Front wheel well bodywork missing

[Thomas76]

Hoping someone has a good eye and can help me figure out this wheel well.
I've got everything out for new shocks, springs, wheel bearings ECT so now is a good time to finally clean up what I can.

Previous owner did a mediocre job welding in new panels and I've always thought this looked incomplete, like there is a couple missing panels.
I've attempted to figure it out using bmw diagrams but they're not giving me the confidence to buy parts...

Left fender looking forward:


Looking towards firewall:


Looking up:


Thinking maybe this "mud panel" behind wheel?

Mud cover left for all models

Mud cover left for all models

www.wallothnesch.com

 

[sfdon]

Those panels trap moisture and mud behind them. Lose them…

 

[Dlc]

Hi Thomas
I just had a look at my 2019 restoration project and found these before-after pictures --- my trusted body expert had to use a lot of replacement panels.

 

[eriknetherlands]

Hi Thomas.
Yes your car is missing the panel called "mud cover" as on the W&N pages you shared.

But as Don mentioned, do not bother to reinstall them. You better opt for fender liners such as the "Lokari" brand. They can easily be removed to clean behind them once a year.

The pictures of your car show that all other panels that should be there, are present.

 

[Keshav]

Inner wings, front - BMW 3.0 CS / CSi / CSL Coupé / E9 - yoc 68-76 - Industrievertretung Hanna GmbH

BMW, 3.0, CS, CSi, CSL, Coupé, E9, inner wings, wheel, well, liner, Lokari

www.lokari.de

 

[Thomas76]

Thank you E9 community for reassurance. I need to remind myself these cars as new had a crude skeletons behind the beautiful skin.

 

[Blinkling]

Hi Thomas. Here is what that aft mud panel would look like if you bought it (and its corresponding rubber strip) today and installed them. I opted to try them out because I am on a quest to reduce wind and road noise. They absolutely are not tall enough to keep sand from going behind them. I use plastic fender liners in addition.

 

[Stevehose]

Hi Thomas. Here is what that aft mud panel would look like if you bought it (and its corresponding rubber strip) today and installed them. I opted to try them out because I am on a quest to reduce wind and road noise. They absolutely are not tall enough to keep sand from going behind them. I use plastic fender liners in addition.

IIRC there is a second piece that fits on top of this one to cover the area completely, or is this something different?

 

[TomHom]

This one on top!

...but it is installed!
Thomas (the other Thomas)

 

[Keshav]

IIRC there is a second piece that fits on top of this one to cover the area completely, or is this something different?

@TomHom the upper part that Steve is referring to are….

 

[rsporsche]

This one on top!
View attachment 173740
...but it is installed!
Thomas (the other Thomas)

great pick of the triangular box that can hold a few pounds of sand / road dirt that you have to keep clean

 

[TomHom]

Check! The upper part

 

[rsporsche]

very smart addition.

 

[alprada70]

@TomHom the upper part that Steve is referring to are….

View attachment 173749

I reproduce it.

 

[Blinkling]

IIRC there is a second piece that fits on top of this one to cover the area completely, or is this something different?

You're right, Steve. Looking again at my own picture, I think it is present on my car but it has the same rubberized coating on it as the rest of everything so it's hard to see.

TomHom's photos are excellent and I can see that there is quite a bit of space that I did NOT clean out during my process. I will probably be forced to try to remove it on the right side of my car. There's a rust bubble forming up high on that side and I suspect it corresponds to the bottom of the V.

I'll reply again after I've investigated more.

 

[Blinkling]

This one on top!
View attachment 173740
...but it is installed!
Thomas (the other Thomas)

Fantastic. It looks to be welded in in two or three places, maybe? I see it has a hole in it for access of some kind but I don't expect I'll be able to vacuum any trapped sand out through it.

 

[TomHom]

Another snap shot showing how it's welded:
Thomas

 

[Krzysztof]

Another snap shot showing how it's welded:View attachment 173814
Thomas

But does it mean this small piece shouldn't be put back on during restoration?

I do agree it is very strange (almost unbelievable) not to make a big hole in the lowest part of that box. How come body designers missed that even over years of production. I believe they quite soon have been facing the results of such design "misaligment".

Check! The upper part
View attachment 173778

Also BMW was selling the reinforcement repair panel with that mud-shield.

 

[TomHom]

This hole is the opening to bring in cavity sealing. When finished with this work close it with a plug!

 

[Krzysztof]

It is still not explaining the fact BMW was creating boxes with no drains.

It is clear bigger openings are for body draining while production (body paint preparation, cathode-based passivization or wax protection but why they didn't care about the water (mud) draining?

Might be I'm missing something.