we all know that new body panels etc. makes it faster and easier to get our trucks done . our other halves seem to think were foolishly spending cash . i for one do not have the skills and equipment to do body work on my usable fenders etc.. they are in good shape but require some repair and mounting flange rebuilding on the front fenders . i found a shop i like to do my repairs on the cab and mild customization on it and the hood , and he told her how much the repairs to my fenders and running boards were going to be to make them right . now she knows the truth ... i can buy new parts cheaper than rebuilding the older ones in many cases , i'm not just spending money !!!!! so now i get a new bed , all four fenders new , and a new gravel pan , and boards !!!

 

Everyone prefers steel, but truth is you could spend the big bucks to get it repaired and it will start rusting the next day. When I lived in IL I spent most of my time fixing rust. You won't regret going glass!

 

55f350, I have glass on HOMADE and love'em but get you some spray on rubberized under coat and put a couple of coats to prevent stone chips from the bottom side, Garry

 

i thought about the glass stuff guy's . one just for what you said ross , and two a little weight savings especially with that flatty perched over her nose LOL !!!!!!!!!!! garry i was gonna use that to coat the inside of all fenders and the bottom of the floorpan instead of making it purty with met. green and worrying about chips and such anyway so it'll now be engrained in my head for sure . i'll take a look at the stuff and see about them in comparison to the steel . the new bed sides however will be steel .it will either way speed the process up some and according to my figures save me some cash in the long run either way . my cuz is wanting my oe stuff for his as he wants to fix 'em and run 'em .... dunno yet but i might let them go ...

 

I've had no problem with rocks, no coating, and there is no shortage of rocks around here. I don't drive fast on gravel roads tho.

One thing tho, and it applies to steel just as much; I didn't bolt my RB's to the fenders. They get torn up for a good reason there. I took my rear fenders off recently for the axle job and they were rubbed clear thru the paint where the RB's touch. There is just too much flexing there for a solid bolted joint to last.

 

There's nothing like Christmas in August!

 

I was wondering about that same thing, bolting the running boards to the fenders, and had thought not to. Do you forsee any problems by not doing that? With the braces in the bottom of fenders that should take care of the flapping fender syndrom. Maybe. What are your thoughts?
Mervy49

 

I've not seen any problem with not bolting the stuff together. I'd love to find a thin, slippery plastic to put between them, but haven't found one yet.

I haven't put the rear fender braces on. To be honest, they do not flap a bit, but until very recently, I never went over 45 - 50. I have the same kind of concern about putting them in; connecting two pieces that may be moving in different directions. If I put them on, I'm going to use thick rubber at the connection to the fender (like a grommet).

 

I have used inner tubes, cut to fit in between items. Made my own rubber gaskets for the large mirror brackets on the f600 I had.

 

On my front end I use roofing felt as gaskets between the parts. It looks good, and it won't absorb any moisture.

Almost everything you do on your truck project will be a cost-benefit analysis. For me, time is a factor, so I bought the glass fenders and a new bed from Northern Classic. I did convert my F2 into an F1, so I didn't have the bed and fenders. I did find a couple of old utility trailers that were made out of F1 beds....the choice was to spend $400 for a rough bed and then spend the next year with a hammer and dolley....or buy new parts.

If I had a driving truck and was working on a second one just for a fun project, I might be inclined to spend more time on the existing parts.

 

Kevin, I've got some sheet rubber I'd thought about using there, but I am afraid it would be too "sticky", whereas I want something that will slide as the two pieces move relative to each other. I've thought about cutting up a milk carton, but I don't know how you'd hold it in place?

 

I have found this thread quite educational. Don't bolt the fenders to the running boards; great that was something I had considered.
roofing felt as gasket material.... I have some.
Between the fenders and running boards I will experiment with coating each surface with a skim coat of clear silicone but not before testing some different lubricants on the silicone.

 

my brain is expanding ! soon world conquest will be achievable thanx to the knowledge you are imparting too me !!!!

 

Ross contact cement them to the ends of the running boards ONLY. I was looking at sheet polyethylene but a milk jug or some other large plastic bottle might give up enouth straight material to do the job.