Fender on Life Support.... Can I Save It?

[tcb-1]

Gang,
The only damage on my '61 Impala sedan when I bought it was the rear lip of the passenger side front fender. Looks like a stump or a post strike. If the brow and headlight bucket was rusted out, I would just find another fender, but it is solid in all the right areas! So my question is, can this type of damage be repaired? I'm assuming a lot of hammer work and multiple dollies would be used, but I'm not a body person. So is this fender a lost cause? Unfortunately I know the original paint will be sacrified in that area
Thanks all!

 

[bobs409]

That looks like a tough fix to me. Another option is to cut and weld in a used section from another fender.

 

[threeimpalas]

Yes, that can be fixed with some hammers, dollies, and heat. Looks like it may have a split, so break out the welder, too.

 

[jim_ss409]

I agree with threeimpalas, it's fixable.
Once it's off the car it won't look quite as impossible.

 

[Nuts]

Looks like the sheet metal for the lower part of the fender is available from supplier's that might be a quick fix if you can weld ?

Bill

 

[Brian64SS]

It's amazing what a little heat will do to take the memory out of the metal and make it easy to work back into shape. Helps to have one guy wave the acetylene torch over a spot just to red hot while the other guy has a hammer and dolly in his hands ready to tap it into place. One guy heats for maybe 3-5 seconds over an area about 3" in diameter and pulls the torch well clear of the work and the other guy, then the other guy taps until the steel cools too hard to work easily, maybe 5 - 10 seconds. If you're doing it alone, the steel can cool and harden while you set the torch down and pick up the hammer and dolly. That leads to temptation to overheat it and burn it through.

 

[tripower]

I agree that it can be repaired with a little heat, hammer and dolly. The repodution panels won't match the same crisp stampings as original. If you were to cut it out and try to use a new panel you would probably spend as much or more time hammering and dollying the repo panel.

 

[LMBRJQ 60]

You could just get one from the wrecker to replace it and seeing as it is damaged i would send you the freight money to send it to me

Well worth fixing, only a bit of time

Steve

 

[tcb-1]

Steve, solid 61 fenders are rare here in the States too! I will get it massaged, just need to find the right person who knows old school body methods

Which leads me a point. I often wondered why 61 front fenders have never been repopped? Anyone know? Is the die too complicated around the headlight peak?

 

[Phil Reed]

Not enough projected sales for what the dyes would cost.

 

[1958 delivery]

Not enough projected sales for what the dyes would cost.

True. Remember 61's were not in favor until recently, very recently.

 

[bobs409]

They were always in favor with me.

I remember asking LGC's way way back if they thought the 63 fenders and quarters would ever be reproduced. They said they doubted it as the cost of the tooling would be astronomical. Now you can get almost everything for a 63. 61 parts might be done yet.

 

[ragtp66]

Relax, all right? My old man is a television repairman, he's got this ultimate set of tools. I can fix it. Jeff Spicoli from FastTimes At Ridgemnot High

 

[tcb-1]

Relax, all right? My old man is a television repairman, he's got this ultimate set of tools. I can fix it. Jeff Spicoli from FastTimes At Ridgemnot High

I just laughed out loud on that one! Bravo sir, bravo!

 

[tcb-1]

I'm more of a "D" Day on Animal House repairman myself....

 

[1961BelAir427]

True. Remember 61's were not in favor until recently, very recently.

Hate to use this one - but it's like the old song "I was country when country wasn't cool." I've loved 61's as long as I can remember. I'm a car nut and there are plenty of models that I am crazy about but they all pail in comparison to me. Everyone has their own opinion there and that is a good thing. At least we can all agree on the coolest engine ever made.

 

[61BUBBLE348]

I must be weird, my 61' affair has been going on for 36 years, shit my wife was born in 1961.

 

[tripower]

The reproduction sheetmetal doesn't even hold a candle to the original.

 

[bobs409]

I like the quality of my repro 63 fenders, no complaints. They feel heavy and the lines were right on. (going up against a repro door skin that is) Talk about work, I had Triplus fenders going up against Sherman door skins that went up to Dynacorn quarters and all of those meeting up with yet another unknown brand of rocker panel! All was really decent though.

 

[skipxt4]

So Bob, why didn't you buy everything Dynacorn? Was it price, or availability?