Fender Welting Install ?????

[55 Fargo]

Hi all, ordered some fender welting from Roberts, it has not arrived as of yet.

My question is this, I know I have to make holes for the fender bolts, should this be done with a gasket hole punch?

Do I need to use any sealant for the welting, how does it keep water and moisture from sitting/collecting insdie the lip area of the fender that attaches to the body?

On my 47 there was very little welting left after 60 years, the area on the body and the lip of the fenders had a fair amount of corrosion, none was rusted through, but a lot of pitting.

I want to try and keep this area rust/mositure free for as long as I can.

What have some of you guys done when working on this area..............Fred

[Young Ed]

Fred I used a lot of clothespins to attach the fenderwelting to the fender off the car. Then I cut a V for each bolt hole. Put the fender back on loosely and then pushed the welting into place and tightened the bolts starting at one end.

[55 Fargo]

Fred I used a lot of clothespins to attach the fenderwelting to the fender off the car. Then I cut a V for each bolt hole. Put the fender back on loosely and then pushed the welting into place and tightened the bolts starting at one end.

Thanx Ed, when the fender welting is in place, does the top bead allow water to flow away from the joint between the body and fender.

I am not sure about the followinf either, I have the fenders off now, I am prepping,cleaning and painting in behind everything, I have also welded all of the cracks in the fender.

Should the filler work be done with the fender on, or off the car, should the welting be installed only after filler and paint, anyideas???

[oldmopar]

I would make the holes for the bolts more like slots so you have a way to align it on the curves. Also here is a link on how it was installed on a pick up.

http://www.classictruckshop.com/welting.php

[Reg Evans]

When I replace mine I'm going to use this as a pattern to get the stainless welt to conform to the curvature of the fender. I will use contact cement on the fender to keep it in place while installing the fender and maybe some body caulk on the body side to keep water out.

[Young Ed]

Can't say I've ever really looked at where the water goes on the car.

I've always heard you should have the fenders installed before doing the body work but I've seen it done both ways. The welting shouldn't get painted so it should either be left off or removed and reinstalled for painting. Chet and I talked about this a while ago and what he did and I plan to do it put 2 washers between the fender and the body at each bolt. You could even slot them for easier removal. Then while painting the paint will be able to travel down into the crack and get the edges nicely. Afterwards remove the washers and put the welting in.

[greg g]

You also might want to cut some inverted V's on the iside of the tighter curves. This keeps the material between fender and the body from puckering as it makes the curves.

Another trick is to put some loopes of masking tape on the flat parts. This allows you to grab the tape and pull the bead down nice and tight to the seam as you tighten the bolts. When you are don just rip or cut it off.

[55 Fargo]

Thanx Guys, looks like he fenders will go bak on first without welting, then all filler work can be performed.

Next remove the fenders for the paint job, then install with welting.

Does that sound like it will work.

Or I can install the welting after filler work, then install welting, but remove the fenders for painting?

[BobT-47P15]

Fred, are you getting the chrome welting or a vinyl covered welt in some

color, such as black? I think the vinyl stuff is a bit easier to work with

than the chrome (stainless) covered stuff. I'm not sure how much water

the welt keeps out, but it would have to stop most of it. The notches

in the part that goes between fender and body are the key to its

bending capability.

[Alexander]

I could never get the tricky curve by the rear rocker right when using stainless. I gave up after ruining 2 strips and install vinyl which bends easy.

Let us know if there is a trick to getting the bend right with out kinking the stainless.

Cheers

Alex

[55 Fargo]

Here are 2 pics of the inner fender areas, the fender itself is still in primer, I want to let it cure real good, then I am going to put on a little fibreglass filler over my welds from the inside of the fender, afterwards will get the gloss black treatment.

I painted the body portion of the inner fenders, 2 coats rust primer, followed by 3 coats wet-on-wet, Tremclad ( Rustoleum) gloss black, with hardener added.

I am also thinking of brushing on a coat of fibreglass resin over the lip area on the fender and body where the bolts go, wonder if that would keep moisture from rusting thorugh..........Fred