In an attempt to re-shape the damaged sheet metal behind the driver's door, I discovered that the metal had been stretched and could not be tooled to near its original position. A great deal of filler would have been required to restore the panel to a smooth finish. This would decrease the longevity of the repair.
Therefore, I chose to replace the damaged area with new metal. As shown in the photo to the right, the damaged area has been removed and the door jamb straightened.
I formed a patch panel from the remains of a BMW hood. I chose a section of the hood that had basically the same contour as the damaged area. The patch panel, shown in the photo to the left, fits very well. Tomorrow it will be trimmed to the proper size and permanently fixed in place with 3M panel bond.
The finished patchwork will be undetectable. The downside...Morris
is no longer an authentic British automobile. The upside...now it will feel at home on the Autobahn.
More to follow...
Tom McCurry
Tommy's Topless Cars
843-338-2253
