TR6 Final Step Is there Sealer between the Fender and Deck

[Got_All_4]

Been working on my 1969 restoration project. Latest project is the rear fenders. Getting to the final stages and about ready to make the last adjustments to fit them to the edge of the deck then move on to the door openings. Haven't looked real close at other TR6s to see how they are finished and there are none around the area. So once the fenders and deck are painted and making the final attachment to the car is there a sealer, a gasket or something between the top mounting flange on the fender and the edge of the deck and the trunk? If a sealer I wouldn't want it showing on the top seam and contrast with the cars paint. Signal red. Plus I wouldn't want to mount the fenders first then paint over the sealer. I can see it cracking and water working it's way into the paint edge and lifting the edges. So hoping there is someone on the forum that knows how to make that final proper step.
I know that 69s had fender beading there but I'm not doing that. Tired of the beading beading problems on my other TRs.

 

[Sarastro]

I agonized over this with my TR4A. The joint between the fender and body is a well known rust area, and I thought some sealer might be appropriate. In the end, I chose to paint the fenders off the car and retain the beading.

At the factory, the TR body pieces seem to have been sprayed with a thin primer, probably just to prevent rust, then assembled, and finally painted. This left the joint unpainted, except of course for the primer. The tabs supporting the beading left a gap, which water easily entered and remained trapped. No wonder they rusted!

If you paint the fenders off the car, however, so the flanges get painted, the rust resistance is increased enormously, but it's still a water trap. Sealer might be appropriate, but you have to be sure that it fills the gap completely, or it will become even a worse water trap. It's like undercoating--great if it is intact and covers completely, but when it starts to fail, it's worse than nothing. That's why I left it off. Also, in my case, it was a mostly theoretical issue anyway, since I would rarely drive the car in the rain.

My suggestion would be to dispense with the sealer and keep the beading, even though you don't like it. I think it's the easiest and, all in all, most satisfying way to go.

 

[Got_All_4]

Thanks. All of my TRs are fair weather cars. However there have been times when on a trip could have been Roadster Factory Summer Parties for 4 days, 6-Pack Trials for days or the occasional long drive when that unexpected rain shower shows up. Can't help it.
Stripping the inside of one of the rear fenders the other day I noticed that from the factory they weren't even painted. Had red oxide primer with some kind of black undercoating on top. Thousands of tinny rust pits. Sanded out as much as I could then sandblasted it. Used a epoxy DTM primer then I'll paint some color on them today. As far as the fender beading I pretty resolved that I'm not using them.

 

[Popeye]

I think the points have been covered well, and only want to reiterate them:
1. Restoration paint quality is, generally, worlds better than original factory
2. Our cars see little rain. IMHO, a little rain is fine, as they dry out when continuing to drive after said rain - the challenge is when parking them wet in a garage with little airflow.
3. Sealer can be a water trap as much as a water block

For my build, I did not use any sealer. This also makes any future maintenance requiring removal easier (e.g. correcting any rust at infancy).

 

[mctriumph]

When you do the body, the seam should be coated with an epoxy seam sealer.The ugly truth is paint is not water proof.
I also like to coat the flange of the wing too. Just a skim to protect the paint is all that is needed. Do not over do it!
Just before painting, with the wings on and tight, a flow grade sealer will make the joint beautiful and perfect.
Mad dog

 

[sp53]

I live in a rainy spot basically Tacoma, Washington. The idea of the rain flowing down onto and into the car is accepted. Here the rain needs to flow out all the little weep holes, so the chance of plugging a drain hole up with sealer on the front fender is a concern. I do not use any seal for that reason and plus taking the car apart is easier.

The factory did put a bead of some kind of putty on the body where the fender comes in contact with the tub, but to me the bead of putty might be for noise to keep the fenders quit from squeaking.

The rain is going to flow down into the fender and out the weep holes on the bottom of the sill because that is how the car is designed. I check weep holes once and a while. My plan is to let the water flow out and not trap it.

steve

 

[mctriumph]

Send me a box of this "rain "I will be Grateful I hear it is much different from the Kansas stuff we get (once in a while).
All the many TR's I have restored have received sealer on all joints/seams. Spot welded joints will rust if not protected.
On a big Healey the epoxy on the wings saves galvanic corrosion as well.
The H panel on 4's and 6's MUST be sealed properly when the wings are off or it is all for naught.
Mad dog

 

[mrv8q]

Send me a box of this "rain "I will be Grateful.

I see what you did there, MD!

 

[mctriumph]

"Farout Catherwood" I sometimes blurt out some Firesign Theater too...
Ah the 70's !
Mad dog

 

[Got_All_4]

"The H panel on 4's and 6's MUST be sealed properly when the wings are off or it is all for naught."

H panels? Pardon my ignorance.

 

[mctriumph]

The upper deck panel and the wing attachment panels make an "H" looking down on them from above.
The factory never really gave the pinch welded seams much care. Very prone to rust away.
Mad dog

 

[Got_All_4]

Okay got it. Your right. Every Tr4,250 and 6 I've ever seen had that problem and it's always the first area to inspect when evaluating a car. I had to piece in the driver side from a donated "H" panel that was in much better shape then mine. Talked to one of my customer who is a body shop owner that does a lot of Mustang restorations. He said to sand blast or grind both panel mating edges and get all the rust off then panel pond them together. Use an acid brush to smear it and cover both pieces complely so when it cures there is no chance that oxygen would have a chance to get in and start the rusting process again. I also used a bunch of brushable seam sealer where the two panels come together. Both on the outside bottom edge and inside the tub on the top edge. I step fanged the donor part and welded the deck seam jumping around so not to heat up one area and also used a spray bottle with water to cool it down too to stop any warping. Then of course I used body filler to level everything out after first coating it with PPGs CRE epoxy primer.