Reinforcing CE fenders

[pszikszai]

I just received delivery of my 37 Coupe Express.
I am fixing the fenders and later when the South Bend weather gets better I will sandblast everything.
Some of the fenders have stress cracks - not bad.
I have the following questions:

1.) Is there a way to reinforce the lip of the fender to stop future
cracks from appearing after I fixed the cracks?
I thought of welding a rod into the wheel well opening.
What have you done that worked?

2.) What body this cab for the CE came from.
I always thought that it was from a 37 Coupe Express, but someone
I talked to recently thought it was a four door car.
I have not found this information in my Body Parts Catalog.

Thanks
Paul

[DEEPNHOCK]

See the crack up top where the tire hit the wheel opening radius...

I put small a reinforcent piece of 18 guage sheet metal to back up the metal on each side of the crack.
(You can see the reinforcement held 'down' by the welding Vice-Grips and held 'out' by the C-clamp)...(also.. No Bondo jokes![].. I ground it out[xx(])

Drilled a small hole on each side of the crack and rosette welded the reinforcement to the backside of the crack, and then welded the crack.

Immediately POR-15'd the backside.
Years and miles later...no issues..
I think a tubing, or rod support in there is overkill.
Stude put in one stamped reinforcement and put a rod reinforcement from the frame to the rear of the wheel opening (to keep that from flapping)..
Mine has been up to exactly the legal speed limit ([}]), and I have had no issues with cracking on the front fenders..
(Hitting stuff, yes.... But blame that on the loose nut behind the steering wheel[:0][B)])
=======================================================
Studebaker used as many 'off the shelf' stampings as possible...period
(A thrifty tact used until the bitter end in 1966).
Remember, it was the great depression...
They basically used a new cab back upper and lower panel and used stamping sheets from the Dictator line wherever possible.
That info would not be in a catalog or manual.
Glad you got it home safe and sound!
Jeff[8D]

quote:Originally posted by pszikszai

I just received delivery of my 37 Coupe Express.
I am fixing the fenders and later when the South Bend weather gets better I will sandblast everything.
Some of the fenders have stress cracks - not bad.
I have the following questions:

1.) Is there a way to reinforce the lip of the fender to stop future
cracks from appearing after I fixed the cracks?
I thought of welding a rod into the wheel well opening.
What have you done that worked?

2.) What body this cab for the CE came from.
I always thought that it was from a 37 Coupe Express, but someone
I talked to recently thought it was a four door car.
I have not found this information in my Body Parts Catalog.

http://community.webshots.com/user/deepnhock

[bams50]

Congrats, Paul!

If it were mine, I could see a piece of 1/4"-3/8" bar stock snugly fitted and stitch-welded into the lip of those fenders; but I defer to Jeff, who has experience with these. Might be worth considering, though.

Robert (Bob) Andrews Owner- Studebakeracres- on the IoMT (Island of Misfit Toys!)
Parish, central NY 13131

"Some people live for the rules, I live for exceptions"- 311

"Do they all not, by mere virtue of having survived as relics of a bygone era, amass a level of respect perhaps not accorded to them when they were new?"

[sweetolbob]

Paul

Glad you got it. One of my two favorite Studes.

I would do mine like Jeff did unless you are concerned about how the repair would look to the Show Vehicle Crowd. In that case, I'd bend a small piece of 18 ga sheet to the fender profile and weld in a small patch the size of the area I removed to eliminate the crack.

Bob

[63t-cab]

I've done the 1/4" rod on a couple mid 30s Fords and it worked real well,one of them is a 36 Ford 1.5 ton dump that my Brother in-law uses as it's intended and no problems!

Joseph R. Zeiger

[2R5]

I did exactly as Jeff did on my rear fenders of my Champ , I like that way better then the a rod , especially if you intend on driving it ....less chance of rusting behind then using a rod.

[IMG]Home of the Fried Green Tomato
"IF YOU WANT THE SMILES YOU NEED TO DO THE MILES "

1960 Champ
1964 Daytona HT

[bams50]

quote:Originally posted by 2R5

less chance of rusting behind then using a rod.

I think pampered non-Winter car + POR-15 = no rust anyway.

Robert (Bob) Andrews Owner- Studebakeracres- on the IoMT (Island of Misfit Toys!)
Parish, central NY 13131

"Some people live for the rules, I live for exceptions"- 311

"Do they all not, by mere virtue of having survived as relics of a bygone era, amass a level of respect perhaps not accorded to them when they were new?"

[5brown1]

I used 5/16 rod and after welding it to the fender support brace imbedded and clamped it in body bonding glue (can't remember the name of the product. It is a two part product used in a special type of caulking gun I borrowed from the body shop.
That stuff is supposed to be super strong. The area is also sealed from moisture. My fenders were not on the car which would make the process a lot easier though.