Body Work gurus - finishing and gaps

[mini_surfari]

Evening all,

Whilst we’re waiting for parts, trying to push on with other jobs!

So before I slice the wings/ bonnet.... no matter how much we battled we just couldn’t get a wider gap at the front of the wings (both sides the side).

Do you think I could put a porta power in between the front inner wings and just open it up a little?

4018637F-607E-4CA1-9573-9E5A28236FF0.jpeg

And on the rear floor, the step is spot welded to the load bed, originally this would’ve been one pressing. Do you think it’s worth Seam welding up, or could it just be filled before paint (worried about cracking).

5C725F06-44D1-4D1C-A732-83E4336FA477.jpeg

Any help would be appreciated as always!

Cheers!

[Peter Laidler]

Before I'd read your comment Oli, I'd said to myself '.....a porta-power will ease that wing over. But I'm not sure that I'd use the other flitch panel/inner wing as a loading point for technical reasons. Use another loading point and it'll give you the gap you need.

[Nick W]

It can be difficult to open the gaps up down the wings. It's not usually the inner wing that's the problem as with the wing off, the inner can be pushed out to the correct position. But when the wings are clamped back on, it can push it back to were you started. If this is the case, then the wings may need dressing along the A panel joint and possibly the wing to front panel joint. To check this is the correct scenario, un clamp these two joints and see if the bonnet gap improves...it may only need say 1mm, to make enough difference to the bonnet to wing gap.
Hope this makes some sense

[Andrew1967]

Regarding the rear load bay to step joint, if you have access to oxy/acetylene you could maybe run some brass long the seam to seal and strengthen it to stop any potential of cracking of filler. Then you could fill to completely lose the joint.

Maybe lead load it ... not that I’ve had any experience of that.

[mini_surfari]

Peter - I’m with you, I was hoping as both sides are tight. It would’ve moved them out together, but I see what you’re saying!

Nick W - unfortunately I’ve done all that, and this is as good as I could get, other wings wouldn’t line up on the front panel at all. Never had a pair of wings that have up such a fight ... the ones on my saloon took very little dressing at all and dropped in lovely.

Andrew - I’ve never done either to be honest. However I shall look into it to it. Must be a demo on YouTube!

[Van13]

Looks to me as if the horizontal joint at the headlight needs unpicking and moving over it’s a problem with these newer wings

[bwaminispeed]

In that situation, I would slit the hood with the thinnest slitting wheel you can find, just inside from the edge of the hood, starting just back of where the hood starts to roll down to the front.......Basically from where the gap starts to disappear....

Widening gradually till you get to the front of the hood.....Looks like you need to lose near a quarter inch by the time you get to that point......

Move the side of the hood over, and, mig it back up.....

Have done this many times to fit bad hood to fender fits.....

Way easier than trying to coble the fenders into submission.....