Seam between rear wing and sill

[Stagless Steve]

I went to look at another Stag last night. The seams between the rear wings and sills on both sides looked like they had been filled before the last respray. There was still a kind of ledge there but it didn't look like a proper seam. I have a copy of the Essential Buyer's Guide by Norm Mort and Tony Fox which flags this area as one to watch so I walked away. It's frustrating because the rest of the car was solid. Good panel fit, no holes underneath, good engine etc and it pulled like a train! Assuming there is rust under the filler, was I right to walk away or is this a problem easily resolved with a welding torch and a couple of hundred quid?

[martin]

Hi Steve, no way to tell what's there, I'd say you did the right thing, unless of course you're looking for a resto and the price is appropriate. Martin.

[len]

hi. you do see a few Stags with this seam not done properly, I would be worried about buying a car like that as it would certainly be expensive to correct , you would need to unpick welds, redo, and then paint both rear wings, then colour match problems ! I would certainly walk away, good decision !. Keep looking . I Think in a good body shop a few hundred pounds would go no where . more like a thousand. Len

[wilf]

But if the rest of the car was good and the price was right..........?

I wonder if we can afford to be quite so picky on 40yr old cars?

[edd]

Stags were rotting there from the word go so always expect the worse. Have a look for signs of grease inside the wings this might give a clue of good maintenance. You might be able to look inside with a torch through the soft top stowage.
Next is the boot. Rear arches. Front valance. Front lower wings that fill up with water.
And the list goes on
Edd

[mjheathcote]

Seeing the join not done properly is such a disappointment. I've seen repairs flush with the sill without the step, why? it is so obvious how it should be, you only have to look at the front wing and how the step continues along the sill.
Even when repaired properly it is still a problem area. Mine had a new sill and part rear wing 23 years ago. The paint has now split and I suffer in hot weather with all the waxoil seeping through!

[Stagless Steve]

Thanks for all the feedback. That makes me feel a little better.
It was priced at just under £4000 so I wasn't expecting a show winner but being relatively inexperienced at such things it's difficult to know what to expect. Also, lack of knowledge of places where rust damage is really just cosmetic so a temporary patch with filler is OK, and areas where it would have to be welded because its structural. I wasn't sure which category the rear wing to sill seam falls into.
There was also rust bursting through the bottom of both rear wings just behind the wheel. A magnet stuck to it weekly so I think it was rusty metal and filler. The odd thing is though that I couldn't feel any holes from inside the boot! That made me wonder if a similar situation was lurking under filler at the seam between these wings and the sills ready to burst out in a year or two. Again, I looked from the inside in the hood well and under the back seat but couldn't really see anything horrible. I don't know if I am expecting too much for £4000 but it was the fact that it looked like the seams were covered by filler so I couldn't see what was on the horizon that troubled me.

[DJT]

My Stag had this section filled flush on both sides. During the restoration we found severe rust on the driver's side and original steel, with no rust, on the passenger's side. The reason the passengers's side was filled was a couple of dents in the lower wing panel which were the continuation of dents in the door. Some lazy B had just filled the lot to a depth of about 6mm.

[edd]

I paid £4800 for mine but it was running with £2300 receipts just spent on the engine and other parts. With a years mot Look at floor Outriggers too. Your best bet is to go to your local area meeting and I'm sure you can get someone to help you out. Plus the soc magazine has some lovely cars in it. If you buy from a member I think your going to get a better stag as most try their best to repair properly. There had been several big restos posted on here with super fast strips then you hear nothing ummm I think some end up on the scrap heap they are so bad.
Edd

[martin]

Hi Steve, next time, try and take someone who knows with you. £4k is quite cheap, but even so, it's the unseen bodges that cause all the worry. You could be looking at a small fortune to put it right, better to spend a bit more. As the Classic mags say, buy the best you can afford. Martin.

[Jeff]

Steve,

I repaired the rear offside arch (do a search) and I could not get the new panel to step in so I did it flush with the sill but when I did the nearside, the panel just dropped back in with a step and because this looked so much better and more original, I re did the offside with lead loading and made a step, looks 100% better but in no way was it hiding anything untoward beneath so this may have been the case on the one you looked at.

There are always tell tale signs inside like you say and if you couldn't see any, then there was a fair chance it was ok, but who knows? Only previous owners.

Jeff.

[Guest]

I went to look at another Stag last night. The seams between the rear wings and sills on both sides looked like they had been filled before the last respray. There was still a kind of ledge there but it didn't look like a proper seam. I have a copy of the Essential Buyer's Guide by Norm Mort and Tony Fox which flags this area as one to watch so I walked away. It's frustrating because the rest of the car was solid. Good panel fit, no holes underneath, good engine etc and it pulled like a train! Assuming there is rust under the filler, was I right to walk away or is this a problem easily resolved with a welding torch and a couple of hundred quid?

My car was and still is filled at this seam, when I bought almost 7 years ago I wasn't aware that this seam should be a sort of split between panels. I have had the rear cubbies out on both sides of my car and there is nothing nasty lurking behind the seam, obviously I can't see the sill side. I do prefer the definite line but it doesn't worry me too much. If you are looking at cars around the 4K mark you are not going to get perfection. If the rest of the car was good then it may be worth a punt!

Jason

[jakesmig]

Jeff is doing a quality restoration, see 'Rear nearside wheel arch repair', which cataloques the excellent work he is undertaking, all with positive responses. His are filled and look good, and there are sod all detractors coming forward.
There are numerous other areas where the tinworm attack, all of which are far worse to tackle than these seams. I'd be far more interested in the inner wheel arches, the front chasis rails at the twin skin area, the lower outer / inner sill join, lower screen corners, A post base, front lower valance. Just a small list, most of which are a bigger and costlier pain than those seams
If these seams were my only concerns, especially at 4 grand, i'd be a happy boy.

Still, each to their own.

John