DonB Don Bonar Prairie Village, KS (80 posts) Registered: 09/09/2011 10:06AM Main British Car: 1971 MG-B 95 GM 3.4 V-6 |
Rolled wire edge
Help!
I'm cutting a pair of holes in front fenders (behind the splash guard) of 71 MG-B to add air vents for engine bay. The polished Stainless vents I purchased, attach to the back side of the fender and do not support an external "beauty flange" to hide the fender cuts... Therefore, I need to cut a very precise rectangle, and don't want to see a raw edge of the newly cut holes. Thought about rolling the edge in... like older cars with wire inside the roll, but don't have a clue as to how to do this. Anyone have instructions, U-tube, etc. where I can learn? As a fall back position, thought about welding an additional narrow steel filler (like a gasket) around the backside of the hole, then shaping the (now) double thick edge to get the desired rounded look I want. Comments, suggestions, pictures? I have MIG rig, lousy welding skills... and a rusty old Midget fender for practice. Thanks Don B. |
rficalora Rob Ficalora Willis, TX (2764 posts) Registered: 10/24/2007 02:46PM Main British Car: '76 MGB w/CB front, Sebring rear, early metal dash Ford 302 |
Re: Rolled wire edge
pics would help but I think I'd use 3/16" round bar & weld it around the perimeter. Weld spot welds jumping around to keep the fender metal from warping and keep doing spot welds till they're all overlapping each other. Then grind off the excess.
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BlownMGB-V8 Jim Blackwood 9406 Gunpowder Rd., Florence, KY 41042 (6468 posts) Registered: 10/23/2007 12:59PM Main British Car: 1971 MGB Blown,Injected,Intercooled Buick 340/AA80E/JagIRS |
Re: Rolled wire edge
If you bend a wire into the shape you desire and weld the ends together first, (make the weld in the center of one side) you can use that to lay out your cuts and bends. Cut to the inside of each corner and then try various methods of shaping or folding the metal around your wire. Pliers, hammer and dolly, etc. Practice on your spare fender until you get the result you desire. I'd try to fold all four sides in to hold the wire in place and then finish up with the hammer and dolly. An 1/8 to 3/16" wire ought to give a nice result.
JB |
DiDueColpi Fred Key West coast - Canada (1365 posts) Registered: 05/14/2010 03:06AM Main British Car: I really thought that I'd be an action figure by now! |
Re: Rolled wire edge
I've done that sort of edge before with a set of panel flanging pliers.
I just ground down the lower jaw so that it doesn't bend the flange back up again and drilled it for a roll pin to limit the depth that the metal can be inserted. Makes a fairly nice edge that needs a minimum of work to finish. No welding needed and looks like a factory edge. Cheers Fred |
roverman Art Gertz Winchester, CA. (3188 posts) Registered: 04/24/2009 11:02AM Main British Car: 74' Jensen Healy, 79 Huff. GT 1, 74 MGB Lotus 907,2L |
Re: Rolled wire edge/ SL 300 ?
Ok, and to make "Gull Wing" vents that don't look like the wrong end of the Gull ? Thanks, roverman.
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DonB Don Bonar Prairie Village, KS (80 posts) Registered: 09/09/2011 10:06AM Main British Car: 1971 MG-B 95 GM 3.4 V-6 |
Re: Rolled wire edge
Been "off line" for a few days... Thanks to you all for the ideas and advice!
I'll be chopping up my practice fender within the next few days and will post the results. I tried a simple cut and fold a "shark gill" kind of thing while I was taking a summer class at McPherson College... and it DID look like the south end of a gull flying north. Cheers, Don B. |
Bill Young Bill Young Kansas City, MO (1337 posts) Registered: 10/23/2007 09:23AM Main British Car: '73 MG Midget V6 , '59 MGA I6 2.8 GM, 4.0 Jeep |
Re: Rolled wire edge
Don, found this video on the web about how to form rolled wire edges. [www.youtube.com]
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DonB Don Bonar Prairie Village, KS (80 posts) Registered: 09/09/2011 10:06AM Main British Car: 1971 MG-B 95 GM 3.4 V-6 |
Re: Rolled wire edge
Thanks again to all who responded!
I tried all the suggestions submitted and, not surprisingly, they ALL worked. Bill, couldn't fit my practice fender in the borrowed bead roller but really learned a lot... other videos from the same fellow added immensely to my knowledge base... and lost me a bunch of sleep as I tried to watch them all. The wire bead (from gas welding rod), pre-bent and welded seemed to work best for me... and gave me a better template than the paper one I had been using. Wire bead spotted to backside of fender allowed me to then hand roll remaining lip I had left from initial rough cut. I hope to complete the car in time for Texas next May, and you can review my work. Anyone have a line on a source for a small "T" or "P" rubber gasket material to fill gap between fender and chrome vent? Thanks again Don B. |
Bill Young Bill Young Kansas City, MO (1337 posts) Registered: 10/23/2007 09:23AM Main British Car: '73 MG Midget V6 , '59 MGA I6 2.8 GM, 4.0 Jeep |
Re: Rolled wire edge
Don, found this today, might be what you're looking for. They have the "T" style fender welting that I want for the MGA that lies almost flat as well as other styles. [metrommp.com]
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