F1 Fender Question
#1
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
#2
#3
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.
#5
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.
#6
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#8
#9
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.
#10
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.
#12
#13
LOL, my bed is the original old POS and gets used, no trailer queen there. Looks good from 20 ft, tho.
#14
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.
#15
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