Fitting Alu side panels

[davidimurray]

What is the consensous on how to fit aluminium side panels. My current thought it is to make the panel up and bend all the flanges over. I would like to make the panel - removeable so i can continue to work on the car before I finally sikaflex and rivet it onThe bottom edge will be rivetted so i can use clecos here. What I'm not quite sure about is the top edge. Should I rivet it all the way along - or should I use a couple of strategic rivets and sikaflex it down on the final fix. I presume rivets are ok for IVA. My concern with a line of rivets is how the scuttle bonnet and nosecone will sit then.

Any opinions, pics etc much appreciated.

Cheers

Dave

[AshG]

i used 6 strategic rivets along the top one at each end and 1 on each side of the bend cut lines.

i used 4 rivets on the side at the back going into the sb rails which you cant see once the wheel arches are on.

on the bottom edge of the panel i did a rivet through the side panel and floor every 2.5inch.

everything was stika flexed and after nearly 1500miles there are no signs of anything coming loose.

[mark]

Rivets are fine for iva

If you just leave the areas under the scuttle and nose so they will sit flush on the sides with no probs, im assuming you will rivnut these areas anyway to hold them down

The sikaflex and a rivets are more than capable of holding the sides on so leaving some gaps where the scuttle and nose go wont make any difference.

I also sikaflexed along where the bonnet sits too so there is no rivets where the side meets the bonnet either for a nice fit

You could use counter sunk rivets if you need to though

[davidimurray]

Cheers guys - good to see I'm thinking in the right direction. Did you sikaflex along the top edge before bending the top flange over, or did you take the panel off, then sikaflex, then panel back on. I'm thinking that if i 'fitted' my panel temporarily for a month or two, I could then sikaflex everything, hook the top flange over the car, then manouver the bottom under, calmps everywhere and rivet the bottom through the floor. Sorry for all the questions - I'm hoping to get this right first time ;)

[drury318]

I cut my sides to book dimensions & held them in place whilst I popped 2 or 3 clecos in, then bent the top & bottom over, it`s quite easy to bend.
I then drilled the top every 6 inches or so & eventually rivetted with 4mm countersunk rivets which sit flush. When I came to fit the scuttle etc if there was a rivet in the way I just drilled it out and replaced with a rivnut quite easily.
My sides were on & off for a while before finally bonding on with Tigerseal/Sikaflex along the side rails & top and bottom edges too.

Dennis

[davidimurray]

Just on the scrounge - does anyone have a handful of sealed countersunk rivets I could buy off someone - would prefer sealed over normal. Seems a shame to buy a whole box when I only need about 20 max.