This post shows the conversion of an original set of 4.2 Series 1 front wings to the early, welded flange specifications.
Early bonnets had welded louvers – called “let-in” louvers by some, and also had their flanges welded on instead of bonded. This is true of both the center section flanges AND the wing flanges.
The gold bonnet was the later 4.2 style, but had excellent wings. The blue bonnet had one 1961 wing with badly rusted flanges and just in generally poor shape, and the other side was a 4.2 wing. So… We converted the 4.2 wings to a flawless set of early welded-flange wings – have a look!
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- Original 4.2 flange – welded on ends, bonded in center.
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- Extra strengthening gusset on 4.2 cars.
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- Another extra gusset – a big improvement too, but one we will erase to replicate the early wings…
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- Other side – that kick in the flange will need to be removed.
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- This is a factory trick – oval washers used as spacers!
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- Rust hides everywhere on even the cars advertised as “rust-free” – read on to see how we eliminate it for good.
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- These little cross braces will also need to be removed.
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- Wing skins are now flange – and rust – free…
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- Five factory flanges reshaped and glass beaded – one new flange fabricated by us.
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- Flanges now coated internally with red oxide and with weld-thru primer on the mating surfaces.
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- Skin also gets weld-thru primer.
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- Success!!! This one was REALLY nerve wracking! We created a speciel, top-secret spot-welder tong to get it done with the proper penetration and WITHOUT blowing through the skin…
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- The outer surface gets dimpled – just like the originals. These will need to be filled in the paint phase – undoubtedly one of the reasons the factory stopped doing it this way!
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- Center flnage marked and being spot-welded. We mark the welds ahead of time – spaced neatly but somewhat random too…
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- Center flange welded in.
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- Forward flange welded in too.
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- More dimples, but only slight, and with no blow-outs!
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- Completed wing’s outer appearance.
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- Completed wing’s inner appearance – automotive artwork!
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- Once prepped and etch-primed, they looked like they came out of a time capsule from Abbey Panels in 1961…
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- Rear flange perfectly welded…
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- …as is the forward flange…
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- …and so is the center flange – now devoid of its 16-gauge gussets on both ends.
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- The outer dimples are barely seen in the dull etch primer.
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- The finished outer skin needs all of the dimples filled, but the contour of the wing is unchanged and correct, and there is no heat warpage whatesoever. This was a very successful conversion and these wings are probably the most solid and best coated wings with welded flanges in existance. They were modeled after two local 1961 cars – one of which is parked in the shop – and were built with a pair of calipers in one hand – they are PERFECT 1961 wings!
