Front wing

[Cas9673]

I am new to Stag ownership, and loving the experience so far. I have a car in pretty decent condition having had very little use for a number of years. To keep it that way I have wax injected the hollow areas. There is an area where I would welcome the advice of those who have had longer experience of the cars. I understand the wings to be spot welded and sometimes prone to micro cracks in the joint between wing and front panel. There is a break in the paint in one wing so I am guessing that may well be what is going on here.

As the car has had so little use it can scarecely have been out in the wet. There is certainly no evidence of corrosion.

The question is whether this does sound like a micro crack between two panels. If so, is there anything simple to do to maximise corrosion resistance?

Wisdom gratefully received.

[edd]

That joint is troublesome. I fully welded mine the filed in the grove to look original. If you have a crack I would keep ensuring plenty of wax is applied to this area working it into the crack to stop water penitration. By treating the back face there's not much more you can do without surgery.
Edd

[Cas9673]

Thank you Edd. I think that the answer will be to follow your lead and sort the problem once and for all. Very disappointing as I had the car appraised by what I thought was a competent engineer prior to purchase. It was down to me to spot the problem whilst waxing the area. Oh well, experience is what you get just after you really needed it.

[edd]

The stag has lots if it's own very specific areas of problems so some people can look over theses areas thinking all is ok.
I remember my dads stag having trouble in this area and that was 30 years ago

[ham204stag]

You could try putting some thinned paint in the crack by dabbing the crack with a matchstick. Thinned paint will flow along the crack and fill it up. After it's dry you should then apply wax as mentioned above.

[Jeff]

Problem with this area is flexing so no matter how you 'fill' it, it will crack again.

The only 100% solution is as Edd and I have done albeit with different end results. Weld the seam, then create a groove as in Edd's case or fill it as in my case. I lead loaded mine too.

Any other method is just a cover up bodge and not getting to the cause.

Don't use thinned paint because if it's not thinned enough it will simply not flow and dry too quick or make a horrible mess (Esp cellulose) and if thinned too much it can 'pickle' up the cracked edge and make it worse also if there is wax there already, it will not stick anyway.

But you did ask for a simple solution so just fill the crack with paint coloured wax, don't know if still available but you could get basic colours i.e. red, blue, green so then it doesn't dry white showing the crack. However, it will continue to crack.

Hope this helps.

[Jeff]

Like this.

[XFSTag]

Any excuse to show your shiny bits Jeff

[Jeff]

Any excuse to show your shiny bits Jeff

Very proud of them, took a lot of work......and of course, experience

[ham204stag]

Yes, welding (and I suppose dismantling the cabin before and spraying after) is definitely the way to go. The stress will still be there though and will surface somewhere else.

A touch of paint will go a very long way to solve the problem. And is less expensive.

[XFSTag]

Very proud of them, took a lot of work......and of course, experience

Can't beat a bit of experience Jeff
Nice job mate
I have a spare room and a fridge full of beer, perhaps you might find a free weekend ???

[Staggard]

Can I come as well I'm well known for getting legless, having somewhere to sleep it off has got to be a bonus

[Jeff]

Tempted but I'm retired now, I have trouble putting some wax on theses days. (the car that is)

[KOY 23]

Tempted but I'm retired now, I have trouble putting some wax on theses days.

You old smoothie.

[Jeff]

Cas9673,

Be very careful putting paint on the cracks for reasons I have stated, PLUS you need to ascertain what type of paint it is if you are going to do that and you could end up with an even worse situation than you have now.

If in doubt, go to a local paint shop or repair station and if they are any good they will advise you. If it's not too bad, I would leave it for fear of making it worse.

Have you any close up pictures?

Jeff.