This section covers localised welded-in repair panels for the MGA body and chassis, the specific pressed or shaped steel sections used to cut out a damaged area of the original structure and weld in a matching replacement piece. Repair panels differ from full-panel replacements in scale: where a full panel replaces an entire wing, shroud or structural pressing, a repair panel replaces just the localised area that has corroded, preserving the original surrounding metal. Localised repair is the practical and cost-effective route for the majority of MGA restorations.
Most cars have specific rust-through areas where water has collected or bodywork has been damaged, while the surrounding metal is sound. A repair panel welded in to the correct shape restores both structural integrity and external appearance without the time and expense of full panel replacement.
Front shroud side repair panels
Front shroud side repair panels (L/H and R/H) are handed repair sections for the lateral flanks of the front shroud, the steel pressings running alongside the shroud and meeting the inner wing structure. This area commonly corrodes where water collects along the flange at the top of the inner wing, hidden under the shroud and rarely visible until the bonnet is removed. The panels are shaped to match the factory contour, allowing the damaged section to be cut out and the new section welded in with correct geometry.
Front inner wing repair sections, 8" and 12½"
Two sizes of front inner wing repair section are available for different extents of damage at the most common rust position. The 8-inch inner wing front repair (LHR and RHR) is a shorter repair section for localised damage at the rear of the inner wing near the scuttle, "LHR" and "RHR" denote left-hand rear and right-hand rear positions. The 12½-inch inner wing front repair (L/H and R/H) is a longer section for larger damage areas. These sections are the correct answer where damage is localised and the rest of the inner wing is sound.
For widespread inner wing failure, a complete inner wing panel (from the Inner Panels node) is the better route.
Battery support arm
The battery support arm is a localised repair piece for the battery cradle structure. The MGA's battery cradles, located behind the seats, accessed through the hood stowage floor, are a known early casualty of MGA corrosion. Coolant drips from heater plumbing, battery acid spillage from the wet-cell batteries, and trapped water from tonneau or hood ingress combine to attack the battery cradle structure. The support arm is a specific structural element of this area, typically required during any proper restoration of the centre chassis section.
16 SWG front inner wing strip, fabrication stock
The front inner wing strip in 16 SWG (standard wire gauge 16, approximately 1.6 mm / 0.064" thick mild steel) is supplied as a straight strip of body-panel-gauge steel. This is fabrication stock rather than a pre-shaped repair panel, supplied for restorers fabricating custom repair sections to fit damage that doesn't match one of the pre-shaped options, or for reinforcing repair joints. 16 SWG matches the factory-original body steel gauge, giving correct strength and weld characteristics.
3" chassis repair section
The 3-inch MGA chassis repair section is a short localised chassis repair piece for very localised damage, a small rust-through or impact damage, where a full chassis extension is not justified. For major chassis damage, the full chassis extension (from the Chassis and Fixings node) is the correct answer.
When a repair panel is the correct choice
Repair panels are the right route when the damaged area is clearly defined and surrounded by sound metal; when the damage is less extensive than the size of a complete panel replacement; when the surrounding factory metal can still set the correct geometry for the repair; and when the cost and time of complete panel replacement is not justified. Repair panels are not right when the damage extends significantly beyond the repair panel's coverage, or when the adjacent metal is also corroded, in those cases, a full panel from the main Panels sub-categories delivers a better result.
Ordering considerations
Measure the damaged area carefully before ordering, the 8" vs 12½" inner wing distinction matters for correct fitment. For any localised repair, the surrounding structure must be sound; patching a repair section into already-degraded adjacent metal simply transfers the problem. For fabrication using the 16 SWG strip, the restorer should have access to a brake press or panel-forming equipment plus MIG welding capability for correct joint integrity.