73 Fender Ends

[timsweet]

Well, as I start fitting up my new fenders I notice a problem with the fender ends.

First the holes don't line up.

Second even if the holes did line up the fender is too long on the bottom and too tall as the top.

Will the repop fender ends fit any one with that solution?

Here a couple pics





Thanks

Tim

 

[73pony]

Not sure if this will be much help, but I have never had a repop body panel fit without considerable modifications. This is not limited to Mustangs either, it is an across the board thing.

 

[clevelandcoupe]

Timsweet,

As the old saying goes, you get what you pay for !!! We have all been through it !!! Time to work on your metal work skills, lol

Thanks, Jay

 

[jeff8877]

Tim,

Are you sure you have the right ones? I am pretty sure the 71/72 are different than the 73's since the fenders are different...could be your problem. Also, it seems that these trim pieces are all a little different. Many people have tried 3 or 4 of them to find one that fits as there is some variation.

 

[OMS]

Drill out the mounting holes in the fender to give you more adjustment

Don

 

[Carolina_Mountain_Mustangs]

I thought people were kidding when they would tell me their horror stories about panel fit. It does not seem to matter who made the panels or for what vehicle they get some strange parts out of the tooling. A friend that does high end restorations, over $100,000 us a usual cost was telling me some of his horror stories. He did a 1968 428 CJ for a local. They ordered a repo fender from Dynacorn and when it was all said and done he had to remove and inch from the length of the fender to get it on the car.

He was doing a 69 Camaro coupe that needed quarters on both sides. He got the right one on with some pain but when he went to the left one nothing fit. With a tape measure there was 2.0" difference from the right. When he called the supplier they said there is not way it can be off that much. They sent him another and it fit. He sent the other one back and they called and apologized because after they got it and measured they agreed with him.

He also did a Pontiac GTO and got repo rear quarters that he could never use they were an inch off in the front. NOS GTO quarters go for $6,000 to $8,000 each if you can find them. He has a Left if anyone looking.

I was a automotive tooling engineer for the last 25 years and I do not know how they can be so far off. I guess if all you are doing is setting up an existing fender and doing a laser scan to build the tooling it can be twisted out of shape. You would think Ford would work with them to get old drawings so they could fixture the parts to scan correctly.

There are horror stories on youtube where they are off over an inch on mustang parts. I am sure they cut corners on the tooling and probably eliminate half the hits to save money on the tooling.

I was told if you use repo you just have to learn to live with the crap you get. There should still be lots of good original front fenders out there go look for Ford steel.

David

 

[timsweet]

Drill out the mounting holes in the fender to give you more adjustment

Don

I attempted that. I'll post up a video and send the link.

It seems that the fender ends are short.

The fenders are 1973 repops - everything else lines up.

Tim


Here is a link.

I adjusted the holes but as you can see at the very end.

http://s299.photobucket.com/user/timsweet2200/media/FenderInstall2a_zpsimoq4sck.mp4.html

Thoughts?

Thanks

Tim

 

[Thin Lizzy]

I've just bought CJ repo fender extensions for mine. Not looking forward to fitting them.

 

[timsweet]

I've just bought CJ repo fender extensions for mine. Not looking forward to fitting them.

Well, it might make dread it less if I tell you that I just went out and dry fitted the right side and it's going to be just fine - I won't even have to alter the holes.

Tim

 

[Thin Lizzy]

Good to hear. Were they from CJs?

 

[Carolina_Mountain_Mustangs]

I don't think the supplier you use is the problem they all come from the same set of tools at Dynacorn. The fender extensions, die cast part, should be the most stable part of the assembly. Originals should be everywhere unless the studs are broken off or corroded. Zinc die castings are the easiest parts to make to print. I built many die cast tools that made parts to print first time in the press. I have seen stamping dies that never made a part to print.

You should start to measure things on the old fender and compare to the new. It looks like most of it is ok. I see trailer loads of the returned aftermarket stampings at swap meets that people gave up on and sent back. They sell them for half price then the go to eBay for unsuspecting buyers.

Oh for the days when you could go to the Ford dealer and buy every outside sheet metal part for a 1965 mustang convertible for $800.

If the front shape on the new fender is wrong there is not much you can do unless you are great at sheet metal work and can extend where short and cut where long.

We use to save our reject stampings to sell back to the customer for service. We knew they would not be putting the car together using them and some poor slob in the body shop would have to make them work.

David