Decided to put my Barchetta up for sale (reluctantly) as the rear wheel arches have gone and need replacement. The car is far too good to scrap. No MOT now. Nearly new hood: have original hardtop: Bodywork very good apart from the wheel arches of course. Limited addition silver with red leather seats which are in very good condition: 1998 : Enquiries welcome with sensible offers. South Devon area

Sad to hear your selling, repairing those inner arches is not such a bad job to do, looks daunting when you first start picking out the dust.

As Dave-M said, it's not a hard job repairing the inner arches I bought a gasless mig welder cheap and shaped and welded both inners in no time treating with waxoil on the inside and stonechip on the outside. Good as new now. For the steel I used an old boiler casing. Didn't cost much really. It's usually only the outer side of the arch that rusts. Also the pipe that drains the gutter under the hood flap terminates behind the arches which I think is the main cause of the rust. I drilled new holes in the arches and they now terminate to the outside. Just have to check they don't block up with dirt now and then.

forgot to say I also have acquired two inner arches (one each side) cut off a scrapped car. They're not bad some minor metal repair work would be required to them but they do give the shape and negate the need to make up the arches shapes before welding commences.

Have been reconsidering over the Christmas period, getting the repair work done to the rusty arches. Looking at Dave-M's picture taken of the rust on his car's arch after the fuel tank had been removed, any chance of more pictures taken at the time that I can look at ?

Hi Pooch, sorry I don't have any other pictures that I have taken. Over on Facebook one or two of the group's have shown pictures of work being done in those areas.

https://www.fiatforum.com/barchetta/293601-rust-rear-arch-pics.html
A quick search of the fiatforum gave some examples. On this one the pictures are missing on the first couple of threads then the pictures come in with some good written descriptions of the work done.

Here are a few pictures of a Barchetta I am dismantling, unfortunately this car had too much poor bodywork to salvage.

many thanks indeed for the responses guys, very helpful. Considering what the pictures show, I'm probably going to get the salvaged arches I've acquired repaired, and then have them welded in place after cutting out all the old stuff. Think this might be the easiest solution?

As you can see in Dave M’s photos, the plastic tube which drains water from the gutter behind the hood terminates behind the plastic shield on the inner wings. I think this causes a lot of rust in that area as you can see. When I finished welding mine, I drilled new holes above the plastic and terminated them so they could be seen. I just check them now and then to make sure they are clear.

I agree, Noideadave, did the same, crazy the tube sitting over that seam area.