4106-9F90-0C6EC889F8BC.jpeg2AD8CEAC-D12C-4A4C-BB63-03DCFE978D42.jpegF84C8585-FE69-4BA1-B874-B31DA928A9D6.jpeg
 
A little more progress. The shape around the sidelight required a little adjustment. Next challenge is the flange on the bottom repair panel. Life would be much easier with a shrinker stretcher.

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Nice work Tom.
Tricky and tight area there isn’t it?

I bought a shrinker stretcher set from Frost a couple of years ago on a good deal and made a foot operated stand for them. Definitely a useful tool to have around when you need it

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One of these deep throat versions would be nice one day
SSF8" Floor Standing Deep Throat Shrinker Stretcher

Jim
 
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That’s a nice shrinker stretcher setup. Foot operation definitely seems preferable. They look quite awkward to use with one hand holding the workpiece, and the other operating the lever at the back.
 
Some more progress today. I had a 2nd attempt at the repair panel for beneath the sidelight. Finally got the hang of tuck shrinking for the bottom flange, but getting the negative crease in the right place is proving too difficult so I’ve divided the patch in two. It looks like the original wings had a seam along this edge anyway, so splitting the repair here is still original.
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More progress. One half of the repair panel is now welded in, and I’ve finished shaping the other half, ready to fit next time. Given how long this is taking, it’s probably not a very cost effective approach, but it is interesting to learn.

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Excellent work :)

Given how long this is taking, it’s probably not a very cost effective approach, but it is interesting to learn.

As you say, not cost-effective but satisfying. I've done several wings in recent years, when I have some very good spares...... but you don't want to throw them away, do you?;)
 
No, I never throw anything away. What’s not worth fixing now might be the only available donor part in the future. I even keep the rotten bits I’ve cut out until I’m sure I’ve copied them faithfully.
 
Shame you don't live near me, Tom. I've need of your skills!

Which bits of your car need welding? This is taking me far longer than planned, I keep finding crusty bits that go into holes once prodded. It didn’t look too bad before I started either.
 
Which bits of my car need welding? The same bits! Of course! Theses cars all rust in the same way, in the same spots. :rolleyes:
I'm currently stripping all the paint off a second set of doors and wings. I am revealing many different colours of paint, these panels having been collected from various different cars over the years! Previous owners have lavished care and attention on them, not too mention slathering them with copious amounts of filler. Underneath lurk, you guessed it, unexpected holes!
When I get this set of panels repaired, painted and installed I'll repeat the procedure on the set of panels currently adorning my car, and so it will continue forthwith! Perhaps I'll manage a whole decade between paint jobs this time around! The current paintwork is eight years old and has faired reasonably well given I drive on salted winter roads.
Keep at it Tom, and keep the pictures coming, your work looks to be of very high quality and is inspirational.
 
Repair panel welded in now. There’s a few more weld seams than I’d like. I found a couple more holes after I’d made the first patch, so had to add a couple more beneath the sidelight. Unfortunately I don’t think I’ll get away without a skim of filler, but at least it’s solid now.
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Repair panel welded in now. There’s a few more weld seams than I’d like. I found a couple more holes after I’d made the first patch, so had to add a couple more beneath the sidelight. Unfortunately I don’t think I’ll get away without a skim of filler, but at least it’s solid now.
View attachment 16049

Teach yourself lead loading.....

I was taught how to do it years ago by a real master of the art, but I'd need plenty of practice to be able to do it now I reckon.
 
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