Best metal cutting tool for fender flare install

[Brownwood]

I received my MGB Huffaker Flares from Steve Lilves yesterday.  I am ready to begin the daunting, for me, task of installing them.  I have looked at metal cutting shears and saws but Im not sure what tool is best for this job of metal removal?

[Moderator]

Keith, if you haven't already discovered these articles you might want to give them a look:

http://www.britishv8.org/MG/PaulSchils-MGB.htm (scroll to the bottom)
http://www.britishv8.org/Articles/Nissan-Fender-Flares-for-MGB.htm
http://www.britishv8.org/articles/sebring-fender-flares.htm

One thing they show is that a variety of tools will work, and that you can use them in combination. From my experience, most MGB bodywork can be cut up easily with aviation snips. Buy a good brand (e.g. Wiss) and buy BOTH left-hand and the right-hand cutting variety. A small reciprocating saw and an angle grinder are both very handy, but a hack saw and a couple files do the same jobs. Sometimes using slower and quieter tools gives me more time to think.

[BlownMGB-V8]

For cutting sheet metal body panels few tools can beat a .040" "zip" blade in an angle grinder. Personally I like the 6" wheels on a 4-1/2" grinder but it's a dangerous tool and you have to be careful with it. You can slice the metal cleanly without deforming it in any way and with practice can cut curves as well as straight lines. It's fast.

Jim

[Preform Resources]

Kieth, here's our rear wheel arch conversion system.using a 90 grinder with a 3" cutoff wheel and a recipro saw (HF)and our bond in FRP inner wheel arch, then trim it to suit whatever flair you're putting on.
Dave

[Grant70B]

I use a 1/16 inch thick, 3 inch wide grinding wheel on a die grinder.  Works great.  Goes around curves easily and is pretty easy to control if you are careful.