The New Project: Part Deux!

[njsteve]

Since everyone's pet peeve on the 70-72 cars is the wrong style fender support structure on the 73 and up replacement fenders, I decided to convert the passenger side fender that was installed a year or so after this car was originally built. I have an original-owner engine compartment shot that shows the replacement fender in place with the brace mounts sticking out like a sore thumb.

I was able to obtain a donor inner fender support structure from a 70-72 fender thanks to another member of the Performance Years board and brought it all to the final night of the votech class yesterday.

Here is the passenger side fender marked, preliminarily cut and the two spot welds cut, where the incorrect raised brace mount is:



and this is the original driver's side fender with the correct flat area in its place:

[njsteve]

Here is the donor inner framework that was removed from a 70-72 fender. It is thick heavy gauge steel, not sheet metal.

[njsteve]

I used a cut-off wheel to carefully trim up to the upper wrap-around area of the fender sheet metal and then went underneath (after removing the inner fender), and cut the remaining portion away. I also used a spot weld cutter to detach the fender flange from the inner brace (the two holes visible in the photo).



Underside view:

[njsteve]

I then marked the same sized section from the donor frame and used the cut-off wheel to remove it. After some final trimming, grinding and sandblasting, it primed with weld-through primer and clamped into place.

[njsteve]

We then welded the topside and underside and ground away the excess.



Here is the semi final repair in primer, prior to any final cosmetic bodywork. Now it looks like correct year fender for 1972.



Much better than the "sticking out like a sore thumb" 1973-81 replacement fender.

[njsteve]

I got the section painted and reinstalled the inner fender. Here is the finished product. Looks like a 1972 fender once again.



As compared to the actual 1972 driver's side fender:

[Xplantdad]

Nice!