M_Pied_Lourd
Darth Vader

Offline
Hi Mike,
I think that the fit was better with the old valence. Once you start stripping original panels off the car I think that it is always a challenge to make the replacements fit as well as the originals did (I know sometimes the original fit were suspect as well). I also know that with alot of time and effort, the panels can be made to fit much better than they ever did if you have the skill set.
I did contemplate using the top half of the panel but I found that I had quite a bit of rust on the top side of the valence where it wraps around on the top of the inner fender. When I removed the valence, there was actually no metal left underneath this area (looked like someone took a bite out of the metal). I actually had to weld new metal in this area to have something to weld to when I install the new panel.
The real reason that I used the whole new panel is that my old valence had no flanges on the sides. They had completely rusted away. I had nothing to fix the new side stiffeners to.
Cheers,
Tush
I think that the fit was better with the old valence. Once you start stripping original panels off the car I think that it is always a challenge to make the replacements fit as well as the originals did (I know sometimes the original fit were suspect as well). I also know that with alot of time and effort, the panels can be made to fit much better than they ever did if you have the skill set.
I did contemplate using the top half of the panel but I found that I had quite a bit of rust on the top side of the valence where it wraps around on the top of the inner fender. When I removed the valence, there was actually no metal left underneath this area (looked like someone took a bite out of the metal). I actually had to weld new metal in this area to have something to weld to when I install the new panel.
The real reason that I used the whole new panel is that my old valence had no flanges on the sides. They had completely rusted away. I had nothing to fix the new side stiffeners to.
Cheers,
Tush