i want to widen rear fenders
 

i want to add 5 inches to my rear fenders. I've talked to a lot of gentlemen and a lot have said to cut down the middle and add the metal. the guy who will be doing this for me said he would widen from where it attaches to the bed. what are your thoughts on this? would it be better to widen from the center or to where it attaches to the bed?

Re: i want to widen rear fenders
 

Which fenders? 47-55.1, by the mounting edge or 55.2-59, either way.

Re: i want to widen rear fenders
 

I have. 53 Chevy. So either way would be ok?

Re: i want to widen rear fenders
 

I think he said "by the edge (only)"

Re: i want to widen rear fenders
 

Duh! Thanks guys

Re: i want to widen rear fenders
 

Widen at the edge due to the curve of the fender. I widened mine 3" and maintained the curve of the fender

Re: i want to widen rear fenders
 

Most of the widened fender in progress shots I have seen show the cut to be about 1 to 1-1/2 inch (s) from the lip that bolts to the bed. That gives the metal worker room to work beside the flange but doesn't put the cut out where you have to reshape the filler a lot to have it work.

Back in the 70's before narrowing rear axles was common widening the rear fenders was real common with rear axle swaps. Not always for the better appearance wise though.

Re: i want to widen rear fenders
 

widening the fender 5 inches will make it an odd duck
easier and imo better looking is to add tubs inside the bed

http://i306.photobucket.com/albums/n...1018001424.jpg

Re: i want to widen rear fenders
 

^ this
and if you can find it, the crew at Kindigit used old fenders to build tubs on one episode of their show, looked really nice when they were done.

Re: i want to widen rear fenders
 

Yes, but the Kindigit crew chose suburban/panel rear fenders for their tubs. Those are harder to find and more expensive than rear truck fenders.

Marc

Re: i want to widen rear fenders
 

i actually love the look, i want them widened just because it looks great in my opinion.

Re: i want to widen rear fenders
 

this truck has the fenders widened 5 inches

Re: i want to widen rear fenders
 

It's hard to upload pics. Here is the backside

Re: i want to widen rear fenders
 

Another pic

Re: i want to widen rear fenders
 

so what do you guys think on this truck i posted??????? im starting to have second thoughts, i widen them.. order the rear end length. .. etc.. would be hard and a lot of money to go back to stock

Re: i want to widen rear fenders
 

odd duck :D

widening the fenders looks wrong, imo
look at some of the prostreet builds here, there are many nice ones
stock fenders and 15 to 18 inch wide tires

Re: i want to widen rear fenders
 

You asked so here it goes. I don't like the look, I would keep stock fenders, narrow the rear and have tubs inside the bed. Just my 2 cents...Jim

Re: i want to widen rear fenders
 

:agree:

Re: i want to widen rear fenders
 

I kind of like it!

Re: i want to widen rear fenders
 

I think it could look good but 5" is probably too much. 2" would probably be plenty and a little more subtle.

Re: i want to widen rear fenders
 

your opinions are very welcomed thanks, i need to talk to my metal guy, maybe he can do a mock up so i can have a better look, but we'll see.

Re: i want to widen rear fenders
 

I thuink somebody used to market fibreglas fenders that were already widened 2".

and what a couple said, easier to ask about this stuff before ordering parts that might inconvenient or expensive to alter later.

and FWIW, I agree with the others, order your rear axle so the overall length including whatever mega-tires you're going to run fit under the stock fenders, put the tubs inside the bed.

Re: i want to widen rear fenders
 

Get a g50 transmission and mount the engine in the bed. That should piss people off! Lol.

Re: i want to widen rear fenders
 

:lol:

Re: i want to widen rear fenders
 

You can widen them 2" and stretch 'em out a bit to get almost another inch without screwing up the look of the entire fender. Add the strip on the flattest section front to back, use filler sparingly to round it just a bit. Add tubs. I want to use bottoms of real washtubs in my '55, nicely patina'd.