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12/19/24: I exchanged the front fenders for the rear fenders from my storage unit. Both fenders need the front lower sections replaced. I previously bought the replacement panels but was quite disappointed when I found they don’t cover the entire lower portion of the fender. Of course the part it didn’t cover was the lower portion of the wheel well rolled edge, which needs work on both sides.

To help keep the shape, I clamped the flange to a piece of plywood. I started on the passengers side and found a fiberglass patch with loads of rust forming under it. Whomever did the repair didn’t fiberglass the inside of the fender, so water seeped thru the cracks migrating between the steel and the fiberglass. I removed the fiberglass and cut about a six inch piece from the patch panel to splice it in. The arch didn’t match so I cut slits into the rolled edge to allow it to curve it a bit more. I reshaped the wheel well rolled edge, welded up the cracks and ground them out. Turned out pretty good.

On to the drivers side and ran out of MIG gas before I got too far. I couldn’t just run out to my local welding gas supply (almost an hour away), so I spent the next few hours hammer and dollying out the dents on the drivers side. Some of these dents were just filled and never flattened out, which would have eliminated 90% of the Bondo.

I did get my MIG gas tank exchanged, which is really getting expensive, but with Christmas just days away and family coming up for this weekend, I’ll have to sideline this project for a while.