Interest for High rise(pre-runner style?) Fenders Fiberglass

[Mordachai]

I'm figuring about 4-6 weeks right now actually. Life kinda gets in the way sometimes and things get slowed down. I thought I'd have them mostly done already! DOH! I'm going to colorado for a week later this week, so when I get back I should be able to get the fenders mocked up, molds made, cured and polished in 3 weeks or so. That included the molds sitting on the fender for 7 days to cure. If it's hot and not humid, then it'll be more like 4 or 5 days. if it's overcast, rainy and humid I'll prolly wait 7 or 8 days. I can then pull parts, but it's really a few weeks after that, once a few fenders have been pulled until the molds are fully cured and considered 'seasoned'.

But once the molds are made, it will only take me 2-4 days to make a pair of fenders, depending on what you want. Actually a pair of skins can be made in one day, provided they were gelcoated the night before. Full fenders with no 'hood support' will take about a day each, and full fenders with the full inner support will be 2 days each, a day to make the fender and inner support, and another day to bond them together properly. I'll probably end up referring to them as skins, full skins and full fenders or something like that.

As far as having sales in any type of order, I really don't have any lists as of yet. I would like to pull a few skins out of the molds first to help season the mold before I pull a 'full skin', but that is kinda of irrelevant. Once I have the molds finished, I'll start another thread for sales. Once I do that I'll give everyone a heads up and you can post in the sales thread for an order.
Shipping these bad boys is going to be interesting. So far I've found that bicycle boxes are the best way to package them, and I'm thinking the best/cheapest shipping method would be by truck freight, but I can ship them UPS or DHL if needed.

I hope once I get some fenders made, that I will get some pics of them installed from customers pretty quick. That's why I said a few months for pics. By new years I'm hoping to have a few fenders sold, pics of them mounted, and alot of molds for other things under way .

I should specify, I'm making the 2" wider opening fender first, as that seems to be the most popular in the poll, and also would be a good size for dropped trucks that need a little more clearance for big wheels. Then I'll do a 4" or 5" larger opening, and flared versions of both will follow if there is still demand for them.

[desertrat]

I originally voted "If the price is right, the size opening doesn't matter", but the more I think about it , I would prefere a flared fender. I'm just not sure how much of a flare yet.

[Mordachai]

Hey a quick update. I just got back from Colorado today. Tomorrow I'm going to pull the molds for the inner support and clean and polish them. Then as soon as I get the metal I am going to get going on the fender molds.

[Shaffer4]

something I've been wondering about is if some one makes a flexible plastic version of the 67-72 inner fenders, something along the line of those on late model chevy pickups.

As far as clearanced fenders go, this is what the Previous owner did to the front fenders (bed openings still stock) of my truck in order to fit his wide 35s (equiped with puny 31s currently..) with a 4" lift.

[FormerMember]

Do you or anyone else make a set of regular 71 GMC fenders and a cowl hood in fiberglass? I'd want inner fenders, too.

[Senator350]

options for bottoms of fender (front or rear) if we want some height chopped?

just a radius?

[Mordachai]

^ I'm not sure I follow. Do you mean a fender that is cut off under the body line? A radius cut? I think what you are asking is easily done, either by me, or by the end user. Prolly best if you cut it, cause I might cut in a different place.

I did pull the inner support molds off this week, but haven't fully cleaned them yet. I came back from my little vacation to find that there's no work for me in the shop(Upholstery), so I've been busy trying to find work. Sucks having bills you can't pay, not much I can do about that now. But this weekend I should have those inner support molds cleaned up. I'm going to start cutting and modifying the fenders too. First paycheck I get I'll buy some materials for the molds...

[desertrat]

Originally Posted by Mordachai

^ ......... First paycheck I get I'll buy some materials for the molds...

I'm sure there is someone on here dieing to get the first set of fenders, maybe they can lend you a hand($)

[earl87gta]

Cool project.

Originally Posted by grendel

Do you or anyone else make a set of regular 71 GMC fenders and a cowl hood in fiberglass? I'd want inner fenders, too.

