NPD Front fenders... [Archive] - Chevelle Tech

: NPD Front fenders...


70_chevelle
Jan 15th, 02, 2:10 PM
I have a huge problem with the NPD front fenders on my 70. I just tried to install them and the curves that meet the doors just dont match! When I align the upper left corner to match the door height and then try and adjust the bottom two bolts the door edge and the fender edge are all over the place (in and out not up and down). The curve matches the first few inches from the top but then goes flat compared to the door, then in the middle of the door the curve is far greater then the door. Help! Is it possble to bend or shape the fender edge on a wooden block or pipe?

Here is a link to some pictures: http://www.1970chevelle.net/doors.html

Lee

------------------
1970 ZZ502 Chevelle (http://www.1970chevelle.net)
My Wife's 1967 ZZ502 Camaro 12.04@115 (http://www.1967camaro.net)
1997 Yukon 4x4 13.7@98 (http://www.blown4x4.com)

[This message has been edited by 70_chevelle (edited 01-15-2002).]

406_70_velle
Jan 15th, 02, 2:47 PM
are you sure that the door is not "reconstructed" with bondo? My driver side fender was missing the body bulge over the wheel well. When i was stripping it i realized they did a horrible job at applying the bodo and just caked it on.

------------------
1970 chevelle
406 - TH-350 - soon to be 411's
engine (http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/engine.jpg)
Interior (http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/interior.jpg)

"I didn't get pulled over for going over the speed limit, i got pulled over for getting there faster than anyone else"

ChaosMalibu
Jan 15th, 02, 3:14 PM
406_70_velle might be right..
But as i look at the pictures, another idea comes to my mind..

Maybe you got an elky fender?
The elky fenders are the more straight where the fender meets the door.. And the Chevelle fender is more round.
It looks to me as if your fenders is straighter than the door. (There is a space at the top, and at the bottom)

Call them and check if they can take it back and give you others.

Anyone else agrees with me on the elky fenders theory??
Just a shot in the dark here..

------------------
Shai

1972 Chevelle Malibu custom 4dr (http://72-chevelle.cjb.net)
Restoration started: February 10th 2001
TC member #1278

406_70_velle
Jan 15th, 02, 3:45 PM
It's possible but i haven't seen that many elky's to notice that minor of a difference in the body lines. I would run the part number past them If they say it is a chevelle fender and your positive that the door is in good shape eo use as your line then i would send it back and get a new fender. Is this a skin? or a repro?

Aren't the elky fenders a little longer anyway?

------------------
1970 chevelle
406 - TH-350 - soon to be 411's
engine (http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/engine.jpg)
Interior (http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/interior.jpg)

"I didn't get pulled over for going over the speed limit, i got pulled over for getting there faster than anyone else"

[This message has been edited by 406_70_velle (edited 01-15-2002).]

MalibuJerry350
Jan 15th, 02, 3:49 PM
Elky fenders are A LOT staighter than regular Chevelle fenders. Found that out about 20 years ago after an accident. Ordered a new fender from a local Chevy dealer and they shipped an Elky fender instead. It wouldn't even bolt up. The fender edge that meets the door was amost straight, very little curve. It looks as though you may wind up sending it back and trying another one. Does your old fender fit okay? If it does, then the door isn't the problem. At this point do you have any shims in place. Without shims behind the fender to firewall mount, that fender should come back almost to the door edge. Remember, the TOP rear bolt and the two bottom bolts, near the rocker, will determine how far the fender "bulges" out. Sometimes getting the right combination can be a real PITA. Loosen ALL the bolts and see what the general shape of the fender is. It should be close in contour with the door. If not, then see if they'll ship you another one. Good luck!

------------------
MalibuJerry350
TC Member #1279
Original owner '70 Chevelle.
568,000+ miles on car.
Hey, if it's got wheels, DRIVE IT!
My Chevelle: http://hometown.aol.com/erie614/myhomepage/index.html

70_chevelle
Jan 15th, 02, 4:08 PM
Good posts everyone - But it's the same on both sides!

I sanded the doors down to metal and there was no bondo on either door.

I dont think they are Elky fenders because the front light bezel fits the shape of the fender. I did get Elky light covers by accident and they were way different, much flatter.

The old fenders did fit they were rusted and damaged.

I had the exact same problem with their qtrs, they didnt fit the curve of the doors. I replaced one with goodmark and it fit perfect, this is how I know it's not the doors, otherwise the goodmark wouldnt of fitted either.

Lee

------------------
1970 ZZ502 Chevelle (http://www.1970chevelle.net)
My Wife's 1967 ZZ502 Camaro 12.04@115 (http://www.1967camaro.net)
1997 Yukon 4x4 13.7@98 (http://www.blown4x4.com)

ToocoolZ28
Jan 15th, 02, 4:10 PM
I know what the problem is, I've posted it here a few times before. Hopefully I dont cross the line about supplier bashing but these are VERY poor quality fenders. I put them on my 70 and spent 2 weeks reworking them to make them fit. I had to completly reshape the curve with a slide hammer, 2x4s and at one point I even layed them out on the floor and stood on them, even then I spent a lot of time with a hammer and filler. The mounting holes had to be elongated and I welded a piece of metal to the bottom to have something to bolt the bottom to the lower cowl. Now mine fit good and look good but I would NEVER EVER buy them again, I would repair almost any original fender if there was anything left of it.
Good luck, to get these to fit right you will need deep pockets and a bodyman with a lot of time.
Ron

------------------
70 Chevelle SS396 (427)M21 Before (http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/70before.jpg) / After (http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/70later.jpg)
66 Nova SS 327 M20 (http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/toocool66.jpg)
95 Z28 Convertible T56
Aces 3081, TC #54 Gold

70isfine
Jan 15th, 02, 5:51 PM
You should have test fit them before you painted them(not what you want to hear im sure)They probably would have taken them back.Where they Goodmark fenders?The Goodmarks are supposed to fit,but the trouble is IDing them.There are more than one company that makes them and anything other than Goodmark is junk,This is what my local Goodmark supplier told me.I like your site,i found it using a search engine and i have been checking in regularly, you are a few steps ahead of me so i like seeing your progress.Good luck.

