Technical Model A Fender Angle

I did a search and looked around, but couldn’t find anything that dealt with this exact question. The rear driver side fender on my model a sits up at an angle. At first I thought it was the fender, but checking a couple other fenders it’s still not right.

What I am thinking of doing is, cutting along the top of the inner fender well and pushing the inner panel out. This should push the mounting bolts down to bring the fender angle down. If anyone else has seen this problem before or has a better idea, feel free to chime in. Body work is not my greatest strength. Thanks.

 

Looks like your quarter panel is sunk in.

 

Has the body been “worked” in that area?

 

Not yet. We started front to back, knowing the back was the worst part. The car was a plumbing truck for part of its life. So the rear trunk area of the body was cut out entirely (floor, trunk lid, lower panel), amd a box put on top of the buggy spring for storage. There was a pipe rack on the passenger side fenders as well.

But without the inner support, the rear driver side must have flopped around.
The rear quarter is sunk in a bit. I think it’s part of the problem as well.

 

I’d be measuring the quarter on the other side all over to figure out what’s tweaked on the drivers. Assuming the passenger fender hangs correctly

 

I can see new floor in your picture. Maybe whoever put that in, and maybe a wheel well too, tweaked the angle?

 

If the quarter is sunk inward (toward the center of the car) the fender will hang like that. I wouldn't cut anything yet, I think this whole issue can be resolved through straightening the quarter.

 

How does the deck lid fit?
Looks like he could push the quarter panel but I wouldn’t be pushing any quarter panels without the deck lid

 

Get everything else straightened out and where it should be before cutting anything.

Is the inner panel too far in? If it's not, you'll just be putting a bandaid on the actual problem.

 

Mine for reference.

 

Definitely something out there. Now is the time for careful measurements before doing anything. Check with a framing square to compare the angle of the wheel well to the floor. Measure diagonally from the top of the wheel well to the bottom of the pass. side wheel well and compare that to the measurement from the other side. If the trunk lid fits then maybe the quarter is pushed in around the fender. If a wheel well was repaired there the welds may be holding the quarter in. Anyways measure twice before deciding as your car has probably taken a lot of abuse in that area.

 

Great advice been given to ya - me A coupe was beaten up in the rear area too - I’ve been told that some were converted to pickups by installing a bed during WW2 - found mine misscomburerated too - if yer using yer aprons and running boards might want to mock them up too - don’t have any pics I can send ya as mine is apart
Good luck and take baby steps

 

The front and rear of the wheel well area have small offsets. Most of the wheel well replacement panels are made flat, or with the improper offset. If it has been reworked, it’s most likely not shaped correctly.

 

Pull a string or rod stock dead center between the chassis rails all the way from front to back. Use that as a reference to measure everything symmetric and centered side to side. Tack in temporary center posts for the string if or as you need them. Don't assume any point along the body is square and centered until it's cross-checked to the chassis center.
Starting with the wrong reference point can throw everything off. Perfect equdistance may not be possible but fix the big ones and only fudge where it won't cause any error to compound further along. Look for places where shims between the body and chassis are all that's needed to square and center an entire cross-section.
Think of it as quality time with someone you love.
(Square and level the chassis on stands first. Your centerline "string" can be higher than the chassis level, wherever is best for the many side measurements you will be making.)

 

Thanks everyone for their advice. We worked on that dent in the quarter panel most of the day and it did make quite a bit of difference in the fender angle. The dent went from about 6” in diameter to now about 4”. I never would have guessed that dent tweaked that fender that much. Will keep at it till it’s gone.

 

From your last pics I can also see the lower quarter patch in front of the fender is wonky. That might also be adding to your problem.

 

That last picture shows a marked improvement. Good work

 

Can you remove the fender and post a photo of the wheel well?