You can get the hole truck in fiberglass from USBody.

[Senator350]

1. i'd like to send a pass fender, but the front cups are cut off of mine.

2. this front cup is what i was talking about being "radiused". my fenders need to be "chopped" about 4" off the bottom. i was inquiring what could be done with the bottom

[Mordachai]

^ awesome. I don't really need the front cups, it's the front part of the fender that I need. Feel free to cut the front of the fender off, as I don't need the whole thing. I'm thinking it'd be easier to ship the front part instead of the whole fender. PM sent.

As for radiusing the fender front, I can do that no problem. Whether you want just an inch or two taken off, or all the way to the body line like the fenders that sandking posted on the last page, or anywhere in between. I'm not at home right now, but I think taking off 4" would leave 2" or so below the body line. Either way I can make a nice finished product with a nice clean edge for ya.

Desertrat- I'm pretty sure you're right that there might be someone willing to help out financially, but that's just not me. I want to take care of all aspects of these fenders by myself( creatively and financially). Kinda my fault, knowing the upholstery shop is slow, and I spent too much money while in CO having fun expecting to have work as soon as I got back. No biggie, I'll be able to buy all the materials I need by the end of the week, and the pass. fender is still needing that front section anyways. I'm sure I can have the drivers side ready to go by then, and the passenger fender soon thereafter.

I got the inner support molds pulled off, and got the rough stuff cleaned off them. I just didn't get to finish cleaning and polishing them only because I was working fixing up my apt. to rent out and also ran out of fine (1000 and up) sandpaper and compound. I didn't get to the supply house yesterday, but I should be able to later today to get the few things I need.
Once I get them cleaned up I'll post pics. Same with the fenders, I'll take pics along the way and post up some of the process of making the model and molds.

[skoffice]

Hey I'm new on here and am interested in getting a set of 4" higher, 6" longer, 3.5" wide flare fenders for a '67 made. What do you need and whats the cost? I can do trade work as well. I work at a machine shop and an off road fab shop.

[LUV2XCLR8]

Originally Posted by trx450duner

Here is a link to the f2000

[Mordachai]

Just a quick update.
Been busy on everything but the fenders, but got some work done on them.
I cut out the arch and the rusty parts it had no lower cup left, so had to make it.

A little foam


A little glass


and a quick coat of filler, rough sanding, and some primer just for an idea of how it looks


Notice the location of the sidemarker above. Really close to the edge of the fender, and it's current location interferes with the new arch location. So I had to cut it out and move it up. I moved it up an inch, by cutting out the light mount with extra metal on the top and flipping it around and welding it back in.
Just tacked in enough to be strong enough for the molding process. I might have to move it up even more for a larger fender!

welded, filler, some basic block sanding,


you can see where the marker recess was flipped around. Still needs some fine tuning with a block. But now the light is 1 inch higher than it was in the earlier pic.


and just a quick shot of primer.


The new arch and body line will be about 1/2" or so inside where the fender is cut. I will sculpt the rest of the front cup once I have the arch and lip detail in place, that will smooth out the rough look of the front cup in the shot above.

After alot of thinking and some tinkering, I think I have the best way to recreate the arch with all the detail I want.
here's what I'm going to use.


There's actually about 5 or more hours of hand filing and sanding that metal profile. It has to be completely smooth and rounded, so all the way from a file, through heavy to med to fine grits. For some reason in these pics it looks like there are burrs or something on it, but trust me, that baby is smooooth!

and here's a shot in the frame it sits in.


Those last two are a teaser. If you can't figure out what the heck they have to do with a fender, I'm going to use it to pull out the profile of the fender lip.

I'll post updates of the process.

[vtblazer]

What about the fender lip?

Is it being added later?

[Prerunner1982]

You could just do away with the marker light. Alot of custom truck guys shave them off anyways. If the law harasses someone they could add a small marker on the side where ever they wanted. Just an idea that may make the process a bit easier. It's looking good so far though.. Keep it up.

[71 TopCat]

My hats off to ya Mordachai ! thier looking really good and cant wait to bolt on a set.

