78 Midget Fender Removal

[Midget78]

Hey gang. After looking through a lot of these posts I sometimes notice that the front fenders are removed to aid working on the motor or simply for getting them cleaned up and painted. My project this year is to get the old sun bleeched paint removed from my midget and properly repaint it. I did want to remove the front drivers side fender due to some metal work that needs attention. I have no experience with removal of the body components and was wondering if this is an easy thing to do or something to avoid?

 

[RickB]

(me too)

I have a pair of 69 fenders I'd like to bolt on :wink:

 

[GeeBee1]

Not that hard to do, but it has been a while since I have removed a reb bump.

The fender has two bolts in the bottom front, two on the top front edge under the hood, one in the back by the hood hinge and two or three (me thinks three) inside the interior, on the inside kick panel( you will need to remove the upolstered panel with phillips head to get at these.

Others can provide more rub bump detail or info that I have overlooked.

Ooops, you also need to unplug the headlight wires and the indicator wires.

Pat

 

[Jim_Gruber]

The screw at the back of the fender by the back of the hood is a PITA to remove. That one is the worst as you'll likely strip out the head of the screw. All of the rest are bolts. Sometime the bolts to the valence are also a PITA to remove. Lots of PB Blaster in advance on all bolts and sometimes some heat will make them come free. Again lots of PB Blaster over multiple days will be needed. Not at all difficult if you take your time. Trying to do it right now without prep will result in broken bolts.

 

[JPSmit]

Not that hard to do, but it has been a while since I have removed a reb bump.

The fender has two bolts in the bottom front, two on the top front edge under the hood, one in the back by the hood hinge and two or three (me thinks three) inside the interior, on the inside kick panel( you will need to remove the upolstered panel with phillips head to get at these.

Pat

very close. there are all those mentioned, plus one more attached to the firewall "in" the fender. When you have located the one by the hinge in the drip rail, look down into the fender space itself to find the bolt head. Also, there are actually 4 bolts in the interior - three in a vertical row by the door hinges and one by the firewall. Finally, there is actually three bolts on the bottom front.

Not a hard task at all.

 

[GeeBee1]

Thanks JP, I knew I forgot one totally, the one inside inside the fender space.

It has been about 12 years since I have unbolted\mounted one.

There is still some memory left in this ole noggin. :wink:

Pat

 

[RickB]

Will there be any kind of difference to the '69 fenders I've got?
Or will they bolt right in place?

 

[GeeBee1]

Height of the indicator lights are definately different

Pat

 

[RickB]

yeah, and the size & position of the blinker lights.

 

[JPSmit]

the actual fender is the same - just the signal light locations vary according to year. Not sure off the top of my head which is which but you'll see it quick enough.

 

[RickB]

That's mostly the benefit for me, besides the fact they these seem to be that rarest of rare pair of early fenders where the signal lights are both the same distance down from the headlights!!

(and before you mention it, I do know why that is on most cars where they are different someone has replaced one of the fenders and either didn't care or didn't notice until too late)

 

[JPSmit]

That's mostly the benefit for me, besides the fact they these seem to be that rarest of rare pair of early fenders where the signal lights are both the same distance down from the headlights!!

(and before you mention it, I do know why that is on most cars where they are different someone has replaced one of the fenders and either didn't care or didn't notice until too late)

You need to do what I did - especially for you with you rubber bumper conversion.