Have I got the wrong rear arches

[Padwah]

I've got a 1971 US Spec Westy and after six years on the road in the UK I've got some rust coming through around the rear arches as I stupidly never got round to undersealing the van!

Anyway, I bought some decent quality repair panels in preparation for carrying out some repair work after the summer but when I face them up to the van they don't appear to be the right profile as mine have a bit more of a flared lip.

Are the arches on my van correct for the year or have later replacements been fitted at some point in it's history?

 

[flynster]

they look ok to me....pre 70 had flatter ones

 

[Fortunate Son]

If you need replacement 71 on arches; you can get them from Klassicfab (Autocraft may be doing them soon too I heard).

(There are 2 types of 71 arch, the early (August 70 to Feb 71 ish) rounded lip ones (see radishes bus on here) or the later (March 71 on) which are pretty much the same as a late bay. The KF ones are an excellent repro of the later style. I got mine direct from KF and it's cheaper than you think to ship from Columbia - worked out cheaper than getting them from the UK agent (but I did somehow get away with the import duty :msn4: )

 

[Padwah]

Thanks for the replies, I've had a look at Klassic Fab already and they don't appear to list the correct rear arches, they've got them listed on the custom and commercial site but don't have any stock and they seem quite expensive when I don't need the whole panel, just the front and rear sections on one side and the rear section on the other. The repair panels I bought from JK are really good quality, but unfortunately the wrong shape and I can't find anything similar from anyone else. The Autocraft panels are of the earlier type so aren't really suitable unless I change the whole panel, though I've just spotted that Alan Schofield have nice looking panels (http://www.alanhschofield.com/ourparts/prod_2519482-Rear-Wheel-Arch-Left-7279-211809167D.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false. Anyone know what the quality is like?

 

[Fortunate Son]

I am fairly certain that the Schofield ones are made by Klokkenholm and are made of thin gauge steel and generally of fairly poor fit. The profile of the flare is not right either. But, they are cheap!

Custom and Commercial has the later arch front sections in stock:

http://www.customandcommercial.com/vw-baywindow/klassic_fab_repair_panels/rear_wheel_arch_repair_panels/klassic_fab_front_of_rear_wheel_arch_repair_right_side_14_inch_71-79_13499/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.customandcommercial.com/vw-baywindow/klassic_fab_repair_panels/rear_wheel_arch_repair_panels/klassic_fab_front_of_rear_wheel_arch_repair_left_side_14_inch_71-79_20610/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

But as you say, they are pricey. You can make the Klokkenholm ones fit OK if you have the time, but I can vouch from experience for how well KF stuff fits.

If your arches are the early 71 type then I don't think that there is a repair panel made for these, but IMO you could fettle the lip to match.

Here's a link to a previous thread with photos of the 2 arch types

http://forum.earlybay.com/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=63990&hilit=Arches+71" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[Padwah]

Bah, thought that might be the case! Maybe I'll get the full panel from autocraft and just fit earlier panels, looks like it may be the best economical option.

 

[LoyaleD]

My US spec 1/71 Westy has that flat flare like yours. I used the 72-79 repair panels to properly fit. 71 was the transition into later arches.

 

[sharman]

I had the exact same dilemma. Mine are the slightly flared arches that are in between an early and late bay profile. At first I thought someone a modified/installed the wrong ones. I've gone for the KF rear arches, pricey but quality sometimes costs a little more. Not welded them in yet tho!