The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk steel vs fibreglass fenders

I'm looking to buy new front and rear fenders for my 50 AD someday and have noticed that the fibreglass fenders are always less expensive then steel. Which would be the best way to go. Anybody out there with experience with either? Thanks in advance!!

If it ain't steel, it ain't real.
Depends on what you plan on doing with your truck. Once painted, not many folks can tell teh difference.

A friend of mine used fiberglass rear fenders on his '53 and they started cracking after a little while.

Fiberglass fenders are like silicone hooters- - - - -big, smooth and tempting, but not the real thing!
Jerry

I used fiberglass on my 40. They worked out real good but when you go to sell it & tell a prospective buyer it has fiberglass fenders you would think it had some kind of disease. If steel is available I would go that way unless you are on a close budget.

I once owned a 1931 Foird srtreetrod with glass front fenders. Only one problem is that little stones or gravel hitting the underside of the fender will produce hairline cracks in the paint.The cure is to undercoat the underside with the old fashioned black thick undercoating.Other tan that they are just as presentable as steel fenders.

There was a time when new steel fenders were not available. Personally I would go for the real thing. I am pretty sure that there have been posts on here about fitting problems with the fiberglass jobs.

I've been running fiberglass front, rear and running boards on my 37 for 7 years without any problems. No spiderwebes, no cracks and I drive it regularly. I also don't mind standing on it for some speed now and then and still no problems. Fit was pretty good. I got mine from R&R in Tenn.
It makes a difference if the fiberglass is hand lapped or if it is sprayed. Based on "what I hear" the sprayed ones are more prone to cracking and also having thin spots.
Most folks "thump" my fenders and still don't believe they are fiberglass.
Just my nickels worth.

When I was a little kid my dad had a set of glass fenders for his 41 willys pickup, very few and far between vehicles. He told me a lot of the guys were opting for the glass front ends when they rebuilt them because of the reasonance and sound created by their 500+ HP engines was far 'cooler' sounding, ya know the kind you take down the drag strip and flip the front tires off the ground!

Jeff

I would use steel fenders if you can find them, otherwise, get a good set of 'glass fenders and go for it... for the resale end, just keep the originals in your rafters...

For some reason I always think the worst, like what if I get in a wreck? I would go with the steel for strengh, because I know if I get in a wreck in my old truck I will be safe. Compared to newer cars these old trucks are tanks.

I'd stay away from fiberglass front fenders, proper fit is difficult enough with NOS steel fronts...fiberglass just makes it that more difficult. However, I am a fan of fiberglass rear fenders, I've had them in three of my trucks and they worked out very well.

My personal opinion varies on the application. I prefer to use steel on my bolt, but would opt to use fiberglass on the nova. In the end, I think it just comes down to what you honestly prefer. If you do decide to use fiberglass, however, I think I have a mold for the fenders. I'm going through the mold inventory this week, so I'll let you know what I come up with if you'd like.

I bought a set of fenders for my 1950 3600 from an Ebay vendor for $375 including the shipping. they fit perfectly and look great. I looked at lots of used steel fenders and in this area 60 years of wear and tear did not equal a good find anywhere. Its personal choice but mine look good and fit good.

Having a Corvette and a Firebird with a glass hood, I'm familiar with fiberglass body panels. There is an advantage/disadvantage thing with fiberglass:

Pros:
Fiberglass is a lot lighter. It is also somewhat flexible and will withstand door dings, etc., better than steel. It is also a lot easier to repair if you know how to work with fiberglass. Plus, fiberglass will not rust.

Cons:
Fiberglass is wavy by nature. It is harder to get as good a paint job on even a brand new piece, because you have to sand it smooth first. Fiberglass does have some "give", but if it's hit, it will utterly shatter. Fiberglass is also more fragile if you like to do a lot of off-roading. However, the kind of damage that will shatter glass will also put a significant dent in steel, so either way will need repair.

Hot rod lincoln said it all. I have felt the silicone stuff and it's just not the same as real ones. Back to fenders though. even the few dollars more steel will cost is worth it, if you plan to re-sell it, when you say fiberglas fenders a buyer will look at you like you have the plague, even though they look as good as original.

I believe this subject has come up before and I think that everyone would prefer steel, if they were available. Some parts are just not reproduced in steel or they are so rare you cannot find replacements. As mentioned before, if it meant getting your vehicle on the road with fiberglass or not, because you wanted steel, I know what I would choose, and just keep on looking for steel ones if you've got the time.

Brian