Well Id assume just buy new fenders. I spent 2 days pulling out a dent on my driver side and it looks pretty good. A little sloppy in the back but who cares about that. The main patch panel they sell thats on the bottom by the door has pretty nasty rust on both sides. Ive got a MIG and I dont want to spend nearing $300 per side. The patches are $19-$49 a side is there anything bad about these? :confused:

The reinforcement panel on the back side is normally rusted out as well. Thats why I got a diffrent fender.

I would get myself a set of wrecked or used fenders that have the good portion you need. Or if you can find a set of used ones that are better than yours? I am in the process of patching a spot on my passenger side fender. I used the fender that was wrecked (old lady) in 93 to make the patch out of. So far so good...

here's my .02
Just finished a lower patch on the passenger fender. The brace behind was rusted out the bottom 4 inches. I rebuilt the brace from scratch and used a lower ( 12" or so ) patch panel.
It has filler and primer on it right now.
It took alot of time, but I considered it part of my learning to weld.
I have a before pic but haven't learned how to include it in this post.

Im still slightly debating doing the lower patch panels, would save quite alot of money for other parts! If you get any free time mail me some pics of it id love to see it.
Pnutkemist@yahoo.com
:D

I am Having the same problem, If You find old stock new fenders they run 600.00-800.00$$$$$each ,think I will patch ours, I have to put 2 kids through college, smile.gif smile.gif
TROY

I think NPD has them for $279 a side for 70-72. If it wasnt them it was one of the other good places. The 68's are that pricey? I noticed I think it was the 67's were like $599 a side almost everywhere. What is it about that year! Whew.

Originally posted by pnutkemist:
The 68's are that pricey? No. I priced some NOS fenders a while back for $380 each. Welded in the patch panels instead.

Tim

How did they come out? Is it better to weld from the front of the back? Any pictures? smile.gif

OR not of, woops

I recently did the lower patch panels on both fenders on my '68. I was mabey a bit luckier in the rust dept, as the braces were soild. The pass fender needed a bit more work at the front where the inner fender mount brace is attached. Apparently years of a leaky battery had taken it's toll on the metal there. I had to fab part of the brace, and a patch panel for the fender too. All this in hind-sight it might have been easier to find a new or re-pop fender, but it's done now. The lower patch panels were not quite perfect, not square edges. Nothing few minuites with a hammer and dolley couldn't fix.
I have some pics of them somewhere, I think before and afters, I could dig them up and e-mail them if it helps....?

I had this problem with my 68 and ended up just finding a nice set on ebay for about 225. If you search for a good deal you will eventualy find one... took me about 9 months. Kind of a sad story about the donor car though. The guy parted out a cherry socal 68 for about twice what he bought it for because nobody would buy the whole car for what he was asking.

I lucked out with little rust on the brace area too.I only used 1/4 of the patch on both fenders.sorry dont know how to post pics either. go for the patchs. mine came out good... :cool:

I forgot if I asked but did you weld them from the front or the back?

Couldn't remember how they were welded so I got under the car yesterday and checked. They are welded from the front. Body shop did the work. it looks like they also used some sort of adhesive or weld-thru primer. Difficult to tell as its been painted. No problems with them so far.

They came out great graemlins/thumbsup.gif .

i dont have too much money to work with so i will be patching mine as soon as it gets warmer.. i already have the patches, although they will need some reworking because they are longer then the original fender is.. but for now due to the cold im concentrating on the parts of the car that are away from moisture because i cant prime any repairs till spring.......downside to not having a garage...

I brazed mine from the front.little warpage,waiting for a skim coat/paint.Wish I could show pics. :(

I wish too! Make someone post em' like I do :D

I can't find the picture of the fender with the patch tacked on here at work, but here are the before and after pics. I'll try to dig-up the pics when I get home.

http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/TimC/rustyfender.jpg

http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/TimC/afterpatch.jpg

Depending on if you're in a hurry to work on them or not, I'd consider looking for used ones. I picked up a pair of "spare" fenders for my '69 with NO RUST but fairly beat up for $90 FOR THE PAIR at a swap meet. Dents are generally easier to fix than rust, and less likely to come back to haunt you.

Just to add my .02-I saved my otherwise perfect fender by welding in new sheetmetal. I didn't like the bend I had seen on the patch panels (corner not sharp enough-too rounded where it meets door and rocker) so I bent a piece of slightly higher guage steel to fit. The thicker steel warps less. Looks great!
Rich