Rear Panel to side panel Join

[MikeB]

I'm trying to get my side panels fitted,
For people who have finished their bodywork fit.
How did you manage the joint between the rear panel and the side panel.
I'm most interested in how to make it neat around the square roll over bar plate.

[shh120m]

I always found this method easiest.

Start by poping a rivnut into the dead center of the diagonal rail where the side and rear tub meet. Make sure its at the middle or lower, you dont want any rivets or nuts showing above the wheel arch it looks gay.

Clamp the rear tub in place and trim if nessasary. A few rivnuts on the rear diagonals should be plenty to hold it for now. You want to trim a dead straight line up the centre of the rail where the tub meets the side panels, then just use a small round file to make a half moon shape to allow the rivnut bolt to hold it down tight. Do both sides, then what i do is undo the tub where it meets the sides. Then slide side panels on behind the tub, you can then use a marker pen to mark the side panel cut using the tub as a ruler. This way even if your cut on the rear tub isnt quite perfect, the cut on the side panel will match exactly and youll end up with a perfect join. Hope that makes sense.

IIRC i took off the rollcage and covered the top of the tub in masking tape, then dropped the cage back down and marked around the mounting plates to get a precise line to cut to. Its on off on off to do it right and its also worth taking your time. Dont ever do it after an argument with the missus, it will end in disaster One of those jobs you need to be really chilled out and in the mood for.

[shh120m]

Another thing i forgot to mention...

Only use one rivnut to secure the joint between the side panel and rear tub, and make sure its quite low ie below the line of the rear arch. Youll probably notice that they will try and "flop" away from the chassis at the top. But when you put your rear arches on, the arches and arch fixings will push the sides of the tub and sidepanel against the chassis. That way you end up without any unsightly fixings on the visible part of the join if that makes sense.




I actually cocked this one up a tiny bit its not 100% perfect but you only see to top inch or so of the join once the arches are on and its the only pic i could find!

[MikeB]

Thanks Nathan,

Thats useful info,
Unfortunately my panel don't join in the same place so I'm going to have to work something else out it does explain why I couldn't see a join on others pictures where I was trying to join mine.

[shh120m]

ahh sorry i forgot agm ones join at the top. You can still use the same technique though i would have thought to make sure the join lines match, and also try and hide the fixings below the arch to keep it pretty?