Could someone guide me to an existing thread or provide a list of the steps to remove the front fenders on a 1948 M47 / F1 pickup.
My truck is complete with good paint, but the front fender wheel arches were widened by the previous owner. I want to remove so I can do the metal work to put them back to original.

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It is easier to remove the entire front clip as a single unit. There are bolts on the radiator support, the frame by the cowl, and fender to running board.

I'm with you on fixing the PO mods. Not a good look.

 

Wow, what a butcher job especially on a Mercury fender. A Mercury fender is work salvaging in almost any condition.

The truck looks great other than the wheel openings. If the truck was recently restored and the hardware is new I'd suggest just removing the fenders, not the entire front end. I pop the hood open and prop it up just to make sure it won't fall down on you while wrenching on the fenders. There are 6 bolts, not sure right now, that bolt through the top of the fenders into the inner fender. There is a bolt holding the fender to the fender brace. Then there are bolts holding fender to the headlight/grill panel and top and lower valance. There are also bolts holding the bottom at the back of the fender to the running board. If, and that's IF, all of the hardware is in good, removable condition then you should be able to remove each of the fender fairly easy. With that nice paint job make sure to have a helper with you to hold the fenders as you're removing the bolts.

I would start by working on all of the bolts and making sure all of them come loose. Loosen them all without completely taking them apart and then work from the bottom to the top leaving the top for last so the fender doesn't start falling down on you as you work on it.




If the bolts are all in pretty rusty, non-removable condition then I would say follow what Duane said, take the entire front end off, flip it upside down and go after the rusting hardware with an angle grinder with a cut off disc. I cut down through the nut and bolt to split the nuts in half and know the bolts out. There are only about ten bolts you need to remove and the entire front clip come off. One on each side at the top back of the inner fender panels, the bottom of the radiator support (remove the radiator first) and the bolts that fasten the running boards to the back of the fenders.

I might have missed a few bolts but look around as you're working on the truck, you'll find them all. It's not very difficult.

 

Thanks DW and Bob.
Bob that diagram is excellent.
Other than a rust repair, cannot see any reason to have cut the fenders. I even thought maybe they used F2 fenders and modified to fit.
The truck is really nice. I was looking for a couple of years for a Mercury and found this in Canada last year. After a few months on the wharf and on the seas she arrived in Australia in March.

So after fixing the fenders and one other minor body repair (roof to drip rail welds) she will be perfect. Going to put some original width wheels and whitewalls on it too.
Cheers Neil

 

Now that I look at the fenders again it looks lome someone did use F-2 to F-6 fenders and mad a bridge to join to F-1 lowers. Mercury fennders are worth saving, they are different than Ford fenders where the turn markers are mounted.

 

Hey Shelby
Maybe it's jet lag...but I think your truck looks great
as is. I wouldn't have noticed the fender openings if you hadn't mentioned it.
Stunning truck over there in Australia!

Ben in Austin
(London this week)

 

Thanks Ben. I didn't notice the fenders initially either. But I do think it will look better with the fender opening hugging the wheels.
Ford F1s are pretty rare in Australia let alone a Mercury M47

Cheers Neil

 

The fenders look reasonably factory underneath. That got me thinking they were bigger F truck fenders.
As I research these trucks here in Australia, I think the Mercury front fender turn signal light mount was used on Australian versions. I found an old relic fender here last year that has the same mounting structures. I have also seen a couple of rusty right hand drive F1-F6 (so probably built for export) being sold here with the same turn signal mounts.
Wonder if Ford Canada might have built export F trucks in the 40s and 50s.

 

Information we've found is Ford of Canada was the source of most export trucks to Australia and Europe. A discussion of park lights on Aussie trucks some years ago said Australia had different lamp regulations which required the lights to be in the fenders on the 48-50 Ford trucks, instead of the grille bars like North American versions. It would make sense those same fenders and lamps were used on the Mercury trucks in Canada.

 

Thanks Wayne. That makes sense.

 

When you look under the fender, at the area that the upper and lower parts join can you see an alteration in the sheet metal. To me it looks like someone added a triangular piece to make it match up to an F-1 lower fender. You can buy replacement F-1 fender parts but not for the larger trucks.

 

I'm just going to throw this out there, but given the awkward nature of these fenders when they're not attached to the truck, you may find it simpler to modify the wheel openings with the fenders on the truck, rather than on a bench. They're standing up firm in front of you, and you can check your work with the tire in the correct location. My 2c.

 

I agree, the truck makes the best stand to work on them. Jack the truck up, support the front axle and remove the front wheels. There's pretty much room under those fat fenders.

 

Good eye, bob.it looks like that's what they did.

Can't you buy a new F1 Ford fender to match the lower fender correctly and then cut out a hole for the parking light and put on the stainless strip.

 

You could, but what would be the fun in that.
Correct Mercury fenders have a stamped hole and raised area where the lamp goes. You could probably never tell, but it wouldn't be correct.