Looking for some advice on sheet metal work. I've been looking for fenders for my Plymouth for a while, here a some pics of the fenders I acquired. My question is would you bolt the fenders on car before you straighten them, or ? After I straighten them Im going to make them a little wider.
It's easier to work on them when they're on the car, than if you're chasing them across the floor. And you definitely want them on the car while you widen them, so they won't get distorted
Indeed on the car when you widen them... I have worked fenders on and off the car before what ever easer for me at the time. YOU may want to put them on the car to work them though, If not accustomed to doing such work.
I actually prefer having them off, expecially when there is heavy damage to the edges and bodylines its nice to be able to lay the fender face down to manipulate the edge back into place, as well as rough out the large dents with a rubber or wood mallet. Once the fender has its shape back I test fit it on the car, make adjustments and then pull it off, clamp it to my steel workbench and begin the fine tuning and smoothing process. Sometimes I can spend over 30 hours fixing a rough fender and theres no way I'm doing that on my hands and knees. Like the others have said the fenders need to be bolted to the car for widening, or attached to a solid jig.
I'm impressed! You took a rear fender, massaged it back into shape, then massaged it further into an earlier looking one for the opposite side, and finally massaged it into a mid fifties truck front fender! LOL. Serious craftsmanship in "toon town".
Ok, so I tried to get this done I spent an hour or two on it. Whats the best way to get the bead straight on the edge