63 - 65 Installing fenders...fitment issue

[Guest lvrpool32]

After a lengthy break, I am back to finishing the 65 conversion on the front of my 64.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p>

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In the process of fitting the passenger side fender, I have come across a strange issue, as it’s a custom build, not sure anyone has even had this experience, but I am throwing it out there in case I get lucky with someone else that has input.<o:p></o:p>

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It appears that the passenger side front fender hits the top of the inner fender (by the hood hinge where the 2 bolts are that goes through the hinge into the fender) before it is down enough for me to bolt it down in the front by the radiator. <o:p></o:p>

If I bolt the front down first, then the rear, it warps the fender and it bows in in the middle and kicks the bottom out so it will not line up with the lower radiator panel (a 65 one) or the lower bumper (a 65 one).<o:p></o:p>

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Now as far as my investigation has shown there was no difference between the inner fenders from 63 to 65…and the kicker here is that the driver’s side fender fits fine.<o:p></o:p>

I am no considering cutting the lower lip (the one that sits above the inner fender) off of the fender, fitting the fender and then welding the lip back on at the right height.

anyone??????

thanks

Nick<o:p></o:p>

[1965rivgs]

Hi Nick,

I dont know if this is causing your problem but I am pretty sure the inner fenderwells are different `64 to `65. I dont have time to research that right now but maybe someone else can chime in.

Tom Mooney

[Patrick91914]

They are different, but I can't tell you how...I only know because I helped a friend with the swap a few years ago. I don't know if you'd only need to make a small cut or if major surgery is required to get your '64 inner fenders to work. In my friend's case, I had a spare inner fender.

I say just get a '65

[Guest lvrpool32]

Thanks for the feedback guys, hopefully the weather stays dry (thou cold) this weekend and I can get the fender on and then final body work.

I wish just getting a '65 was an option...but theres so much time already in the rest of the car (suspension, bodywork, chrome, interior) that I am going to finish the front conversion...even if it kills me! LOL

Nick

[RivNut]

First of all I apologize for the different sizes in the pictures, I couldn't get them sized the same. But as you can see, there is a real difference between the '65 and '63/'64 fenders. Besides this difference, there's also a difference in the inner fender; a housing is built in to allow for the clam shells to open and close. I think what was meant in one of the previous posts was to get '65 inner fenders rather than try to rework the inners for your '64. If you were to do that, I'm betting that everything would align properly without any modifications.

[Guest lvrpool32]

do the inner fenders bolt on?