L8R ZFLASH
A rear too wide
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Joined: Apr 2012
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A rear too wide
I just picked up a '48 ford f1 from a guy who started it as a project and then lost interest. Some things he did a pretty good job on (mustang II front suspension, replacement firewall) other things, not so much (poor attempt at a clamshelled front clip, engine mounts made from anything metal he found within arms reach of the front end of the truck). One thing he did, however, I like where he was going with it, but the execution leaves me pondering how to bring it together. He transplanted a ford 9" (out of what, who knows?) under the truck, but its just a few inches too wide for the fenders. I like the wider stance, however. This brings me to my dilemma: are there wider fenders from a later year that I can mod to my truck to accommodate the wider rear end and allow me to put wider rear tires on it without going with a massive rim offset or would I be better off simply cutting the fender and widening it myself? Has anyone else run into this problem?
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Joined: Mar 2012
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I know there are widened fiberglass fenders for the 53-56. You can also look into putting in bed sumps. This big deal with an unsual size rear end is maintaining geometry which may or may not be possible with wheel backspacing. Then you end up with different rear wheels than front. Its not a big deal unless you want to rotate. My rear end, on my 54, is 2.5 (1.25 per side) inches wider than stock. I am able to maintain stock geometry with backspacing and have wide tires with my wider fenders. No bed sumps needed.
Lead Driver
Joined: Apr 2002
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From: Littleton, New Hampshire
Welcome to FTE! The PO may have used a 73-up rear end housing. I think you may as well start looking for a proper width 57-72 housing. You may even be able to transplant your current 9 inch differential into the older housing depending on axle spline count. What width wheels and what backspace do you have on the rear of the truck now? If you decide to keep the current housing you might be able to manage the extra width with the use of wider wheels with more backspace (like 4-5 inches). I think that would be a lot easier than widening the rear fenders. BTW, even though they have the larger wheelwells, F-3 rear fenders are actually narrower than F-1 fenders. IMHO they would not look right mounted to an F-1 bed. I've seen that done and it is not pretty...
Cargo Master
Joined: Nov 2007
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From: sparta ky.
I have a wide rear end in Homade and I chose to go with 10" wheels with 3" front space and a lot of back space to keep the tires inside the fenders, I like the look and the handling is great, Garry
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I used a 9" out of a 69 ranchero. Perfect fit. If you were going to modify you fenders, I would cut about 1" from the flange. Add the necessay mater with a flange so you could pug that new piece. I think that would be the easyest way besides finding bigger fenders.
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Joined: Apr 2010
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From: Pekin, IL
Somebody mentioned F3 fenders. They are actually narrower than the F1 fenders. The wheel opening/arch is larger, but from bedside to outer fender they are narrower. I think approx. 2" or 2.5" difference.
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Joined: Jun 2004
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I used a stock 9" out of a 71 Mustang. I believe the flange to flange length was 60". Even with the disc brake setup I am keeping the wheels and tires under the stock fenders on my '55. I am running 15x9's with 5.5" of backspacing and 12 inch tires.
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Thank you all for your input. I went to the junkyard the other day and pulled a 9" from a '71 and it looks like it sits a lot better. But now I have a new dilemma. I plan on chopping the roof and also making it a removable hard top. My dilemma is: what do I do with the windows? I've thought about this a good deal and I'm a little stuck. If I make it a removable hard top I'm going to cut the window frames at the body line on the doors but then I'll have no window seals where they meet the a-pillar, the rear cab section or the top of the roof. If I weld them to the removable top, I'd have to roll them down to open the doors. I know on cars without window frames like my '88 Camaro there's a lip with a seal that seats to the inside edges of the windows. Should I just weld a flange on and do it that way? Any suggestions?
Cargo Master
Joined: Sep 2010
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From: Hot AZ (Phoenix Valley)
Removable hardtops, Idid some worked for a company that did lots of these back in the 80's... The nissans, toyota, fords and ch3vys that were done back then they use to cut off the window frames, after that they would split then down the center of the window track, weld the frame to the top, replace the window rubber for a frameless top... The track in the front with the wing window helps keep the track.
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I was actually just thinking about that but I didn't know how well that would work. I've actually got a couple sets of rotted out doors with good window frames so I'll deffinately give that a shot. Thanks.
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