Stainless steel fender welt...

[Bob Ritter]

I have been looking for stainless steel fender welt for a while and when I did find it was way over priced. Dennis Carpenter ford restoration parts has it made up and looks great and is priced right. I know we are Mopar people and don't like any other bands of parts on our cars, but this a after market part done right.

Dennis Carpenter 800/476/9653 part # 48-16070-SS

[Young Ed]

Awesome. I was about to buy from a different ford supplier but this is even cheaper! 

[Art Bailey]

That's cheap! Thanks for the tip, Bob. Any tricks to forming this stuff without crushing or kinking it?

 

[Plymouthy Adams]

if the curve is a bit sharp...the stainless will tend to roll a bit due to the split in it for the spline

[Art Bailey]

5 minutes ago, Plymouthy Adams said:

if the curve is a bit sharp...the stainless will tend to roll a bit due to the split in it for the spline

You mean twist, pulling out the vinyl welt? Forgive me, I've never even had a fender off of one of these cars, so I'm totally green. How do you go about getting the welt formed to the desired shape? I'd imagine the way to go would be to maybe get the welt pinned at the farthest corner, with a bolt, and slowly work your way around the curve, bolting down and forming as you go, maybe pulling the welt down inside the fender once you get a little lateral pressure on it. 

 

 

[Ernie Baily]

I used a VW fender welt many years ago and it formed well because it was not metal(it did not fade due to the car was parked in the garage after any driving). Althought it has faded over the years and I'm going to have to replace it again.

[greg g]

Julian's rod shop has a how to on fender welt installation.  Thier's are vinyl but the process is similar.   Also a 3 or 4 inch loop of masking or painters tape every six inches or so on the non bead portion allows for easier adjustment as you tighten the fender bolts, gives you something to grab onto from under the seam instead of pushing down.I found working from center out alternating ends worked well for a snugging sequence.

 

Don't forget British car parts places also as Austin Healey, Triumph, and MGA used stainless bead welting also.  It's a bit thinner so a bit easier to form.

 

I used a tapered pint beer glass to help form the compound curve at the rocker panel ends.

Edited June 23, 2021 by greg g