BJ8 front fender removal?

[wangdango]

Getting ready to strip the paint on my BJ8, how do I remove the front/rear fenders? IS sodablasing a good method to remove the paint? Thanks
Ed

 

[dougie]

Getting ready to strip the paint on my BJ8, how do I remove the front/rear fenders? IS sodablasing a good method to remove the paint? Thanks
Ed

There was a good thread a few months back on the removal process, I couldn't find it, but someone else maybe able to. Soda's good, just throughly rinse it with water after the process. I had my aluminum shroud and hood chemically stripped, $250.00 and I was pleased with the results.

ED, BTW - How's the 100-4 racer coming, BoyRacer and I are Road America bound in September for the Fall Vintage Festival.

 

[roscoe]

I use soda blasting on aluminum aircraft skins and honeycomb panels which are thinner than the materials used on our Healeys. Do not let the person doing the blasting tell you that it is not possible to deform metal skins with this process. That being said, if the pressure is adjusted down and the blasting angle selected properly you can clean sheet metal panels as gently as possible with soda blasting and deformation caused by micro pitting can be avoided. It does get the base metal very clean and is about as environmentally friendly as you can get for removing paint (aside from sanding); after-all our cars might be from the 1950's but we know better now...

 

[wangdango]

Dougie-
We got the engine back just before Xmas, still have to reinstall, but thats a early spring project. Next up is ordering a new set of wire wheels. We had been running painted heavy duty spoked Daytons but after a few seasons, they are getting pretty brittle and its time to goto painted 72's. As we race w/the VSCCA, no Mini lites are permitted. Just trying to scrape together the cash for the wheels........

 

[vette]

Ed, in regard to removing the fenders. It's been almost a year since I finished all my panels (boy I hate to admit that), but just find all the bolts and unscrew them. There might be some rivits on the door latch panels. Just drill them out. Hope your latch panels and inner rockers are in good shape.
Dave.

 

[bob hughes]

You have a job on there.


Front fenders - remove the head lights and there are three along the top from memory that you gat at through the hole, a flat at a time for the last one.
A couple down the front, below the head light, 2 or 3 from the engine bay, you will need to remove the air ducts. A couple from under the dashboard, and several small self tapping screws in the A post in the top half ish. There are a few screws/bolts holding the bottom of the fenders to the sills ( rockers I think you call them)

Rear fenders are easier.
Undo the door catch, I had to drill out the crews on mine, remove the Ali trim at the B post, and undo the nuts and blolts - drill them out as the replacement set contains everything. There are two bolts at the top front from the wheel arch and third taken from inside the car right up high near the rear of the wheel arch. The rest are all in the boot - sorry - trunk, you will need to remove the battery. Again, there are a couple of screws/ bolts holding the bottom of the fender to the rocker. After that, it should fall off.

Best of luck, I have to remove mine from the passenger side to work on renewing the rockers and the floor.



Bob

 

[BlueRidge1]

Ed,
It's been a few years back since I removed the front fenders on our BN7 but if Iremember correctly the doors had to come off first. BJ8 may be different but I would think they would require the same process.

Bob

 

[Johnny]

with all, might add there's one up under the dash on the front fenders. I use mini 7/16" wrenches and 1/4" sockets where possible. As said before remove the air ducts first.
Good luck, you'll see it's not all that hard, but frustrating. Actually someone with small hands can do it easier, like a spouse or grandson.

 

[Patrick67BJ8]

Ed,
It's been a few years back since I removed the front fenders on our BN7 but if Iremember correctly the doors had to come off first. BJ8 may be different but I would think they would require the same process.

Bob

Always good to dril and 1/8" hole in each of the door hinges so you can use the hole to align the doors back up when reassembling.