Technical Rear arch rusted through? Is this structural? Has anyone encountered this?

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Technical Rear arch rusted through? Is this structural? Has anyone encountered this?

FlowerFiatx

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Rear arch rusted through? Is this structural? Has anyone encountered this? How did you resolve?

Cabrio
 
There is every chance that it would not pass an MOT with a rusty wheel arch. Particularly as it's a cabrio and the strength lost by removing the roof is fed down the windscreen pillars and into a strengthened floor pan. The best way to do it is to cut out the rot and have a repair panel welded in.
Fibreglass or pop-rivets are a bodge, and do not restore any structure to the car! If it was the front arch, it would be easy enough to change the wing, but at the rear your options are limited.
Also check that corrosion hasn't spread to the suspension turrets, or near any seat belt mountings? If it has you are looking at very costly repairs if you can't tackle the job yourself!
 
There is every chance that it would not pass an MOT with a rusty wheel arch. Particularly as it's a cabrio and the strength lost by removing the roof is fed down the windscreen pillars and into a strengthened floor pan. The best way to do it is to cut out the rot and have a repair panel welded in.
Fibreglass or pop-rivets are a bodge, and do not restore any structure to the car! If it was the front arch, it would be easy enough to change the wing, but at the rear your options are limited.
Also check that corrosion hasn't spread to the suspension turrets, or near any seat belt mountings? If it has you are looking at very costly repairs if you can't tackle the job yourself!


Can you highlight where the suspension turrets are.
 
The turrets are in the boot behind the plastic side panels. They are part of the inner wheel arch.
From outside, look at where the rear shock and spring mount to the car. That is the turret.

Hi that is rusted but there is no suspension connected to it as far as i can see.
 
Sorry, that was my fault for confusing you! You are right, the suspension fixes to a subframe, which is connected to the floorpan. Either way, the internal wheel arch is a structural part of the car and should be repaired properly. If the arch/inner wing, call it what you will, is rusty, then I suspect other parts will have seen better days.
I am afraid you have few options:-
A) Sell the car as a project to someone who can do the repairs or wants the engine/spares
B) If you can tackle the job yourself, crack on!
C) Farm out the work (will cost more than the value of the car)
D) Buy another with a decent body and swap the good bits.
E) Scrap the car and start again.
I am sure there will be members of this forum willing to take on a project, or can use the parts. Check out Cinquecento and Seicento section, as they like these engines. Good luck with whatever you choose to do.
 
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