Wheel arch repairs

[LeCruiser]

Well after ripping off my wheel arches one by one I thought I'd better start rebuilding them. Had to rebuild the inner wing first and the rust has spread to the sills and rear quarter too... No surprises really as its common on a 70 series unfortunately!

Got a sheet of chequer and after many hours the drivers side is starting to take shape! Probably extend the chequer a little more but not too much.

Couple of pics!

 

[Chris]

Damn that's mighty fine tin bashing. Couldn't knock me up a whole 80 body shell by any chance?

Chris

 

[LeCruiser]

It's my first attempt so not so quick and doing it on the driveway in winter and nights draw in quick

 

[Chris]

You are joking. 1st attempt?

Yeah and during the day you are a panel beater for Rolls Royce.

Vay nice work amigo.

Chris

 

[Chas]

That is excellent, I particularly like the way you have matched up the fuel flap

 

[Ben]

looks good.

did you cut all the rot out and treat and paint the remaining metal, or did you just go over the top of everything with the chequer?

if you just went over the top, will prob look smart for a while but the rot will keep creeping its way up the body.

what have you used for the fender flares?

looks smart, looks like the stuff that comes on a roll.

 

[LeCruiser]

I cut out all the rot and welded new plates in giving them all a good coat of red oxide. I did look at your rebuild too but didn't want to go down the route of replacing panels. I'm not in the trade at all... Just a DIY'er so my welding isn't pretty but it holds
I'll be pinching your rear bumper design later

The wheel flares are simply the rubber cable stuff that I found lurking at work and wasn't needed

Got the sills to do next...

 

[Ben]

no a ridiculous amount of work went in to getting my bodywork right, took a lot longer than id hoped, and wasnt cheap. but it should last a while longer now.

feel free to pinch any ideas you want.

what do you use your truck for? do you do any comps in it, or just paynplays? green laning?

what you thinking of doing with the sills? you just going to patch them, or are you going to cut them all out and weld box section in?

 

[LeCruiser]

It's my greenlane and pay and play toy! Done a couple of trials too and works well with the turning circle combined with the 3l lump
Was going to cut and patch sills and later put some rock sliders on... But may take a look at the box section option now you mention it.

 

[Red Oktober]

looks great Carl .. and should last a good while

 

[Trevor]

I'm curious as I'm not up on these things, how did you attach your extended flares to the arch? The reason I ask is that I run with wheel spacers which put the outer edge of my tyres past the original wing and aquired some old conveyer belt rubber that I want to extend my arches with to make them legal.

Given that I put my truck through a lot of mud and water, I have been reluctant to pop rivet the rubber on as I think it will just trap water and mud and don't want to create a moisture trap that will just rot out.

Cheers

Trev

 

[LeCruiser]

Put a couple of coats of red oxide and pop riveted them on, theory is that the rubber will make a tight seal and water won't be trapped in... But yes i guess water could be trapped somewhere?
Other option I was thinking of... putting some (dare I say it) LR 90 flexi wheel arches on? Seem a close match to the original?