I will measure my 56 fenders when i get home.

 

~34 in. Yes they really are that big.

 

Great build! What kind of wheels are you planning on using? The reason im asking I just picked up a 53 f100 and picked up a 04 Crown Vic suspension but I'm rethinking it because of the wheel offset I bought some sporty looking mustang wheels but they are too wide for the front end.

 

I havn't bought wheels yet but I borrowed a set of high offset mustang wheels from a guy (17x6.5) and they seem to fit very nicely.

 

17x6.5 man those are narrow you wouldn't happen to know the offset? I'm trying to find out if I can find aftermarket wheels to fit before I attempt the swap. I've read 05+ mustang wheels will work but some of them look to be the same offset as the wheels I have now which are 20x8 and they are a tad to wide. Thanks for the reply you do great work.

 

The guy who loaned me the wheels said that mustang wheels come in high and medium offset, I didn't measure the ones he brought over but he said the were high offset. I probably should have broken out the tape and taken some meaurements but didn't.

 

Okay thanks! I'll look into it

 

I was hoping that when I checked in this morning that someone would have positively ID'ed my fenders as either stock f100 or something else, but it looks like the smart guys are all sleeping in.

 

Hey, it seems you are the one sleeping in! Forcedfun in post #152 verified it for you. But since you are a friend I trudged out into the freshly fallen snow, got into where I am storing my fenders and measured them. They are 34" across the bottom of the opening, and they are original F-100 fenders. I've attached a photo of what they look like on the truck.

Okay, I'm not one of the smart guys, but I am one of the smart *** guys, so there's my qualifications.

 

Thanks for braving the snow on my behalf James. Was it an option to have lights on the fenders in 55? The holes in my fenders sure look like they were factory stamped, thats what led me to think that I had inherited larger truck fenders in the first place.

 

Thanks, I missed your post, James had to slap me awake,,,lol. Sure looks like a monster hole, but hey, the good news is that the wheel hub of my cv irs is in the exact center of that hole.

 

Onto another subject;

I spent lunch today at the steel yard and dropped 29 bucks on some rectangular tubing (2 sizes) to begin mocking up the slides that will allow my front end to move forward 10 inches or so before it flips up.

I am going to attempt to have an all steel flip front end that slides forward first so the the fender skirts don't rake against the body as it rotates up 90 degrees.

But the entire idea hinges (literally) on the slide mechanism that I am going to start this weekend,,,wish me luck.

 

I wasn't aware they served lunch at steel yards. Twenty-nine bucks is a bit pricey for lunch, even at a five star restaurant. I'd suggest next time you go to G.W. Hunters, they have a nice lunch special. If I have to deliver some piglets that way next month I'll gladly take you there.

Back to the other subject. I can't explain the holes in the fenders. Maybe a PO liked that school bus look and installed turn signals there. Or perhaps it was fire vehicle? If I had a 53-56 big truck I'd gladly measure those fenders, but my big girl is a 50, so it might be different anyway.

 

Now if we could get the F100 guys measure the wheel arch height to go with the width and an F250 and F350 or two owners do the same with their fenders a table of width and heights could be put together for future reference. While measuring the fronts, the same measurement on the rears could also be useful.

 

Pretty sure my 56 is all original metal I would be glad to help with that this weekend by messering anything you want. Minus any motor or tyranny stuff as mine was swapped for a 302 C4.


I really want to know how your Crown Vic clip goes. I have some money coming in and going to do a lot of stuff to my truck and wanted to put a Volare clip under but now iv been hearing the Vic swap is much easier and is just as nice.

on a separate note I'm going to start my own build thread as soon as I figure out how to get it started.