The Ford Barn

Terry,NJ · 06-03-2014, 10:39 AM

Anybody know if there are any difference in the length of 30/31 rear fenders. (Not coupe or PU) Here's the problem, I bought two sedan fenders (both 30/31) at Hershey last year and one was pretty well rusted in the front area, where it bolts to the running board. NP, I can weld a simple patch, put two holes in it, make a new "shelf" (Goes under the running board, I don't know the actual name).OK I do all that and the fender winds up too long by about 3/4". OK, Just chop off 3/4" and forget about it, No,no, To control the length, I left the original "flange" (The part with the wire stiffener.)on the outside of the fender that "breaks" into a radius at the bottom. I would be cutting that too! So does anyone know of differences in the fenders? And what I have? Do the lengths vary from model to model?
Terry

Kevin in NJ · 06-03-2014, 12:06 PM

It it even at the back edge? Does it droop off on one side or the other?

You can still have the same 'length' around, but the fender distorted. I have not fooled with rear fenders, but I learned a lot with the fronts. Very small changes in fender shape can throw it out quite a bit.

Terry,NJ · 06-03-2014, 12:55 PM

Actually, I had the two of them side by side on the garage floor when I noticed the difference. I put a level over the top of the two of them (I didn't trust my eyes, optical confusion....) and one was about 3/4"higher. I then tried different places on the floor for possible floor inequities, No change!
Terry

Kevin in NJ · 06-03-2014, 01:20 PM

You need to bolt them to a body on the frame with running boards and splash aprons.

Then do some comparative looking.

Keep in mind the bead line must be vertical and inline with the edge of the running board and the front fender bead. That is you can look down the edge of the bead and make a line all the way up to the bead bolt hole on the front fender. Bead position is a hint of the health of the fender.
If there is paint on the fenders get them to bare metal. My front fenders looked great, but I found skim coats of plastic here and there.

The only way to get fenders right is to mount them and work them to fit. My guess is, assuming you do not find damage repair under the paint, is you will get them on the car and the bead lined up and be pretty close.

Marco Tahtaras · 06-03-2014, 01:43 PM

Have you put them together bead to bead and compared the length there? If the beads are the same length then you just have a serous shape problem. If one is shorter then I'd have to think that the short one is a modified '29 rear fender which has been 'doctored' in the area of the running board apron.

Dave Mellor NJ · 06-04-2014, 12:40 AM

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I was thinking the same as Marco. Understand the back parts of 30-31 rear fenders are different than 28-29s. The 30-31 rakes back further

Terry,NJ · 06-04-2014, 10:24 AM

Dave and Marco, I learned the hard/expensive way about 28/29 fenders. I found a nice fender and I thought it was 30/31 till I got it home. When I matched it up to the body, It was obvious it wasn't the right one, It was too small. And the radius for the splash shield was too large. So now I know! But good! Anybody want a 28/29 sedan fender?
Terry

06-03-2014, 10:39 AM	#1
Terry,NJ Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2013 Location: Northern Bucks Co. Pa Posts: 632	Rear fender lenths Anybody know if there are any difference in the length of 30/31 rear fenders. (Not coupe or PU) Here's the problem, I bought two sedan fenders (both 30/31) at Hershey last year and one was pretty well rusted in the front area, where it bolts to the running board. NP, I can weld a simple patch, put two holes in it, make a new "shelf" (Goes under the running board, I don't know the actual name).OK I do all that and the fender winds up too long by about 3/4". OK, Just chop off 3/4" and forget about it, No,no, To control the length, I left the original "flange" (The part with the wire stiffener.)on the outside of the fender that "breaks" into a radius at the bottom. I would be cutting that too! So does anyone know of differences in the fenders? And what I have? Do the lengths vary from model to model? Terry

06-03-2014, 12:06 PM	#2
Kevin in NJ Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: South East NJ Posts: 3,398	Re: Rear fender lenths It it even at the back edge? Does it droop off on one side or the other? You can still have the same 'length' around, but the fender distorted. I have not fooled with rear fenders, but I learned a lot with the fronts. Very small changes in fender shape can throw it out quite a bit.

06-03-2014, 12:55 PM	#3
Terry,NJ Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2013 Location: Northern Bucks Co. Pa Posts: 632	Re: Rear fender lenths Actually, I had the two of them side by side on the garage floor when I noticed the difference. I put a level over the top of the two of them (I didn't trust my eyes, optical confusion....) and one was about 3/4"higher. I then tried different places on the floor for possible floor inequities, No change! Terry

06-03-2014, 01:20 PM	#4
Kevin in NJ Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: South East NJ Posts: 3,398	Re: Rear fender lenths You need to bolt them to a body on the frame with running boards and splash aprons. Then do some comparative looking. Keep in mind the bead line must be vertical and inline with the edge of the running board and the front fender bead. That is you can look down the edge of the bead and make a line all the way up to the bead bolt hole on the front fender. Bead position is a hint of the health of the fender. If there is paint on the fenders get them to bare metal. My front fenders looked great, but I found skim coats of plastic here and there. The only way to get fenders right is to mount them and work them to fit. My guess is, assuming you do not find damage repair under the paint, is you will get them on the car and the bead lined up and be pretty close.

06-03-2014, 01:43 PM	#5
Marco Tahtaras Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 3,099	Re: Rear fender lenths Have you put them together bead to bead and compared the length there? If the beads are the same length then you just have a serous shape problem. If one is shorter then I'd have to think that the short one is a modified '29 rear fender which has been 'doctored' in the area of the running board apron. __________________ http://www.abarnyard.com/

06-04-2014, 12:40 AM	#6
Dave Mellor NJ Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 774	Re: Rear fender lenths Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) I was thinking the same as Marco. Understand the back parts of 30-31 rear fenders are different than 28-29s. The 30-31 rakes back further

06-04-2014, 10:24 AM	#7
Terry,NJ Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2013 Location: Northern Bucks Co. Pa Posts: 632	Re: Rear fender lenths Dave and Marco, I learned the hard/expensive way about 28/29 fenders. I found a nice fender and I thought it was 30/31 till I got it home. When I matched it up to the body, It was obvious it wasn't the right one, It was too small. And the radius for the splash shield was too large. So now I know! But good! Anybody want a 28/29 sedan fender? Terry