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MG MGB Technical - Help - MGB rear wing replacement

I have just purchaced a lower rear wing repair panel - made by steel craft. I'm having a problem fitting the wing to my mgb roadster 1969, the replacement wing measures 120cm along the top edge - to be welded under the chrome strip. The original wing still in place at the moment, measures 120.5cm!! ie. the replacement panel apprears to be 0.5cm too short. I have checked with the MG club who have confirmed that the panel size is correct. Has anyone come accross this problem before? - is there a solution?
PS. There are no signs of damage to the original wings and they have not been joined. I have removed all paint to get an accurate measurment.

Regards
D Beardsmore

Where are you measuring the wing - if I recollect correctly the join is intended to run along the body crease - not at the bottom of the chrome strip.

Offering up the replacement panel to the existing wing should show whether it will fit properly.
Chris at Octarine Services

Many thanks Chris,
When I say under, I mean once the chrome strip has been removed rather than below. Is it possible to measure along the top edge of one of your replacement panels and let me have the measurments?

Regards
D Beardsmore

D,

The panels that have just gone onto my car were a similar amount too short, and as such have given the car a rather stretched & narrowed look. I'm hoping to use brute force and ignorance to restore its former shape!

These panels were also steelcraft but I bought them several years ago so the ones available now may well be different.

fwiw,
--
Olly
Oliver Stephenson

I had the same exact problem with the Steelcraft panel on the driver's side of my car. I ended up cutting the panel vertically above the wheel arch and adding in an "extension". The other problem I had was getting the curve below the door to fit exactly right and this also required some grinding/cutting/welding and cursing. If I had to do it all over again I would leave about 1" of metal behind the B post and flange it down. Then cut the leading edge off of your replacement panel and make a lap joint over the depressed sheet metal.

Aftermarket panels, even good ones rarely fit exactly right.

Scott
Scott Wooley

Many thanks.
Does anyone know of any other panels (non steelcraft) which may fit (ie. 120.5cm long). Is it possible for someone to measure their replacement panels - I may have been sold one from a bad batch!

Regards
D
D Beardsmore

This information is at least 2nd hand, but a friend of mine told me you could now get a heritage panel that goes all the way up to the T piece on the top of the wing. As may know the rear wings have always been an assembly of a number of section welded together. The new panel that is available is apparently just one of those sections.

I have only heard this by word of mouth and have never seen them advertised. Having fitted a lower half in the past, it does seem like a sensible development if true.

David
David Witham

D, take a couple more measurements on the new panel. Is it short on the front or rear side of the wheel opening? When I installed my replacement fenders, I left the most forward section of the fender - just behind the door opening - in tact and welded on to it. I left approximately 1/2" of the old fender, and trimmed the replacement to fit the opening. This way, you can also make certain that the doo rgap will be perfect! I also trimmed off the top of the replacement fender so that the seam was behind the chrome strip. This way any imperfections would be hidden. All welds should be butt welds, not overlap or you will need to use an enormous amount of body filler to make things look proper.
Jeff Schlemmer

We are spoilt with the MGB and it's panel availabilty. If you buy a panel for an exotic it will have been made by hand and eye on a wheeling machine , and you would expect to have to stretch and/or shrink it when it meets the car.
S Best

This thread was discussed between 27/04/2005 and 29/04/2005

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