MTFCA Forum

I'm struggling to get the front fenders to fit correctly. Have I done it right?

Looks like it needs a little “persuasion” to get it into place.
It’s had a lot of twisting and bending over it’s lifetime!
Alan in Western Australia

looks close enough to be able to use a riggers podger bar to align the holes enough to fit the bolts.

Allan from down under.

There were at least four frame and body makers and for a perfect fit you would have to have the same part from the same maker. Your fit is not uncommon with mixed parts a little TLC is often required with a drill or file for a good fit. In the day if you wanted body or frame parts you had to have the maker. I have bought repro body parts and they are made to the middle of the road and usually require cutting, drilling or filing to fit.

Thanks everyone. I'll give everything a file

Don't file anything. If you can get one bolt in, then use it as a pivot to align the other bolt. You might be able to get a tapered punch in one of the holes and push it in until it fits snugly. Then try to pivot the bracket to fit the other bolt. Only if the two holes in the bracket are spaced differently from the holes on the frame, then you can file the bracket. But do not file the holes in the frame.
Norm

I’ll bet I have several riggers podger bars and didn’t even know it!

Get you some long taper punches! I have of set of them I use. You can use them in tight places, holes off center and line things right up easily. Work great for lining up fender holes and running board brackets. The taper works just right.
The set I bought came from Harbour Freight . They are pretty good punches besides being good for lining up holes.

I think it is adequately clear that the holes in the bracket don't line up, therefore there is no option but to file the hole/s in the bracket to fit.

A rigger's podger bar is a wrench with a long, tapered handle. You shove the taper into the holes and lever with it to line up a second hole, into which you can insert a bolt.
Allan from down under.

There are two holes at the lower end of the fender brace. Was the one closest to the front of the car actually used on the '26-27 cars? // Also: It looks to me like the extension bracket on the front of the frame that the fender brace bolts to is bent backward slightly, which is causing the rearmost lower bolt hole in the fender brace not to line up with the hole in the frame rail.