Front Fender Skirt Removal

[Scott R.]

I am working on a 65 coupe and have decided it would be best to remove my front fender skirts for either repair or replacement (as a backup plan).

The body is currently sitting on the engineless frame. Is it possible to remove the skirts without removing the body from the frame? Some of the bonds are already broken, but not all. The body will eventually be taken off the frame, so that will be when I re-install them, but it would be nice to be able to repair them now and put them aside.

Any insight would be greatly appreciated!

Scott Ralston

[Douglas L.]

Re: Front Fender Skirt Removal

Hey Scott,

You can remove the inner front fenders with the body on the frame. Keep in mind the front of the body is supported by the inner front fenders which are bolted to the radiator core support. So when you remove the inner front fenders, you will need to provide support for the front of the body. When reinstalling the inner front fenders, it is easier to have the body on the frame. The inner front fenders should be bolted to the radiator core support and the hood mounted to the inner front fenders. This will allow you to get a proper alignment of the hood height in relation to the front surround. Once you have the alignment where you want it, then you can glue the inner front fenders in place. Good luck with your project.

[Scott R.]

Re: Front Fender Skirt Removal

Thanks for the reply Douglas. Does the upper A-arm need to be removed to lower the spindle?

Thanks for the details about the hood fitting. I would not have done that much assembly prior to gluing. I assume the panel adhesive to use in this case is that in a gun with a snout that would allow "injecting" it between the fender and skirt at the appropriate places?

[Leif A.]

Re: Front Fender Skirt Removal

Thanks for the reply Douglas. Does the upper A-arm need to be removed to lower the spindle?

Thanks for the details about the hood fitting. I would not have done that much assembly prior to gluing. I assume the panel adhesive to use in this case is that in a gun with a snout that would allow "injecting" it between the fender and skirt at the appropriate places?

Recommended...

[Douglas L.]

Re: Front Fender Skirt Removal

Scott,

You should be able to lower the spindle without removing the upper A-arm.

I recommend you do a total "dry" fit before gluing. Bolt the inner fender wells to the radiator support and use clamps and tape to hold other parts of the panel in place. You do not need to glue the all edges of the panel at one time. You can glue it in sections. What Lief is recommending for gluing is good. You can use a 1.5" plastic scraper to smooth and work the glue in tight places.