Removal of rear corner panel from RRC and replacing body/chassis bushes

It is feasible - the corner panel (with the lights in) is a bolt-on job (about 3,000,000 bolts).

Anythings possible, buy usually a well judge pry-bar will suffice.

Richard

Sounds like typical RR thinking - an infinite number of dissimilar fixings, of which 1% are designed to attract maximum corrosion and be totally inaccessible - on an item that needs only 4 M6 bolts :-)

I'm sure that Roger (my man with MIG) will cope.

Richard

It rather depends on how old the RRC is. The older ones, possibly only the three door ones, had an access panel on the inside that allowed access to the bolts holding the quarter panel to the rear side panel. Then there's just a few pop rivets onto the tailgate frame.

The later ones don't have the access panel and you'll have to move the entire assembly. Whilst it's a bit of a pig you don't need to separate the quarter panel from the side panel, the entire bolted assembly can be swung out of the way if you have enough room. You can hold it on with two screws (and duct tape if you must) to drive it round the corner.

The rear end won't sag unless your problem extends to the second row of mounts and even then ....

Fitting the rearmost bushes may be more of a chew than you expect. The lower washer has the spacer tube attached which makes things difficult. Separate the two parts and refit the tube from the top when you install the upper rubber. Make sure that the tube and lower washer mate easily before you install any of the bits. You might have to fit the bolt the other way up.

Sorry, I should have said: it's an 1988 4 door model. I'd better buy some sticky tape. As I said, I'm only going to take the corner off if I think it will make my welder's life easier.

We pondered fitting the bolts upside down and the tubed washer from above. Glad we're thinking on the right lines.

The only problem I can forsee is that all the bushes have collapsed to a greater or lesser extent and I am going to fit new fat bushes in place of pretty thin ones. Roger has to fabricate a new N/S hanger. Does he make it so the new bush fits easily or does he replicate the original hanger - thus, possibly, making the bush diabolical to fit. Actually I've asked him to replace both rear bushes.

Maybe I should replace all the bushes but for what benefit?

Ta

Richard

The old bushes will be squashed but there may be little benefit in replacing them. Replicate the original metalwork - but, yes, it will make inserting the new bush more difficult.