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How would you deal with this?

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I would use a wire wheel and several other diffent metal brushes,and sand paper, then let something like naval jelly soak in for a while and then wash it out with water and then some acetone to get rid of the water and then blow it out good and use some Por-15 to soak in and stop any rust that I might have missed. Then patch on the inside with fiberglass and fill any outside holes with resin that will soak through to the patch
 
OK, all this is right in line with my thoughts on making this repair, but if I am going to go the route suggested above, why even bother with the beading, except for the purists demand for authenticity in the way it looks, I think it would look much nicer (like the Sebring Sprites) if all was smoothed out!! Since the nose is 'glass, the bead could very easily be removed there!! I was under the impression the the beading provided something to the structural integrity. Is that NOT the case? If it does not, then I would opt to eliminate it since every "rough" Sprite I have ever seen seems to be prone to rusting along those beaded seams, no doubt due to moisture retention along the beading!!
 
If you going with a plastic nose and the beading has rust, take it off.
 
The beading served as an easy way to join two panels and not need to braze/lead the seams(like on a hand built car). I do not believe it has any other structural purpose. However, I could be wrong.
 
I expect you are very correct.
 
Yeah, it was just to "finish" the seam without the expense of filling & contour work. That would have required leading and time. The welds are what give the shell its structural integrity. I put ours back simply because it looks more like it was when it left Abingdon this way.

I'm just nostalgic for the "old days". /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/jester.gif

...and somewhat masochistic, too. /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smirk.gif
 
Thanks guys, one of these days (soon I hope!) I will have to make a choice and then deal with this. /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/cheers.gif
 
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