REPAIRS PAGE 101
REAR 3/4 PANEL REPLACEMENT
Most members
will probably be thinking, blimey! This is a bit radical for the usual rear arch
rust-bug!
Well,
perhaps it is a bit, although as will become apparent later on, it’s not quite
as outrageous an option as it might first appear.
Anyway,
‘I’ve’ just recently done it on my S/C – not because of wheel arch rust
but because of accident damage sustained near Le Mans in 2002.
This bent
the o/s panel around the air intake and above the arch itself, so I did a
temporary repair in the full knowledge that a full panel replacement would be
needed at some point in the future.
This bought
me time to acquire a ‘new’ panel by means other than visiting the local Toyota
dealer – where they cost around £400. To be fair though this panel is
substantial – it includes the full B post from sill to roof line and the C
pillar as well as the panel itself. The panel of course extends from the B post
back to the tail light clusters and from the boot line down to the sills. Its
also quite heavy – some small consolation for the similar cost.
Eventually I
acquired such from a stalwart NW club member who had bought it for his own
restoration that went ‘pear-shaped’.
Thanks John,
you know it now resides in a good home or car!
Next the job
was booked in with our own NE guru Paul Woods – with him to do it – with my
assistance – I know my place!!
Anyway, to
cut a long story short the job went very well and Paul reckons it’s actually
easier than arch replacements!?
Details of
the job itself will follow in later issues.
Alan Jones