Wheelarch Trims

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Sun 17 Feb 2002 04:31
Wheelarch Trims - Antony
I have an H-reg (new style) Ford Escort Ghia 1.4 which has been suffering from ever-increasing bouts of rust around the wheel arches. In a vain attempt to `hide` this, does anyone know if it is possible to buy (and where?) wheel arch trims (the plastic sills to cover the top of arches)? And the cost? Cheers!
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Sun 17 Feb 2002 09:35
Re: Wheelarch Trims - David W
Anthony,

Your idea is a very short term cure as the trims will trap water and increase the rusting.

However on an older car often the only economic way to do this is to look at the higher spec models of your car at the breakers. Did any have these trims as standard? Like the XR3i?

David
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Sun 17 Feb 2002 12:03
Re: Wheelarch Trims - KB
Is it perhaps not worth spending half a day or so with a four and a half inch grinder, some P38 filler, a Black/Decker sander, a tin or two of grey primer+topcoat spray+wetanddry sandpaper and cutting the worst of the rust away and reforming the wheel arch?

You've got little to lose and, in my experience, you can get some impressive results with just a bit of practice. My most recent repair as described, on an even older Maestro than the one I have now, lasted for 4/5 years before selling the car for £95 and it still looks the same now as the day I did it. Do it on a dry, warmish day and don't spray it on a windy day. Get some masking tape and a bit of old newspaper and put your old clothes on.

Got to be worth a go and better than covering it up as per DW's thoughts.

KB.
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Tue 19 Feb 2002 15:29
Re: Wheelarch Trims - KB

What did you do in the end Anthony?

BTW David, On re-reading the above it could be thought that I was at odds with your thoughts and was inferring that you favoured covering it up
when I wrote "Got to be worth a go and better than covering it up as per DW's thoughts". The 'as per' was ambiguous and I should have written it more clearly.

Regards,

KB.
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Tue 19 Feb 2002 15:34
Re: Wheelarch Trims - David W
No problem KB.

Actually the covering up would be a good tidy for a year and then the car might be heading you-know-where anyway.

David
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