Rear wing order of assembly

[foster461]

I am going to be able to fit the first of the outer body panels this weekend, the right rear fender. There are several components that need to end up sandwiched together and I'm wondering what is the best order to assemble them that avoids the least harm to the new paint. The stone guards were all fettled prior to painting so in theory should go on with minimal drama.

 

For example, is it best to loosely mount the wing and then add the beading, slide on the large stone guard and then tighten the bolts or should the stone guard be installed on the wing first and then mount the wing, add the beading etc ?

 

Stan

[Fireman049]

Hi Stan ~

 

When I recently refitted the rear wings (fenders) to my TR I first fitted the large stoneguard to make absolutely

sure that it fitted properly. As my wings were already painted once the stoneguards fitted I left them on the wings.

Before fitting the wing I applied a sealant between the wing and body. The sealant I used was 'Indasa' windscreen

sealer. This does not harden and prevents water being trapped between wings and body.

I then loosely bolted the wing to the body and then fitted the beading. Once the beading was in place I bolted up

the wing. Don't forget the bend up the beading securing tabs under the wing.

I also sprayed Waxoyl at the wing/body joint.

 

Tom.

 

PS: Good Luck trying to fit the rear wing 'clamps'!!

Edited April 2, 2015 by Fireman049

[foster461]

Thanks Tom, that sounds like a plan - do the complicated bit on the bench. I'm anticipating an adventure getting that rear clamp on but at least by that point the fender will be secured to the tub.

 

I have some 3M strip sealant for the fender to tub seal and Waxoyl to put under the stone guards. Some of the worst rot that I had to deal with was under the stone guards.

 

Stan

[TR 2100]

I have no quibbles with the above – all good advice.

But IMO it is critical where you start the fitting – from

back to front or front to back.

 

I hesitate to say anything as Stuart has way more skill

and experience than I, but he doesn’t seem to be around

at the mo’.

So, to prompt Stuart into action, I’ll give my thoughts.

 

Certainly do a trial run to see what problems you may

encounter.

 

The front part of the rear wing is more flexible, giving

some room for fettling. So, start fitting with the junction

with the rear apron (the ‘clamps’ can wait). This is the

most obvious point where mis-alignment will show. Then

the front part can be flexed a bit to get the best alignment.

 

My experience of (Stanpart) rear wings tells me that often

the lip on the rear wing is not bent tight enough, and this

limits the clamping acting when you bolt the wing to the shell.

Good idea, therefore, to make sure the rear wing lip is bent

in sufficiently, maybe even over-bent.

 

Fitting the rear wing stoneguards was always a problem, even

with Stanpart items. I never really cracked that one, and don’t

have any experience with repro stoneguards. I will just say

that you need to get the rear wing stoneguard rammed onto

the rear wing FULLY or it will project too far at the bottom.

 

If I ever had to prepare a rear wing again (highly unlikely)

I would fit the stoneguard before painting and do a trial fit

before painting.

 

AlanR

[Rodbr]

Hi Stan,

When preparing the wing beading wrap each one of the tabs with masking tape and space roughly and work rear to front

as the fit of the wing and trunk edge will highlight deficiencies.

The tape helps prevent damage to paint while you fit and refit stone guards. In my view get the wing to fit as well

as possible before playing with fine detail of the stone guards.Slide them up from below and seal with Indasa

when you are happy with the fit.

I spent a lot of time using a NOS set (still in Stanpart wrapping) and two sets of repro ones and finally used the

best fit repro ones as they fitted better than the NOS ones onto Original steel wing. Go figure that out!!!!

 

In hindsight I would probably put a strip of masking tape down the length of both wing and body while I played

with getting the best fit.

 

Good luck

Rod

[stuart]

The secret is in the prep which is all done long before any primer/paint goes anywhere near the tub or the wings.By the time its painted and ready to fit you will probably have had the wings on and off about a dozen times if your lucky and possibly 20 or more if you are trying fit repro or previously repaired ones.

Like Alan says often the angle of the return where the bolts go through isnt right and needs to be bent in or out so that the wing will snug up to the body reasonably well. (The reason that there is beading between is because Triumph or more specifically Mulliners who built the bodies couldnt get the joins very good!) Stoneguards are always a problem and do take an awful lot of fettling to get right. Luckily being of a reasonable thickness of ally you can bend them around an if needs be after flat and polish any dings out. I do prefer to get them to fit first before putting the wing on, as to painting with them on or off one trick is to just get a colour coat on the wing and then fit the guard with a drop of waxoyl behind it, carefully wipe all round again with spirit wipe to remove any excess waxoyl and then using the latest 3M plastic lining tape mask the edge to the paint and then mask the rest of the guard as normal then finish the wing painting, that way you wont damage the paint so much while fitting the guards and the plastic edge tape is easier to remove. Always remove it right after painting the last coat while it is still soft and draw the tape away back towards the guard to stop it lifting the edge assisting with a scalpel if required.

