Stretched rear fenders
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August 22, 2017 at 03:50 #52791Brian ArcellaParticipant
Looking for some ideas on stretching the rear fenders on my 48 Plymouth coupe, trying to give it a more “swoopy” look ( I hear that a custom car builders term) . I was thinking about cutting off the back half of the stock fenders and forming a skeleton or grafting in the back section of something like a 48 Olds.  Not sure if I am conveying what’s in my head into words correctly. I am planning on having Rik work that and the chop into a rendering, so any thought on construction and design ideas I’m all ears.
Thanks in advance for any inputÂ
August 22, 2017 at 16:40 #52838TorchieParticipantExtending the rear quarters/Fenders on custom to make them look longer is a time tested idea. Barris brothrs did that on the Larry Ernst Bel Aire. Valley Custom did it on the Ina Mae Overman Lincoln. Both of those cars had Continental spares on the rear  but there are still many cars  that have had the rear fenders/quarters extended with out the use of the Continental kits.
Your 48 Plymouth coupe is very rounded. Especially the rear fender area. Â You might want to look at the option of using and entire different rear fender as well. The late 40’s GM fenders had a longer sleeker look like the Olds that you talked about. Or as you say.You can make a frame work to extend and reshape the stock fender.
You may also need to do some reshaping to the rear deck area as these cars have a very rounded rear end as well. 🙂
I am sure that with Rik working with you on it the design will be well executed.
Here are a couple of pics. One is stock and the other has had what appears to be a mild chop as well as dual front headlights added. The chop will help to add to the “swoopiness” as Plymouth was one of the last of the car manufacturers to lower the lids.
Make sure to do a build thread so we can all follow your progress.
Good luck and have fun.
Torchie
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You must be logged in to view attached files.August 22, 2017 at 17:11 #52846Dave TartagliaParticipantI just came across this photo in the Customs & Kustoms group on Facebook from Peter Strandberg:
Interesting way to slice and dice a rear fender for length.
August 22, 2017 at 17:35 #52849TorchieParticipantI just came across this photo in the Customs & Kustoms group on Facebook from Peter Strandberg: Interesting way to slice and dice a rear fender for length.
Always more then one way to skin a cat Dave. 🙂
Torchie
August 23, 2017 at 00:27 #52860Brian ArcellaParticipantThanks guys for the ideas I have a good guy in my corner in Mark Wojcik of Customs by Flash builder of the Kopper Kart clone that i had a small part in helping out, Mark is there for design consultation and the really tough stuff but I am pretty much doing it alone. As cool as the Plymouth is, it’s just a little on the stubby side and I’m stubby enough so I have to stretch the ca. We did talk about reworking the decklid as well. I am fortunate in that having Mark and Rik as well as some of you to keep me motivated and help with ideas etc.
I will create a build thread as soon as I get some more pics, right now I am working on the chassis whihc is an S10 stretched  11″ boxing it and adding 3″ lowering blocks in the rear and 2″ drop spindles up front. I wanted to keep it entirely old school but with our roads here in New Jersey I may be forced to bag it
August 23, 2017 at 14:30 #52868Larry PointerParticipantBrian, you’ve really triggered a fun series of “what if’s” in my head, too.
My first question was, what if a tail light were to be included in your fender extension? Â Voodoo Larry Grobe really took us over the moon with his Voodoo Idol, with a tail light feature no one but him could possibly imagined. Â It changed the stereotype image of a bulbous Forties Ford. Â Again, Fabian Valdez took a pair of 49 Buick tail lights, and with encouragement from Lee Pratt, turned them upside down. Â Like nothing we’ve see in the “little pages”, yet period perfect. Â The slope of the tapered tail often commands a style that flows with the overall slip/slide of the silhouette to the rear.
Yet the surprising reverse curve of Harry Bentley Bradley’s “La Jolla” really worked. Â 55 Plymouth tail lights have done the same thing, for example on the now restored Merc built for Buddy Alcorn.
