Brookeville model a fenders don't fit no how!!

damn right, Im doing a 34 5 window with all steves steel fenders deck lid apron and quarters from a roadster floor hood etc and new chassis. it is a real bitch to get evrything on a 34 to fit period. just suck up and make it happin. its just metal???

 

Not at all. We respect that the OP and others that had fitment issues have a right to question it. But the point most of us made here is that NO parts will fit on a Model A without some tweaking, and that includes an unused NOS set of fenders that someone may have had stored in a vault for 80 years. The methods of building cars at the factories back then was a step above horse and buggy technology and you could take a stock Deuce or Model A and find huge differences from side to side. Old Henry was a genius but also not known for spending a lot of money on things he didn't feel were necessary, like changing dies if they got some age on them.

The OP is lucky he isn't working with a 40 Willys. Those had gaps of up to an inch or more from side to side and the only way to get them anywhere near right is to cut them up and remove or add metal. Old cars are just never going to be laser straight like a 2012 model, they just aren't.

Don

 

a week and a half to fit 2 fenders? that's insane! They clearly have a problem they should address.

my weekly metal work blog www.themetalsurgeon.com

 

I said "if", I'm just quoting from a previous post. Hopefully that could be for all the fenders and running boards...............I didn't check with Brookville before I made the post.
Larry T

 

If it's any consolation, Snyder's front fenders for the 30/31 application, are advertised to be sold "as is". So they probably buy them from the same people that supply Brookville.

 

I think all the Roadster rear fenders come from Albright Towing (sp) in Maryland. None of the above info is new to people that have been in the hobby for over 2-3 years.

 

It`s pretty much a given if you are replacing Model A fenders then some fitting is required. My Brookville/Gas Light rears worked well but I bought a set of original fronts from ScrapMetal48 and worked `em back straight. Still wasn`t easy but I wanted steel fenders and wasn`t settling for glass. Chuck told me some work was involved getting the front repops to fit right so I jumped on the originals.
Glad I did now. The roadster is starting to look about right.

I`ve never had a repop part ever fit without working it some. In fact buy an nos(New Old Stock) part and see well it fits. It`s a better start but not perfect..

 

There has been many references on this thread to original sheet metal and the fitting issues. I am confused then how Ford could use such parts on the assembly line and not have the whole thing come grinding to a halt? How did they install them on the line?

 

They did a lot of bending and tweaking, and then when the cars reached the dealer, the dealers did more bending and tweaking and occasionally even did some bodywork.

There are service bulletins from that era, all the way through the 50's that show how to use 2x4's to bend body panels to make them line up correctly.

 

aerocolor....that is a sweet little Model A. They look sooo good with fenders.

 

There has been mentioned a few reasons allready, one issue I know personally is that parts pressed only a few months will have fitment issues on Fords from the 80's (which is what I'm used to work on) Presses probably wear out fast, and aren't replaced too often, and mounting holes were probably made to fit (and big enough to have some give) on the line....

 

Thanks. Adds cost and labor to the car but I think it`s going to be worth it. Looks tons lower and fenders cover up that Heidt front end.

 

Brookeville defenders don't know what they're talking about. If you buy model a parts you should not get a crude interpretation. nb4 locked thread.

 

My RPU has Brookville fenders front and rear. They fit perfect. Helluva lot better than the originals going back on my coupe. The originals will fit perfect too, when I'm done.... None of this is easy.

 

Old car parts are fun. Because Ford built in many places besides Detroit, parts are gonna be a bit off when trying to put together a car using NOS, old original stuff or reproduced parts. A Fender made in LA would be a bit different from the one made in the Detroit plant. And who really knows what original part the reproducer used to create his product.

 

That pretty much sums it up right there.

 

isnt it well known that something "aftermarket" means it just looks the same in pictures and doesnt ever fit?

 

So what is it you are trying to say? We defenders don't know but you do? Please enlighten those of us that lack your knowledge. Ron

Brookeville defenders don't know what they're talking about. If you buy model a parts you should not get a crude interpretation. nb4 locked thread.

 

sorry if i offended,,,,but down under our early fords of this era (as well as chevs,dodges ets) were mostly delivered as a chassis,drive train and fenders. the bodies were then built buy local coachbuilers,,,so it doesnt seem out of the norm for an aussie rodder to make everything fit that we have available,,we dont have the luxury of a massive aftermarket as the usa has ,due to our smaller population,,, the only panels ive seen fit perfect first time have been full glass body and fender packages,and they usually need a tweek,,,,I had a full set of original A fenders for my T on A rails,,and yes could have fit them but they were worth too much money to massage to fit so i repaired them sold them off (paid for my cragars and tyres) and then made some dodge fenders fit,,,if id wanted to bolt stuff up id be driving a late model with 20" rims and a subwoofer...
remember these cars were mass produced but also HAND BUILT,,,they way they should continue to be built...

 

Not offended at all
If some people want to pay for parts that don’t fit and be happy about it, why should I care. …. Just sayin it seems real strange to me and I wouldn’t.

So what else do you all need that don’t fit … maybe I could build it for you.

 

That's good.....When fitting up a new part or squaring up a body I often joke that Brookville has Henry's thumb preserved in a jar for quality controll.

 

I guess i have been very lucky, i have installed a couple sets of those '29 front fenders with no problems. Last set was about five years ago though.

Also a couple pairs of the 32 front's, now those were a real bitch!

 

I'm a new guy to the HAMB but not new to the hobby. I've spent lots of hours/days over the past 40 yrs. rebuilding new junk to fit to my standards. Making panels wider, or narrower, or longer, or shorter, so they will look like they should have looked when they left the manufacturer. The problem is that parts are made to sell, usually with little thought for the customers convenience. I don't think i can change this, so i keep on cutting and welding and grinding and cussing.

