Bolt-On Body Parts: Rear Fenders

Previous Article \| Next Article Bolt-On Body Parts: Rear Fenders I had the rear fenders sand blasted, but after the filler was blasted away there were so many holes and thin spots that I decided to look for replacements. I found a left side fender at a swap meet and the right side on eBay. They were in fairly decent shape although both had some of that infamous "swap meet surface rust". One of the things I've learned during this project is that there is no such thing as "surface rust". Once rust gets a start on sheet metal, it doesn't take long for it to begin pitting the metal.
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I stripped the replacement fenders of paint and filler and removed the front brace and the taillight-mounting bracket so I could get at the rust underneath.
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The rear bottom of the left fender was in bad shape so I ordered a rear fender patch from Gene's Hot Rod Parts. Two types of patch panels are available for 39-40 rear fenders: A patch for the front bottom of the fender and one for the rear.
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*Rear Fender Repairs* The first step was to mark a cut line in the correct location. The bottom edge of the fender was too mangled to get an accurate measurement, so I made a chipboard template, taped it on the fender and marked the cut-off line.
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I used a die grinder to make the cut and then a hammer and dolly to get the fender as straight as possible before welding.
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To get the fender roll correctly aligned, I clamped the new patch to the fender on the bench. Then, because 40 fenders are so "flexible", I tacked on a couple of temporary straps so I could clamp the parts together for welding. Once the patch was properly fitted, I welded the patch on one tack at a time to minimize distortion. To locate any missed spots, I shined a light in back of the weld seam.
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*Sources* Gene's Hot Rod Parts: http://www.geneshotrodparts.com EMS: http://www.emsautomotive.com © 2001-2005 Chariot Software Group Project 40 Home \| Section Home