Board logo

Cutting wheelarches.
Neil P - 11/1/09 at 08:48 PM

I have a pair of rear arches that are a bit too wide.
I want to narrow them down a bit and wondered if anyone has advice on how to do it.
I need to cut them down by about 45mm which I'm going to take from the inside. This will cut off the moulded flange and the question really is should I take a strip out and try to bond the flange back on using glassfibre for a larger surface to bolt or rivet or just cut off the flange and bond the arch directly to the body with PU adhesive. Will that have sufficient strength?
I've heard all sorts of wonderful things about PU adhesives but as a first time builder I have no experience of what it is really capable of.

Neil

Hellfire - 11/1/09 at 09:22 PM

Personally, Id cut the flange off and bond another flange back on using a fibreglass kit.

Phil

02GF74 - 11/1/09 at 09:23 PM

^^^ that sounds like a lot of t***ting about - what about getting correct width arches and selling the ones you have?

I can understand needing to do this if you car was in some way unique but wheelarches come in different sizes and colours.

[Edited on 11/1/09 by 02GF74]

londonsean69 - 11/1/09 at 10:04 PM

If you're happy with doing that sort of work (cut and shut) then just get a pair of ebay the right size, then tart them up.

I see em on there, swith a few scratches etc. for about £25 from time to time. They would just need sanding and paintin, maybe a touch of filler

If yours are good nick, you should flog em easy to make back the money, and pay for a bit of paint as well

Failing that, you are going to have to cut them, then joint them with fibreglass on the inside, then fill the visible side, then sand, prime and paint.

omega 24 v6 - 11/1/09 at 10:19 PM

Did mine's this way. Easy job and very minimal filling to the exterior of the wing after reglassing the flange back on.

Neil P - 11/1/09 at 11:47 PM

Thanks guys,

I do like the shape of the ones I have, I'll have a go at cutting and glassing them, then.

Neil

RK - 12/1/09 at 02:07 AM

Grinder to cut down the middle. Don't forget you'll lose a bit just by doing that. Search here on "widening arches". It's the same in reverse. I have actually done this successfully with a scuttle.

Neil P - 12/1/09 at 09:32 AM

quote:

Grinder to cut down the middle. Don't forget you'll lose a bit just by doing that. Search here on "widening arches". It's the same in reverse. I have actually done this successfully with a scuttle


I considered that and it looks like a good option usually because it leaves both edges unaffected. Unfortunately my arches have a sloped rather than flat top and each side would have different radius if you took a section out of the middle.

I think I'm going to try cutting the arch to the right width, mark round the inside radius onto the original flange and cut it so that it fits within the arch then fix it back into place. That should save me having to refinish the outer surface, the actual join will be at the rear of the arch where it sits against the body.

I don't suppose the location of the joint really makes much difference.

Neil

Triton - 12/1/09 at 10:10 AM

It's doddle...cut them down to the size you want then sit the arch on a flat board and lay up inside the arch to get the flange back..thing is cutting them down might alter the diameter of the wing as they usually taper.

02GF74 - 12/1/09 at 11:18 AM

quote:
Originally posted by Neil P
Thanks guys,

I do like the shape of the ones I have, I'll have a go at cutting and glassing them, then.



ok then if you insist..... search forum for how the Whipmeister did it, albeit for front cycle wings but the process would be the same.

Hellfire - 12/1/09 at 12:21 PM

If the edge is bit untidy, you can always use some tadpole trim to hide it.

Phil

alexbishop123 - 13/1/09 at 11:03 AM

damn that a big cat!