Is this allowed here?? I'm combining a 1998 Corvette, 1959 Coronet and 1961 New Yorker.. Yes, it's a freak show... I have a sheet metal question.... I need to change the 90 degree flange on the front fender to a hem. The victim is a 1961 New Yorker fender and the flange is at the rearmost edge beside the door. I'm pretty sure I need to stretch the right angle flange to have it lay flat as a hem cuz the fender is curved towards the center of the car. Sound right?
does the flange need to be as wide as it is now? although it looks like it probably won't be, when you get the gap even between the fender and door. If you're going to that much trouble, that is. I'd probably just narrow the flange to about 1/4" and not worry about the stretching thing, which will happen all by itself as you make the hem.
Decided to start in the wheel opening lip first using 1/2 square tube... First p***... A long way to go...
Exactly, LOL! It's name is Boris, but we call it the Corovet. It's all 1998 C5 Corvette underneath reskinned with 1959 Coronet rear and 1961 New Yorker nose.
I love the idea of this, reminds me of a one off custom that a fellow named Murray Pfaff built using a similar concept. You should check it out.
Second try on curving the 1/2" square tube. I put round rod inside this time to try and avoid the slip roller crushing it on the more severe curves. It worked pretty well but I had to cut it open in 2 places to remove the rod afterwards. I would have left it but small tweaks by hand were impossible. The slip roller wasn't real happy about doing it either...
Oh My goodness!!! If only I have a fraction of that talent.. Fortunately, while I do not possess his (or his friend's) skills, I am persistent! Pfaff's Imperial Speedster is truly a work of art. Thanks for pointing me there.. I REALLY like the chopped windshield too. I thought about venturing that direction, but fast approaching 70 it's probably best to not sign up for another 11 year build. https://hagerty-media-prod.imgix.ne...aled.jpg?auto=format,compress&ixlib=php-3.3.0
That front view is fantastic! With as sharp as your wheel well opening is, corner wise I think you are always going g to get some kinks. I think the best way to do it is likely cutting slices into all but one side and bending it to shape and then welding all those up and grinding g the welds away. Jordan bennet did a similar thing g when making the perimeter of the ****pit in his little racer. Did a great video on YouTube. I’ll see if I can find it for you Quick
Left side done less a little more finish work.. From rear to front... About 10" uncut original, up and over with 1/2" square tube, cut right angle flange off original and completed the last 6-7" up front. Fairly happy with it. I could have done a better job transitioning from the 10 incher to the 1/2 square.. maybe later...
Pulled the right fender off to knock out a dent near the grill and begin work on the hem. Unfortunately, the chisel idea that I REALLY liked won't work cuz some framing/inner structure is in the way. There is no room to put the chisel in there and support creating the hem as previously discussed. I am very leery of just making a mess trying to bend that 90 degree edge over into a hem. My wife who is pretty freakin smart about many automotive things says "Don't you have a junk fender you can try this out on?"... Yup... Also played with AI a little for a possible color scheme and different wheels...
Just wondered if you could lower the front arches a little? It looks a bit 'cut in half' to my eye, at the front there. Just my 2c.
Ok, making some more progress... The Flange did not need to become a hem other than the more severe curve near the top of the fender. Here's the test cuts and hem then the almost finished product. Next up is media blasting. Also, the very badly cut out for what I think was an antenna will be filled back in. Someone decided it would be a good idea to make the hole with lots of drill holes. Curiously, the resulting "hanging chad" was still hanging inside the fender.
Fenders dropped off at media blasting.... They were covered in either high build primer or a filler skim coat. I could not see myself sanding all that off...
Hopefully, the fenders are OK below the surface level filler mess. Both front fenders on my 49 Dodge pickup were covered with a thick layer of filler. I was pretty concerned why someone applied a 1/2"- 3/4" thick filler covering. Once the old filler was removed, I was even more confused. There were two or three very shallow dips in the surface level where the p***enger fender bolt to the nose section, and one 3" long by 2" wide shallow depression across the top of the same fender but the other fender was clean. From the wheel arch up, both fenders were layered with anywhere from a 1/2" thick to 3/4" thick filler covering. Once I had removed the thick filler, I shot the area with a spray can primer because the truck would have to sit outside all winter. When i got back on the truck in the spring, I ended up moving the wheel arch 1 1/2" forward on both fenders in order to position the arch in the correct position on the "new" truck ch***is. The picture I'm posting shows the p***enger side fender laying on a saw horse, after the wheel arch has been welded into position. The picture is taken from above the fender, looking from the door edge towards where the nose bolts on. Those few dents you can see at the far left end of the top surface (showing vertical in the pic), was the worst damage on the fender that was hidden under all that filler. The entire area that has the old gray primer was covered with the thick filler. This pic is the same fender bolted in place, after the wheel arch move, during the build process. you can see the damaged area on the nose piece above the headlight hole. This picture is the driver side on the same day. The old gray primer is over bare steel. this fender was covered with that thick filler as well. You never know what is hiding under that old filler!
I can't imagine why 1/2 - 3/4" of filler would be on any fenders... Making them the same height as other ill fitting parts, maybe?? I will confess that there is significant filler on my COE's roof. My limited talents could only get it so straight and flat, then mudd took over for the rest. I don't think any of it is 1/2-3/4 but the next owner (if there ever is one) may not agree. I didn't see any damage on the underside of Boris' fenders and all the stuff I chipped or ground away was barely a skim coat. I'm optimistic that they'll be respectable. Nice job raising the wheel arches!
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