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[terry paget]

My V reg 2.5 petrol Omega saloon, daughter's car, is home for me to get through its MOT. Bodywork looks fine, apart from rusty rear wheel arches. What is the cheapest way of making them look respectable? I fear if I remove all the rusty metal I may end up losing the arch profile. Can I buy a plastic arch to stick on? Any tips very welcome.

[Webby the Bear]

Mine is in the body shop having new arches welded in.

I purchased two arches from www.carz2.co.uk for £60-ish quid. And then £400 for them to be welded and painted. Plus i've just heard from them and they found the inner arches fekked too so they're cutting that out too and repairing at no extra cost.

You can try grinding out rust but it WILL be back in 6 months. If not before. Hence why I've gone for the permanent (well for a good few years anyway) repair.

And no, wouldnt just cover up the rot with plastic. But thats just my opinion

[Diamond Black Geezer]

There's another member in a thread around here who's having his bubbling back arches repaired. Sounds a top job, having old metal cut out, new arches put in.

It really depends how rusty the back arches really are...

You may be able to get some kind member to chop out some good arches on here, or buy off the shelf pattern parts and replace them. But as ever, the real cost is in the time, effort and skill of the person/s who have to do the job of fitting, welding, smoothing, painting etc... For two arches done to a high standard is costing fellow member £400, if memory serves.

Next route, as you say, plastic arch covers but (in my humble) is only like 'solving' an annoying engine rattle by turning the stereo up louder! But I appreciate this car may not be for sitting on grass at shows, but for driving.

To be honest, if not too bad you may we get away with a local repair which will cost you some wet n dry, cure-rust stuff, and a rattle can. Not a 100% perfect job, but get you by for a couple of years or more. Pics would help us determine 

[Diamond Black Geezer]

And the chap I mentioned had replied already! 

[Webby the Bear]

And the chap I mentioned had replied already! 

 

[Diamond Black Geezer]

Haha. Does your wife mind you being this quick?? 

[omega3000]

Or quick fix is to grind it , treat with kurust or similar / prime and paint ... it wont last long but will do a quick repair .. Covered the inner lip of my old cars arches with hammerite  Was still ok 6 months later ..

[Webby the Bear]

Haha. Does your wife mind you being this quick?? 

She loves it haha

[terry paget]

Pics follow
https://www.dropbox.com/s/yqaiohzh15nzryw/oswingrust40%25.jpg?dl=0
https://www.dropbox.com/s/fw2850a68rdmlo0/nsopelwingrust40%25.jpg?dl=0

[Webby the Bear]

Yup, only PERMANENT fix is cut out and weld in new.

*by permanent I mean a few years 

Something that might be of interest also.... there are inner arches too. Bet they're fubar'd

[omega3000]

Pics follow
https://www.dropbox.com/s/yqaiohzh15nzryw/oswingrust40%25.jpg?dl=0
https://www.dropbox.com/s/fw2850a68rdmlo0/nsopelwingrust40%25.jpg?dl=0

Grind it all off an fill with fibre glass to re-shape then paint . If you want a professional job you be looking at a fair bit , more than the cars worth anyway 

[Diamond Black Geezer]

Yup. By them pics, they're pretty...erm...unhappy. As a 'professional bodge' I'd agree, build it up with the fibreglass etc.. Silver can be a complete bugger to match, too. It looks fine, then you stand back, and suddenly it looks a complete different shade - nature of metallics.

[omega3000]

If repairing outside , its wrong time of year now as damp will get in  Id cut out what rust you can and just fill/shape with f/glass , use the aluminium gauze stuff if needed with f/glass 

[cem_devecioglu]

Yup. By them pics, they're pretty...erm...unhappy. As a 'professional bodge' I'd agree, build it up with the fibreglass etc.. Silver can be a complete bugger to match, too. It looks fine, then you stand back, and suddenly it looks a complete different shade - nature of metallics.

 a correct mixture will always match but not the one with the color code in the machine.. there are many variants..


I'm curious if someone tried to make an exact match mixture for (any of the ) silvers on any brand