front wing repair panel

ANyone familiar with the front wing repair panels sold by TRF and MOSS?

DO they already contain edge/lip etc?

Are they worth the money to keep from making it up from scratch?

thks
griffedi

Hi griffedi,

While I'm not familiar with the patch panels those vendors are currently selling, I can tell you this is a good way to make the repair, so long as the seam can be well hidden (depending upon how much originality concerns you).

I would expect the vendors to sell proper gauge steel, which might be a little hard to find locally to make your own patch panels. Even if not already flanged, that's a minor consideration and any trimming would remove the flange, anyway.

Flanging tools are easily found from a variety of sources. There are bench-mount and handheld type. Also, Eastwood Co., Northern Tool and Harbor Freight all offer air tools that both flanges and punches holes for plug welds (or for glue/rivets, if that's the way the repair is being done, although it wouldn't be my personal choice).

Assuming you get some sort of flanging tool, whatever one you choose, be sure to confirm it can handle the 18 gauge steel TR bodies are made from. Most modern cars use lighter 20 to 24 gauge steel and some tools just aren't up to working with the heavier gauge stuff.

Hope this helps!

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The patch panels from TRF that I have purchased in the past are of excellent quality. I'm certain they haven't changed the tooling.
The wheel arch side has the bead. The door side must be finished. This is necessary since no two fenders for a 3 are identical.
I feel that they are well worth their money.

I purchased rocker panels from Moss and found them to be of excellent quality and rust free. I would assume the wing repair panels would be of the same quality. I made my own repair panels for the wings but at that time I had a friend who had a sheet metal brake which made for easy bending. If I had to do it again I probably would have looked for a set of good used wings (if you can find any). Is it worth buying repair panels...Probably but you will miss all the extra fun of making them yourself and applying band aides to your fingers for all those little cuts (wear gloves)!
I have a mig welder and it was very time consuming welding those repair panels onto the wings. If you go to fast you will distort the steel and have to beat it to death or start over. Also try and get your repair panel as high up on the wing as possible if you are too low you will find that the gauge of the wing panel will be to thin due to rust removal (not easy to weld). Do not cut anything! Especially the repair panel until you have dry fitted prior to welding!
Try to cut the wing as low as possible (visual thing) and work your way up if need be to thicker steel. Not sure if the store bought repair panels come with a pre-bent edge for butt welding but if not you may want to consider creating one. I think they mixed rust into the sheet steel they used to build my car and that made the welding part even more fun. Best to tack at seven inch intervals and come back well after the steel has cooled.

Anyway probably more info than you wanted but I remember this fun repair fondly and wanted to share. It's also best not to wear sneakers while welding either!

Have fun,
Harry
CT

What about the lip along the bottom edge behind wheel arch(where bolt holes are located)?? Is it present, or will I need to make one?

I was hoping it was present so that I would not have to deal with figuring out how to position holes.

Griff

Hi,

I dunno, but imagine it does.

You might want to contact TRF Level II sales via email or phone with some of these questions. John (who usually handles these sorts of inquiries) will give you far better answers than we can.

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