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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - January PC - Making wheel arches...

In the January PC theres an article on making replacment wheel arches. It seems like a basic overview of the techniques, and although useful, it doesnt really help an inexperianced metal worker like me!

I need to replace secionts of the rear arches on my RWA and am thinking it may be better to replace the whole arch as one peice. I also want to add a little more flare to cover wider wheels, maybe an inch or so.

Does anyone have advice and steps to achieving this, photos would be great...
Rob McGeown

I seem to recall that someone once said that ford fiesta arch repairs were good for the RWA midget.
Mick - The engine is in!

This may be the type of thing you could use Rob http://bap.dominohosting.biz/members/bap/bapdb01.nsf/Plookup2/30-20-506FORDFIESTAMK1%2001-77-08-83!EditDocument&Ret=ALL a bit of cutting and welding and maybe some carefully applied filler and you may be able to get a decent RWA.

I searched in vain to find some outer arch repair panels but I did manage to get some inner arches to convert my car to RWA. I bought some old RWA wings wich I had to cut off a scrap shell. The amount of flair is partly limited by the inner arch. I think you can get GRP rear wings for the RWA. It all depends on what you are trying to achieve. Maybe a few clues of what you want and perhaps some photos of what you have at the moment.

If you look at my car you will notice a home modified sguare arch that was able to accomadate 185/60/13 tyres on 5.5" rims

Cheers Carl


C Bintcliffe

Well its hard to say exactly what i want, as the shell is still in peices and everything else sill needs doing. But that does mean i can make it what i want it to be.

Id like an inch or two of subtle flair, im hoping to get PCD adapters made to fit MGF wheels, so that gives an idea of width.

Most of the racing and fibreglass arches ive seen are far to flaired and in my opinion would look rubish on a road car.

Id like maybe a little more than you Square arch flairs, but the same quality of finish. They look great!

Are the fiesta arches the same radius? I presume they must be. For £12 its worth a go!
Rob McGeown

Rob
Its amazing what can be achieved with a jigsaw a hammer some welding, lots of filler and lots of time!! I would be tempted to make some sort of template of the wheelarch and go and have a look at some repair panels. It will involve some cutting and fettling but you should be able to get what you want, if you can't weld yet you are about to learn!

Good luck Carl :)


PS its much easier to alter GRP panels!!


C Bintcliffe

My weldings getting there. Ive done floors, crossmember, footwell, a-post, sills and bulkhead on the drivers side. Same to do on the other!

I realy like your front arches. Is that a one peice fg front? Did it come with the arches like that or did you modify them?
Rob McGeown

Carl,

I agree about modifying GRP panels being easy, at least new ones, but they can be a sod to repair properly. I would much rather fashion metal but then I like that sort of thing. BTW I added similar flares to my frogeye by making an aluminium sheet former, clamping it in place, then laying up the fibreglass into it, then cutting away the original section next to it and adding some more layers to consolidate the two.


David Billington

Again nice arches, thats very close to what i had in mind.

I'll settle for FG on the front, but the rear id like to keep metal. I bought a basic panel beating kit a few days ago, so i may try some things the next time i have time!

I might get a Fiesta arch and have a play!
Rob McGeown

Hey rob,

I have been wanting to buy one of these for making some wheel arch flares...not sure how the new fender arches will work with using this tool, but you might have a look for a similar type toool to do the job.

Prop

http://search.harborfreight.com/cpisearch/web/search.do?keyword=metal+strether&Submit=Go


prop
Prop

MMmmmm


lets try that one more time...sorry

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=95062

prop
Prop

Hi Prop

I have used those tools and they are very effective.

Rob

You might want to have a look at some other repair panels, those same people list rear wing repair panels for an MX5 for instance!

Carl
C Bintcliffe

This thread was discussed on 12/12/2008

MG Midget and Sprite Technical index

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