Project The Austin 2dr 1100 story - Part IV - Now in sharleys hands

[vulgalour]

I have a recollection of an engine swap car that was fitted with Mk1 Golf arches.  I think they had to use front Golf arches all round because the rears were too small.  It didn't look out of place either, even though they weren't very curvy, but then it did have wider minilites fitted so that's probably why.

[vulgalour]

Having said that, a cheaper alternative is 2 door Escort rear arches.  Similar profile to the Golf, so should in theory work.  You don't want the four door version because the rear arch is stepped to accomodate the door.  Front wings are more expensive and don't have the complete arch because of the bumper so that wouldn't save you any work.

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ESCORT-MK3-4-1980-1990-REAR-WHEEL-ARCH-2-DOOR-R-H-NEW-KK-KLASSIC-PANEL/220785462902

[SiC]

Good hunting! What are the chances that it'll be a similar size to the 1100? I guess it doesn't matter too much as long as it's close?

 

I'll need to get both sides as 1) my OCD can't have it different on either side, 2) the other side is going to need equal amount of fettling anyway.

[vulgalour]

 

It's probably pretty close.  I used the photo I had of the Princess steel I offered up to the car, which I know is 14", and a picture of a Mk3 Escort 1600 on alloys which I believe are 14", and overlaid the two.  It's a bit crude but it looks like a reasonable candidate, you won't know for definite until you actually try it, of course.

 

This was the Escort picture in full that I used.

[Scruffy Bodger]

lol, no, didn't even know you could buy those. I was stuck, bits of card are hard to deal with in that situation so I used what I had to hand, a grinder, metal and a scribe. I cut a strip, cut into it so it would bend to the right curve, transferred it onto another new piece of metal and got myself out the shit.

[They_all_do_that_sir]

Great stuff Sic, enjoying watching this unfold!

 

Sent from my F3211 using Tapatalk

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

Escort arches are totally the wrong profile and would look ridiculous. 

 

Here's a complete car for 25 quid in Amersham:

 

https://www.the1100club.com/marketplace.php

 

It's obviously fucked but the front arch lips should be okay, and provide enough metal to rebuild your rears and still look like an 1100 and not a Yugo 45.

[SiC]

I wish I had enough space to store and/or strip such a car. Would make my life a lot easier and cheaper if I did.

 

Amersham ... Buckinghamshire ... Thats near the field of dreams ... I wonder if Mr SixCylinder ...

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

I wish I had enough space to store and/or strip such a car. Would make my life a lot easier and cheaper if I did.

 

Amersham ... Buckinghamshire ... Thats near the field of dreams ... I wonder if Mr SixCylinder ...

 

 

Don't ask, don't get.

 

A 1300 engine and box is 300 quid minimum now plus all the other bits you can sell off. The bumpers might be good. 

[Arthur Foxhake]

I live in Chesham. About 2 miles from Amersham.

I may be able to help but I dont have much storage for cars anymore.

[Noel Tidybeard]

can you get landcrab arches easier? they look simliar

[DodgeRover]

Just get the proper wheel arch repair panel although quite how you are going to fit it now you've welded the inner and outer together I'm not sure. The inner arch needed extending further out really.

[SiC]

Just get the proper wheel arch repair panel although quite how you are going to fit it now you've welded the inner and outer together I'm not sure. The inner arch needed extending further out really.

The only arch repair panel I know of right now is this one: http://www.steelpanels.co.uk/products/bmc/rh-rear-arch-repair-bl27/

 

At £185 each side, no way am I buying that. It's also for the 4 door, not the 2. So I would have to carefully cut out the arch profile to match.

 

If I can get a replacement panel, I'll cut away the bits I've welded and then attach the new one on. Or weld it over the top and smother filler on the join area...

[DodgeRover]

Oh ouch I was going on vulgs suggestion @ £15..

 

Have you bought a joggler yet?

[SiC]

Oh ouch I was going on vulgs suggestion @ £15..

 

Have you bought a joggler yet?

Yes. Spent far too much on a branded one made in Europe. I think a Chinese cheapy would have been just as good!

 

[SiC]

In other news, I thought it would be prudent to put some paint on the bare metal I was working on the weekend.

 

Looks 100x better worse now.

 

 

Also bought this.

 

My little Lidl compressor does drive it, but only for around 30 seconds before needing to wait for it to refill. Not ideal but should be sufficient on cutting awkward shapes or metal on the car in awkward places.

 

Probably.

[cort16]

For the arch get some measurements then go down your local scrappy and look at the front wings on some cars. I'll bet you'll find something you can use even if you need to extend it here or there.

 

I've done this a couple of times and it's worked pretty well. Failing that weld in the arches from a mk4 Astra for that custom look.

