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Triumph TR3 - sheet metal patch panels

I have rust on both the R & L side of my TR3B in the lower 4" of the dogleg quarter panel.

I have fabricated many pieces of metal repair panels so far on this car, but I can't seem to build these small panel sections. I do not want to buy new quarter panels to cut off 4 " at the bottom.

Do any of you know of a metal fabricator that has made these small panels and could make a set for me. Or do any of you know a sheetmetal worker that is familiar enought with the TR3 body to fabricate these two small pieces and mail them to me.

As always, I look forward to your valuable advice.

Doug
Doug

The parts you want are LH Outer Quarter panel # 850043 and RH Outer Quarter panel # 850044. Roadster Factory lists them at $120.00 US$ = CDN$180.00 each.

These are made for them by North Devon Metalcraft in England and while this site does not list them, you could ask if they have the patch panels you are looking for.

http://www.ndmetal.co.uk/price%20list.htm

All the parts I needed that were simple enough, I had them made here in Montreal at a very reasonable cost by a sheetmetal shop that specialises in bending metal for these restorations and repairs. The set I just welded on were bought all made - probably by North Devon.

THe shop I know could probably make them but now they are welded into place, there is no way he could duplicate tham. Too bad you didn't ask 2 months ago.

Try a shop like this closer to where you live.

Don Elliott, Original Owner, 1958 TR3A
http://www.tr-register.co.uk/images/memberscars/trusty.jpg
Don Elliott

Thanks for your comments and advice Don.

I am trying to avoid buying a whole body panel when I need such a small part of it.

I have managed to hand produce many panels for this project myself, but this one has me stumped.

In BC, I have not been able to locate a shop that is familiar with the car and can make metal parts based on their knowledge and their own experience with a TR3A. They probably are out there, I just haven't found one. A metal worker that has or knows how to spec from a tr3 available to him could live anywhere in Canada and supply replacement parts to me.

I am leary of cutting off the panel and then hoping to get one build to go back onto the car (I like to have close fit panels before I remove the old one). Maybe I will need to break my tried and true habit for these panels.

Thanks again and I thank you for offering such helpful advice to me as an amateur - but an amateur that will finish this project.

Doug


Doug

Hey we're all amateurs. I had only taken a high school tech course for brazing and welding with oxy-acetylene when I re-did my Volvo 544 (old round back like a beetle) about 1975. That was good practice for the TR3A which I did myself from 1987 to 1990.

How are you welding these pieces together ? I use a MIG welder with CO2 and Argon shielding gas.

To see all the photos of how it was and what I did, click on the Montreal TR site :-

http://www.rucompatible.com/triumphmtl/

Make sure the volume on you computer speakers is turned on.

Then click on "Member Cars" as well as on "Memebr Profiles". You can scroll down and find my photos.

You will also see the tool chest, MIG welder and my air compressor. The TR3A I'm doing now is for an owner in Toronto. Mine took me 3 years. I've been on his more than 4 years now. Still a long way to go.

Can't you bang a piece of 22 gauge sheetmetal into the curves you need against a heavy leather hammering bag full of sand ? If you don't have one, make one out of a pile of sand on the floor covered with a piece of canvas or leather. Make a hollow in the sand pile, lay on the canvas and using a rounded hammer or mallet, hit down in the center depression on the metal laying on the sand pile and the edges will curve up where you need them.

Voila as we say here in La Belle Province.

Do you need the flat bottom on your piece which then bends down again - that goes over to be welded to the outer bottom flange of the inner sill ? Do you need both sides ? I could drive my TR over to this shop and see if he can make something on the spot for you. They might be $40 or $50 CDN each.

He will make them more than 4" high. They always do. There is usually more rod there than you think. How high do you really need them ?

Don Elliott, 1958 TR3A
Don Elliott

BTW - Are you a member of any of the TR clubs in BC ? Maybe their members could help with the name of a sheetmetal shop in your area.

The BC Triumph Registry is at :-

http://www3.telus.net/bc_triumph_registry/

Don Elliott, 1958 TR3A
http://mysite.freeserve.com/trebor/don3a_big.JPG
Don Elliott

Hi Doug,

Not sure where your located in BC.

This fellow is highly rated in the hot rod area and is a Brit car specialist. Seems to be working on a 3 at this time if web page is current?

http://www.paneldoctor.com/

Bill
Bill Brayford

Thanks for the comments Bill and Don:

Don, the panel sections I need to have made or make are the bottom of the outer quarter panels that do go under the inner sill and the sill is also welded behind them. Normally the metal would be hidden by the stone guards. The panel folds over the inner fender and has compound curves and I have not figured out how to make them yet (I have made a good wood mold that didn't work for 18 or 20 gauge metal, but since I have never used 22 gauge for replacement sheetmetal I will try to shape it next.)

I have the car at home, in frame up re-creation. I can leave these two panels until much later since I have a few hundred other areas to work on. I will need to address them sometime so I was starting my search at this time. My preference is to have a repair panel close to what I need before I remove metal so I prefer to not cut out the area and take it to shop to make up a panel. I might have to break that rule in this case.

Thanks for the offer to have them made up at your local metal shop. I may take you up on that down the road.


Bill, I do not live near the Panel Doctor and I also have read his site and I look forward to him completing his TR3 restoration story on his site.

Thanks for your comments. I just found this Board so I look forward to monitoring it.


Doug

Doug - When I did mine during 1987 to 1990, I put in two new rear quarter panels from top to bottom. They fit fine at the bottom. But on the one I'm doing now the new rear quarter panels fit OK except where the bottom part folds under and over to the lowest flange on the inner sill. I had to have separate pieces made with a sideways "L" profile to go along horizontally and then down to the flange on the inner sill. I cut off what was not right, joggled in a sheetmetal step and overlap welded it all to fit.

You may have to do the same. Or is the bottom bit still solid on both sides ?

Don Elliott
Don Elliott

This thread was discussed between 22/04/2004 and 29/04/2004

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