Hi all. This is my first post. I have a 1972 F100 that I have recently replaced the inner fenders, radiator support, cab supports, and floor pans in. Everything's nice and painted, getting undercoated, etc.

My question is this. I would be interested in installing fiberglass fender liners in the front wheel wells, to protect against the very reason that I had to recently replace those inner fenders. I'd thought about shooting undercoat up inside the inner fenders (which right now are only painted). But to my mind, a pair of fiberglass fender liners, mounted to the fender flange where the moulding mounts, would probably do a much better job.

I know this isn't factory, but I'm not doing a frame-off on this truck. It's my 'go to lowes truck' and my 'go to the landfill truck' and my 'take brush and boxes to dads farm to burn truck'.... but it's also my baby... I'm more concerned with protecting the new sheet metal from corrosion than restoring to show-room condition (which would rule, but then I'd have to get another truck to do the above mentioned duties, and I don't think the little lady of the house would see clear... well I'm sure you see what I mean)...

So, when did Ford start putting these liners in their F100's, and is there a model that anyone thinks the curvature of the wheel well cutout would closely approximate the curvature on the 72, that could possibly be made to work?

Believe me, any feeback will be greatly appreciated... both by myself, and the old '72...

 

Fisrt of all, welcome to the best Ford truck site in the world!
I don't believe those liners are available. Instead, I would use POR 15. They have a website, check it out.
Good luck.

 

Welcome to (FTE)!

You may think about using the plastic one that are stock on 77 or newer
trucks, or get some one who does sheet metal work in race cars make you a
set of tubbs that would fit up in there, or buy a set of rear wheel tubbs for
pro-streeting cars and cut to fit, and make brackets to hold them.





P.S. if you are really wanting fiberglass you may want to try U.S. body source

 

Thanks for the replies. I'd thought about using light guage sheet metal, or perhaps some of the 1/8" Nomex from work. I design transformers, and our plant has gobs of haysite, fiberglass, various guages of sheet metal, etc.

But before I went to the trouble of manufacturing some, which I could easily do, I thought I'd check with you guys. Often, various parts from different years will swap out (for instance, I've heard the '73-'79 radiator support will work on the '67-'72's, with some drilling). I was hoping someone would say 'Just install some from a '77, you may have to make a bracket.'

Thanks guys!

 

I don`t know of any liners that will work but I do have some suggestions.
The factory fender liners didn`t get the complete job done, while they may help a lot of the older trucks so equipped still rusted badly. Liners also make it harder to do a thorough cleaning and can retain alot of mud while offering help with stone chip protection. For better rust prevention POR 15/similar coating plus properly applied under coating on clean surfaces will help more than just the liners alone. Truck box spray on coating can also be used in under body areas as it is tough, resistant finish.
We have alot salt and potash waste used on our winter roads so I store my older units for the entire winter to prevent rust from starting.

 

Since your doing off frame you could have someone who does the spray on bed linners spray your inner fenders just an idea, as far as putting junk and stuff that might scratch up the bed of your truck you might consider getting a small utility trailer to that heavy stuff to save. Your wive might go for that since you can pick up one of those pretty cheap!!!

 

I'm pretty sure you can get the liners off a late70's truck to fit without to much trouble.

 

Hotrod99, thats kinda what I'm thinking. I like the sound of the POR, but I've already painted/installed the front clip, and they don't recommend putting it over a painted surface, so it'd be too much work to use it at this point. Right now, I'm either considering trying the later model fender liners, or just sticking with the 3M rubber Undercoat that I'm using on the floorboards and cab supports. I want to thank all of you for your suggestions. I've learned a lot. And although I've used other forums, mainly dealing with firearms, I've rarely had this many good, well thought out responses, and great ideas... thanks to you all...

 

I agree with Fomoko1. I think its better to just use a good undercoat so you can wash all the grime out completely. Any kind of liner is probably gonna trap stuff against the body causing problems down the road. JMHO...

 

From my experiances with 80's trucks the liners hold dirt, mud and salt in and thats why all the 80's trucks are rustinf out at the wheel wells. I know a gut who cut holes in his late 70's trucks to allow for better drainage of muck from above the liners/dual wall fender.