Once painted apply a layer of non setting sealer to the body edge, I prefer to do two thin lines one at the top of the joint flange and one at the bottom and then do a circle around each bolt hole. Fit the three bolts down the back panel edge with them just caught and with the washer stuck back to the head with a bit of sealer round it. Then offer the wing up by engaging the rear end (Slotted holes that you will have already filed to correct shape.) Then fit another bolt in the top centre of the arch just catching it to hold the wing and keeping pressure on the wing forwards and in the correct line to stop the rear bolts disengaging, then loosely catch all the rest of the mounting bolts with the exception of the rear screw in the boot side aperture that holds the flat bracket. (Put a circle of sealer under each washer.) Now with some 2" masking tape mask along the top edge of the wing and the top of the rear tonneau panel and down the quarter panel up to the join edge and down the edge of the back panel and the edge of the wing under the light aperture to protect the paint while you insert the beading. Now do up the bolts a little so that the wing is just contacting your beads of sealer.Then separate the tabs on the short rear beading to miss the bolts and then fit the lower rear beading in between, the sealer will hold it roughly in place and then making sure that the wing sits nice over the rear light plinth by pressing it in and forwards do up the top bolt of the three down the back panel edge keeping pressure on the beading so it doesnt squeeze out of place or slide down wards. A quick placing of the rear light on the plinth will tell you where the bead needs to sit. Then Insert the main beading into place sliding the tabs back or forwards to go between the bolts, the beading is flexible enough to be able to lift portions of it out and slide the tabs around when they all try to slide up to one end! You can put bits of tape round the beading to stop them sliding but as soon as you have each tab in between the flange in the right place relative to its nearest bolt remove the tape. Dont put tape round the tabs themselves as you will never get it off and it will make the tabs rust if left in place. Once you have the beading inserted far enough so the tabs arent going to slide around then remove the 2" tape from the body and the wings as you will never get it out once the beading is pulled down.

Now go back and finish tightening the bolts down the back panel with a hand inside pulling the tabs in and pressure on the outside so the beading sits in as tight as possible Now fit the screw and bracket at the rear end of the boot aperture and make sure it grips the rear end of the beading and pulls the wing into the light plinth. Then start to tighten the rest of the wing bolts working from the top middle out and keeping pressure down on the beading and pulling down on the tabs from underneath. Check the beading at the back where it meets the light so it sits right to it. You will have to probably compromise on the beading fit at the top of the large stone guard unless you are lucky and the wing has enough of a cut in on the mounting flange for the guard to fit and sit flush on the inner edge. Make sure that the bottom of the guard is level with the bottom of the small guard on the body. Once you have all the bolts tight and the beading is sitting as good as you can get it only then can you bend the tabs over and clean up any excess sealer that will have squeezed out.

Now fit your rear wheel and fit and adjust the lower wing to chassis stay so that the wings are equal and covering as much of the tire as possible (Depending on what wheels and tires fitted.)

Its not a five minute job to fit these wings and another person to help you is a boon.

Stuart.

[TR 2100]

A big thankyou to Stuart for such detail.

 

Stuart - you have created something that will be referred to

for as long as TR2/3/3A/3Bs are being rebuilt.

 

AlanR

[Ian Vincent]

I put masking tape around the edges of where the stone guards fit before trial fitting them. When I came to the final fit I used black screen sealant to stick them in place but that was because the car was dark green. In your case I would probably use clear silicon sealant. I also used screen sealant between the wing and the body.

 

I started fitting the wing at the back and bolted it loosely in all the holes before inserting the trim strip. Then I went round progressively pushing the trim into place aligning the wing and tightening the bolts.

 

I didn't have a problem with the rear clamp but maybe I was lucky.

 

Final job was removing the excess sealant with petrol.

 

Rgds Ian

 

I started this post before Stuart gave you the right way to do it. Maybe I should have asked first when I fitted mine?

Edited April 3, 2015 by Ian Vincent

[stuart]

I put masking tape around the edges of where the stone guards fit before trial fitting them. When I came to the final fit I used black screen sealant to stick them in place but that was because the car was dark green. In your case I would probably use clear silicon sealant. I also used screen sealant between the wing and the body.

 

I started fitting the wing at the back and bolted it loosely in all the holes before inserting the trim strip. Then I went round progressively pushing the trim into place aligning the wing and tightening the bolts.

 

I didn't have a problem with the rear clamp but maybe I was lucky.

 

Final job was removing the excess sealant with petrol.

 

Rgds Ian

If you use any type of silicon sealer forget ever doing any more painting.

Stuart.

[foster461]

Holy **** Stuart, I hope you remembered to breathe while typing that up.

 

Thanks everyone for the additional detail. I have lots of practice mounting all of the body panels on the tub, I could do it blindfolded but all of that practice was with a tub and panels in primer and without the complexity of stone guards and beading. I will definitely get someone to assist and use some de-stickyed masking tape to protect as much as I can.

 

Stan