Tail lights aside, and that is my own leaning, the fender form on the older fat fendered cars best can make its own statement without ornament. Â Tuck tail lights inward, perhaps, between the trunk lid and the fender form. Â Or even incorporate them “old school” into bumper pieces. Â Â Which set of options I’m thinking you might be looking into, just having the fender extended somewhat.
I’m been scratching my head over maybe three variations of a fender extension.  First, as you mention, borrowing a fender that fits your theme, and molding the tail section onto your existing  Plymouth full figured fender.  My current project is a 37 Chevy coupe, and it’s bulbous rear profile…although consistent between trunk form and fender…reminds me of a round mushroom cap!  1936 Buick, Cadillac, and Olds had a similar form, yet gave the rear of the fender a very nice peaked definition that made a styling statement all by itself, yet consistent with overall form.
The second and third options to this theme (and maybe more practical, given scarcity of old iron from ancient salvage yards to become donors) would be to sculpt a form to your liking. Â A more thinly peaked trailing fender form (as the 36 Buick example) could be shaped by rod or tubing for definition of the silhouette, and filets of sheet metal curved and reverse curved to blend outer and inner shapes to the existing fender and bridge to the body. Â The third option follows the same approach, but would rely on larger diameter tubing for the silhouette, as can be found among the various diameter curved exhaust tubing pieces in the bin at your exhaust builder, or hot rod parts supplier.
Thanks for presenting your challenge, Brian. Â We all look forward to your own innovative take on the late 40s Plymouth derriere.
August 24, 2017 at 02:55 #52874Brian ArcellaParticipantHey I like some of the suggestions you made, actually Mark and I had talked about such fabrication methods and also about making a wooden buck and simply bending the sheet metal over it. Whichever way I decide to go its going to be a fun challenge, right now it’s in the planning stages and I want to get with Rik  and bounce some ideas as far as style goes and then I’ll work on some mock ups. Unfortunately my car was missing its rear fenders and front clip when I bought it but I’ve been scouring the country and have located a few good sources, A guy in Southern Maryland has everything I need for $400. I refuse to pay ebay prices and if worse comes to worse fall Carlisle and Hershey are coming up might be putting a lot of miles on the old sneakers but thats half the fun right. We promised our son we would take him a place up in NW Jersey called Space Farms that has a car museum so Dad will be in a fact finding mission. I will work on my build page this weekend
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You must be logged in to view attached files.August 24, 2017 at 20:57 #528851952B3b23MemberI too am a fan of the old Mopars and i think they have a lot of potential to make a really great custom. I like the ideas that you have floating around for it. In regards to the stretched rear fenders. I would design a wire form buck of sorts to get the exact shape that you like. Then use that to shape the new extensions. That would take some knowledge of metal shaping (which you might have already) or Mark can most likely help with that. Plus you would learn a ton about shaping during the process. A big benefit in my mind is that the extension will be new metal. Much easier to work with than a bunch of rusty stuff.
I’m also curious on how the stretched s-10 chassis fits under the car? That’s a pretty neat approach. Best of luck, and i’ll be following the build thread when you post it.
-Chris
"The devils in the details"
August 25, 2017 at 17:02 #52917Dave TartagliaParticipantJust a thought. I was looking at some photos of the 1948 Chrysler Town and Country woodies and I noticed something. The rear fenders are SHORTER than the apparent body length and serve to make the front look even longer than it is already. They also emphasize the nice round tail. Hmmm…
August 25, 2017 at 18:39 #52920TorchieParticipantGood eye Dave !
There is many ways to make something look different then it is. That’s why some use a single strip of side trim. It adds to the optical length of the car.
I have always loved these Chryslers. Even the sedans have that mile long hood and front fenders.
More food for thought……
Torchie
August 25, 2017 at 20:19 #52921Brian ArcellaParticipantThe Chrysler has a longer hood and fenders than the plymouth does but I think they share the rear fenders
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