Wheel Well Patch Panels

[AYooperA]

Looking for wheel well patch panels for my ‘29 Phaeton. Word on the street is that they are no longer produced. Contacted all the Usual Suspects (Suppliers) and no luck. Looks like I will have to try and fabricate/form that bump from sheet stock.

 

[Keith True]

Do you really need whole new panels?Looks like you just need to make up some patches to weld in those holes.

 

[AYooperA]

Yes that’s what I will do. MIG weld into the better material. There’s a slight radius step and then bends under sub rail. Adventures in welding/fabrication. Finished the fender issues moved on to the body now. Outside of this area the body is in good shape.

 

[AYooperA]

Inside View

 

[wrndln]

I agree with Keith True, Why replace the fender well(s). On my 29 phaeton, I repaired worse problems that you have. I replaced some of the worst area with new sheetmetal and other smaller places I put some copper material (usually copper water pipe flatten out) and made my own sheetmetal with my Lincoln SP100 MIG with gas. I removed the quarterpanels for better access. I have a lot of pictures I took repairing the serious rust outs. If you want to see them, let me know. BTW, most patch panels are crap.

Rusty Nelson

 

[Oldbluoval]

I’ve done MANY wheel well patches. Cut out only the rot, to good Henry metal, and replace just that! It’s a huge mistake to cut out good metal.

 

[AYooperA]

Wrndln, yes more pictures are definitely welcome. I am going to go at just like you and preserve as much original as possible. I would prefer to avoid removing panel rivets if possible. Maybe I could grind & weld/fill up bad areas. I see you are from Minneapolis area. Lived there for 7 years and was in the TCMAC for a while. Moved in 2016 but maybe paths crossed.

 

[gdmn852]

Hello, I can say for sure the repro panels have short comings at least on a 31 roadster .As suggested just repair the rusted areas and use weld . The car I am working on was hit on passenger side and they used braze to repair it , weld works much like the parent metal, once braze is used makes it hard to weld .

 

[Oldbluoval]

Brazing is a @#?!
I just finished one that had more brass than I’ve ever seen. You basically have to cut out the brass and find good steel. It caused me to have to put 6-8” patches all around as they had used the height of purchased panels as the start point! That’s why I say patch only up to where u find solid steel. Often just 2-2 1/2 “.
I make the patches for the embossings under the wheel wells. That enables me to patch the heights noted above.
Also, 2 1/2” allows access to the subrail which often needs a patch too. Albeit heavier that the skin, it usually rusts out too.

 

[Tinbasher]

This is a great area to learn how to shape and weld sheet metal. The more you do, the more you'll do.