Really Helpfull Hint For Gti 16's

[Unity Jon]

I've been fighting the loosing battle against rusty arches on my Rolla Gti for a couple of years now, i've stripped back, prepped and painted all four of them several times and just decided to give up and replace them with new ones, well after going to the main dealer and getting astronomical quotes and finding out they only supply complete rear quaters not arches and repair panels are not available i started searching panel specialists for after market replacements, once again nobody does rear arches for a rolla, but i found front arches for £15 each from Maldon Auto Panels, the guy there was helpful and said he'd look into the rear arches for me, no luck, even he was confused, then guess what......

after cleaning the car on saturday i stood back to have a beer and noticed that the profies for the front and rear arches are exact matches, just mirrored.... DHuh.

therefore you can buy a front Left arch and stitch it into the right rear for an exact match, and that is why they are not available seperately. :P

[Riddles]

Well I think I'm sold! Was about to embark on a mission to sort mine out! Are they just bolted on? The last project car I built was a mini so I'm still imagining everything being the same - easy as pie!

[Unity Jon]

sorry nothing so simple......

only the arch flare and immediate surrounding panel are similar, you'll need an air chisel to trim out the section you want top replace and then hold this against the replacement wing and draw around it then trim off the excess and butt weld it in or trim the replacement panel slightly larger and joggle the edges for an underlap fit (this will trap moisture on the inside of the arch at the join though)

[Riddles]

Not as easy then! But still, if its the only way, its the only way...

[Unity Jon]

its got to be better than fitting a whole rear quarter right ? :o

[dawesy]

dont know i did both quarters on mine not too bad a job actually but that may have somthing to do with experience in the repair industry the reason for these panels the%t from turky in an hgv that it my passenger side hence new door and quarter as it was panel damage only i bought it back from the insurance company got a grand off them as well now i have a rust free rolla :P :P :P

[Antd4agze]

Where did u buy these panels.Would be useful to know as I'm planning body repairs on my car.

Cheers

Ant

[dawesy]

i ordered them through work

[corollagti16]

so would u be able to order me some new wings ????

[Antd4agze]

Dawesy

I need to have the hatch done.Also replace front wings and rear arches. I could do with 3/4 rear panels ,but I'm struggling to find someone to do the repairs as it is so I better stick to just the arches for the rear.

Lemme know how much you could get these parts for.

Thanx in advance

Cheers

Ant

[Unity Jon]

i can repair stuff for you........

if you want.

[dawesy]

hatch is a bolt on job as are the wings quarters are a little tricky but if you can use a mig welder or better yet get access to a portable spot welder its not that hard i swapped both mine in a weekend ready for prep and paint, with the rear glass i rang a local windscreen replacement firm and they swapped it over for me for about 40 quid they couldn't guarantee getting i t out in one piece tho. but they managed it

ill contact you after easter

[Antd4agze]

Thanx Guys!

After Easter is fine dawesy. Jon,it would be great if you could weld the rear quarters for me .Problem is , I think u live down south and I'm way up in Liverpool...dang!

I'll have to sort something out once I get the panels.

Cheers

Ant

BTW. Do u all agree that the Mongoose is better than the Scorpion X-horst. I'm going to replace my standard system as the middle box is shot. Would have done this over a year ago when the back box went,but my wife caught me out when she found out that we only needed to replace the back box .Luckily now I've got more reason to splash out on a performance system.

[dawesy]

i had a mongoose system on my rolla and i loved it but sadly had to go to make way for a full 3"system

[Antd4agze]

Yes,it seems most Gti-owners prefer the Mongoose. I wonder if powerflow could make me a stainless steel downpipe as the Mongoose system only starts from the front pipe back. :(

Ant

[Antd4agze]

Jon

Which courier service did you use to have yor stuff sent over from South Africa? I'm getting parts sent to family in South Africa if Autostyle won't ship them <_<

[Antd4agze]

Dawesy

Could you give me a quote for 2 new front wings and 2 3/4 rear panels for my Corolla Gti-16[AE92]

[Unity Jon]

i got my relatives to just put them through their local post office, but make sure they use their service thats similar to ours where you have to sign on reciept and get it insured as their postal service appears to be full of thiefs.....

To be honest i dont fancy doing complete rear quaters, i'm just going to order some front arches and cut the area out that i need for the rear's ;)

[dawesy]

i may be able to fit them for you but ill have to speak to my mate as i need to use his garage. ill let you know. if i did it would you want it spraying ie full or just replaced panels as i'd need to get a quote for this other than that id fit 2 quarters 2 wings prep for paint ie a leaded and primed for £275 not inc panels

[Antd4agze]

spoke to a bloke at a garage literally 5min down the road from where I live. gave me an estimate for £600 to fit and spray front wings and rear arches[excluding parts]. This sound a bit steep so I don't know if its worth keeping the car anymore. I would be sad to let it go. He says I don't need to have the quarters done as the new arches would extend over the rusted areas. He also recommended I have the hatch replaced,but haven't given me a quote for spraying it. Oh...I just don't know...

On another subject,could I get a Mongoose system somewhere with the downpipe included as my standard one is broken at the mesh.

Cheers

Ant

PS.Whereabouts are u based dawesy?

[corollagti16]

i have been to a bodyshop near me who i no is good he has looked at the rolla and to have both front arches treated and resprayed and the 2 rear arches done the same and also to remove the rear window and do the boot he wants £300 and i no it will be an A1 job hes alrady done my mates motor.....

so £600 looks a bit steep but u r havin new arches fitted so its propbly not to far out i guess !!!!!!

hope this has helped probly hasnt but never mind .....

[Unity Jon]

don't let the guy put new metal over old metal, it wont fit properly and the old stuff will continue rotting until it meets the new metal, then you'll have a grot line half way up the arch instead of just at the lip like normal !!!!!

sounds like a bodgers delight to me.

Dawesy's price seems fair as its quite a time consuming job.

Jan-speed used to do a down pipe for 4age in a rolla it came with their full system, you can buy the flexi part on its own from any good exhaust supplier and have that welded in to repair your old one, if you have trouble getting one drop me a line as i have a spare (brand new) you can have it for £30 (plus p&p)

I wouldn't get the powerflow guys to make you a manifold, the stock one flows remarkably well, better than a lot of aftermarket ones but if you do motorway driving you'll benefit from a set of extrator headers like they use in Australia all the time, they'll add more top end torque but do little lower in the rev range.