SoTxBoTi,
First, I connect the inner fenders to the firewall.
There is a part of the outer fender that needs to go under a side-arm/brace from the radiator housing. To minimize scratching of the fender at the radiator sidebrace, (1) I loosely attach the radiator housing to the frame (so the radiator housing can be lifted up and down); and (2) I do not attach the the inner fenders to the radiator housing until the fender is in place under the radiator-housing side-arm/brace.
No problems and no scratches. (a two person job; three person, if you lack bench space and someone is needed to hold the beer).
I have most recently done this on two '54 trucks but I think the procedure would be the same for a '49.
Good luck,
Tim
