Ford XB Coupe
As illustrated above, the XB Coupe has been completely disassembled. The fenders have been removed and also the strut tower reinforcement sections. The external plenum cover (or wiper panel) was unpicked and removed to allow access to the underlying issues.
The internal surface was sandblasted to remove the corrosion and expose the full extent of the fatigue affected areas. After which the metal fabrication and repairs were conducted.
Mazda RX3
This photo illustrates the extent of repairs required to rectify the internal plenum chamber corrosion. Although this is an extreme case, it is not uncommon to find after the removal of the external cover panel.
This photo illustrates the external (plenum chamber) cover panel alignment with the internal section prior to being permanently welded in position. The photo also illustrates the extent of repairs to the external cover panel, being the replacement of the complete lower flange and the central windscreen aperture/grille opening.