What can you tell me about rolled fenders

[prayers1 153]

I just had both full 1/4's and full fender wells replaced. The two were mig welded at the fender lip, so the metal is pretty stout.

I want to roll the fenders using the Eastwood Roller. Can it be done with that tool. I feel it will be a battle with the stoutness of the lip or am I speaking too prematurely.

 

What do I need to look out for regarding the front and rear.

Will I be able to use the metal molding around the lip and will this need to be cut or bent with the tool as well.

 

Any insight would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

[Cruzzar 22]

Did they weld the edge of the inner well to the edge of the fender lip? Originally these were spot welded and one could trim the inner lip's (two sheet metal layers) up to where the spot welds were. This would give you somewhere about 3/8 to 1/2 inch of additional wheel room. I guess you could always find someone who has a spot welder and spot weld together and then trim them. They can be rolled but with some difficulty because of the thickness. Remember, you only have to roll the fender from about the 10 o'clock to the 2 o'clock position where the tire would make contact under compression. If you have not got the final paint on the car I would use a relative flat body dolly and gradually work the lips up manually, working slowly back and forth, being careful not to bend the outside fender detail. Another way is to use a baseball bat to gradually roll the lip up. Either way you will have to have the car entirely back together to provide enought weight pushing down to effectively use either method.

On the front fenders you might want to to first trim the inner fender lip like they did on the Boss 302s.

Measure up 9" along the front fender lip starting from where the fender lip meets the front valance. The lip should be about 1" wide in this area. Starting at the 9" point, trim off about 1/2" of the lip back about 19". This provides additional tire cleanance if left alone. If you choose to roll the fender lip after this trimming, it makes it easier to roll as a result of less metal to stretch in the rolling process. Again, you only have to roll this area (from the 9" mark to the additional 19") for tire clearance under compression.

I not sure about your moldings since I have never had any experience with them. Good luck. My $.02.

Edited March 7, 2013 by Cruzzar

[RPM 1,190]

Sounds like a pretty big task with the moldings and the welded lips. I'm not familiar with the molding material, ate they alum or steel? If steel, don't know if you could roll them without chipping the chrome. On the welded lips, to roll them you need to stretch the edge of the lip where it is welded. I think that will be difficult as the weld is a mighty hard material.

 

Bob

[69_Mustang 26]

I had my rear inner fenders cut (,sanded, cleaned) and painted back over to get the max amount of clarence for the rear wheels. I just rolled the front fenders.

[prayers1 153]

Great information Guy's. I didn't know about the 10-2 o'clock & Boss front measurements. How did they roll the rears on the Boss 302.

 

Car is in primer, wheel moldings are not installed.

 

IIRC the rear lip is about 1 1/2" or 1 1/4" wide. Would it be easier if I cut some of that off, then roll it OR leave it as is and just roll it since you would have more material for an easier bend.

 

How much of a roll is really needed?

 

How do you use the baseball bat. I would think you would have to exert a good amount of pressure to make that bend and the bends would not be uniform.

 

I would be using the Eastwood Fender Rolling Tool and the smallest tire I would be using is a 295, so I have to at least roll the rears.

[69gmachine 15]

Rolling the front is very easy if you remove the fender first. I didn't trim mine back at all, just used a rubber mallet and a bean bag for support as I slowly went around the perimeter. I started further down simply because it was easier to get started.

 

As for the back, the two layers make it a royal pita. I made v notches in the lip in several places before I started trying to roll it and it was still much harder than the front. If they made a continuous bead of weld to the outer wheelhouse, I would recommend cutting it off first. I wouldn't try to re-weld until after I rolled the lip. Even though it's not needed lower down, I found it much easier to start the bend there rather than somewhere in the middle. Just another .02 to consider.

[prayers1 153]

The front fenders are new and off the vehicle.

As for the rear, I don't recall if they made a continuous weld. I think it was spot welded w/ a mig welder.

 

I don't understand " I wouldn't try to re-weld ". Why? Are you saying not a continuous weld but a spot welds are OK.

 

About how many V notches and how deep of a cut. Did you weld in where the notch was cut.

 

Thank you!

[SWPruett 83]

Hopefully, this might help on the rear fender lip rolling. Also, Boss 302 rears were not rolled from the factory like the fronts were.

 

http://1970boss302.blogspot.com/2012/10/rear-wheel-tub-prep-fender-lip-rolling.html

[69gmachine 15]

The front fenders are new and off the vehicle.

As for the rear, I don't recall if they made a continuous weld. I think it was spot welded w/ a mig welder.

 

I don't understand " I wouldn't try to re-weld ". Why? Are you saying not a continuous weld but a spot welds are OK.

 

About how many V notches and how deep of a cut. Did you weld in where the notch was cut.

 

Thank you!

 

I think it would be easier to roll if they are not welded together so they can move independently,then spot weld after you finish rolling.

 

I notched mine about every 3 inches, and about 2/3 from the inside edge to the bend. No, I didn't weld in the notches as I had plenty of spot welds.

[prayers1 153]

My 1/4 panel and wheel well had holes drilled at the end of the lip then filled by the mig welder. Should I cut then end of the lip, then try to roll?

 

Does the REAR rolled lip need to be rolled flat against the fender well or just at a 90 degree.

 

I'm renting the Eastwood Roller, should have it by next week.

[69gmachine 15]

I wouldn't try to cut out all the welds, just notch in between them in a few places.

 

If you already have the tires mounted you can mock them up to see how much you need to bend the lip. If bending 90 degrees is adequate, I'd call it good. You can always come back later if you decide you want to change to a larger tire and need more clearance.

[manley 13]

I think it would be easier to roll if they are not welded together so they can move independently,then spot weld after you finish rolling.

 

I also imagine it would be easier. I couldn't find anyone that has tried it before welding when I asked, though. I'm most likely going to try it before welding when I do mine.

[prayers1 153]

69gmachine & Cruzzar: Did you start the roll at 10 & 2 o'clock. If so, that postion will be different depending of where you think 10 o'clock is. Can you measure for me the distance from the bottom to 10 o'clock as well as the other end for 2 o'clock.

 

Also you mentioned V notches, would I need to start a notch at 10 & 2 o'clock position then notch every 3" in between the 2 marks and how wide of a V-notch did you make.

Thank you for your time and help, John

[69gmachine 15]

I started the bends at 9 and 3 o'clock, and it goes from nothing to 90 by 10 (or 2 from the other side). The first v notches are around 10 and 2 o'clock and they are fairly narrow, maybe a 1/4 at the outer edge. You could probablly just make slits as opposed to notches, and yes every 3 inches or so from 10 to 2. It's not really critical the exact number, placement or spacing, just so it's a little easier to get the lip rolled.

Edited March 13, 2013 by 69gmachine

[Cruzzar 22]

I found that I did not have to cut any notches when I rolled my front fenders nor when I folded the rear wheel wells although I used a body dolly to fold the rears. You dont have to fold the rear lips all the way back to the inner wheel well. Trimming the rear wheel lips up to the spot welds provides additional room for tire clearance. You only have to gain a small amount of room as the tire will make contact with the inner wheel well as it travels vertically. The inner wheel well does not follow the outer fender contour tightly in this area.

[prayers1 153]

Cruzzar: On yours, is there any horizontal lip shown or did the whole lip bend upwards.

[Cruzzar 22]

Front lip was bent almost to the point of touching the fender. Real lip was bent up from horizontal to about 70 degrees. There is no horizontal lip left (it rotated around the outside fender). To bend it any further would take a lot of force and I'm not sure it would not start to deform the outside of the fender.

Edited March 15, 2013 by Cruzzar