Technical Wire beading in 30's fenders

This may be a dumb question, but after a few searches, I haven't found my answer. It seems like the main purpose for the wire in the beaded edge of early fenders was mainly to help shape the bead, but does it add structure as well?
If I was to form new pieces to repair the common cracks in a 33 Ford fender, or was able to cut a donor piece out of another fender, would the wire need to be reattached? Or is it simply "along for the ride" after the fender was formed?

 

I most certainly would fix the wire. I personally would peel the skin away so you can completely see the wire to get a good weld on it, not just fill it up with weld when doing the rest of the crack. 33-34 fenders need to be done right or they will just crack again.

 

Yes, the wire is absolutely necessary for strength. Without it the fender will crack. When repairing a cracked fender, you should peel back to expose the wire and then replace a small section of the wire so that the welds are not in the same place as the crack in the sheet metal. Stagger the welds for better strength.

 

i agree with all the above, and i think it was originally spring wire, like the perimeter wire on a seat cushion. comes in 10 foot lengths at your upholstery guy

 

Doesn’t seem like it works very well . ^^^^

 

Oh, I'd say that lasting long enough to be repaired, 87-years later, is a pretty good run.

 

Replace the whole wire, if you weld it is a weak spot and likely to crack again

 

If fixed correctly it will probably never crack again. Look at how bad the roads were then, compared to now, and how much more twist and vibration they went through back when they were new cars.

 

FWIW, the wire in model A fenders has 41 serrations to the inch. When you repair the fenders take the time with a 3 corner file to replicate the original serrations.

 

nick, the wire that is in the fender fold isn't serrated, the crimped edge of the fender is. That serration is formed by the machine that folds the metal edge of the fender over the wire during production.

 

roads are better but the speeds are higher. My Model A fenders try to lift and flex above 60MPH I opened the hem and welded new wire in 2" on either side of the crack, then added a second wire for good measure. Been holding for years with no further damage.

 

I think you guys are saying this with tongue in cheek, but I've done this. My little brother's '28 coupe had a really nice set of fenders, so when we did the bodywork we made sure to retain and fix the serrations on the edge (I can't remember counting them though). And made sure the painter didn't fill them up as well. They are real Ford fenders and we wanted everyone to know it.

 

I stand corrected. It is the edge of the fender that has the serrations, not the wire. We check for bead repair by running your fingernail along the bead to see if the serrations are still there.