Hello fellow Brickboarders:

After an absence I return with news on my '67 1800 project. In a quick review of the messages it is good to see many familar names (George Downs for instance - I can remember when he was still down in Panama...) I can also remember when this forum was on LISTSERVE... Jarrod great job!!!

In anycase to the subject of this message. As I started to strip my car to get it into the body shop for rot removal. One area I removed at the begining of this process was my rusted out inner front fender liners. Now as I order body parts from Wolf Steel I asked them about the possibility of them recreating the inner fenders out of new steel and they think they can make them. So I sent mine on for use a paterns. See image of my rusty ones.

Now see a message I posted to the 1800 list on Yahoo groups.

For the group: I have been in contact with Wolf Steel regarding the front inner fender liners (the removable ones behind the front wheel) and the possibility of having them fabricate some. I have thought about making them from fiberglass or some heavy duty plastic but with a good coat of POR15 or two I am sure metal will last much longer.

Important note: How many of you have checked behind your inner fender liners lately? When I first got my car I pulled them and dug out enough dirt and gravel from each side to pot a plant! As the inner fender liners rust away or just fine road dust finds it's way around the seal it accumulates down by the rear of the front fender and the sill. As more and more dust & gravel accumulates it clogs the weep holes and becomes a sponge for water and over time it causes the body to rust out from the inside.

Have a rust free 1800? Want to keep it rust free? Then jack the car up one weekend, put it on a jack stand/block and pull the front wheel. Remove the bolts holding the inner fender liner to the body and pull it out (several bolts into the engine compartment/unibody - I'll check for sure if anyone is really interested) - look for the heads under "bumps" in the undercoating. With any luck your inner fender liner will have minor rust which can be repaired via your favorite method (POR15 & fiberglass mesh for small holes). Clean all the crap out, use a little water to rinse it clean. Grab a light and examine the rear of the fender from the backside. If you see paint then you are in luck - some paint & rust, still in luck, rust and paint you might still be lucky to prevent the panel from rusting through and save your paint job.

While you are at it you might as well take a coathanger and make sure the rest of the weep holes are clear under the rocker panels/sills.