The Triumph Dolomite Club - Discussion Forum

Whilst having a poke around the car the other evening I discovered two patches that need welding. It’s the panel in between the rear wheel and the interior or the boot, facing inwards (the panels that need replacing face left and right on the car, not forward or back).

A few quick questions if that’s OK.

Firstly, what’s this panel called?
Secondly, does it need a specific panel? It look relatively flat to me, so it may well be ok with just sheet steel. If it isn’t that simple, are replacement panels available?

I’ve never had any welding done on a car before, I’ll get a few photos and then I’d appreciate your views on the approx. cost of getting it done at a garage.

I have sent off my membership form a few weeks ago now so hopefully that will be updated soon too.

Thanks!

ohutter wrote: I have sent off my membership form a few weeks ago now so hopefully that will be updated soon too.

Thanks!

All membership applications are processed within a week of receipt, sometimes within 24 hours, so once your application lands with us you should get a "welcome pack" through the post a few days later.

Sounds like the inner arches, but a photo' would confirm. If it is, then a patch repair would be easiest...

xvivalve wrote:Sounds like the inner arches, but a photo' would confirm. If it is, then a patch repair would be easiest...

I thought that initially, but then I was confused, as I thought "inner arches" referred to the inside skin of the wheel arches. i.e. the inside of the outer arches.

Photos of some of the rust are below:











Upon close inspection, the arches have also been very badly filled/patched. Do the club do replacement arches?

To summarize: There is rust near the rear wheels so you can see through to the boot at some points, but the arches in general are in very bad shape (near the boot and on the other side of the wheel), so it may just be best to replace them as a whole.

I'm unsure of how to proceed really...

triumphdolomiteuk wrote:

ohutter wrote: I have sent off my membership form a few weeks ago now so hopefully that will be updated soon too.

Thanks!

All membership applications are processed within a week of receipt, sometimes within 24 hours, so once your application lands with us you should get a "welcome pack" through the post a few days later.

Thanks for letting me know. I haven't received the pack yet, but will have a hunt around where my post is and see if it has ended up somewhere else.

There are some excellent pictures in several resto threads of inner arches being replaced.
It doesn't look easy or cheap......
Patch or plate if possible unless you can go down the proper route. Just my tuppence worth.

The club doesn't do a repair section for the inner or outer arch as such (the wheel arch section is in 2 pieces) mainly because demand is low and most rust here can be repaired with flat plate. I know of one or two people who have NOS arch panels squirrelled away, but getting hold of them may be tricky, again it's not a common part.
You really need to get all the underseal off and the rear seat out to adequately assess the rot and decide from there how to proceed.

Steve