Fender Splice or Not? |
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Fender Splice or Not? |
bkrantz |
Apr 23 2020, 02:11 PM
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#1
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914 Guru Group: Members Posts: 7,803 Joined: 3-August 19 From: SW Colorado Member No.: 23,343 Region Association: Rocky Mountains |
I think I know the answer, but let's hear some encouragement. One of the few exterior body panels not replaced or patched on my Frankencar is the front left fender. But this was previously banged up and repaired (see puller holes). I can do my best to restore the contours, or...
Attached thumbnail(s) |
bkrantz |
Apr 23 2020, 02:12 PM
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#2
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914 Guru Group: Members Posts: 7,803 Joined: 3-August 19 From: SW Colorado Member No.: 23,343 Region Association: Rocky Mountains |
...I can splice in this donor piece, that looks unmolested and pretty much rust-free.
What say you? Attached thumbnail(s) |
Jonathan Livesay |
Apr 23 2020, 02:14 PM
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#3
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Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 742 Joined: 13-March 10 From: La Canada CA Member No.: 11,461 Region Association: None |
I think I know the answer, but let's here some encouragement. One of the few exterior body panels not replaced or patched on my Frankencar is the front left fender. But this was previously banged up and repaired (see puller holes). I can do my best to restore the contours, or... Well, it's faster with the holes. |
burton73 |
Apr 23 2020, 02:21 PM
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#4
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burton73 Group: Members Posts: 3,551 Joined: 2-January 07 From: Los Angeles Member No.: 7,414 Region Association: Southern California |
This can be done by good body people so you would never know.
I would not splice on a fender to this car. This is very fixable Bob B |
mmichalik |
Apr 23 2020, 02:38 PM
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#5
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MikeM Group: Members Posts: 702 Joined: 27-January 16 From: Valley Center, CA Member No.: 19,600 Region Association: Southern California |
due to some rust on the back end of the passenger side fender, I spliced in a donor piece.
I fortunately have a father who used to own body shops and does a lot of custom restoration. We even broke out the metal files to finish the work. (real old school stuff) It was a lot of work and I wouldn't have done it with his expertise, and I'm no slouch when it comes to body work. https://www.2002and914.com/home/the-914/bod...er-rust-repair/ shows a fraction of the work that we did to it. I enjoyed it because I got the opportunity to work with my dad on stuff but, like i said, it was a lot of work. |
rjames |
Apr 23 2020, 02:57 PM
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#6
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I'm made of metal Group: Members Posts: 3,955 Joined: 24-July 05 From: Shoreline, WA Member No.: 4,467 Region Association: Pacific Northwest |
Fix what you have and save that piece for another car, or save it for yours if it ever gets damaged to the point where that part is really needed.
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bbrock |
Apr 23 2020, 03:07 PM
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#7
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914 Guru Group: Members Posts: 5,269 Joined: 17-February 17 From: Montana Member No.: 20,845 Region Association: Rocky Mountains |
Mine was in a little worse shape than that and I managed to salvage it. Honestly, splicing would have been much faster for me but you have better skills than I do. I also had some rust that had to be patched so not just holes and dents. I probably would have spliced mine if I had the part. Salvaging what you have is doable though.
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914e |
Apr 23 2020, 03:37 PM
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#8
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Member Group: Members Posts: 496 Joined: 21-February 20 From: Arizona Member No.: 23,951 Region Association: Southwest Region |
I would fix it. Mine had a similar past fix. I don't understand why body men drilled holes to pull out fender when they had access to both sides. To save time is the only thing I can think of. The one thing I wish I did was weld up the holes they drilled.
The one thing that really helped me straightening out sheetmetal was watching some paint-less dent repair videos. Those people are masters of massaging sheetmetal back into shape. Which I might need if I keep bumping into car as I put it back together. |
Andyrew |
Apr 23 2020, 03:54 PM
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#9
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Spooling.... Please wait Group: Members Posts: 13,376 Joined: 20-January 03 From: Riverbank, Ca Member No.: 172 Region Association: Northern California |
10 mins with a mig and a grinder will fill the holes... Splice would take 4 hours or so...
