F1 Fender Question
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 1,994
Likes: 3
From: Morgan Hill, CA
F1 Fender Question
Can anyone post a pic that shows the front fender, cab, and running board alignment?
I installed my front clip last weekend. It has fiberglass front fenders. They seem to be pretty low in the back. On my F2 parts truck, the fenders end at the running boards. It looks like my glass fenders are going to dip below the running boards. Since this is really an conversion of an F2 into an F1, I don't have any "before" pictures as a reference.
Thanks!!
Dan
I installed my front clip last weekend. It has fiberglass front fenders. They seem to be pretty low in the back. On my F2 parts truck, the fenders end at the running boards. It looks like my glass fenders are going to dip below the running boards. Since this is really an conversion of an F2 into an F1, I don't have any "before" pictures as a reference.
Thanks!!
Dan
Laughing Gas
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 995
Likes: 67
From: Mid-Michigan
Here's a couple photos of mine. Should be the stock f1 setup... the running boards more-or-less line up with the front and rear fenders. Not the greatest angle but hope it helps:
Lemme know if you need a better picture as I can probably take some closeups later this afternoon/evening.
Lemme know if you need a better picture as I can probably take some closeups later this afternoon/evening.
Fleet Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 27,294
Likes: 1,055
From: NM
Dan, who made your glass fenders? I had the same problem with mine, but only on the driver's side. It was a full 2" below the RB. Personally I thought it was caused by them pulling the fender out of the mold too quickly. Mine are Gibbons.
I tried adjusting with all the bolts loose, no joy. Finally, I put a jack under the rear edge and just shoved it up, drilled thru the RB edge and bolted it. I expected to hear that awful >>CRACK<< noise, but just got some creaking.
Before and after, you can see how much better it matches the lower edge of the hood.
I tried adjusting with all the bolts loose, no joy. Finally, I put a jack under the rear edge and just shoved it up, drilled thru the RB edge and bolted it. I expected to hear that awful >>CRACK<< noise, but just got some creaking.
Before and after, you can see how much better it matches the lower edge of the hood.
Thread Starter
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 1,994
Likes: 3
From: Morgan Hill, CA
Mine are from Bebops....they fit perfectly up front. In the back, the corner around the cab isn't a perfect contour...and the backs of the fenders look low. But then...my ride height is really low...I'm going to raise that back up a couple of inches.
I was thinking of adding a bolt through the fender to the cab to suck them in a little. That might not be the best idea because the cab is designed to move around. The odd thing is that the fenders are hard bolted to the running board which is solidly mounted to the frame, but the whole front clip can move relative to the frame.
I was thinking of adding a bolt through the fender to the cab to suck them in a little. That might not be the best idea because the cab is designed to move around. The odd thing is that the fenders are hard bolted to the running board which is solidly mounted to the frame, but the whole front clip can move relative to the frame.
Lead Driver
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 8,813
Likes: 13
From: Littleton, New Hampshire
Here's my F-3 to F-1 conversion using Bebops fiberglass fenders and running boards. Guess the alignment depends somewhat on the truck...
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 792
Likes: 3
From: Sandy Run SC
Mine was an F3 converted to an F1. Front and rear fenders and running boards from Bebops. We did some work on the front fenders to get them to fit better around the headlights. It was not to bad to get them this close.
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Senior User
Joined: May 2010
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From: mississippi
Dan, who made your glass fenders? I had the same problem with mine, but only on the driver's side. It was a full 2" below the RB. Personally I thought it was caused by them pulling the fender out of the mold too quickly. Mine are Gibbons.
I tried adjusting with all the bolts loose, no joy. Finally, I put a jack under the rear edge and just shoved it up, drilled thru the RB edge and bolted it. I expected to hear that awful >>CRACK<< noise, but just got some creaking.
Before and after, you can see how much better it matches the lower edge of the hood.
I tried adjusting with all the bolts loose, no joy. Finally, I put a jack under the rear edge and just shoved it up, drilled thru the RB edge and bolted it. I expected to hear that awful >>CRACK<< noise, but just got some creaking.
Before and after, you can see how much better it matches the lower edge of the hood.
Hotshot
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 16,173
Likes: 4,781
From: Burbank, WA
Fleet Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 27,294
Likes: 1,055
From: NM
LOL, my bed is the original old POS and gets used, no trailer queen there. Looks good from 20 ft, tho.
Senior User
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 100
Likes: 0
From: Mohnton, PA
I have the same problem. I didnt notice it until I already had the drivers side drilled and bolted then went to do the passengers side. Now I am thinking that in the 4 years it was being worked on (up the lift-down the lift) that the running board bracket may have gotten pusthed up a little. My front fenders and running boards are steel. The rear fenders (glass) seem to sit too high on the bed and dont line up with running boards like they should. Hence, I have not bolted them together yet. So now this is a winter repair project. You can see my truck in my gallery.
Thread Starter
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 1,994
Likes: 3
From: Morgan Hill, CA
Don't do that. As you noted, Ford designed the fenders the way they did for a reason. While there's a lot of places one can improve the fit and finish on these old trucks, sticking a bolt thru the fender into the cowl to close up that gap is not one of them. Leave that alone and use the rubber filler that's supposed to be there for that purpose. The front end needs to be able to float and pivot on the 2 bolts at the bottom of the radiator support to keep from tearing itself apart when the frame flexes. The bolts at the bottom of the fenders at the running boards are there to keep the fenders from dragging on the ground.
I'll have to see how it looks when I get the running boards on and bolt up the lower part of the fender. It looks like I really need to get my hood in place to give me something to align the fenders to as a starting point. I'd rather have a good hood to fender line even if it means that the back end of the fender sticks out below the running board. As far as that gap goes, it sits a half inch out, but it only takes a little push to get it to close the gap...I do have rubber seals. It may close up when I bolt the fender to the running board.
Phil...that is a sweet truck....since the front is pretty low...do you have any concerns of the front tires hitting the fenders in a turn. Now that everything is coming together on mine, it is lower than I thought it'd be, so that just sitting there, the tires are inside the fender line. If I raise the front by 2 inches, there is clearance, but it still looks risky when the wheels are turned.
Dan