***32 Fender Repair...or the Fence Post Tech Post***

I bought this pair of 32 front fenders at Turlock last weekend.



I didn't look at them real close because the price was cheap and there was someone else in line behind me that woulda bought them.

When I got them back to our space I noticed the fender on the bottom had a little dent in the crown...



...about the size of my boot.



To be honest, I had bought the fenders merely to cut some patch panels out of to repair the fenders on my 32 sedan...as they had the inner skirt torched out for headers...



I figured the swapmeet fenders were junk...so it wouldn't hurt to cut them up. My brother Mark looked at them and said, "Why don't you make patch panels for your sedan and fix these fenders...they just need the big dents hammered out." So I took the challenge...figuring I had nothing to lose.

Since it took something pretty big to make that dent...I suspected I would need equal power to reverse the damage. So I came up with this fine metal working tool...



Maybe I should call it the "Hillbilly Hammer (tm)"...

A lodgepole fence post with the end rounded off. Placing the fender on the rain soaked lawn worked out pretty well for this job...





...after about 30 minutes and with a little hammer and dolly work straighting edges the fenders are starting to take shape...





Since it looks like they will save...I may use them as a metal working exercise to see if I can metal finish them. We'll see how energetic I get.

Neal

 

Nice job! Might as well use those fenders to replace the torched ones that are on your car...it's amazing what people will give up on because of a few dents...some time and sweat (and a big f'ing fencepost) can sure do wonders to make things usable again...best of luck with the rest of the metal finishing...

 

that's the first time i've seen a fence post do a fender good. i've repaired fenders that i thought were junk, but those fenders were/are great. good job saving them.

 

hahaha love it awesome ! nice job

 

Killer job,great save!!

 

Nice post.

 

Nice job!​

I restored my granddad's 1950 John Deere AR back in 1992. It had a mashed fender where somebody had backed into something. My tools looked a lot like yours.

I had to repair the fender on the tractor, since the back wheels weigh 600 lbs apiece, and I had no way to remove one. It came out looking good. I've got pics somewhere, but my scanner's broke.

 

you are NOT puttin' those on the RPU?

 

nice FENCE post

 

That looks like it worked pretty well, nice job. I have a bunch of wood blocks, 2x4s etc for prying and banging out dents. Gotta use your imagination, right?

 

Awesome..
lol..would have never thought to do it that way

 

Fenders look 100% better, good job.

 

Thinking out of the box! Now you need to mow your shot bag.

 

Bang on Brother. Carry a big stick............--TV

 

No, the rpu is staying fenderless. Depending on how they come out...they may go on the sedan...I may sell/trade them off...or I may just keep them for the next 32 project...

Whatever I do with them...I figured I'm ahead if I fix them...rather than just keeping junky looking fenders.

Neal

 

My dad was in my shop earlier...looking at the fenders...he says, " I don't want to tell you what to do, but..." I stopped him, knowing that he'd like to see fenders on my rpu. I do agree that it would be cool...kinda like Bruce's real one, but I don't think I have it in me to fit fenders, running boards, bumpers, etc on a car built from scraps. That frame was such a mess, I don't think I'd be able to get everything to fit. Fitting the hood top was enough of a chore...plus the sedan will be full fendered.

Brian could take those fenders that far. I can only try...and maybe get 1/2 way there.

Neal

 

All you need to do now ,Is roll them out with a roller ,Nice job.

 

AMAZING! I love it! You aren't Scottish are you?!

 

Looks great Neal....

 

Nice job as always.

 

I've done the reverse. I put dents in with the fence post. They stop a car real fast!!

 

good pair of fenders! well done!

 

I saw someone (you?) carrying that fender in Turlock and thought someone bought a fender for parts!

 

That had to have been me. And I did buy them for parts...it was my brother that talked me into trying to fix them.

I probably shouldn't post stuff like this...I'm gonna start hearing at swapmeets, "I've seen some guy on the internet that fixes this kinda stuff...so this junk (32 Ford whatever) is worth $$$.00."

It's the only way I can play this game.

Neal

 

Ironically I just remembered where a set of trashed Model A fenders were and was planning on calling the gent to see if he still wanted to part with them. My Phone booth needs em.

 

Welcome to the town of Bedrock body shop. Fred and Barney would be impressed!

 

I hear you about having to make do with subpar (junk) parts on some occasions. It just makes you think a little harder about passing on something that seems too far gone. Isn't the saying "give some guys lemons and they will make lemonade" apply here?
BTW, I like your "hammer/shot bag combo". I'm too embarrased to say what I used to do the same job but "necessity IS the mother of invention", RIGHT?

Frank

 

Hey Neal,

Your fenders look great!

When I saw the wooden post, and the picture of you standing on that fender, I said " one ruined fender commin up"!

I'd probably would have suggested you bump the damage out by driving down the ridges on the outsides of the major buckles prior to driving up the low areas as this would create less stretching, and probably make it easier to straighten the buckles in the middle of the crown, but you made it work!

Given you have some straight thirty-two fenders, cut some templets from these made from thin cardboard (donut box material) and use these as a guide to straighten these fenders. Maybe two fore and aft and two side to side. Number or letter them for referance to the straight fenders, and use these as an exact guide to the correct shape & form of the straight thirty two fenders. Sometimes you can get a fender or panel straight, and still miss the correct shape or crown. The templets will take all the guesswork out of the job, and save you time runnin back to the straight fenders to figger where you are and need to be.

I wish the last pair of thirty two fenders I bought looked this good!

Great job, Neal

" All great truths begin as blasphemies"

 

Neal, That was very creative. Best way to get some parts you need. Buy cheap and use your skills to save the fenders for your sedan ! You really rocked on making them useable. Way to go ! Reminds me of when I needed a driver side fender for my '41. The guy at the swap had what I needed. Only down side is I had to buy the pair ! Oh well still got a right side fender if I need it.