bubble arching a mk1? guides?

[bamo]

any guides on here or the net to fitting metal bubble arches a mk1?

thank you

[peoneedshelp]

i did mine by trial and error to be honest; i kept fitting and refitting them on the uncut wing, holding them on with duck tape t get them in the right position. Mine were a good fit but its really important to line up the swagelines, the rest can bemade to fit.
It is well worth trimming back the excess from the outer edge as it will be way to large and will just distract you.
Also. i tacked mine on to the outside of the wing, but with hindsight (a wonderful thing ) i have seen people cut the wing and then put the bubble arch underneath. imo this is much neater as you do not spoil the curve of the wing so much and it is neater requirig less filler.
A both the wing and the bubbles are expensive, i cannot stressenough , try , try and try again before you cut anything. It is easer than you thik tho to be honest.
I used an article in either classic ford or retro ford as the basis and im very pleased with the result

[peoneedshelp]

oh and i forgot to say , i put the wings on the car with bolts to put them in the right place. Then fitted the bubbles on the car. took the wingsoff the car to finish them and slightly bent the old ach over the join in the inside before sealing it with seam sealer. A lot easier with the wings removabl, but again only my opinion.

[bamo]

cheers mate, do you have a link to this guide please? cheers

[peoneedshelp]

no sorry i had it in the actual magazine, if i can find it and its a big if i will get a copy to you , remind me if you dont here for a while, memory like a seive, lol

[Phil01825]

http://www.centralblastcleaning.co.u...ay.php?show=10

This may help

[smicker]

nice link guys, does anyone have any details that show how the rear quarter panel bubble arches are fitted and more importantly how the inner wheel bays (tubs) are filled in.?

[meXEco]

I'd think it would be much of the same-ie lots of lining up & measuring to get the correct placement then cut & weld as the fronts. The inner arch sections would be made out of cardboard templates first to get the correct shape-if you look up into the rear arch tub you'll see a seam all the way down the middle-unpick the spot welds along there then this gives a level surface to take the new inner arch section all the way to the new outer arch.

[smicker]

Thanks Mexeco, do you know how the infill will be welded at the outer edge, ie, to the bubble or to the original quarter panel.? I see GRP4 make an actual rolled tub that does the whole thing but I think it would be harder to fit.

[essyrwd]

[smicker]

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[smicker]

http://www.grp4fabrications.com/inde...5q3tpi007208u7

[meXEco]

With rear bubbles the inner tub sits quite a bit lower than where you'd cut the original arch off-theres a pic in the CBC link with the rear arch half cut out so you can see how much difference there is-so the new inner extension would go out to the new bubble-although i have seen it done differently where you only cut the rear arch out to the height of the inner tub then fill this with a plate, then just weld the bubble over it but i personally dont think its as nice or good.

If your going to be running massive rears-which i imagine you will with bubbles-maybe the complete tubs would be easier overall??

I'm sure Mr. Retro may be along with better explanations...

[smicker]

Thanks again meXEco, yea I had my other escort done with bubbles and they joined them straight over to the panel and there was a big space from where the panel was to the top of the bubble. I prefer to join straight to the top of the bubble and thats why I might try to do them myself this time.

[Retromotorsport]

I never take the infill to the arch, but join it to the 1/4... car takes a knock on the arch, its just the arch, if it joined to the tub, you moving tub/turret, chassis

[smicker]

Thats a very good point. I never thought about that. What is the best methid to join at the 1/4 panel.? I noticed mine has had the quarter panel lip folded inwards and then the infill which has been rolled has been joined to the lip. Cheers again

[oddy]

I gotta agree with Gary, having rallied a bubble arched mk1 it is a lot easier to replace a arch, Than an arch, tub and quarter! I filled the gap between the quarter panel and arch wih the material you use for mud flaps, Bonded in to stop all the mud and stuff going up. To do the tub find the spot welds in the centre, drill them out and remove outer inner arch. using a scribe holding against the inner tub you can scribe a line round the quarter panel, This tells you how much of the quarter panel to cut off. I normally fold a 10mm lip all the way round the quarter as this adds strength when you come to weld the infill panel in. When you have done one side get a big piece of cardboard and place on the side of the car mark out door shut and new tub and hey presto turn it round and you have template for the other side! Hope that makes sense

[smicker]

Yes oddy makes perfect sense mate. How did you fold the lip on the quarter panel to make it look neat?

[SS069]

dunno if these will help, but if ned be I can take measurements if you ask............

[meXEco]

There you go.

[meXEco]

I never take the infill to the arch, but join it to the 1/4... car takes a knock on the arch, its just the arch, if it joined to the tub, you moving tub/turret, chassis

There you go.

[SS069]

don't forget to roll the inner arch too - adds strength & saves your sponge/fingers when washing the car too

PS - it's all 1mm tin too

[smicker]

Thanks heaps mate, that's excellent. Just one question, when you attached the inner arch section to the outer quarter panel edge did you fold the quarter panel lip inwards by 10mm after you welded the inner arch in place.? Oh and by the way I noticed one of those pistol body spot welders on ebay that attaches to your AC welder, just wondered if this could be used to put on the bubbles, might save the worry of the warping.. Again thanks heaps SS069.

[SS069]

Thanks heaps mate, that's excellent. Just one question, when you attached the inner arch section to the outer quarter panel edge did you fold the quarter panel lip inwards by 10mm after you welded the inner arch in place.? Oh and by the way I noticed one of those pistol body spot welders on ebay that attaches to your AC welder, just wondered if this could be used to put on the bubbles, might save the worry of the warping.. Again thanks heaps SS069.

no probs, but I can't understand what you're asking regarding the quarter panel lip........download the photo & highlight the area that you're asking about.

I think I do have some instructions regarding the bubble arches, but as us blokes doo, I never even bothered to open the page....

PS - where in Oz are you?

[smicker]

Thanks mate, yip downloaded the picture. it looks like the inner section has been folded up around the quarter panel outer and not the quarter panel folded inwards. I am in Queensland.

[essyrwd]

How many people press the steel bubbles or all the retailers getting them from the same place .If they are made by many which ones are the best and how do they differ .

Can you get steel GROUP 2 arches.

[meXEco]

I was under the impression that all steel bubbles are now made solely by Expressed Panels.

[Stringpants]

Gartrac did mine...you would be pleasantly surprised at how much they charge...

Russ.

[Slymanrs2]

Gary, do you put the arch ontop of the quarter panel or behind? Do you have one of your handy line drawings!?

http://i687.photobucket.com/albums/v...n/552748a1.jpg

I never take the infill to the arch, but join it to the 1/4... car takes a knock on the arch, its just the arch, if it joined to the tub, you moving tub/turret, chassis