Defender Front Wing Top Replacement

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Big Monkey

Member

Posts

49

Location

Warwickshire

• Sep 28, 2018

• #1

Morning All,
I want to remove the badly fitted tread plate from my defender. The wing tops are a bit of a mess underneath.
I've removed one wing and have noticed that the wing top panel is bolted and spot welded to the headlight panel.
It is a case of ordering a pair of wing tops from Paddock etc, drilling out the spot welds and undoing the bolts and then bolting and riveting or screwing the wing top on?
Cheers,
Darren.

 

dag019

Well-Known Member

Posts

6,154

Location

Warwick

• Sep 28, 2018

• #2

I have not done defender wings, but that was how I did my series ones. I was combining three used wings to make a single good one but I just drilled out the spot welds, split it with a sharp, wide but thin chisel and then refitted everything using rivets.

 

B

Big Monkey

Member

Posts

49

Location

Warwickshire

• Sep 28, 2018

• #3

@dag019 Thanks for the reply. It looked simple enough when I took the wing off. I was just a bit surprised to find bolts and spot welds. I thought that it would all be bolted / screwed.

Looks like a just need to order a pair or Britpart wing tops and get on with it.

 

dag019

Well-Known Member

Posts

6,154

Location

Warwick

• Sep 28, 2018

• #4

Some of the access is difficult for a drill or a riveter but it is not too difficult to do. as you will need to repaint the wings anyway have you considered/looked at second hand options. May work out far easier and potentially cheaper.

 

B

Big Monkey

Member

Posts

49

Location

Warwickshire

• Sep 28, 2018

• #5

Hi, I've been looking st second hand wings. They are generally expensive and if not, dented. I'll pull the wing off again and have a good look at the bolts and welds. It will be an interesting weekend project.

 

dag019

Well-Known Member

Posts

6,154

Location

Warwick

• Sep 28, 2018

• #6

Big Monkey said:

Hi, I've been looking st second hand wings. They are generally expensive and if not, dented. I'll pull the wing off again and have a good look at the bolts and welds. It will be an interesting weekend project.

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I do not know how much defender wings are so with your findings it does sound unfeasible. My three into one series wings were because they were at the time (2 years ago) almost free, ended up up buying two sets to repair mine and cost me about £10 plus local collection fuel per pair!