Hi all. Been away for a while and now It's springtime and I'm starting the battle again I've no desire to repair my improperly manufactured '71 fenders. The steel is rusting out at the welds and they never fit my hood right, they are the ones welded incorrectly at the factory What are my options here? I have no problem using fibreglass fenders, but all I seem to be able to locate is race-weight pieces that require pin-on fibreglass hoods. I like my steel GS hood and I want to keep it Are there any parts makers out there that make fenders that are suitable for this hood? Fibreglass is attractive from my high use/abuse standpoint but the cost goes up so much if I have to sue a pin on hood too. The ideal situation would be fobreglass fenders with steel reinforcements in the hood hinge area. Technically I know this is possible from my composites experience but I have no idea if the this even exists for our cars Another option is steel...but I'm not prepared to pay 2,000 dollars for a pair of steel fenders. I can't find anyone who repros these in steel Another headache is shipping...I've gotten many parts shipped (moldings, trunklids, doors) and without exception, they are ALL damaged in shipping. Have any companies finally approached this incredibly neglected part of their service yet? I'd like to use fibreglass here and I'd appreicate any input as to what company I should contact. This car is true street, if I get it together this summer, it will be a daily driver again- gas prices be damned. That means 24/7 driven, rain, shine, real world stuff. The car is the opposite of a trailer queen Thanks in advance and hi to all my Buick friends Chris
First off, if you think the metal ones fit bad, just try fiberglass. How straight is the rest of the fender? I mean, is the rust and poor fit at the top your only gripes? I'll tell you how I see it. I have installed about a zillion and one fenders in my almost 30 years of doing this stuff. I would repair a seriously screwed up original part before I EVER used a repro, steel or glass. I took a straight repro hood off my sister-in-laws Mustang to put a dented original that I repaired JUST because it "looked" like it was repro. I have tried to fit repro steel fenders, on many cars from Model A's to Camaros, they fit like CRAP. There are some aftermarket parts for late model cars that are reasonably ok, but the vintage car stuff. I am sorry, I would fix OEM parts, rusty, dented, poor fitting, I don't care, they are MUCH, MUCH better than the junk repros. My 65 Gran Sport had the same poor fitting front fenders and deck lid as yours. There were parts at the corners that weren't even close. I MADE them fit, cut, welded, they fit NOW. Brian
Here's a list I put together a while back listing all the places I could find that made fiberglass parts for our cars: http://www.v8buick.com/showthread.php?t=96208
Well, the '70-'72 cars can have a fender that was improperly made when new. The fender tops angle in, but they should be straight. I wasn't aware that '65 had this problem too If the fenders just had a little surface rust, I wouldn't mind. The car was sold new at Smyly Buick in Massachusetts, and has been in MA since 1970. The car was driven year 'round until 1997, and since then I've driven it summers only. The inside of the fenders is completely rust. The captive nuts on both have either failed or spun free, and it's hard to attach the fenders to the inner fenders. Both fenders have received, uh, shall we say, "modifications" from various owners and 'bodymen'. Both fenders are also the 'pinched' fenders as noted Driver's side: was patched professionally with a repair patch. This patch was mereley tack welded over the old rusted out metal, and a new contour was sculpted with body plastic near the angled part, halfway up the fender. This area bubbles and rusts (right above where the "GS" emblem should go). This required much modification by me, to fit the shape of the door. The lower attaching point was removed, and the fender 'ledge' modified by hack pros, so now a 100% custom attaching system is used. I can repair this easy enough, but the point is that the fender is bastardised. Wheel opening molding fits poorly Passenger side: been hit, repaired. Rust through on top of fender, right near the 90* edge that meets the hood. The rust forms at 'pinched' area. Hole about the size of your thumbnail. Rust removed until good full through thickness metal remains, by yours truly. I expect this rust to crop up as rust-through all along this edge. The water has been getting trapped there for decades. Something is odd with the contour of the fender where it meets the headlight bezel; I have a very good, never hit core support (bought NOS in '95), but the gap is always a little wrong between the bezel and fender I have done a lot of good bodywork over the years and I know that panels have to be prepped and repaired sometimes. Three summers ago I spent about 80 hours on a good solid rust free door that had the foreward 'point' mashed flat in shipping, and had the rear edge by the door lock rolled under. I bumped it back, massaged, made it good again. Same with my trunklid, it had an edge rolled under in shipping. I fixed that with no body filler used, just a hammer and dolly I'm worried that to make these fenders rust free would be impossible, and I can't see how to justify doing good work to make the parts right, when they'll just rust out again I suppose I could have the fenders dipped and then repair, but how much fender would be left? I don't have a tub big enough to fill with oxi-solve and submerge the fenders. I just don't see how to save fenders in this condition. Even if I made them rust free, and 'perfect', they still have the wrong factory welds
Wow, I forget how good I have it here in sunny California. I would still be looking for original fenders. Buying from out here and paying shipping is still better in my opinion. Heck, you have to pay the shipping on the fiberglass ones too! Brian
I just realised that fibreglass won't do at all! It's out of the question. I can't tell you how many times I have absent-mindedly just hopped my butt up onto a fender of my car and sat on it. This thing can't be delicate like an eggshell, it's got to be tough like nails I'll have to find some original fenders! Brian, you don't know anyplace local to you that might have '70-'72 fenders do you? Dents I don't mind, I can fix that stuff
Hi Chris....nice to see you back! Have you seen this article written by Duane Heckman over on George N.'s Buick Performance website?o No: http://www.buickperformance.com/badfenders.htm Here's a partial quote from that article.... "If you have a Bad fender it can still be saved. What you need to do is drill out the spot welds between the outer skin and the inner fender brace. Then you need to reposition the skin to the correct radius. You can use your hood or old fender as a reference. Then weld the pieces back together, grind the welds, and the fender is fixed." Hope this helps...:TU:
Why are you not going to the Stafford Springs Motor Speedway in Stafford Springs Conn. swap meet spring and fall ? I have seen lots of Buick stuff there at times over the years, not as good as some of the stuff I allready have , but I have seen it there, not very far from where you live either. There are other car parts swap meets in Mass and NH as well, usually ones at the bigger car shows, theres aways Carlisle too. Not limited to "point, click, order mail it to my door"..you could venture out into the "real world" and find some. Hell I live in Maine and have been able to find stuff all over New England, granted not GREAT stuff , but repairable, and from the sounds of it more repairable than what you have now. Thirtys plus year old cars, there will most likely be some filler in all of em now !!!!
Hi Kerry If you saw were the rot-through in the fender top was, you wouldn't want to save that fender either. The other one has a repair patch welded on top of the old fender
After doing this for 17 years, I'm aware that swap meets exist. One of the biggest shows around is in my hometown and they have a swap meet too. I see the same guys at the little swap meets as I do at Endicott every July. I've driven all over New England looking for parts just like you. I don't know what you're getting at, but the way you're addressing me is not very complimentary. I was doing this before the "point click and mail it to my door routine". I'm a 34 year old man who's been doing this since he was 17 and who barely makes 43K a year. I don't waste my money like some kind of punk ass kid with a brand new credit card, who thinks a PC is the only way to buy anything. Using my PC is an option available to me and I'd be stupid not to explore them all before I make a decision. It's another tool in my tool box and if I choose to twirl that wrench to see what I can find, that's my business. I don't know if you realise this Gary, but you're being very insulting
CHRIS I have a se of fenders that would need work on the lower section but the rest of the fender is decent as far as dents are concerned. pm me if your interested.todd
Thanks Todd :TU: I think I have a pair lined up already. But I appreciate your help Maybe the car will actually get driven this summer if I can line up all my parts this easy