[sharley17194]

its odd they never really made the arches as a repair panel, theres a man that can make them as he has the parts to take a template from.

 

They were only ever available as complete rear wings for the 4 door or complete side panels for the 2 door. I have both but it seem such a shame to cut up a HUGE panel simply to extract an arch.

 

This is one of the panels i have.

[captain_70s]

Given the ADO16s love of rotting I'm also surprising there weren't pattern wheel arch panels available. Although I suppose when the car was current fibreglass was an acceptable repair and there were plenty of spare cars to hack bit off of...

[Eddie Honda]

I'm also surprising there weren't pattern wheel arch panels available.

There were. Back in the olden days (90s) the rear wheel arch repair panels were available from Saltofix - later gobbled up by Hadrian/LMC.

 

They were cheap as well!

[SiC]

One thing I have noticed is the line of the arches is very important. RBJ is right, it's likely to look silly if another arch is grafted on.

 

Letting your eyes follow the arch line from the front to the back on this picture makes that clear. It's an integral part of what makes an ADO16 shape, an ADO16.

 

This car isn't going to be original and I've accepted that fact. But I don't want to ruin it.

 

Even though I have removed a fair bit of arch, there is still a fair bit left of the profile.

 

I do have a pair of old wings that Vulgalour supplied with the car. Some of it is rotten and it's not big enough to fully cover the arch area needed. However it maybe sufficient to cover most and leaving a small bit to remake.

 

Tbh, a new arch repair section will be a million times easier though.

[Eddie Honda]

Found a pic. This is what an offside one looked like, not much help unless you've got eagle-eyes, incredibly lucky and autojumbling.

 

 

IIRC the manufacturer even stickered them up wrong at the time with "Marina".

[richardthestag]

Yes. Spent far too much on a branded one made in Europe. I think a Chinese cheapy would have been just as good!

 

 

I have had mine since I late 1980s, it was pricy for me then, 3 decades of joddling and punching holes. Activity has been much more over the last couple of years the punch part has been used hundreds of times recently alone. wonder how long chinese jobby might last? you may just find it to be made from jobby

[catsinthewelder]

I remember reading about an ADO16 that recieved coilovers, Honda VTEC engine and Maestro arches, it could be this one but how would a Yank end up with Maestro arches?

[Eddie Honda]

Because you can buy them still and Fedex.

[SiC]

Took a day off work today to try and get more done.

 

Started by finishing off the wheel arch. Made a template and cut a piece of metal to fit. Used the nibbler. Did the job but a very messy tool. You get metal shaped as toe clippings everywhere!

 

Inner piece first.

 

Alternative magnet fitting method.

 

Outer section.

 

 

Weld.

 

Grind.

 

Then my grinder broke. FFS. Turned out the captive cable at the section it enters the tool fractured. Cut the cable back, rewired and we're back in business.

 

Next order of business, the sill!

[busmansholiday]

You're doing a grand job. If you get bored with welding there's an MGB GT that could do with a run....

[vulgalour]

Sill already and it's not even Hallowe'en, let alone Christmas.  Top fettling!

[SiC]

This is a big moment as it's one of the major jobs to be done on this car. It had been done previously about 10 years ago or so. Unfortunately the membrane has completely disintegrated.

 

This is the membrane. Well, what's left of it.

 

The outer sill is in pretty good condition.

 

These next pictures gives you some idea how the sill looks inside. This is looking inside the back seat against the body.

 

First off was to grind back to find bare metal ready for welding. So much plaster being thrown around I thought it was snowing!

 

The naked metal.

 

Now for the big moment, cutting off the sill! I decided to tackle this by cutting it up at top of the visible section. As I was cutting along, the gap was widening which was worrying me. So I put a jack underneath just in case.

 

A bit more cutting and it was off!

 

Now time for a bit more of my rambling as I give a tour of the rude bits and try out the door.

[Video]

 

Some pictures for those that can't watch videos.

 

Cleaned up the metal with a flap disc.

 

Offered up a long sheet of metal. This is some 18 gauge stuff. Glad I got thicker as it matches the thickness of the existing inner membrane. Drew along the edge with a scribe and coloured in with a narrow pen.

 

After half hour with my shonky Jigsaw and a bit with the nibbler, I cut it to match. I'm pretty happy how this turned out.

 

Then tacked it in. Did a few welds on a short section but I think I'll grind them back a bit as the penetration isn't quite as much as I'd like.

 

Now I need to clear this mess up! I wish I could be doing this in a garage. Would be so much easier to do smaller jobs if I didn't have to pack up everytime.

 

Does force me to keep things tidy though!

[Guest Hooli]

You're doing a grand job. If you get bored with welding there's an MGB GT that could do with a run....

 

He's got one of them already for when he's finished practicing on this.