WTH is up with this front fender??

[FORDification]

I was doing a final mockup of all the front-end pieces so I could go ahead and do a final tightening down of the cab, radiator support and inner fenderwells. This involved mounting the front fenders. The left fender I'm using is the original fender for this cab and fits perfectly, the the right fender I was going to use is from a '71. However, the danged thing doesn't fit right! I wasn't planning on using the other '67 fender since it had a rust hole in it (repairable), but when I was having problems with the fitment of the '71 fender, I set it aside and grabbed the '67 fender and it fits perfectly. Here's a picture showing what I'm talking about....see how the '71 fender sets out farther from the door pillar and cowl area? The '67 fender sets flush, like it's supposed to.



In the above comparison shot, both fenders are completely bolted down, just as they would normally be. I messed around with this for over an hour today, thinking I was doing something wrong that wasn't allowing it to fit, but in the end I just decided to go ahead and patch the '67 fender and use it instead.

So has anyone else had this kind of problem before? The fenders sure LOOK identical, but with all the other oddball '67 stuff we've found, it's entirely possible that I've just found another one. Specifically, has anyone else with a '67 tried using a fender from a different year and had fitment problems?

[Joe Kriston]

Gosh,I never knew fitment was a word...I'll have to use it more often...

I put a front end together on a '72 years ago(have no idea what year the parts came from) and had all kinds of fitment problems...Tighten,loosen,...tighten,loosen...until I was satisfied with the fitment...Maybe it's the fitment of your hood?..(why do I feel like I'm talking to that guy from Brasil?)...I just checked my Betty,which has never been hit but did have the hood stolen,and the fitment on the passenger side between hood and fender lines up much better than the fitment on the driver's side,where the fitment is about 1/2" off...I would have never noticed if you hadn't brought it up....Now I'm checking the rest of my truck for fitment problems...

P.S.,...I see you mentioned lining up with the cowl thing,which doesn't adjust....I don't know what to tell you there....There should be enough adjustment space in the fender to line up at the cowl from the top and inside the door jambs,then work your way to the grill...

[FORDification]

I always say it's been a good day if you learned something....glad to contribute to yours!

However, I'm not really talking about the gap between the fender and hood/cowl, I can adjust that. I'm referring to the distance the fender sets out away from the door pillar, so that it extends nearly 1/4" past the edge of the cowl panel (farther outboard). I tried everything, but there's just no way of getting it closer...without using a BFH, that is. The pad for the top/rear fender bolt just seems to be taller on the '71 fender than on the '67 piece, even though when comparing them side-by-side they appear to be identical.

[Joe Kriston]

You sure the fender you have isn't an old aftermarket fender?

[fordman]

it looks from the pics that the bolt holes are set to far inward on the 71 fender. that could be from a aftermarket application like joe said. check that. and let us know . i'm getting interested in your project. i want to see what it looks like when your done. if gas goes down i wouldnt mind coming to see it.

[FORDification]

No, the fender is definitely a stock Ford piece...it's got Ford markings on it. I'm not sure if the donor truck is still at the salvage yard (see THIS TRUCK, shown on PAGE 14), but I think I might take a run back out there and see, and if it is, I'll try to take some measurements and see if there are any differences in how the '71 cab is set up where the fender bolts on vs. a '67 cab.

[fordman]

was that aguard cat in the pic?

[Heavenlyfire]

Hey Kieth, maybe it's not the fender, maybe the cab? I took a couple of pics of mine for you to compare, might help .

[Heavenlyfire]

Just looked closer at your pic. There is something extra in the 71

[dotcentral]

Could this problem fender have came off a medium duty truck and on to your 71 parts truck before you got it? I don't know how different they are or if they can even be interchanged. But if it was, it might have fit bad on the 71 but you never noticed it. Just a wild a$$ guess.

[flyboy2610]

That's kinda what I was thinking.
That or the inner fender is different. But you say the original '67 fender fits fine.
Heavenlyfire has good eyes. I didn't notice that block. Looks like a rubber insulator of some kind.

[Chasbod]

I just measured my 71 right fender and it is right at 1.5" from the pillar to outside edge at the cowl.

[FORDification]

Thanks guys....I'll make that same measurement on mine and see if there's a difference.

The problem SEEMS to be either the mounting pad on the fender, or the area against the door pillar where this mounting pad rests. Either the pad on the '71 fender is taller, or the pillar area where this pad rests on a '71 cab is not as deep, holding the fender farther away from the pillar. I'm not sure know....but I will check and see what I find out.

[4x4x4crewcab]

Could this problem fender have came off a medium duty truck and on to your 71 parts truck before you got it? I don't know how different they are or if they can even be interchanged. But if it was, it might have fit bad on the 71 but you never noticed it. Just a wild a$$ guess.

I am pretty sure the difference in bigger truck fenders are they have larger wheel opening areas.(larger trucks bigger rims etc)
As for the 67 and 71 fenders I would be surprised if they are different. I would say something is off or made a little different. I have had to warranty many Ford fenders at work for "Poor fit". The body shop will edge and hang them on the vehicle just to find out something was welded a little wrong and wont quite line up. Not all by any means but it does happen and I doubt stamping and manufacturing was perfect back when. I started installing my aftermarket fenders yesterday and so far I'm happy with the fit.
Good luck Keith I am curious as to why that don't fit. I would have to agree that does stick out a bit too far.

[spartman]

Keith,

I am not sure if anyone else noticed this but, it looks like the 67 fender curves in on the last bit whereas the 71 fender doesn't.

Just was looking at the photo and it looks like that to me.