What were not seeing in the pic is the ripples and damages.. That being said I would think about 30 mins of hammer/dolly work would make quick work of it. |
windforfun |
Apr 23 2020, 04:22 PM
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#10
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Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 1,837 Joined: 17-December 07 From: Blackhawk, CA Member No.: 8,476 Region Association: None |
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Superhawk996 |
Apr 23 2020, 04:46 PM
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#11
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914 Guru Group: Members Posts: 5,900 Joined: 25-August 18 From: Woods of N. Idaho Member No.: 22,428 Region Association: Galt's Gulch |
Vote for fix what you have. Only original once.
Either way you're going to do some serious metal work. As previously stated, you can fill those holes and then metal work it with hammer, dolly, and very careful use of a metal body file. You'll never be able to tell and will need very little body filler. It can be done without filler if you want to spend the time. There are 9 major sections of this tank. Can't use filler on a aluminum cafe racer tank. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/happy11.gif) |
Cairo94507 |
Apr 23 2020, 05:52 PM
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#12
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Michael Group: Members Posts: 9,826 Joined: 1-November 08 From: Auburn, CA Member No.: 9,712 Region Association: Northern California |
Remember 10+ years ago when these cars were relatively cheap and when they got a dented quarter they were fixed on the cheap if at all or even totaled. Pulling the turn signal bucket out and the side marker off or reaching in the fender well would require some effort. They just drilled holes and used the slide-hammer to pull out what they could easily do and then slathered the bondo on. I would try to save the fender or if not, replace the complete fender. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)
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jagalyn |
Apr 23 2020, 07:33 PM
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#13
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True Patina Group: Members Posts: 414 Joined: 31-January 06 From: Scandia, MN Member No.: 5,503 Region Association: None |
I’d fix the original fender.
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r_towle |
Apr 23 2020, 08:40 PM
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#14
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Custom Member Group: Members Posts: 24,588 Joined: 9-January 03 From: Taxachusetts Member No.: 124 Region Association: North East States |
I think it may be easier to fix it.
I would spend way too long trying to get the hood to line up perfectly. |
bbrock |
Apr 23 2020, 08:46 PM
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#15
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914 Guru Group: Members Posts: 5,269 Joined: 17-February 17 From: Montana Member No.: 20,845 Region Association: Rocky Mountains |
Remember 10+ years ago when these cars were relatively cheap and when they got a dented quarter they were fixed on the cheap if at all or even totaled. Pulling the turn signal bucket out and the side marker off or reaching in the fender well would require some effort. They just drilled holes and used the slide-hammer to pull out what they could easily do and then slathered the bondo on. I would try to save the fender or if not, replace the complete fender. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif) Exactly! And those holes were considered a good thing because the provided "key holes" for the Bondo to grip. Hence all the rust under the bondo I had to repair on mine. |
bkrantz |
Apr 25 2020, 08:13 PM
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#16
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914 Guru Group: Members Posts: 7,803 Joined: 3-August 19 From: SW Colorado Member No.: 23,343 Region Association: Rocky Mountains |
Thank, everyone. To be honest, I was expecting the opposite advice (cut and splice the fender).
For now, I will work on repairing the original fender. The photo did not show it well, but in addition to the puller holes, the front part needs some serious contour restoration. |
Superhawk996 |
Apr 26 2020, 08:10 AM
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#17
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914 Guru Group: Members Posts: 5,900 Joined: 25-August 18 From: Woods of N. Idaho Member No.: 22,428 Region Association: Galt's Gulch |
Think of it this way, start least invasive and if that doesn't work and you don't like the result, you can still cut and splice later.
Sure some work could be lost, but, skills and experience will be gained. |
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