capri mk3 wing replacement

[vibrating_Cake]

can someone throw a step by step guide up on removing steel wings and replacing them with fibreglass wings... possibly bolt on? like wheres all the spot welds n whats the best way to do em, fully drilling spot welds out leaving holes, using them holes to bolt wings down with...

 

or spot weld drill the spot welds and drill the wings thru?

[Beakster]

Hey,

 

You can drill the spot welds out. Its not alot of fun. Some nice sharp spot weld drill bits from Frost are what you need there. You can usually feel and see the spot welds to drill out, but its always hard because there's always bits you miss.

 

My metal wings were well past it, so I just used an angle grinder to grind through them. Once you have the metal wings off you are guaranteed to find work needing done to the A pillars and drip rails. I made completely new drip rails for mine.

 

Once you have wings off and all good metal there, you can see about getting the fibreglass wings on. They will need some work to fit right, for example I had to cut large sections out around the lights so that the bezels and light units would fit. You will also need to cut the gap between the wing and door, as when my wings went on they overlapped the doors!

 

You can drill and use self tappers to bolt them on. You will also need to do some work with filler here and there to get them smooth before painting, and the holes for the corner bumper brackets need cutting out, as will the side repeaters if you are fitting them.

 

Have a look at my projects thread for all the photos of how I fitted mine. Its at http://www.oldskoolford.co.uk/phpBB2/vi ... sc&start=0

 

Here's some pics to give you an idea:

 

 

 

 

 

Overall its a quite a bit of work, but I think it will be worth it in the end.

 

Good luck

[Fishtailparka]

Use the type of spotweld drill bit that doesn't make a hole. Just drill throught the weld and then stop. Use a crdless drill, they are much better for that job.

I think there are a couple of bolts too, and your door is going to have to come off.

Should be easy to see where the spotwelds are by the dimples they make.

You don't need as many bolts as there are spotwelds, and you don't need M8 bolts to hold them on, which is the size the drill would make if you go right through.

I bolted my f/g wings onto my Escort, but I reckon I would glue them on next time.

 

While your wings off treat/weld/paint all that needs it, and there will be some believe me.