Panel Removing. How To Do It?

[johnhenry 20]

Strip down is coming along well!

 

Upon stripping, Ive stumbled on the fact I am going to be needing new front wings, new cross member(the bit below the radiator), and possibly a new rear quarter panel :/

 

Basically, how does one go about removing each of these areas? there seems to be loads of seam sealer everywhere, is it a case of wire brushing this off or what? The final stage of 'splitting' the panel from the car itself also concerns me How does one do that? is it a case of a chisel and gentle persuasion?

I will be consulting Haynes manual in a bit, but would appreciate a more '205 drivers' response as these are always more helpful!

 

When it comes to reattaching elements, ribbon weld and seam sealer right? Does it have to be Bare metal for the sealer to work correctly or should it be primed?

 

Many thanks

John

 

PS: its all very novice i know, but its the first 'panel' journey ive been on!

[omega 82]

with the wings remove all the bolts and if someone has replaced it in the past a good tug and it might come off.but if its orginal i used a heat gun and a scraper and it still took ages.it also stinks so dont breath it in and dont do it inside.also wear gloves as hot seal on the hands is not funny.

[mhyphenl 10 1 Cars]

with the wings remove all the bolts and if someone has replaced it in the past a good tug and it might come off.but if its orginal i used a heat gun and a scraper and it still took ages.it also stinks so dont breath it in and dont do it inside.also wear gloves as hot seal on the hands is not funny.

 

The wings dont need welding on, just a good bead of tiger seal on all the mating faces, dont forget the seal on the former behind the wing that seperates the wheel arch area from the side indicator area and bolt it all back on. Make sure you fit without sealant first to get all your gaps right! If you get the adjustments on the bonnet and doors right you can tweak the wings a little when you do the final fit. If you do the doors and bonnet after permanently fixing the wings you'll never get the gaps right!

[matt.f 16]

Really is too long to explain every stage of fitting a quarter especially without pics.

If I get a spare 15mins tomorrow I'll post it up mate.

[johnhenry 20]

Really is too long to explain every stage of fitting a quarter especially without pics.

If I get a spare 15mins tomorrow I'll post it up mate.

 

cheers mate! perfect timing if you are, finished the fronts today - thanks for all the pointers guys!

[matt.f 16]

Just a brief explanation if the car is stripped out of all trim at the side where the quarter is being fit:

Firstly i wouldnt be doing this if you are not a competant welder.

Presuming you have air tools which make it a hell of a lot easier ie. air saw etc.Also presuming you dont have a spot welder so the new panel is mig welded on

 

1-Look at the new panel and you get a good idea of how much you need to cut and what is joined where,for removal of the old panel.Try and lap it over the old one to roughly mark on the b and c posts how much you get(or measure from the badge resesses upwards,so you dont cut too much off the old panel!)

 

2-Drill all spot welds(with a spot weld drill bit 8mm) holding the panel on and cut with an air saw across where the quarter joins the sill leaving the spot welds on(spot welds are on the inside!).Just go through the old panel with the drill bit and not the inner panel,the drill bit drills flat.Drill in the centre of spot welds.

 

3-Cut the old quarter with an air saw on the b and c posts BELOW where you have marked where the new panel reaches.This will be above the badge resesses.

 

4-The panel will now be loose apart from some spot welds might need chiseling to loosen them(check them all) and sealer which is holding the panel on.

 

5-Heat the sealer up with a heat gun,and pull the panel off from the top with your hands(gloves needed),pay attention to the inner strenthener which is boded on just higher up than the wheel arch.You will be able to see where its holding as your doing it.Remove the old panel.

 

6-Now drill the spot welds you have left on in section 1(will be welded to the sill still),that flange can now be removed.

 

7-Clean all mating surfaces up with a grinder(where you drilled the spot welds)to bare metal on the car.Try to leave any old marks where the old panel sat,more than likely be round the inside of boot area and around the back light,this will make it easier when you re-align.

 

8-Offer the new quarter panel upto the car and over lap the panel over the cuts on the b and c posts and fit the panel to the car.

 

9-With the panel loose shut the door and get the gap right making sure the quarter is at the correct height and is pretty flush with the door,same goes with the back where the tailgate shuts,make sure it fits and you can probably use the old marks you left on in section 7,try back light in also.Grip the panel in place so it doesnt move.

 

10-Cut through where the panel is overlapped on b and c posts making sure you go through both the old and new quarters.DONT go so far as cutting through the inner panel on the car!This will give a perfect join for you to weld to.The higher you go up the quarter the better because the join will be smaller.

 

11-Remove the new quarter and the old part which you have just cut through which might still be attached to the car.

 

12-Apply zinc weld through primer to the bare metal on the car.

 

13-Using a hole punch or drill holes about 6-7mm around the new quarter flange,about 2 inch apart replicating the spot welds holding the panel on in the first place,clean around the holes so they are bare metal.

 

14-Bare metal both the car and quarter where you cut through in section 10,this is so you can weld to it.

 

15-The panel is ready to go on,put some sealer on the inner strenthener and offer the panel upto the car and grip in place making sure the door gap and tailgate gaps are correct,also line up whre the new panel meets the old one where you are going to weld across.See * for alternative sill joints at bottom of guide.

 

16-Making sure everything lines up and the panel joints are nice and flush tac the new quarter across the joints on b and c post.One small tac every half inch or so.DO NOT try and weld right across or you will massivly distort the panel.Might be easier if you go back and foreward from one end to the other so not to distort.

 

17-Id now go and plug weld all the holes you put in the new quarter around all the appatures and around the inside of the back light etc.

 

18-Now go back to the main joints on b and c posts,weld inbetween the tacs so the whole join looks like a full weld.BE CAREFULL not to distort the panel its very easilly done especially on thin crappy Peugeot metal!

 

19-Grind off all plug welds and both joins on b and c post making sure not to let the weld go purple and too hot.Watch the b and c post joints for warping again with the heat.I use a stone to take them down and then a disc to smooth them off.The joins will more than likely have sunk a bit with the heat of welding,dont worry too much as it can be rectified and will need filling anyway.

 

****-Theres different ways you can join the quarter to the sill.

-Try and mig plug from the inside

-Get some decent tacs from the outside and grind down

-Metal bond,quite a new method and what id be doing but you will need to buy some and a gun

 

20-Thats it,then the joins and plug welds need filling but that another guide altogether.

 

Thats just a rough guide and is quite a time consuming job and best left to the proffetionals imo!,unless you know what your doing

Also best off spot welding the panel back on,again imo.

[bensonmi 4 2 Cars]

quickest way to get a wing off is un bolt it all and use a knife to cut through the sealer, works a treat!