Wheel well openings repair

Topic: Wheel well openings repair (Read 1560 times) previous topic - next topic

Wheel well openings repair

June 16, 2008, 05:13:43 PM

Does somebody have pictures with explanations, how to repair wheel well openings, like in those pictures.

My general problem is that impossible to get spare body panels parts in my country and if I order them from US, then I must order full size fenders. And shipping them to oversea is madly expensive. I need only lower parts of fenders, upper sides are ok.
Second problem is that I dont have special tools for bending sheet metal to make curves properly. I must try make this by handtools.

Wheel well openings repair

Reply #1 – June 16, 2008, 05:19:34 PM

Do you know how to weld?

Wheel well openings repair

Reply #2 – June 16, 2008, 07:05:18 PM

Yes I do, but not very well.
I have this welding machine. Gas is Ar+CO2
With material 2mm and more (14 and less gauge?) no problem, but like car body panels 1mm (20 gauge) thikness, I have sometime some problems. I think it is because my welding machine have current regulating with switch not by potentiometer.
I think I need just more practice :)
Bigger problem is sheet metal bending.
Some pictures what I did last on my cougar. Rear subframe repair.

And here is little example, how I mostly bend sheet :)

Btw. Very small part of my pictures are on this site (sorry but only estonian language) :( http://www.usaraud.ee/?id=15_47_48_90

Wheel well openings repair

Reply #3 – June 16, 2008, 08:09:37 PM

I use the smallest diameter wire. .023 is great for sheetmetal with the gas.
I think think thats the same as the 6mm minimum on your welder.
It takes a lot of practice not to burn through the metal.
It you don't have the correct setting for thinner metal, you may have to let the wire stick out more to get it from burning through.

I myself have a problem welding anything thicker than 18 ga. I have never welded much more then sheetmetal.

I'd love to see more pics of your project too.

your doing a great job with that vice and blocks.
you can also build your own metal bending brake out of angle iron, a few bolts, and a home made hinge. do a search for a pic on the web you'll find several. I think I may have a plan for one too.

To do the curves around the wheel well you can just bend an angle piece and cut it to make it bend, then weld the cuts that you make to make the piece solid.
much like this bend is done

Wheel well openings repair

Reply #4 – June 16, 2008, 08:28:05 PM

http://purplesagetradingpost.com/sumner/teardrop/sheetmetalbrake.html here is one link to how to make one. It may give you ideas.

Wheel well openings repair

Reply #5 – June 16, 2008, 08:50:56 PM

here's another good example of one you can make.
If you can replace the subframe of your car with a couple wood blocks to make the panels, you should be able to make this by looking at the picture. any size you need.
http://cgi.ebay.com/new-28-inch-portable-Sheet-Metal-Brake-bench-bender_W0QQitemZ140241214156QQihZ004QQcategoryZ633QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Wheel well openings repair

Reply #6 – June 18, 2008, 12:05:46 PM

Quote from: daminc;223803

I use the smallest diameter wire. .023 is great for sheetmetal with the gas.

I myself have a problem welding anything thicker than 18 ga.

I'd love to see more pics of your project too.

you can also build your own metal bending brake. I think I may have a plan for one too.

Thanks for reply!
I use 0,031" wire and maybe it is my first problem. On 1-st step of settings a weld stays like mountain and on 2-nd it burns through. I will try with smaller diameter wire.

For me is vice versa, with thicker material I weld better :)

To be honest I must confess, that for bending subframe I built hydraulic bending brake :)
Similar like on HAVI-s link. Why I didnt saw this link earlier, they have way better design then mine :(

With wood blocks I bend sheet up to 16ga.
I also plan to build a metal bending brake. If You find some good drawings, can You share them with me ?

I have many pictures of my project, but at moment most of them are about disassembling. I try make them as many as possible because I know my project will progress slowly and later I definately will forgot how to assemble all back.
Maybe I will made new topic beside Your "Evolution Project"

Wheel well openings repair

Reply #7 – June 18, 2008, 06:12:23 PM

That's your problem, The wire is to thick .

I'll look for the plan or the pics of the brake that I was going to build.

I'm sure I won't be able to remember where everything goes on my car. I came across a bag the other day, that I couldn't remember taking off my car.

I did check to see how much shipping was to Estonia. Your right, It's not cheap.
We'll find a way to rebuild your wheelwells cheaply.

Wheel well openings repair

Reply #8 – June 21, 2008, 08:11:51 PM

Here you go.
This is probably the best and cheapest bending brake that I've com across, with pics and instructions. you can get an idea, and beef up anything that seems weak. I think the piano hinge could be the weak link in the project. I was thinking about using several stainless door hinges on mine.

http://www.ch601.org/tools/bendbrake/brakeplans.pdf

This is the one I was going to build, but I got away with using my aluminum brake.
Have fun with building the brake, and keep us posted on the progress of your car.

Jerry

Wheel well openings repair

Reply #9 – June 26, 2008, 06:02:25 PM

I also found some bending brakes drawings.
This one is rather complicated:
http://www.countryplans.com/vintage_farm//machineshop/PMSept58SmallBrake.pdf

Here is similar like on Your link:
http://bd-4.org/bendingbrake.html

I think that I will build like on these drawings:
http://www.vansairforce.org/tools/sm_brake_1.pdf
http://www.vansairforce.org/tools/sm_brake_2.pdf

Maybe You get also some inspirations from here.

Wheel well openings repair

Reply #10 – June 26, 2008, 06:29:46 PM

Yes, I remember seeing those too. I like the hinge on those better then the bottom hinge version. You just have to align the hinge correctly when you build it. but still a good example.