1929 Studebaker Fender Question

[Guest]

After removing the fenders from the Studebaker that I am currently <BR>restoring, which is the 1929 Commander Dual Cowl, I have found that the fenders are of slightly different design. <BR>I would like to know if you could offer me any information as to the <BR>origin on this difference, and if so, what you think I should do in regard <BR>to the restoration process. <P>Should I keep both fenders that I have now, or do you believe that it would <BR>be more proper to find a matching fender for one of the other? Perhaps the <BR>fenders were made at two different locations, which may explain the <BR>difference. I don't know if Canadian factories differed from American <BR>factories in relation to their body designs, this is one of the scenarios I <BR>thought would be possible. <P>If you have any information to offer me on this discrepency, or if you have <BR>any recommendation on the proper course to take in with these fenders during <BR>the restoration, it would be dearly appreciated. <P><BR>Sincerely, <P>Richard A. Blomquist

[Mark Huston]

I am not clear on what your difference is between the fenders, and what fenders you are having a problem with, front or rear or both? The only possible insight I might be able to offer, based on the information you have given, is that durring the '29-30 production Studebaker made a change to the beading on the edge of the fenders. As an example, the FD Commander switched from a flate bead on the fender edge at serial number 8,019,282 to an oval type bead. My brother used to have a '29 President that had a front fender with an oval bead and the other fender had a flat bead. He talked to the son of the original owner and found out that the car had been in an accident and they had replaced one of the fenders from a car in a wrecking yard. The fender beading was not a concern at the time. This may also explaine your problem as well.

[Guest HOOIE]

Man, if only I could go to a salvage yard and pick up parts for my 29! Not gonna happen in my part of the world. I read the other day that GM destroyed over 650,000 vehicles between 1927-1930 to help new car sales! Probably just the pieces I need.<BR> What will the restorers of 2070 think of the scrappage programs of today?

[29StudiePrez]

One of the things I have noticed in my experience with the 1928-30 years is that there was a slightly higher "crown" on the front fenders for 1928. Kneel down on the side of each front fender, about 5 ft away, and look at the fender in comparison to the wheel, see if one fender seems a lot higher at the top of the fender(crwon), with the front of the fender "in" more. Look at the other one and see if the top of crown of the fender looks lower with the front edge of the fender pushed out and more sweeping, for lack of a better description what I am trying to say is if you compare a 1928 fender to a 1929 fender, the '28 fender would look short and high and the '29 fender would look long and low. It is possible that this is the case, most people would not notice, but there is a visible difference to the descerning eye. This same effect could have also taken place when they changed the beading on the fenders. With out actually seeing both fenders, this is my best guess.

[Guest stude8]

The other guys have mentioned the prominent changes of bead design and crown height between 1928 and 1930. If your sheet metal isn't badly rusted you can find the factory part number stamped in the trailing flange where the fender meets the running board, mine had about 1/2' high characters die stamped that a wire brush will bring up to be readable. Check your chassis number and with a factory chassis parts book & you can tell which is the correct one for the car. Probably over the years one came out of a boneyard from either an earlier or later model but it fit. Rex Miltenberger knows a lot about where the changes took place because he had to match fenders on a 29 President he was restoring. He might even have the one you need! John Shanahan