Aftermarket fender fitment

[trailerjack]

Anyone out there run into the problem with the fenders lining up in the clip? Almost looks like I need to drill out the spot welds to make this fit better.

 

[luke]

Yep. You might have to. They will fit great with a lot of massaging.

 

[Bronco4x4]

Just about all aftermarket panels I bought needed work to fit. I'm on my second set of lower quarter panels. I did get Blue Oval fenders and they weren't too bad.

 

[Rustytruck]

Anyone out there run into the problem with the fenders lining up in the clip? Almost looks like I need to drill out the spot welds to make this fit better.

Who made the fender?

 

[Maddog B]

I replaced both fenders with ones from national parts depot. Had to drill the spot welds and shift the plates on the front and rear. It’s a bit of a pain but it turned out Pretty good. Harbor Freight sells a spot weld cutter for about $7 and it works great.

 

[trailerjack]

Who made the fender?

I got these from Dennis carpenter, the passenger side fits wonderfully. This drivers side one is off in so many ways. I have a beater original fender that I A-B'd the new fender with and the measurements are pretty off in a multitude of spots.

 

[Relicsrule]

Fenders

I purchased driver and pass fenders for carpender pass fit like it should but the drivers was to far off to use fixed it with a dynacorn fender still will take a little to fix but is useable. Dave

 

[Timmy390]

Spent 8 hours per side fitting my DC fenders. Lots of work but the came out fitting perfect with the stock grill.

Tim

 

[MarsChariot]

And if you think the OEM (now "NOS") fenders would fit any better, you would likely be wrong. As I heard it, the guys on the assembly line would grab a fender and start fitting it. And if it took too much time they would throw it on the spares heap and grab another one until they got one that fit better. At the end of the manufacturing run, all the ones on the heap became the much sought after "NOS fenders." Which fit about as well as you might expect.

 

[pcf_mark]

I had reproduction fenders or unknown origin. The passenger side was great. The driver side I had to slice it vertically to get the door gap right and get the front to align with the grill. Hours and hours of fitting and re-welding, grinding.

It does not align perfect on the top edge where hood and fender touch neat the front.

It takes work to make them fit.

 

[Cooter_76]

And if you think the OEM (now "NOS") fenders would fit any better, you would likely be wrong. As I heard it, the guys on the assembly line would grab a fender and start fitting it. And if it took too much time they would throw it on the spares heap and grab another one until they got one that fit better. At the end of the manufacturing run, all the ones on the heap became the much sought after "NOS fenders." Which fit about as well as you might expect.

I remember hearing Jonathan Ward from Icon saying something similar on a podcast. He said that those "spares" were the ones that the reproduction panels were based on.

 

[RODRIG3911]

I had to drill out the flanges and re weld.. Turned out really nice, but took some work

 

[Cortez]

I did the same...turned out good in the end and it was pretty easy and quick. The time consuming part was convincing myself to cut my new fender apart. I didn’t cut all spot welds on mine, it was off mostly on the bottom half so I went up from the bottom to little over midway.

 

[NicksTrix]

it's a drag to have to cut apart new parts, but easier than starting with a piece of flat steel

 

[sykanr0ng]

I remember hearing Jonathan Ward from Icon saying something similar on a podcast. He said that those "spares" were the ones that the reproduction panels were based on.

That and then the ones that are claimed to be made on the original Ford stamping dies, which were what Ford used to make those body parts.
The dies were used and abused for 12 years, you think they will turn out perfect parts when they never did before?

 

[trailerjack]

UPDATE: I cut my losses and paid a guy $125 bucks for a blasted OEM fender in good shape. It dropped right on were it needed to be and now I can move on. That "new" fender will get used down the road I am sure.

 

[WILDHORSES]

That and then the ones that are claimed to be made on the original Ford stamping dies

Is that a thing? Who is making that claim? Just doing my market research. I've been told those dies are long gone. Even if you have the dies the parts still need to be welded correctly on the jig.

Attn: builders I have a very limited supply of un-welded front fenders special order through PM only $400 for a pair + freight. Pairs only. If interested PM name address phone.

Jim