Restoration: How to make wheel arches

[Randy]

There are no patch panels made for the 2009 Honda Fit, only for the older models.
I started off making a cardboard pattern the get the shape to reduce the amount of metal I would have to cut out.

Once I had the shape of the arch I marked which side was outside as to not fold the metal in the wrong direction in a later step.

I then scribed the pattern onto the sheet metal, then used a set of gauges to measure the distance from the lip to the first body line and made sure it was consistent throughout the wheel arch.

The lip was drawn first and the the outer body line.
I cut the arch out and made sure the flat metal pattern match the car.

I allowed a little extra lip and outer arch to allow for adjustments.

The lip on the fit is not a full 90 like the 1200 Civic, it does go from a 90deg bend to an almost V shaped arch in the very top. I believe this was the reason why is rots out as it holds the road salt and sand in that location. The car has been oiled several times to prevent rust but this area is easily washed away.

Once I start grinding and cutting away the exterior rotted area I will most likely have to make repairs to the inner wheel well.

I used tipping dies on my bead roller and pulled up on the outer edge of the arch to form a line for the 3/4 inner. I made a few passes taking my time and not the warp it unnecessarily. Once I had a line I used a body hammer and steel block in my vice to help roll the lip.
I then used a metal shrinker to pull the metal together after marking every 2” spacing on the inner lip.
Keep rechecking the shrinking with my bench top to make sure it’s pulling the panel flat. I continued to check the shape on the car when I got closer to the correct shape.

When it was close I started using a stretcher near the ends of the panel where it starts to bend towards the rocker panel and the bumper as these areas bend back in.

I cleaned the metal with acetone and sanded them down with 80grit for the final step prior to spraying the inner sides with copper weld through primer. To be done later before welding.

[Randy]

Here is a YouTube video

https://youtu.be/4jwJsdUH_FU?si=Ox86Q4zG8hCmP5Id

[Randy]

I started preparing for the new arch.
I removed the inner plastic panel, tail light and pulled the bumper corner away to prevent accidental burning or melting.
After removing the surface rust I discovered that the inner lip had completely rusted away.
So off I went to make an inner arch, not a precise as the outer panel.

I then cleaned up the rust on the inner wheel well with a wire wheel and then treated it with a rust neutralizer.
I painted the back of the repair panel with copper weld through primer and the front side with black rust paint.

All I have left to do after I welded it in is to trim the inner and outer lip to match and spot weld them together.