[Mordachai]

^ Thanks, I'm actually going to be able to make some serious progress now. Had to set them aside for a bit. Reason I haven't done much of anything on them recently, is I've been doing all sorts of odd jobs to make enough some dollars to buy this:


It's a 93 sonoma.


15 year old interior.


obligatory engine shot

Nice lil truck, got a H.O 4.3, backed up with a manual valve bodied trans with a bump-shifter. It's got some super short gearing in the back too, gotta jack it up and figure out what it is, prolly put a 'longer' diff in it for mileage etc. Best thing about it is when I do actually get my 71 back together, I can use the chassis from the sonoma under the 56 I have sitting in the side yard.



if I wasn't busy trying to get this truck I'd prolly have been busy with the fenders. but I really need a little truck, just using my Acura TL as a 'worker' was really messing it up, fiberglass and resin, tools, and all sorts of other crap that I need to move around were taking their toll. Also I've had to turn down some general handyman type jobs because I haven't had a truck to haul tools and supplies to those jobs. I used to do alot of that stuff for extra cash, but my 71 has been stripped to the frame for almost a year now.

So the upholstery shop might be closing as it's so slow and everyone wants dollars for pennies, Even with a sign saying you can have it cheap, you can have it fast, or you can have quality, but not all at once; it's still all low ball offers and complaints. Alot of jobs being quoted, not much work, and I know their pricing is on the average to low side for the area. But I am going to try to re-do the sonoma after-hours before the upholstery shop closes. As long as I buy the material, I don't think it will be a problem at all. So anyways it means no work, but now I can start doing handyman stuff whenever needed and really get going on the fenders. Good timing to swap up the vehicles, so the TL is gonna get sold to fund my 71 and these molds and finished fenders etc.



I actually have all the plaster and filler etc that I need to finish the fenders. As soon as they are done I'll go pick up everything I need to make the molds. The molds will actually be alot easier and faster for me, as that's where my real experience is. Actually making the fenders I have to think and tinker alot to figure out what works good and seems to take me more time. The mold, I know just what to do and can run through it.

Originally Posted by Prerunner1982

You could just do away with the marker light. Alot of custom truck guys shave them off anyways. If the law harasses someone they could add a small marker on the side where ever they wanted. Just an idea that may make the process a bit easier. It's looking good so far though.. Keep it up.

Thanks.
It sure would have been easier to shave the light, but to graft a factory style light back in would be pretty tricky, and some people might want a more stock look. I'm aiming to have a fender that looks like it could be a stock fender if you didn't know it wasn't.

And it'd be really easy to shave the markers on the glass fender. just using the light bucket it could easily be glassed in.

[72blazer_mud_bogger]

how hard would it be for you to make half doors for a 72 blazer

[Mordachai]

^ I think there's already companies making half doors.
Try US Body and similar companies for them.


anyways, on the fenders I've done very little on the fenders

but I got the thing all set up to go now
mounted the fender and cut off lip in an appropriate position and started to fill the gap to make a working surface.


The lip is shimmed so the profile jig runs along it level, and the fender is mounted to the table. I have to be able to take the fender off the table once 1 section of the mold is complete, but until then it needs to be solid so I can pull the profile and do the block sanding etc. I used clamps and boards where the lower part of the fender sits off the table, but the top part of the fender(inner support) was tough to get to, even with that lip cut off 2.5", so I had to use a few pieces of scrap to screw the fender down to the table, Scrap wood screwed from inside of fender, then same piece screwed to the table.
I did mark with two black lines on the table where the two crucial screws are to releasing it from the table, you can see them in the pics. at the very worst, I'll have to go under the table and drill/cut out the screws.

but anyways, a few more pics:
all glued up and waiting for some fiberglass



here it is glassed and trimmed up



and here's a pic of the profile gauge in place.


