Club 80-90 Forums

Putting right earlier mistakes today.

Taking you back, I’d made a pigs ear of removing the panel over the rear arch, so thought trimming the edges and inserting this strip…
… would be the solution.

But I realised I was introducing new probs, specifically creating the inner fold along that weld line, and the potential for warping as the slightly uneven gap closes on welding.

So I cut it out, and then made a broader strip,…


…clamped it to the panel and scribed along the top edge so I can get a good, tight, even, join. Carefully cut along the scribed line, and offered up the strip to fine tune it.
Then cut it into three sections so it fits my folder (cut with snips so I don’t lose any material and create more gaps), and folded it


See how well it fits?


Chuffed. Just have to avoid making a horlicks of welding it in…

Tacked in the angled strips


Offered up the panel to check the fit



Scribed along the edge, then used a straight edge and cut it.

Then filed down the top edge of panel to match


Here’s how it fits together

Much respect for the work you are taking care of, keep up the good work! These reparation take much time!

Nasic wrote: ↑12 Apr 2022, 05:58 Much respect for the work you are taking care of, keep up the good work! These reparation take much time!

Welding in the edge flanges. Not quite finished, and nothing dressed back yet. But it all went together much as it should.

This isn’t as straight as I would like


Wasn’t careful enough. Cut at the top and pull out


Messily welded again (3 times!)


Ready for the panel, must admit I wasn’t looking forward to it. Bonding sealant first.


Tack along top edge, and start the puddle welds.



More puddles


Start the butt, penetration good after a blow-through!



Pleased with this, got my settings pretty nice


Then top edge of the angled strip…. and my gas ran out.


So, grinding and power-filing.



Didn’t completely escape warping… but could be worse.

That last photo was taken before I started the top edge of the angled strip, and the first warp popped out, so you never know, I might be lucky after I get more gas…

Starting on the next bit


The ends are ok


Bit rubbish at this end, and the brackets are ropey

My Lidl auto darkening helmet provided good service for 5 years or so, but it’s head band has failed in multiple places. Banjaxed.

New helmet arrived, tried it today - it’s like night and day! So much easier to see, more comfortable, more adjustable. I could see that the arc was blue!

https://www.weldingsuppliesdirect.co.uk ... elmet.html

Cleaned off that last weld and stuck some primer on


Took off the cover strip, and marked out for cutting



A sorry state…

Cut out section, and in an effort to get good butt joints, trimmed the edge with a flap disc to a line scribed off a straight edge. I just can’t cut straight first time!




Then cut a section of new metal, divided into 3 so it fits my bender, and cut out a profile to match to.

Bender failed, so repaired it.
Fabricated the three strips, and tacked them together.



Pondered how to accurately cut the lower edge for a bit joint, couldn’t actually get the piece onto the inside of the hole for scribing. Then remembered I still have the scrap piece, so used that.



Came out pretty good after a bit of filing.



Laid aside now while I do the bracket area at the rear. Looks like it’s tricky as there’s a joint there.



Fortunately the rot does not extend noticeably internally, but it’ll be in the joint.

Duplicate post

But when you get an itch, you just have got to scratch it…









And you end up with a bigger hole.

Needs a plaster, made of 1.6mm for easier welding. Cleco pin just for handling purposes, to help make sure I don’t drop it somewhere awkward.

Welded in one patch, then started putting in the flange over it.


Realised I needed to prime under it, so cut it off again…