Panel names

Technical Area Body, Interior & Styling
1

Hello
New to website but my second mx-5
First one I’ve actually started to restore though

I’m replacing rear wheel arch as this is a normal place that rusts, but I’ve also got to replace the panel that’s attached to it at the bottom and runs under the car

I know the seal is what you see from the side of the car, but is the panel that attaches to this, and runs under the car still called the seal?

Thanks I’m advance

  1. My model of MX-5 is: mk1
  2. I’m based near: Basingstoke
  3. I’m looking for technical help or recommendations on: panel
2

Hi Kev, they are actually called sills, not seals. There are outer sills, the part you see along the bottom side edges arch to arch. Also inner sills, the section that runs behind that. Plenty of pics from google if you search ‘sill’ repairs mx5.

For example:

Barrie

3

There was this, which I think came from MX5Restorer

image

"Blue = Sill end plate, found inside the arch, you can see the hole where the rubber bung normally is

Red = Inner Sill/Box section, you can see this box section from under the car

Green = Inner reinforcement panel

Yellow = Structural sill, this is the section that dives behind the outer wing at the point of the vertical seam that is below the back corner of the door

Purple = Outer Wing/Skin, this is usually where rust is first noticed, but not where it has started, the inner sections are rusting before the outer skin is."

2 Likes
4

Where the inner sill meets the end plate, it’s curved, but not on that photo?
Can these panels be brought?

5

Just to throw in something off the wall here, this all works in a UK context. My father worked for Ford for many years and, like the company, referred to many body components by their American names.

Our car had a hood , not a bonnet, for example. What we call Sills, the Americans call ‘Rocker Panels’. Just be aware if you’re looking at an American MX site.

JS

2 Likes