70isfine
Jan 15th, 02, 5:56 PM
You should have test fit them before you painted them(not what you want to hear im sure)They probably would have taken them back.Where they Goodmark fenders?The Goodmarks are supposed to fit,but the trouble is IDing them.There are more than one company that makes them and anything other than Goodmark is junk,This is what my local Goodmark supplier told me.I like your site,i found it using a search engine and i have been checking in regularly, you are a few steps ahead of me so i like seeing your progress.Good luck.

70isfine
Jan 15th, 02, 6:01 PM
You should have test fit them before you painted them(not what you want to hear im sure)They probably would have taken them back.Where they Goodmark fenders?The Goodmarks are supposed to fit,but the trouble is IDing them.There are more than one company that makes them and anything other than Goodmark is junk,This is what my local Goodmark supplier told me.I like your site,i found it using a search engine and i have been checking in regularly, you are a few steps ahead of me so i like seeing your progress.Good luck.

70isfine
Jan 15th, 02, 6:07 PM
You should have test fit them before you painted them(not what you want to hear im sure)They probably would have taken them back.Where they Goodmark fenders?The Goodmarks are supposed to fit,but the trouble is IDing them.There are more than one company that makes them and anything other than Goodmark is junk,This is what my local Goodmark supplier told me.I like your site,i found it using a search engine and i have been checking in regularly, you are a few steps ahead of me so i like seeing your progress.Good luck.

70isfine
Jan 15th, 02, 6:11 PM
You should have test fit them before you painted them(not what you want to hear im sure)They probably would have taken them back.Where they Goodmark fenders?The Goodmarks are supposed to fit,but the trouble is IDing them.There are more than one company that makes them and anything other than Goodmark is junk,This is what my local Goodmark supplier told me.I like your site,i found it using a search engine and i have been checking in regularly, you are a few steps ahead of me so i like seeing your progress.Good luck.

70isfine
Jan 15th, 02, 6:17 PM
You should have test fit them before you painted them(not what you want to hear im sure)They probably would have taken them back.Where they Goodmark fenders?The Goodmarks are supposed to fit,but the trouble is IDing them.There are more than one company that makes them and anything other than Goodmark is junk,This is what my local Goodmark supplier told me.I like your site,i found it using a search engine and i have been checking in regularly, you are a few steps ahead of me so i like seeing your progress.Good luck.

70_chevelle
Jan 15th, 02, 8:50 PM
70isfine- yes,yes,yes,yes,yes, yes I should have fitted them first! (just jazzing you ;)

But seriously, when I called them the salesman said "I've been here 8 years and nobody has ever said our fenders dont fit", real lame answere so I knew I would get nowhere with them.

No they're not goodmarks, I will order goodmarks tomarrow.

Thanks for the compliments, I'm trying real hard to have this done by March 23 for the local car show, but after this set back I'm getting discouraged.

Anyone need two front fenders for a 70 real cheap?

Lee

------------------
1970 ZZ502 Chevelle (http://www.1970chevelle.net)
My Wife's 1967 ZZ502 Camaro 12.04@115 (http://www.1967camaro.net)
1997 Yukon 4x4 13.7@98 (http://www.blown4x4.com)

markcord
Jan 16th, 02, 5:59 AM
First, let me preface this by saying I'm not an expert, but has something changed recently? I know there has been talk of retooling the dies and all but is Goodmark sheetmetal actually produced here in the US? The reason I ask is that my understanding is if it was made overseas, it doesn't matter whose name is on it (including Goodmark). They all come from the same manufacturer. This is what I was told by Roger Ausley anyway. I hope they're being made here again. Perhaps before you plunk down your cash for another set of fenders, they can tell you where they are manufactured.

------------------
Mark
1970 SS454 LS6 (nom)
TH400/4.10 posi
Formerly Cranberry Red now War Bonnet Yellow
-------------------------
"Fight Apathy - the disease no one cares about."

70SS
Jan 16th, 02, 9:25 AM
The topic has been discussed about these fenders many time before. There is only one manufacture of these poor quality fenders. In fact Goodmark has stopped supplying these and are supposed to be producing a retooled fender (I've heard this for the past year). I bought a set of these from the NPD in detroit and tried 7 different fenders and none of them fit (the same problem you are talking about). I finally payed the big cash and bought NOS and they fit like they should.

70_chevelle
Jan 16th, 02, 10:07 AM
70SS - I just ordered the two fronts from Goodmark. They told me that they have re-tooled and the fit now is great. I will have them in a week so I'll let everyone know what comes of this.

Thanks,

Lee

------------------
1970 ZZ502 Chevelle (http://www.1970chevelle.net)
My Wife's 1967 ZZ502 Camaro 12.04@115 (http://www.1967camaro.net)
1997 Yukon 4x4 13.7@98 (http://www.blown4x4.com)

ss396boy
Jan 16th, 02, 2:16 PM
It's a shame there are places out there willing to take your money and they are not a least bit concered about the blood and sweat that we all put into these cars. Companies that provide resoration pieces like this should be ashamed they even sell parts this bad. Well, for me its either Nos or Goodmark. Nice work by the way. Looking forward to new pics.

ps I like the supercharged Tahoe, thinking of throwing one on my 99 Denali.