Front Wing / Fender Fit.

[tel76]

I am welding new wings to my 280sl and have got a major problem.
The headlight bowls are tacked in place,before welding completely i offered up the headlight bezel to find that the contours of the bezel do not follow the contours of wing around the top.The fit is ok from the swage line on the outside of the rhd wing to the verticle but there is a gap of approx: 3mm from the 12oclock position around to the 3oclock position.
Has anyone had this problem before?

[hauser]

No specific answer to your question but if you are fitting your headlights to the fenders remember which unit you used for the left and which one you used for the right.  I know this sounds a bit crazy but there will be a difference.  I ran across this problem when I removed my lights for bulb upgrades.  I got this information from an extremely reliable source.  Even though both units are interchangeable and both are identical there will be a difference when you do your body work so that the light housings and trim flow with the finders.

[Mike Hughes]

So your gap is on the inner portion of the fender as it curves around towards the grille? If so, this is to allow for the hand finishing of that portion of the fender, including letting in the "notch" that corresponds to the swage line on the outer side of the fender.  A certain amount of body filler needs to be built up for this hand finishing, and the final contours should mate with the edges of the chrome headlamp surround.