Fiberglass Fender?

[tchristian]

My '55 is a straight, rust free car with the exception of the left front fender. It was apparently hit many years ago and has a fair amount of filler and solder in it. It's been pounded out as straight as it's going to get, and the metal is thin and cracked in places from sanding.

I have found a fiberglass repro fender that would work, but I'm affraid that it would devalue the car to do that. I'm also concerned about the weight difference between the left and right sides of the car.

I welcome your opinions and the chance to save me from doing something I might regret later!

[gbhrps]

tchristian,
You are absolutely correct about the fiberglass fender. It does hurt the value of the car, and the purists will have a heart attack at sale time. Unless your car is a very low dollar, rough driver, .... don't do it.

As far as weight differential, it is negligible, and I wouldn't worry about it unbalancing the car side to side, as these cars are crude technologically by today's standards, where such a thing might matter.

It is unfortunate that the front fenders are welded to the car, as opposed to bolted like modern ones. The required filling around the front nose, cowl and rocker areas, certainly adds to the difficulty of repairs, as well as the cost.

As far as finding a good used front fender, or a new NOS one, may prove to be tremendously expensive (call Hill's Thunderbird Center, as they may have what you need. They also sell patch panels that may work for you). Add to that the premium you will pay to have a VERY GOOD bodyman remove and install and paint match a replacement, and you are going to part with a lot of dollars.

Anyone who says he can do it for a lot less ... don't walk away from him.. RUN!

The best advice I can give you is to aim someday to replace the fender properly. Right now, find the parts you need, and then find out the cost that a truly qualified TBird bodyman will charge to do the job, and then start setting aside the money to get it done.

In the meantime, enjoy the car, and you might even see if a minor repair is possible to make the crack less of a problem. Good Luck!