fender removal

[steve8462]

does anybody have a step by step process worked out for removing a fender with the least amount of paint and fender damage? step by step pictures would be awesome. i have to remove the front fender to access the back side of my lower door hinge mount because it has rusted out and is causing the hinge to flop around in that boxed in area where the hinge recedes into when you close the door. any and all advice would be greatly appreciated. (note) i should have access to a plasma cutter and torches and a mig welder. thanks to a division of the great company i work for.

[azruss]

what year of car do you have. the later years give you access to that area by removing the plastic inner fender. the early years have a panel i think is screwed on. very tight working quarters. these are welded cars. pulling and reinstalling a fender is no easy task.

[steve8462]

its a 1979 carb model- stick shift- look close on the bottom and you can see the rot and the half-a**sed repair the PO did

[steve8462]

i looked and i don't see much room to get my head, shoulders and one arm holding a mig welder while wearing a welding helmet down in the floorboard area where the petals are. it would be like trying to get to the stage at a Justin beiber concert!

[azruss]

might be easier to drill out the spot welds that hold the hinge boxes to the door jam and remove the entire unit. find a wreck with good boxes and swap them out. this way, all the welding in done from the door side and you end up with good metal. this sounds a lot easier than cuting a rewelding a fender.

[steve8462]

could i fabricate the replacement part without too much work? does anybody know if fiat ever made a body shop manual for the spider? i've seend body repair timetable manuals but they dont show the weld points or frame machine pull points to do straightening. i dont need to straighten mine, but it would be nice to have all the reference measurements to refer too along with the exploded views to see what is factory and what is a well done hack job.

[azruss]

they are just boxes with a double back wall and a floating hole plate. Could be fab'd yourself but lots of hours. I think it would be easier to put the word out to the group and see if someone has a decent set on a junker they could cut out with a sawsall and send them to you.

[steve8462]

they are just boxes with a double back wall and a floating hole plate. Could be fab'd yourself but lots of hours. I think it would be easier to put the word out to the group and see if someone has a decent set on a junker they could cut out with a sawsall and send them to you.

i will do that. thank you for the ideas and advice.