Headlight Bucket to Fender Seam Fill...

[kevinshi]

Hey folks -

I would like to fill the seam between the headlight buckets and fenders on my 65 convertible. I love the lines of my car and that seam kind of bugs me - I just think it would look so much nicer w/out it.

However I have now had three different paint/body shops warn me away from doing this. They all had the same concern - that over time any filler material will eventually separate and the paint will show a crack.

Randomly I happen to source someone local who does lead work. I am wondering whether lead would be strong enough (vs fiberglass filler).

Anyone have experience filling that seam successfully? Love to hear your wisdom...

[SASSY]

They are right, the material in the extension and the fender are different, will move different in the heat and eventually crack.

[tomb22]

Well I tried it and this is how I did it. It's only been a year and I don't have any cracks yet. I used 3M epoxy to glue the bucket part onto the fenders along with the screws that normally hold it in place. Then I ground the joint out a little to add more epoxy. I also ground some grooves at a right angle to the joint and filled them with epoxy. I even got some epoxy on the back side of the joint. Lou actually suggested the epoxy. Here are some pictures of what I did.

Here is a picture of the epoxy in the ground out joint.

Here is a picture of the finished fender.

Another one


Like I said it's only been a year, but it sure looks great
Tom

[SASSY]

Hey Tom that looks cool, a year but about how many miles on it so far?

[tomb22]

Hey Tom that looks cool, a year but about how many miles on it so far?

Only 100 miles on it so far. I do live in Wisconsin and the temperature can change 40 degrees in the same day. I'm hoping I don't have any problems with them. Time will tell.
Tom

[SASSY]

Hey Tom, would be nice to know how it endures over some time, keep us posted cause a 64 would really benefit appearance wise with the same mod.

[tomb22]

Hey Tom, would be nice to know how it endures over some time, keep us posted cause a 64 would really benefit appearance wise with the same mod.

I sure can do that. I looked it over real careful today and nothing has changed.
Tom

[fair67]

Tom
I think you done everything possible to make sure it holds up I believe it will be fine. Thanks for your info.
Thanks

[Lou's Comet]

Hey Tom that looks cool, a year but about how many miles on it so far?

Only 100 miles on it so far. I do live in Wisconsin and the temperature can change 40 degrees in the same day. I'm hoping I don't have any problems with them. Time will tell.
Tom

Tom, I really don't think you will have any problems.
I have used 8115 adhesive on a regular basis for 6/7+ years, and have never seen it crack. Many of the vehicles I work on are kept 5+ years so I get to see how my work holds up over time. Did a buddy's truck bed like 5 years ago, bed arches, and a few patch panels inside and outside of bed. This was a quickie job, couple patches inside the bed we didn't even grind, just scrubed with thinner and glued metal. This was a driver that turned into his cord wood hauler at home. None of the adhesive cracked! Which didn't really surprise us with the arches and patches we prepped correctly, but the quickie patches also held up which did surprise us.
Only thing I would have done different is I would have removed the extensions and glued them on so the adhesive squeezed out on inside too. But really do think it will hold for ya.

Lou

[tomb22]

Hey Tom that looks cool, a year but about how many miles on it so far?

Only 100 miles on it so far. I do live in Wisconsin and the temperature can change 40 degrees in the same day. I'm hoping I don't have any problems with them. Time will tell.
Tom

Tom, I really don't think you will have any problems.
I have used 8115 adhesive on a regular basis for 6/7+ years, and have never seen it crack. Many of the vehicles I work on are kept 5+ years so I get to see how my work holds up over time. Did a buddy's truck bed like 5 years ago, bed arches, and a few patch panels inside and outside of bed. This was a quickie job, couple patches inside the bed we didn't even grind, just scrubed with thinner and glued metal. This was a driver that turned into his cord wood hauler at home. None of the adhesive cracked! Which didn't really surprise us with the arches and patches we prepped correctly, but the quickie patches also held up which did surprise us.
Only thing I would have done different is I would have removed the extensions and glued them on so the adhesive squeezed out on inside too. But really do think it will hold for ya.

Lou

Thanks Lou and fair67 for the confidence in gluing the front fender piece to the fender. I did originally glue the piece on before grinding out the seam, but I may not of put a whole lot of glue on the piece. I know I did grind out some epoxy when grinding out the seam. I sure appreciate the tip you gave me Lou.
Thanks
Tom

[kevinshi]

Did the factory install nylon washers with the headlight extension/bucket to fender stud/nut fastener setup on these? If so I presume I am better off leaving those out given that I want to try and minimize movement...

The painter I am using is also an auto body shop, he is proposing to use lead in the seam which seems reasonable to me (pun fully intended .

Also I am missing a couple of the nuts (I have all the studs). Anyone out there have a couple of those nuts I can buy off you? Reminder that they are sprung (I think they are 3/8" 20s). I have searched high and low and I cannot find a part number on them much less a reproduction...

[tomb22]

I don't recall any nylon washers, but I installed a metal washer before the nut.
tom