On Thu, 18 Jul 1996, Andy Ramm wrote:
> OK, I'm taking the plunge and am beginning to feel well-equipped enough to
> tackle the sills. I purchased the DIY book and the Practical Classics on
> MGB restoration books. I'm nearly up-to-speed on all the tools and am
> ready to embark. However, I still have one more 1st timer's question:
>
> To remove the sill, a portion of the rear wing lower must be removed and
> replaced with a patch. What is the correct procedure for attatching the
> patch, welding it up and hiding the seam without distorting the wing?
I have a pneumatic tool that presses a shallow step in the edge of a sheet
of metal. Eastwood carries cheaper mechanical devices. Buy your patch,
and mark very carefully where the edge of the patch will fall on the
fender. Then cut the hole in the fender about 3/8 inch smaller than the
patch, so the patch overlaps the fender by that amount. Grind the paint
off the edges of the hole. Press your step in the fender edges so the
patch panel lies on the step, flush with the original surface of the
fender. Then weld a continuous bead (in short segments to keep from
warping the panel) around the edge of the patch.
It is also possible, though more difficult, to cut the hole exactly to
match the patch, and butt weld it in. This takes more welding skill, as
well as more fitting time, and where the back of the panel won't show, it
is not necessary. In the case of the dogleg panel, the overlapping
method would be impossible where the patch wraps around the wheelarch and
fastens to the inner fender. There, you have to convert from an overlap
joint to a butt joint. Bit tricky, but take your time to get a good fit
and it should be fine.
Be sure your welds are continuous. Water gets behind this panel, and if
there is a gap in your welding, it will blister your finishing filler and
paint.
Ray Gibbons Dept. of Molecular Physiology & Biophysics
Univ. of Vermont College of Medicine, Burlington, VT
gibbons@northpole.med.uvm.edu (802) 656-8910
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