11 replies to this topic

[ChrisDrew09]

I’ve just had my mini restored and is in primer ready for respray. I stupidly forgot to mention to the garage to cut the wings for my 6x12 wheels and now they say it’s too late to do it. Obviously it scuffs the wings. Is there a way you can do it without messing the paint up? If I used steel cutters or something? Then you’d just spray the fresh metal and wouldn’t have to have the whole wing sprayed? Rather annoying I didn’t ask them to do it at the start!!

[sonikk4]

Depending on how much you want to cut off, you can carefully mark out the area to be removed.

 

Now i would use a 1mm Stainless steel slitting disc in a grinder or a pair of Air Shears. It depends what you have to hand.

[ChrisDrew09]

Depending on how much you want to cut off, you can carefully mark out the area to be removed.

Now i would use a 1mm Stainless steel slitting disc in a grinder or a pair of Air Shears. It depends what you have to hand.

I’m just worried if I use a grinder it’ll chuck shavings everywhere and ruin the new paint work. But I assume people cut them all the time without ruining the paintwork?

[mab01uk]

Whatever method you use mask the rest of the car up to protect the paint. You can also use a jigsaw with metal cutting blade as seen in some YouTube videos for fitting Sportpack Arches/13" wheels. Some manage just with basic tin snips and a sharp hacksaw blade and Mole grips if you take care and time over the job!

However for 6x12 it is only the leading edge of the front arch that needs cutting locally, towards the front bumper flange to clear on full steering lock (about 1" removed), cut less so you can then bend up and reform a new wing flange. Some local paintwork will be required, if you are fitting arches over the area a perfect finish is not essential but required for rust prevention on any bare metal.

Edited by mab01uk, 25 July 2020 - 07:16 PM.

[ChrisDrew09]

Or I suppose my only other option would be to get some 5.5 x 10 wheels so I wouldn’t have to cut the metalwork?

[ChrisDrew09]

Whatever method you use mask the rest of the car up to protect the paint. You can also use a jigsaw with metal cutting blade as seen in some YouTube videos for fitting Sportpack Arches/13" wheels. Some manage just with basic tin snips and a sharp hacksaw blade and Mole grips if you take care and time over the job!
However for 6x12 it is only the leading edge of the front arch that needs cutting locally, towards the front bumper flange to clear on full steering lock (about 1" removed), cut less so you can then bend up and reform a new wing flange. Some local paintwork will be required, if you are fitting arches over the area a perfect finish is not essential but required for rust prevention on any bare metal.

Okay that’s a great help. Thanks!

[sonikk4]

 

Depending on how much you want to cut off, you can carefully mark out the area to be removed.

Now i would use a 1mm Stainless steel slitting disc in a grinder or a pair of Air Shears. It depends what you have to hand.

I’m just worried if I use a grinder it’ll chuck shavings everywhere and ruin the new paint work. But I assume people cut them all the time without ruining the paintwork?

 

 

Plenty of old blankets or something like that will prevent grinding sparks and dust covering your fresh paint. 

[bartman]

just use a jigsaw with a metal cutting blade, no sparks and very little heat compared to using a cutting disc.

[ChrisDrew09]

Ok thanks??

[Ben_O]

Why is it too late if the car is only in primer?

[ChrisDrew09]

Obviously didn’t want to do it... which is annoying

[Ben_O]

Obviously didn’t want to do it... which is annoying

Bizarre..

as mab said, you only need to remove a fairly small amount of material from the front of the arch.