The reason it's glassed and trimmed up is so I can do my work in steps. The fiberglass will give the new plaster profile and the mold a 'method' of staying firmly in position on the fender while I work it and when I have to move it. I'll pull the profile, and then block and primer/paint as much of the fender as I can get to. Then I'll do the lay up for the wheel well section of the mold. Then I'm going to have to take the fender off the table to do the other two sections. The two screws that are holding the top of the fender down are in at an angle, and I should be able to back them out just under the edge of the cut fiberglass, and the foam and any plaster will cut away like butter. So that's the reason for the foam and fiberglass.


Also, now that jig will probably make more sense to anyone wondering. the lower corner is 2" in from the edge of the jig. The jig will run along the stock fender, at a lower height and the new wheel-well will be exactly 2" larger than stock, with a stock shape in both lip edge, and opening shape. The opening isn't a perfect circle, and also not a ellipse(oval). If it was I could have used a circle/oval jig. The stock fender has more of a tear-drop shape, so following the stock opening is the best means of reproduction imho. But mounting the stock lip on the table just right was actually a pita. if you look at a fender on your truck from the front, you'll see the lip curves towards the top of the truck and the ground. I had to mount and shim the old fender lip just right, so the height was correct from one corner, to the top, down to the other corner. Good the thing lip cut off the fender is really flexible... But I got it mounted firmly and it runs along the stock lip and newly glassed work surface really nicely.


Between the shape of the opening and the profile of the lip, I think this will give the best results. I guess we'll all find out in due time.

[MickMc]

Put me in line for fenders...

Keep us posted.


Mick

[Mordachai]

Just a little update,
haven't forgotten about this project, just haven't had much time for it.

Oh, and Block sanding SUCKS!

That jig worked out really well.

here's a pic after the first 2 or 3 layers of plaster.


one of the first almost full passes, but still rough.



and after a week or so and a bunch more pulls it starts to take shape for real:






One thing I didn't even think about was how damn long it takes for plaster to cure/cry out. you can't add plaster on top of still damp plaster, so the plaster layers were added days apart


now it's time to fill the lower corners or 'cups' of the fender. Same foam trick as for under the plaster pull.



glued in place and glassed over the foam edges.

[Mordachai]

well, after the glass fender edges were cured a bit, I could cover them in filler and start to shape the new fender line and fender 'cup'.
I didn't take any pics of the filler, rough rasping in green stage more filler etc steps.

but after a few rounds of filler, it started to look like something, so I hit it with some primer.










Some quick roughing out revealed some low spots. Quick bit of filler and rough them out again and I started to see a nice shape appearing.




then another guide coat of primer
[/QUOTE]

Then on to the tedious and long process of block sanding and building until all the surfaces are as crisp as I want them to be.

Sand
fill
sand
fill
sand
Primer
fill
sand
fill
sand
fill
sand
^yeah, that's been me.... sanding until the back/shoulders/elbows/hands are numb!





There's a ton of work inbetween the shot below and the last two shots even if it's hard to tell. I left out alot of pictures...


Oh yeah, I cut the table so I could have better access for sanding...


high build sand-able primer


and then, after a shot of white primer, it actually looks like a decent fender again!

Also check out old stock lip still screwed to the table that I used as a guide for the profile. you can see how much bigger the new fender opening is, but still retains the old style pretty good imho.








I've got a handful of spots that need to be tweaked with a tiny bit of filler/primer, I worked on it a bunch this morning, and now my handful of spots that need attention are down to just a few minor spots and already looks better than in the last pic.

So anyways, while updates haven't been posted here, I'm working on it here and there when I get a chance to. It's really a hobby or a labor of love that I would love to see turn into a 9-5, but for the time being whenever I have the time and funds I'll be working on it.
I did cut the lip off the pass side fender, but my table is too small to mount both of them on at the same time, so I can't get going on that until my driver's side mold is 2/3 -3/4 complete.

anyways, just thought I'd post some pics of the slowish progress but progress nonetheless.

[va_tlc]

wow, it turned out great, and im sure you have alot of time into it. i sure hope you get some return profit from all your labor. good luck and keep at it.

[Senator350]

HOORAY!!! fenders in time for warm weather???

can i put some on layaway yet?