| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| arrocuda |
Posted - 20 Oct 2013 : 15:58:54
Anybody got any tips for removing the front wings without damaging them? I want to remove them off the Grim Rapier keeping them as clean as possible and without damaging the surrounding metal, but it's hard to find the welds. Anybody taken off some rotten ones that can tip me off as to what to expect?
Cheers!
Building the 'Mark II' fastback Rapier ('Arrocuda'). |
| 6 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| hillmanie |
Posted - 22 Jul 2014 : 23:37:57
A very belated reply (new member) but I'm faced with the same challenge. I bought a couple of those spot weld cutters that are simply hollow drill bits that chew out the top layer of metal leaving in this case, the inner wing unscathed. Easier said than done I'm sure, as I'll soon find out in practice. Much easier to drill through the spot welds outright and make good with welding I expect, if one were good enough with the tool.
TT |
| Fastback Thomas |
Posted - 23 Oct 2013 : 19:34:20
No Problem,
it's a pain in the bottom trying to cut trough the welds where the wing meets the valance because the sparks fly everywhere, especially the places where skin is shown... ;)
'68 sunbeam rapier fastback {B341006846 OD/LHO}
I like a car that looks normal but really knocks your socks off!!
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| arrocuda |
Posted - 23 Oct 2013 : 10:11:01
Hi Thomas..... that pic has helped me, thanks for posting. Last night I found the flange where the wing was spot welded to the valence so I've located all the major fix locations. I'll take them off by cutting through the tags rather than risk damaging the surrounding panels cos it would be fairly easy to weld new tags on if necessary once they are off the car.
Plan is to keep them as spares for the project car 'just in case', and replace them with glass fibre wings on the Grim! The reason is that the glass fibre wings will have to be cut as the wheelbase will be extended by 120mm and it would be wasteful to ruin a perfectly good pair of metal ones.
Building the 'Mark II' fastback Rapier ('Arrocuda'). |
| Fastback Thomas |
Posted - 22 Oct 2013 : 21:15:53
It is spot welded to the headlight frame!
I'm currently restoring the wingtip and headlight frame on my '68 fastback the RH side is all ready finished and the LH side is still being done..
Here is a preliminary picture, you can see were I Re-welded it were I drilled out the spot welds.. Obviously there are also spot welds on the lower lip of the wing tip and of course on the lower part of headlight frame.
The seam that connects the wing with the front valance is mostly rusted (at least this was the case with mine) this is why I'm "de-seaming" the front as you might have seen in my other pictures...
'68 sunbeam rapier fastback {B341006846 OD/LHO}
I like a car that looks normal but really knocks your socks off!!
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| arrocuda |
Posted - 22 Oct 2013 : 20:50:11
Just been down to take another look and after close inspection I've found the spot welds along the inner strip that you referred to in your earlier post. Did they also weld it to the headlight frames cos it all appears to be 'all one piece' right down to the valence panel?
Building the 'Mark II' fastback Rapier ('Arrocuda'). |
| bigt80 |
Posted - 20 Oct 2013 : 19:39:14
Well I cut some off many years ago and did them the inner wing side of the drainage channel with an angle grinder. Long as you leave enough spare metal for fitting again, I think this is the easiest thing to do, but there may be other thoughts!  . I should add that I never fitted them myself, but sold them some years later and the buyer was able to fit them successfully. G |
