The winter has mostly been kind to my 'Cruiser, but not to her left rear wheel arch:





At this point I'm not sure if anything CAN be done to at least contain, if not halt, the damage to her "wood" trim sticker and the metal beneath it.

The sticker is still flexible but one swipe against it will probably tear the lifted portion clean off. I've heard everything from using clear nail polish to removing the damaged portion and just painting it back on.

I can't afford to do it "right" (proper bodywork) at the moment, so the best "right now" solution is appreciated...

 

Unfortunately, there is no "best" right-now solution. The woodgrain is lost. You will destroy it when removing it to properly repair the rust. The only thing you can do for the moment is to remove the inner sidewall trim panel and try to apply POR15 or equivalent to the rust from the inside. You can also apply some from the outside but you'll need to remove part of the vinyl. In any case, application on the inside is mandatory, as this is an inside-out rust situation.

 

Yeah, I figured that. Problem is I can't find a supplier of the right replacement applique, and as I'll have to do it ALL over (unless it matches the rear and other side, but I doubt it will), I'm sort of stuck as I don't want to take a chunk out of it without a replacement in hand.

The "good" news is that this...



...is the back end of the same wheel well, so it can all be done at once.

Speaking of which, how much of a nightmare is it to have to patch that panel below the fuel door? There's a decent size hole there already, and with the bubbling you can see around the entire well there's a good chance that it'll need LOTS of patching. (Or no?)

Ugh. I wonder what the Michigan lottery jackpot is up to...