** TECH REQUEST POST** Are these allowed?

[CURIOUS RASH]

<font color="green">RASHY here,

About 6 years ago I started thinking about building a tear drop trailer and mounting 41-48 Chevy rear fenders on it so that they will match the fenders on my 41.

I used the 2" wider fiberglass fenders on the 41 and don't like them.

So, what I want to know is....

Ho would a person go about taking a set of original steel fenders and widening them out two inches?

I have some ideas in my head but I tend to think things are easier than they are and wind up screwing myself.

So, any one of you metal fab pros out there have any ideas?

Happen to have pics of something similar you have done?

I have a few other questions as to process but don't quite know how to formulate them (don't want to appear TOOOO stupid) until this thing gets rolling


RASHY </font>

[Slide]

My dad widened and molded some fenders on a dude's 48 Chevy a couple years ago while I was on the other side of the shop working on my own car. Basically, they just cut strips of 18ga. the width they wanted to widen the fenders, then tack-welded them to the fenders and to the body. (I can't remember which was first.) Anyway, it turned aout pretty cool that they widened them about 2" in the front, and tapered the widening to only about 1/2" at the back. This kept the back end from looking obviously widened.

As I type, I am remembering that they had to sorta "fan out" the body edge of the filler strips, so they would blend into the body better. That would probably have made it easier to tack the strips to the fender, then fan them out using a hammer &amp; dolly.

[CURIOUS RASH]

<font color="green">Okay, now I'm getting some questions together.

1. Since the rear part of the fender mounted up from the bottom, into the bottom af the body, this portion will have to be reworked to be flat, so that it will bolt onto the side of the trailer.
Would it be best to just butt join a peice at a 90 degree with the fender and weld it there or would it be better to break a piece over, contour it to the fender and then weld it?

2. I won't have a car to bolt the thing onto so, would a sheet of plywood suffice to hold the thing still while doing all the work?

3. With the 2" filler, should it be butted up or over/underlapped?

Thanks, RASHY </font>

[autocol]

to widen the fenders i would do this:

1. get some stiff cardboard. trim trim trim until it fits the underside of the fender really nicely. repeat this process until you have a series of equally spaced cardboard cutouts that accurately map the shape of the UNDERSIDE of the fender. number them.

2. transfer onto some form of hardwood. whatever's cheap, or free. no stealing allowed.

3. assemble the hardwood to form your "buck". set the fender on it to check the fit, and trim where necessary. the buck, not the fender... http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif hey, your title does say "Total Idiot"!!!

4. cut the buck vertically through the middle, add your two inches with more hardwood, and assemble back together.

5. take deep breath.

6. hack the almighty fuck out of the center of your perfectly good fender.

7. attach the two sides of your fender to the buck. there should be a nice two inch gap the length of it.

8. trim up a cardboard template that fits down that two inch strip, butted up against the two sides.

9. cut that shape out of sheetmetal the same thickness as the fender, and cut it a little bit big, so you have to slowly grind it down until it fits PERFECT.

10. slowly grind it down until it fits PERFECT! you knew i was gonna say that, huh?

11. tack, move, tack, move, tack, move, tack, move, tack, move... welder of choice. at my house, it's a 240V, 120A MIG. mig being hard, i'm always careful to make nice, smooth, low tacks to save grinding. i hate grinding MIG welds.

12. filler. let's face it, you're gonna need it. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

13. primer.

14. paint.

15. clear.

16. striping.

17. beer.

[fordiac]

classic trucks a while ago widened a fender.

they bolted it to a piece of plywood like you say.

it might be a good idea to make supports for the wheel opening so that it held it for you stationary when you were working the metal. and tack some spacer strips in before you weld the long piece in, this will help hold everything solid

[CURIOUS RASH]

<font color="green">See, THAT is what I'm talking about.

Fender Widening For Dummies.

You kinda lost me on 14 &amp; 15, though!!! http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

That is a great idea, I'm sure I'll screw it up somehow.

Thanks, RASHY </font>

[autocol]

i would probably drill some small holes in the fender and screw it to the buck once it was in two halves, and then just weld the holes up when i was finished...

[WZ JUNK]

I used two sets of fenders to make a set for a 48 Chevy truck that I wanted two inches wider. I cut one just two inches in from the mounting flange and I cut the second set at the mounting flange. I welded them together to make a two inch wider fender.

Put them on the truck and it looked like a one ton dually. Threw the fenders in the scrap out back with the other great ideas that did not work out. Fenders were okay but they did not look good on the truck.

[old beet]

WZ, saw a guy do the same thing, 51 Ford PU, turned out good........OLDBEET

[Toqwik]

Those 41-8 rear fenders have a screwed up inner contour to them, they are not flat like most fenders are. If it is for a custom application, I would just wack the fender off where it rolls over from the surface, design however you plan on mounting it to the trailer, and add whatever amount you want to widen it. You would have alot more time trying to create the correct mounting surface for the original body than just making it however you want to. trust me, I tubbed my 41 and then tried to mount the wider glass fenders (I didn't have any fenders when I did the tubs, and had no idea of the wierd way they mounted)make it easy on yourself....Toqwik

[CURIOUS RASH]

<font color="green">Yeah, the jacked up way the fenders mount is what I was getting at in my second post. That may be the easiest way to do them yet.

They will mount to the side of the teardrop which will, of coarse be verticle.

I appreciate all the input guys.

I will print this (and All the other) tech week posts and keep them handy for when the fun begins.

RASHY </font>

[sawzall]

RASHY.. I have an answer for you.. some time ago denise (hotrodladycruser) and I were chattin about what parts she might have "left over" from her olds project.. as were chattin shes pointing out this and that etc etc.. and telling me how she removed the stock rear fenders on bigolds and replaced them with chevy fenders...

WHat I say? why would you do that??? her response.. well Sawzall.. chevy fenders are the same (or very similar) shape as the olds fenders.. but are NARROWER! and she wanted the tire to fender clearance to be less!

seems like what you need are a pair of 46 - 48 olds rear fenders.. and I happen to have some!! unfortunately, they are still attached to my 48 olds woodie...

good luck

sawZall

[REVEREND JAKE]

You could easily do the inserts. Make them about 3-4 inches wide to allow for overlap. Or you could bevel the fenders once cut and put a spice piece in at that time. OR you could get another set of fenders split both sets extend to your liking and only weld once.

Call me if you have any ????

Reverend Jake
918.760.6710
918.663.6667