Bodywork, Paint, Interior, Trim, & Wiring

Has anyone removed the horizontal side ridges, in metal ? Is there an article somewhere ? I don't mean filling in with bondo, but possibly cutting and re-welding ? IMHO, this would look good with all the smooth sided fenders and arches available. Thanks, roverman.

Never have seen it done. I thought about it but decided I like it - seems to help make the car look a little longer.

I saw it somewhere, a racecar maybe? Looked great. Probably difficult without good metalworking/bodywork skills.

Chris Gill did the short front one between headlight and wheel well.

This car has all the ridge removed except for the door and it gives you some idea of what it might look like. [www.britishracecar.com]
When I made my fenders I went to a lot of trouble to reproduce the line because I think it is part of the identity of the car right down to the fade away at the rear by the tail light.







Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 09/04/2012 11:41AM by Jim Stabe.

I have considered it, but not for long. The work required to remove it is, well, a lot. It does cause issues with the wheelwell flares and as Jim says it is an identifying feature so there are quite a few pros and cons. Sort of like the joiner strips on top of the fenders. My feeling is that if they are not there it raises a question of why? Body damage? Rust? And while nobody here would be likely to have removed them for those reasons it still raises the question.

I'm a little inclined to think that SBF owners are a bit more likely to remove them. Not to single anyone out but they seem on average a bit less concerned with such traditional identifiers and more willing to make some of the more radical changes. Pot calling the kettle black here I know, just a personal observation and not meant as a criticism.

Jim

Jim

I thought quite a while before removing the fender joint strips for the reasons you mentioned and I may regret it after the car is painted. In the end, I went for a slightly smoother look. Have to wait and see.

Looks great on Mike Moor's car. Not a Ford. ;)

Carl

Do you know if Mike welded the front fender to cowl gap or just filled in with lead so it would be repairable?

It's been so long I've forgotten. I'll ask him. I think they were welded by his paint/body guru friend.

I welded mine. Was worried if I didn't it'd crack over time. Repair doesn't seem much harder to me. One line to cut and fender will come off.

Jim,

Don Marcott "stitch" welded mine - a series of short welds spaced 2 - 3 inches apart - and then filled in the seam. This way, you get the rigidity of a welded seam, but if you ever have to replace a panel, you only have to cut a few welds. So far, so good. Four years and 11,500 miles later, no cracks.

Don is a 75 year old retired master bodyman who owned a large body shop for his entire adult life, and is still doing body work in his home shop while his sons carry on the business. You should see the work he did on my car up close!

Dan

Did he use lead or plastic filler? I hope to have my car at the 2014 V8 meet in Colorado Springs, see you there? I'm anxious to see a lot of the cars I have only been able to see in pictures.

Jim,

He used plastic. I'll be at V8 2014 if I can at all, just to see your car if for no other reason.

We didn't remove them but did round them out a bit with body filler to soften up the edge. Also kept the fender bead as it does seem to me to be an identifying feature of the MG.

Jim,

Mike said his are welded/plastic filler, as well.

This is going to solve a couple issues I have. My new windshield doesn't cover the really wide part of the fender gap and I now know how I'm going to attach the fenders at the bottom, thanks guys.

Jim,
I'd strongly advise welding your fender-to-cowling gap... Lead is easier, quicker and... much weaker!

I've seen three examples of lead cracking and ruining relatively new paint jobs.For a trailer queen, maybe you get by... but hard driving and big torkin' V-8 mommas twisting on the unibody? It just won't hold and was never intended to glue anything together. Ask the old lead production guys. If they had our current modern bonding and filling agents, we'd never see lead. Yes, I've smeared some of it around for a dozen years... but no more. Also remember it will not weld so you will have to grind it out and the dust can be a killer. Local paint shops have to wear the full hood, hasmat gear while removing and they hate it and charge extra.

On my 71B, I removed the chrome and welded up the holes but used impregnated short glass hair filler, followed with skim coat to produce a more mellow line. Still think it needs the line, but more subtle and NO chrome.
personal choice makes for more interesting cars... I'll bet your no-line approach will be a really slick !
Cheers,
Don B.

I'm almost done with the radiator shrouding and then I have to make the hood before I pull the engine back out and start in on finishing up the bodywork chores. I still need to finish up the front valence and undertray, make new lower sections for the front fenders, fill in the parking light holes and couple other little niggly tasks I have been putting off. I want to get all the underside metal work done and epoxy primered and the body straight with 80 grit and epoxy primered and then I will start assembling the car for shakedown. I'd like to start it next spring and drive it for a couple months to work out the inevitable bugs and then take it apart for paint and finishing.