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TC rear fender (wing)
Posted: Tue Mar 05, 2002 8:47 pm
by Robert Kampas
Dear listers,
After removing all of the body filler from my right rear wing (fender) that which is left resembles the biggest piece of Swiss cheese that you could ever imagine. In fact there is no metal at all in a three inch strip right against the body tub for about half the radius of the fender (wing). The other three corners can be brought back to shape with a lot of work but the right rear is amazing! Knowing the rarity of original body panels, am I doomed to despair or can such a piece be repaired? Or would it be better to search for the rare hen s tooth? Perhaps someone on the list has or knows of someone who has such a tooth for sale to fit a 47 TC? While I am at it are there differences in profiles for the rear wings just like there are variations for the front? The rear tips of my rear set seem to differ from one another having different angles when one looks at the lower edges. Any help would be most appreciated.
Cheers,
Bob Kampas
Re: TC rear fender (wing)
Posted: Wed Mar 06, 2002 1:19 am
by Dave & Diana Dwyer
Bob
If the majority of the shape is still there, it can be repaired.
The bit that you mention close to the body is mostly cylindrical, rather than curved in two planes. It shouldn't be difficult to make a replacement piece to be welded in.
TIG welding would be my choice, because there is a really good control on the low heat required to reduce distortion.
We just added 20mm to the back edge of the J2 bonnet to compensate for 70 years of people trimming it, and with some care there was almost no distortion.
Regards
Dave Dwyer
J2, TA, TC
TC rear fender (wing)
Posted: Wed Mar 06, 2002 4:34 pm
by Viv James TraX Interconnect (Pty.) Ltd
Bob,
When you have spent as long as I have staring at TC rear fenders
you will realize that probably no 2 are the same. My advice is to use
the original if possible and if you can find a real panel beater like I was
lucky enough to find, you will be surprised what can be brought back
to life. If not, try really hard to find a similar shape to your good one or
you'll need your real panel beater anyway!! There's nothing worse
than a TC with really different rear fenders and there are plenty
around like this! On the bright side, you'll only get them "similar", they
are never the"same".
Viv