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[bootie]

My pre face lift estate has fallen apart where the body trim is (was) after the rear arch.
Had a look at that website that sells panels and yes they do have one, but its the whole rear quarter and it costs over €300 euros without postage!
Anyone close to a scrappy that might be able to supply?
I have tried in the local scrap yards around here (spain) with a view that even with postage back to UK it would still be cheaper, however, not a one to be found!
Anyone in the scrap trade?
Anyone thinking about breaking a pre face lift estate?
I will be in the UK for Xmas and new year and should be able to travel reasonable distances (from Forfar) but hoping to at least have a sniff of a panel prior to arriving there if possible.
I do have a chap that can do the welding required but to save costs I said I would supply the panel???
I can supply a picture of the damaged area if required.

TIA
Jon

[Nick W]

I've just repaired that area on mine by making 3 small patches that took maybe 15 minutes to make. Admittedly it was only rusted about 50mm into the panel, but even a bigger repair won't be complicated as the area is mostly flat and hidden by the body trim.


A photo would be helpful as unless your car is really badly rusted, cutting a repair panel out of a used quarter panels is making an awful lot of extra work.

[05omegav6]

Which side?

Although I see two problems... firstly you ideally need a prefacelift panel as the lower portion is visible... alternatively you're into also fitting a facelift rear bumper to cover the lower panel...

Secondly you're looking at the best part of a week to swap the panel including all the stripping, prep work, fitting, paint, refitting.

That said, it's perfectly doable, the question of worthwhileness notwithstanding...

[bootie]

That was the best I could do at the time with my phone, last minute job as the trim fell off the morning we were leaving to fly back home.

[Nick W]

That is an easy repair using simple hand tools and about £5 worth of steel sheet. Add a little filler and you're done.

[bootie]

Really, that simple? I thought it would be quite difficult as the corrosion is on and just above the swage line for the trim.
Looks like I'll be stripping out the interior on that side as soon as I get back to Scotland.

[Nick W]

It actually makes quite a good beginner's project!
Starting with a cardboard template for the curved wheelarch and chasing along a straight edge(a thick steel rule, piece of hardboard anything the right thickness and reasonably rigid) with a blunt cold chisel, I'd expect to have the outer repair panel for that job ready to fit in about 30minutes. You are looking at quite a long join above the swage line, but some careful fitting/welding/grinding would only need a little filler to hide it.


You will also need to make a repair for the inner arch, but the template will work for that too.

[bootie]

If, and that's a big if, the car were over here then I would probably attempt that.
I have no tools or premises over in the UK to even begin that, more's the pity.
But tell me, would that be an MOT failure, even if it was covered up with gaffer tape?

[Nick W]

If the MOT is all your concern, then refit the bumper and trim and stop worrying! The tester isn't allowed to remove anything to investigate, and it's not as if the the wheelarch has rusted away completely.

[bootie]

Right, I'll do just that for now, bit of tiger seal for the trim, the bumper is still fixed in place.
I had plans to bring  the car over here to dry out for a bit then tidy up the body before driving back with a trailer I have over here but can't use, looks like I will be doing just that in the new year then.
Thanks for your replies.