The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop 60-66 Front Fender

Rust in the front fenders seems to be a common circumstance with trucks in this year range. I realize this subject may have been beaten to death, but why are these fenders prone to rust in the first place? I searched the forum and couldn't find an answer. Is it a design flaw? and if so, when replacing the fenders, what can be done to prevent water gathering and rust happening in the new fenders? Other than the obvious answers such as undercoating and a good paint job.

On my '66 it looks like the design flaw is the "pocket" where the back of the fender meets the mounting bracket. Wet dirt & mud is kicked up by the tires and flung there, where it sits.

I live in the desert, so I'm not concerned about fixing this flaw when I replace my rusty fenders. But for those in damp climates, it looks like the solution is to weld an inner wheel-well in that spot so all debris is kept out.

Hope that helps.

---Scoob, Tucson

The problem with the front fender tail rust is a function of design, however after installing replacement tails on these fenders in the past, I have discovered that enlarging the hole at the bottom of the fender tail support member will enhance the drainage of water and debris from this area. Additionally, by the time we take possession of this year truck it has been on the road for nearly 40 years without any preventative maintenance. After replacing the damage and properly undercoating or painting, it is imperative to ensure that there is no dirt or debris accumulated in the brace pocket. Attention to this area will eliminate future problems with this area.

Thanks for the posts! The advice and knowledge is very helpfull. I noticed that Chevy Duty was once selling original GM fenders, but now they only carry the reproduction fenders. Apparently, not many people were willing to spend $500 on a single fender.

I just finished cleaning out about 5 pounds of sand and gravel from the pockets of my 65. I drilled a new 5/16 hole so that I could use a coat hanger to scrape out as much as possible, using compressed air as well.Once I'm done and everything is painted, I'll be spraying the nooks and crannies with spray grease for insurance.

A few other areas that show signs of rust, are on top of the inner fenders where they attach to the radiator support (to the right of the voltage regulator and to the left of the battery), below the battery box, the cab corners and in two places above the rear wheel wells where the braces attach. The cab corners rust because they accumulate debris and moisture in the pocket inside the cab. The rear fender wheel wells rust because they retain debris and moisture between the brace that attaches to the well lip. I have removed the braces, repaired the damage and reinstalled the braces, buy bent the brace flange backwards so it legs out, instead of in. This creates a gap of about one inch between the brace and the outer fender skin, thus not trapping debris and moisture. The inner fender problem area can be corrected by making sure the small pocket that is formed by the brace from the underside and the inner fender skin is throughly cleaned, undercoated and the pocket filled with automotive seam filler. This is not bondo, but the seam filler used by the auto manufacturers. It remains pliable and can be painted or undercoated.

If you are aware of the problem areas there are preventative measures that can be taken to prevent further damage or eliminate it altogether if done properly.

Good stuff to know. On my 60, all those places are COMPLETELY rusted out/off. On my newly aquired 64, those problems are just starting and I hope to prevent it.