My GY8 '71 Road Runner

[mpgmike]

I bought a '59 Imperial. Here for B-bodies and the A-bodies, there are aftermarket suppliers that provide replacement body parts to make our lives easier (mostly). For the older Forward Look models, everything seemed to be hand fabbed. Following builds on those forums, everything was hand crafted. You are doing what true custom fabricators and restorers have to do. Much harder, but what a skill to have! Great job!

 

[Nxcoupe]

Template still fits:
View attachment 1450649

This is where it will go:
View attachment 1450650

It wasn’t the easiest part to try to make. I did the best I could.

Thanks for looking!

I think that looks amazing!

 

[ct71rr]

I think that looks amazing!

I bought a '59 Imperial. Here for B-bodies and the A-bodies, there are aftermarket suppliers that provide replacement body parts to make our lives easier (mostly). For the older Forward Look models, everything seemed to be hand fabbed. Following builds on those forums, everything was hand crafted. You are doing what true custom fabricators and restorers have to do. Much harder, but what a skill to have! Great job!

Thank you both!! I’ve probably said it 100 time already, and probably most on here, I didn’t expect this much rot and Mickey Mouse fixes on this car. I’m learning as I go. I try to ask the pros on this forum and others as much as I can. I also watch a ton of YouTube to learn what to do and more importantly, what not to do.

 

[ct71rr]

Started fixing the fender inner brackets and mounts. I welded the AMD patch onto the left side bracket. I then had to patch another section on the left side mount. I again made a masking tape template and patched in the new section. I then welded this into the original bracket. I then cut out the rest of the rotten sections from the original bracket and then welded the piece I made last week into what was left.

Bracket patched:

Original and patch I made:

I need to replace this area, red circle:

All welded up:

What I started with:

And it even fits pretty good in the fender:

I also fixed this spot, Didn’t take a pic though:

Thanks for looking!

 

[Nxcoupe]

Started fixing the fender inner brackets and mounts. I welded the AMD patch onto the left side bracket. I then had to patch another section on the left side mount. I again made a masking tape template and patched in the new section. I then welded this into the original bracket. I then cut out the rest of the rotten sections from the original bracket and then welded the piece I made last week into what was left.

Bracket patched:
View attachment 1454221

Original and patch I made:
View attachment 1454222

I need to replace this area, red circle:
View attachment 1454223

All welded up:
View attachment 1454224

What I started with:
View attachment 1454227

And it even fits pretty good in the fender:
View attachment 1454226

I also fixed this spot, Didn’t take a pic though:
View attachment 1454228

Thanks for looking!

I always look forward to seeing progress on this.

 

[ct71rr]

A little more progress. I soaked both the right side inner fender support bracket and mount in Evaporust for a few days before media blasting (I did the same for the left side pieces). I then welded on the patch on the right side fender support bracket. I then started working on the bracket. This piece was worse than I originally thought. Evaporust revealed more damage from rot. I’ll have to basically rebuild this mount too, super! I’m going to try to save as much of the original piece as possible.

Bracket patched:

The mount’s going to need some work:

X’ed sections are going to be patched:

One more patch to make:

And another pile of trash:

I ran out of time so I wasn’t able to make the last patch.

Thanks for looking,

 

[ct71rr]

I had some time today to get the right side fender inner mount patched. Like everything, it took way longer than I thought.

What I started with:

Patched, I saved as much of the original as I could:

Thanks for looking!

 

[ct71rr]

I’m still working of the fenders. The driver’s side headlight bucket assembly (or whatever it’s called) is pretty fried on my car. The one that was on the donor fender isn’t much better. I was able to make a masking tape pattern off of one section of mine and the other section off the donor. There are a lot of recessed areas and shaped flanges on this piece...Yea!!!
The original piece, the half with the recesses is ok to make a pattern:

Donor’s is fried:

The other half of the donor is good enough to make a template, the original is toast on this side:

Should be fun making this flange:

And done:

Compared to the original, I think it came out ok:

This is where it goes:

Not a bad fit:

That’s all I had time for today. Thanks for looking!!

 

[Runcharger]

Great job!

 

[71Beeper]

Great job!

I'll second that - great job Chad!

 

[ct71rr]

Thank you both!

 

[chargervert]

I think I still have a left 72 fender from the parts car if you need it.

 

[Runcharger]

I always enjoy metal shaping stuff. Wrenching is wrenching but it's fun to use your imagination and recreate a sheetmetal part rather than lament that no one reproduces it. My first foray was when I had to make floors and cabmounts for my first rusty sweptline. Ballpein hammer and into the kids sandbox and about a half hour later I had the dips for the cab mount bolts done.

 

[ct71rr]

I enjoy it too. I wish I had thought of adding the raised sections where the bolts go before I bent it. It would have been much easier.

 

[ct71rr]

I think I still have a left 72 fender from the parts car if you need it.

Thank you for the offer. I may take you up on it. I got to get the rest of the pieces cleaned up and blasted to see what I got.

 

[chargervert]

Thank you for the offer. I may take you up on it. I got to get the rest of the pieces cleaned up and blasted to see what I got.

It's yours if you want it.

 

[ct71rr]

I started cleaning up the inside of the fenders. First up, remove what little paint was left and then the rust. I decided to try a little science experiment and used vinegar as a rust remover. I was shocked at how well it worked. Both fenders did take two treatments though because there was some heavily pitted/rusted areas. I blasted the areas that have a lot of angles/bends so I didn’t have to worry too much about warpage. I still need to cleanup some areas. I also had to patch both inner braces as both ends on each were rotted.

Before:

After some cleanup with wire wheel and an initial rinse with Rust911:

Rust911 did a good job but there were some heavily pitted areas so, experiment time:

I poured the vinegar in a big bowl and soaked shop towels in it and applied them one at a time on the fender. I then covered the fenders with plastic and let sit overnight:

The vinegar started reacting very quickly.

 

[ct71rr]

After neutralizing with baking soda and water and a cleanup with wire wheel:

Round two:

 

[ct71rr]

After the second round, there were a few stubborn spots, deep pits, left. I soaked these overnight with a thick coat of Evaporust gel. This took almost all of what was left off. I’ll need to hit a few spots carefully with the blaster to get it to 100%.

I also need to go over the fenders with 80grit to remove the surface rust that developed from neutralizing.

I also patched the inner braces. Both ends on both braces were rotted. I had to make a patch with a raised portion. I pressed a Phillips screwdriver into the metal.

Done:

I can’t believe how much work I’ve put into these fenders and I’m still not done. I have a few more patches to do and then into epoxy, hopefully!

 

[71Beeper]

Wow Chad, amazing work!

I had the chance to take my fenders to a place that was going to dip them to get them stripped, but my body guy said not to bother - that he would clean them up.
They probably didn't turn out as good as yours did.