The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop Front Fender Installation

Nice looking truck steppenwood! I wish my fenders were installed, which is the topic at hand. How do most folks install AD front fenders? With the inner/outer fenders as a unit? Or the inner fender, then the outer fender? I'm preferring the latter if it is practical because I am considering installing transmission and engine oil coolers in the front part of the inner fenders. I want to fit all this with the inner fenders in place, then install the outer fenders. Why do I want to install these oil coolers? 400 small block, automatic trans, ac unit, all of which add load to the cooling system and I think it will tax the cooling capacity of my stock but new radiator.

I did my inner fenders first, then the fenders. don't tighten any bolts until you have ALL the bolts started. That way you can move things around slightly to get everything to fit correctly.

Good luck, it took me two day just to get the hood where it is kinda close to fitting right.

On Chuchthetrucks website I noticed that he recommended installing inner and outer together. I would like to hear his comment about this subject if he is around

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

I had mounted the inners first, but even with all the bolts loose I couldn't get the necessary angle to slip the outer fender on without scratching up the cowl panel. The outer fender transitions from outside the cowl to inboard of the flange on the inner fender right at the cowl. That was the point that gave me trouble. I was working alone - maybe extra hands makes the difference? Anyway, the book said to bolt 'em together first so I did and it worked.
http://www.chuckthetruck.homestead.com/page11.html

Thanks everyone. Attaching the inner fender first appears to be the way to go. Then I can get my oil coolers installed the way I want and then the hood before installing those fat front fenders.