10 replies to this topic

[flite]

I am attempting to repair the flange on the front panel of my car.  The panel itself is in excellent shape aside from a dangerously thin flange that needs to be reinforced prior to having the wing welded on.

 

I was hoping not to replace the corner of the front panel just because of this flange, and was thinking about doing the following:

 

Creating a reinforcement patch in the same shape of the flange and spot welding it on - that way when the wing comes down on it, it should be stronger.  Is this acceptable?  What is your take on the proper way to repair - not replace - this flange if at all possible?

 

I have included photos of the damaged flange as well as a shot of the reinforcement piece I created resting on it...  Also, the car is currently upside down on a rotisserie (hence the awkward vantage point.)

 

 

 

[Minidarren83]

To be honest just putting that repair piece over the top or underneath as it would be, will not last very long the rust that is present in the old flange will just bubble back through a couple of months after you paint it and eat through the bit you put on. The best and only way to do it is cut the rot out and replace and with the flange an invisible repair should be easy just weld on the bend and blend it all smooth

[flite]

Thanks for the comment.  Just to be clear though, there is no rust.  Everything you see has been blasted and all rot has already been removed.  The problem is the flange, although clean, is dangerously thin...

[Paul Wiginton]

When you spotweld flanges together you will never be able to stop rust forming between the layers. This is a rust trap area on the Mini anyway and now you are looking to add another layer to increase the possiblity of rust. Sure it will work but it will never be a long term repair. I would cut off the thin part of the flange and weld on new metal

[flite]

I do understand that anytime flanges are spot welded together there are pockets in between that could host rust; however, there is no way around that as flanges are welded together all over this car.  So aside from properly seam sealing everything, that's the risk we take in owning these cars.  If this flange was fine to begin with, and I spot welded it to the flange on the brand new wing there is still going to be risk for rust.  So you think adding this additional support layer in between will make the likelihood of rust higher even if it is seam sealed properly?

 

In other words - don't do this repair, I should buy the repair corner piece for the front panel, cut off the flange and weld it on?

[Paul Wiginton]

Do it how you want to but I would just cut out a new piece of steel and weld it in place, you asked for the proper way to do it

[olds_kool_lews]

Why not just weld on the repair strip you have already made and cut off the old bit?

[sonikk4]

Why not just weld on the repair strip you have already made and cut off the old bit?

 

+1

[myredmini]

As above, the correct repair is too cut off the old flange and join the new piece on the edge and use careful grinding to have a clean repair.

[corrado vr6]

As above is exactly how I did mine

[flite]

Thanks guys.  Will do.