Volvo 480 Club Europe

Hey folks,

So I'm onto welding replacements into my rear arches. Quite bad back there, mainly driver side though which is a problem! Most of the repair panels for the 480 (And 440 as I believe they can be used at a push) seem to be for left and not right!

Searching ebay, etc.
The expensive option is Skanix, but for an outer rear arch at 168 euro plus delivery that seems way over the odds, especially as I don't need the whole panel, just the rear part!



Anyone any other places to buy from before I end up having to pay the Skandix prices?

Thanks!

We've just bought Skandix ones, they are expensive but they do seems to be good quality. If you get one ebay one and one Skandix one, it would be interesting to know how the quality compares.
Some members have resorted to using front wings to make rear arches from.

andyb2000 wrote: ↑

Sat Oct 03, 2020 4:42 pm

especially as I don't need the whole panel, just the rear part!



Anyone any other places to buy from before I end up having to pay the Skandix prices?

Thanks!

That front half of the arch looks quite crusty; have you given it a poke?

if you can get front wings, it is the opposite side from the one you are welding.

They come up cheap now and again.

jifflemon wrote: ↑

Sat Oct 03, 2020 5:24 pm

andyb2000 wrote: ↑

Sat Oct 03, 2020 4:42 pm

especially as I don't need the whole panel, just the rear part!



Anyone any other places to buy from before I end up having to pay the Skandix prices?

Thanks!

That front half of the arch looks quite crusty; have you given it a poke?

maybe best to poke it now then find you need the repair fillets as well, saves on postage, (or not poke it and cry when you do, horrers within ?

but they can be made up from 18SWG galv and some tin bashing

Thanks folks.

So answering the questions, yep have poked and prodded, the inner arch is actually pretty good other than the visible crusty bits, the rest is solid, so it's purely the front lower and rear parts of the arch that I need to repair. That front bit it really only the lip, the rest is good.

I think I'm going to get an arch, but am going to cheap out and try the 440 rear arch as I'm only really after the curves/bits and will weld the rest in so I think it's worth a shot at a fraction of the cost.
I can then use the lip all round and the rear part to make the section I need. Then I'll pre-fab the sill 'rectangle' that I need to patch you can see in lower right of photo.
Annoyingly all on ebay is LEFT rear, no right which is weird!

Hoping that's a plan. It's never going to be a showroom condition but so long as I can patch it and get it to MOT state I'll be a very happy person indeed.
If you want a closer look I've posted a youtube video on this bit and attacking it with a flappy wheel to get the surface off and see how many holes appear.

Again, comments appreciated. Should I be bothering keep popping into my head. The engine, gearbox, etc are all sound, it's kinda annoying the rear is rusted as an MOT failure as otherwise I reckon I could get this through an MOT with just new shocks, etc.
Video if you're interested https://youtu.be/LwklXO7t9pI

Commented on the tube as well, but:

Rear torque arm (that's their name) is a bolt in item, but will be seized on the inner sleeve. Had the same thing with Britney but on the hub end.

When welding in the new panel, go slowly and space your welds very far apart; You want to try and minimise heat distortion.