'repairing' arch

[Connor]

well my loon has a crappy arch, and seeing as the car cost me 100 pound and is just my daily hack i cba to get a proper arch repair panel,
i cut out all of the sof bits and the arch thats left is solid.
What i ask is how would you go about repairing this without having the replace the arch :roll:
i was thinking of tacking plates behind the gaps and because there will be a step, fiberglassing and smoothing it out on the outside?
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash1/hs493.ash1/26941_379945099925_637964925_3977101_475013_n.jpg
Note the arch looks worse in pictures due to being primered ages ago, just so the bare metal wasnt exposed

[daleNOVAbrennan]

id just make plates and weld flush with a bit if bodge(filler) skimed over it

[Gibbo]

do what you said mate tacking plates behind the gaps and because there will be a step, fiberglassing and smoothing it out on the outside

[daleNOVAbrennan]

do what you said mate tacking plates behind the gaps and because there will be a step, fiberglassing and smoothing it out on the outside
thats pointless in my own opinion if the rest of the arch is solid, make plates and weld flush, needing minimum filler, why make more work for yourself by slapping loads of fiberglass into it.

[Connor]

okay just making sure it didnt sound like a stoooooopid idea,
i am happy now, so will crack on :d

[Connor]

thats pointless in my own opinion if the rest of the arch is solid, make plates and weld flush, needing minimum filler, why make more work for yourself by slapping loads of fiberglass into it.

Only reason being to tack it from behind as it would be more tricky trying to trim plates to fit exactly (in the awkward) gaps, so take behind and fiberglass it, as slapping on fiber glass on a 3mm step is not difficult, and imo to me would look neater for me to do it that way, as i would have a feeling i would really c0ck up the flush welding method, just my opinion

[MK999]

Only reason being to tack it from behind as it would be more tricky trying to trim plates to fit exactly (in the awkward) gaps, so take behind and fiberglass it, as slapping on fiber glass on a 3mm step is not difficult, and imo to me would look neater for me to do it that way, as i would have a feeling i would really c0ck up the flush welding method, just my opinion

Cut the "awkward" gaps up straight then.

[Connor]

i hate cutting more arch away though it makes me :cry:

[daleNOVAbrennan]

using fiberglass and filler as little as possible is always the best option

[daleNOVAbrennan]

i hate cutting more arch away though it makes me :cry:
you would have to get rid off ALL the rust anyway to avoid its return

[Connor]

you would have to get rid off ALL the rust anyway to avoid its return

The rust is cut out, hence the two gaps

[daleNOVAbrennan]

The rust is cut out, hence the two gaps
all as your doing is skimming the edges were you cut so there straight not exactly going to hack the lot out are you.

[Iain]

See how much repair panels are - the hatch rear arch ones are only about £8-10 I think?! If they're similarly cheap for the saloon you might as well get some and just cut out the bits you need. At least it'll be less effort in bending the plates to fit the shape of the arch.

[DW-Nova]

Just put a proper arch repair panel in, theyre cheap and it'll save doing the job again which you will end up doing if you botch it as the rust will end up pushing back through within a few months.