Inner Fender Installation

[Collin]

Anyone replaced their inner fenders? My question is did you brace the frame rails to prevent any torsional movement? I want to keep everything plumb and square. Let me know if anyone has done this project yet!

 

[V269]

Yep, did it to my car just recently. It's really not that hard. I had the front end off mine and it was on jack stands that were placed on the frame under the floor just back from the firewall. Make sure the car is level before you start. Get a piece of paper and a pen. Take measurements from all angles eg., cross corner , side to side , from the front of the old inners to the firewall etc. and mark them down for reference later. I even put a mark on the ceiling of my garage and took measurements from that to the inners as well and from the inners to the floor too. This is so when you put the new inners in you can check to see if everything is lining up as before. Then go ahead and start drilling out the spot welds. I recommend one side at a time and after the new one is welded in move to the other side. This way you won't have to brace up anything. I did not brace mine when I changed them. This may sound confusing but it is not that difficult. Just take lots of measurements to go by and check them as you proceed. Mine all lined up perfect and everything fit back together nicely. There will be some grinding and clean up of the welds, no big deal just take your time. I did one side one day and the other the next day. Gives you lots of time to look everything over as you go. You can do this, trust me.

 

[V269]

Yep, did it to my car just recently. It's really not that hard. I had the front end off mine and it was on jack stands that were placed on the frame under the floor just back from the firewall. Make sure the car is level before you start. Get a piece of paper and a pen. Take measurements from all angles eg., cross corner , side to side , from the front of the old inners to the firewall etc. and mark them down for reference later. I even put a mark on the ceiling of my garage and took measurements from that to the inners as well and from the inners to the floor too. This is so when you put the new inners in you can check to see if everything is lining up as before. Then go ahead and start drilling out the spot welds. I recommend one side at a time and after the new one is welded in move to the other side. This way you won't have to brace up anything. I did not brace mine when I changed them. This may sound confusing but it is not that difficult. Just take lots of measurements to go by and check them as you proceed. Mine all lined up perfect and everything fit back together nicely. There will be some grinding and clean up of the welds, no big deal just take your time. I did one side one day and the other the next day. Gives you lots of time to look everything over as you go. You can do this, trust me.

PS, an air chisel is a really big help to seperate the panels too as they can be stubborn at times to come apart if the spots are not drilled all the way. Buy a good spot weld tool as well, will make things easier.

 

[Basketcase]

I changed one on my other car. the front clip was off simce it was all junk.pretty simple job, take your time and take measurements.

 

[Collin]

Ok sounds great! I have a good spot weld cutter, and a couple air tools. I only bought one side so far so I could just do one at a time. I have to replace them both, and also have to do a frame rail cap on the left side. Ill take pictures when I finally get the time away from work to start this project.

 

[Collin]

Well heres what I have to work with....

Inner fenders ripped up for the fenderwell headers, and the firewall torn up from the inner fender to cowl/firewall piece. Cleaned all the tar off (so much fun when it just melts onto grinding wheel...)..

Posted a pic of the new pieces that will be going in shortly.

 

[george68hemirr]

thats what mine looked like.....we hacked it up in auto-shop back in 1968.....when i fixed mine i just did patch panels and looks good as new....but to replace the whole deal is the way to go

 

[Roadcuda]

That is a real hack job Collin. You would think that they would at least have dressed up that openning some instead of leaving it like that. It will look great when you're done.

 

[george68hemirr]

That is a real hack job Collin. You would think that they would at least have dressed up that openning some instead of leaving it like that. It will look great when you're done.

they wacked it with a torch and didnt know how to use it and didnt take off the undercoating when it was done :crazy:

 

[Collin]

How tight of a fit could these fenderwell headers have been on this car???

REAL HACK JOB!! BOTH SIDES!!! :stooges:

It looks like instead of cutting it out, they used a drill bit and just drilled holes and eventually connected them and then just ripped the spot welds out of the firewall...hence the holes there now...

 

[george68hemirr]

How tight of a fit could these fenderwell headers have been on this car???

REAL HACK JOB!! BOTH SIDES!!! :stooges:

It looks like instead of cutting it out, they used a drill bit and just drilled holes and eventually connected them and then just ripped the spot welds out of the firewall...hence the holes there now...

yes he did

 

[Basketcase]

ah....to be young,dumb, and .........again........ :lmao:
can't beat new metal.