I have two sets of front fenders for my '36 Ford 3W project and all four have cracks in the middle of the wheel opening arch. I've also seen other fenders displaying the same cracking, so I'm thinking it might have been a design flaw and that I should just go ahead and reinforce the fenders to avoid future problems. My thoughts were to bend a 3/8" OD rod to match the wheel opening curvature and weld it in to the lip of the curvature to strengthen that area. Thought I'd ask if anyone else had done it, how it worked for them, where they placed the rod, etc. This is my first fat-fendered Ford build and maybe it's a normal thing to do, but I've never run across it before. Any suggestions........? Thanks, -Bob
many years ago l used 3/8 steel fuel line and brazed it in. l used brass to minimize the heat .just make sure the cracks are stabilized in place or you have problems
I think solid rod is improper. I have many ol cars and some tried that and it broke. I think using conduit would be better. Never use brass on car body.
As bad an idea as brass is, conduit is worse. It's thin and too large and is galvanized to boot. The only use for conduit is for electrical wiring. The 3/8" steel fuel line would probably work done properly. I'm not sure but I think there may be a better ( proper ) way to fix this problem.
The edge of the steel fender is wrapped around a solid wire. The wire has broken. The correct fix is to cut a section of sheet metal fender about an inch each side of the split. splice in (weld) a new section of wire, about a inch longer then the split wire, and replace the removed sheet metal. Gene
1936 Fords do not have wire wrapped like Ford used in the earlier years. This is great info for pre -35 Fords though. Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
just seeing this, both my front fenders had the same cracks in the 70's in 86 we had EMT brazed into he lip as described above, still holding storng
I welded 5/16" mild steel rod into the 'rolls' of front fender lips on my '36 three window in 1955. It was a 'practice drill' overseen by my elder body/paint friend, who had taught me the finer points of oxy-acet welding when I was 12... This one year tutorial was finished with great success. Those fenders were later removed, and are on another '36 three window still. (no further damage, either...Paint is 50+ years old, black lacquer.
http://www.2040-parts.com/1935-1936-1937-ford-pickup-rear-fender-repair-patch-panel-pair-i548625/ At about the 230 mark in the video, Ron shows the fender lip. I think I would try some two part epoxy such as Metal Set to secure the reinforcement as opposed to brazing or welding.
Not a fan of adding rod or tubing had better luck with splicing in a new. lip section cut from a doaner fender feels better looks better and remember our roads for the most part are way better
My stock 35 fenders have a curved under-lip with no re-enforcement ... also a single fender brace that comes up to the headlight mount area - early supports extended to the edge of the fender lip - later in the year it was shortened to terminate at the headlight. I would think that restoring the integrity of the original lip configuration would work fine without the rod affair. The 36 fender lip is the same as the 35.
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