 

but when the customer is paying for a specific panel to fit in a specific area,it should be correct within an exceptable tolerance.

my weekly metal work blog www.themetalsurgeon.com

 

Well, if there is any one aspect of hot rod building in which I feel confident declaring myself an expert, it is installing Model A fenders. I have installed numerous fenders - original, fiberglass and reproduction steel. I can say with authority that NO Model A fender, original or repro, will fit on a car it did not originally come from without some alteration. I have both lengthened and shortened fenders, widened and narrowed, reformed or relocated beads and entirely reconstructed numerous areas, especially the "sill" area. If you expect ANY fender to bolt on, you probably had better get into a new hobby, because you are going to be disappointed.

Yes, your Brookville fenders will require some metalwork. It would be a routine task for an experienced metalman - or a total disaster for an amateur. Many, if not most, of the steel fenders you see on top-level show cars are Brookville steel reproductions. I can easily spot them by a more pointed appearance to the front outer edge. But when a good metalman is done with them, they can fit better than any new Model A unit ever did.

I'll include some fender repair photos, before and after. The fenders on this truck, in addition to all the dent, rust and hole repairs, had to be shortened about 2 inches.

 

Ok, When reading this post all I can read is dissatisfaction with a product not sourced from the OEM which would read Gaslite to Brookville. Lets gets some assembly facts correct here. It's stated that an aftermarket frame is being used here. = Not made by FoMoCo.
Ardeem, have you ever looked at an original frame from 28-31? If you do or have, you will note that the area where the fender brace mounting holes are raised/slightly angled and not flat as you have stated on your replacement frame. The running board brackets also are raised and allow mounting of the running boards and keeps much of this sheet metal in line.
I've read every post and no one has addressed this????? I have used glass and metal.

Each animal is different, I've used Brookville, Wescott's,Polyform,Paul's Fiberglass
Don Babb's "Steel is Real" and Gibbon. Each one of those products needed a little "tweaking=fitting". I know both Chuck and Kenny @ Brookville, Ray as well=(RIP).

If I ever had a question on a part, I'd get another part, heck I even got another 1/2 of a body on a gentlemens agreement. I have never had bad customer service from Chuck or Kenny. It is like hell waiting to talk with them at a show because they certainly have no trouble selling any of their products.

Experience shows what one can do with a replacement product, Really check with the "original supplier" before bashing a manufacturer on a public forum. It takes alot of dough to make any tool that produces products sought for our rod & custom enjoyment.

By bashing a manufacturer w/o justifiable cause or the facts makes manufacturers, say "Why the hell are we bustin a nut making this for a market that is unapreciative of what we brought back" This goes for any product.

I for one am satisfied with what I have purchased over the past 30 yrs of building, modifying and personalizing by using these products that someone had the foresight to take on tooling,stamping or laying up and bring back to the rod & custom public.

The aftermarket has been around almost as long as OEM's have been around, ie;Broken Drum Auto Parts on San Fernando Rd - aka- Lee Chapple, Bell Auto Parts - aka- George Wight who started out himself with a wrecking yard and turned it into a manufacturing concern that spawned many smaller business that still exist to this day.

If your not satisfied with what you have purchased,speak with Chuck or Kenny, They own that company,not Gaslite, bring this thread to their attention, I'm sure if there is something that they can do by possibly accepting a return on a "unaltered" part originally supplied/sold by them within a timely manner.

 

I would like to address the issue with the Model A front fenders. Brookville Roadster is a reseller of these fenders which are manufactured by GASLIGHT in Urbana Ohio. We have addressed some of these fit issues with Gaslight and they tell us that there would need to be some major die changes and they have not addressed these issues. As a retailer of another companies products we do try to be up front and honest about the products we are selling. If you are wanting an All Steel model A then the only choice is Gaslight or Original. Most of the time it is not cost efficient to purchase a good original fender, you can buy a reproduction fender manufactured by Gaslight and have it installed cheaper. Brookville Roadster takes great pride in all of their products and does not have a "we dont care attittude" towards our customers. We try to offer installation diagrams, and explain to the customer what we have to do to fit these fenders. Brookville Roadster's mind set is everyone wants 2011 fit and finish on theses early ford cars. When Henry Ford came out with the model A it was purely a mode for transportation. He had several suppliers making tooling for these vehicles from drawings. This is the reason for the big descepancy from fender to fender, door to door etc. None of Henry Ford's parts fit like today's parts. At Brookville Roadster we do extensive research to make sure all of our panels that we manufacture are correct and are totally interchangeable with the original parts. We have built all of our tooling for these panels as all the original tooling was melted down during the war years.

Brookville Roadster takes great pride in their customer service and in no way would just blow a customer off. IF you have a problem with a product manufactured by us we stand behind it 100%. If you have a problem with a product manufactured by another company we will do everything in our power to make this product useable to the consumer. But to Blame Brookville Roadster for a product that they don't manufacture isn't a fair representation about Brookville Roadster. We are here to help with any kind of fit issues etc. If we cannot help resolve the issue we will be glad to give you Gaslights or any other manufactures number and you can call them direct.

Thanks
Kenny Gollahon, President, Brookville Roadster

 

Well said Kenny. I'd like to say Thank You for making our hobby grow. Some time I wish Builders would grow as much and understand there limits prior to taking on a project. I no longer find it Odd that it's always someone else's problem, no matter what the problem is.
The Wizzard

 

Now that Kenny has spoke, I guess ya can put this thread to rest.
Thanx Kenny for the input.

 

Old dies, old presses, geeze get a panel or skin for a new car, ya gotta pound the shit out of em.
None of them fit right.