Hot Rods 32 Ford dropped headlight bar pointers?

We're on the home stretch of a 5w build and are installing a dropped stainless headlight bar on it. Thankfully it does bend as it certainly didn't come close to fitting out of the box (kinda like anything aftermarket). My bodyman has stressed no pressure on the fit to the fenders.
So I'm hoping to hear any techniques, pointers from anyone who's had to tackle fitting one of these. Pretty strange fender attachment bolts too, angling forward I think.
It's a United Pacific part.

 

This is one of those things you do in mock up before paint correct?

 

Bought a drake one once that needed to be a little narrower, so just added a little extra curve to it by putting a little weight on it and bending it over one of my taller rear tires. Bent pretty easy so go slow. Luckily didn’t need to tweak the mounting pads.

 

I did the tire trick already, guess I'm not alone LOL. The mounting pads definitely gonna need tweaking now.

 

Had to modify the fender braces on mine to get it to work. D

 

Are all the parts original?

If not modify the fender supports.

If they are the best way I have found is loose for all the part and tighten from the frame out side to side.


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I have never seen any that fit well . I never tweated mine . Best advice it , leave it all loose and tighten it all up slowly as you go .

 

My Drake bar needed work, I tried an old deuce factory bar that need to much work, on my 3 window there was a guy in California offering remaufactured bars with the ends drilled for wiring and it fit perfect. The best luck I've ever had was sending my bars to Pete Eastwood to drop, they fit perfect. No more repro bars for me.

 

The fender supports are original, the fenders are Brookeville. Yep , everything mocked up w/o paint. It's the same old story, once expensive base/clear paint is on the car every part has "grown". Thx for the great advice and words of encouragement.
Yep it would've been great to have Pete modify an original bar.

 

I made a jig using an undropped original bar. It "saved" the original angles and width, etc, with all 4 holes on the jig. Then when dropping the bar, I checked the fit on that jig many times. I had beat up old fenders and braces, so I tweaked those to fit the bar as I knew the bar was correct.

If you find a gap under the fender, above the brace at each hole, that's when the fenders gets distorted. The brace needs to fit good under the fender at the bolt holes.

Yes the bolt heads are angled.

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I droped the original 4 cylinder headlight bar using a jig and like Frank alluded too you need need to use the off set original style headlight bolts. HRP

 

I did a lot of heating/bending of the fender braces. Made them fit right on the back side of the fender where the pad bolt holes are(no gap). Then got both sides to sit at the same
height(measuring ground to fender bead). My braces follow the inside of fender line from headlight mounting holes out to the far edge. You can run a business card along the gap. Gives the most tire clearance without cutting the ends off.

 

I guess I've been lucky. Have only installed 2 over the years but never had any issues with either one.

 

Build highboys!

 

Got the deed done...lots of massaging. Thanks for all the great help folks!