[Trev]

I started work on my front fenders in line with the Herb Adams catalog (from the 80s). I actually cut the inner fender, but didn't take a picture yet. I had to cut almost 3 1/2 inches to get close to the top of the radius. I will post more pics as I make progress.

[Trev]

I started work on my front fenders in line with the Herb Adams catalog (from the 80s). I actually cut the inner fender, but didn't take a picture yet. I had to cut almost 3 1/2 inches to get close to the top of the radius. I will post more pics as I make progress.

[Trev]

I removed metal so as to only eliminate a maximum of 2 bolts. The front bolt is hidden behind the spat. My finger in this photo shows where that bolt is on my other car. I think I will have to modify the spat for proper clearance. My 78 is too low. I have all kinds of rubbing issues on full lock. Especially when reversing out of my driveway.

[Gordy Doyle]

I can't wait to see more pics
Gordy

[trumpeter]

Trev,

What lowering mods have you done to the car to get it that low. I was considering the solid bodymount bushings and the spring cut. Did you use both of these or a combination? Did you cut your stock springs?

I would also love more pics...

Trumpeter

[Trev]

The car has energy Suspension Poly Bushings all round (subframe, front A arms, rear springs, anti roll bars etc.) and one coil cut from the stock front springs. The subframe bushings do not lower the car. I do not recommend lowering the car with reduced height bushings as you will run into too many other issues. I like the look (stance) of my car, but it is too low to be practical without further mods for tire clearance. My new car will have coil overs on the front, so I will have adjustability.

[Trev]

When I set the fender down and started beating the crap out - sorry - gently manipulating the sheet metal, I realized that I would not be able to roll the lip right up without trimming it first. So I had to cut the strip with the bolt holes off.

[Trev]

Once the secondary lip is cut away, the primary lip rolls back nicely with the special fender manipulation tool (medium sized hammer).

[Trev]

Here you can see the lip rolled in nicely. I left about 1/4' gap. ie. I did not roll it in tight so that it touched the outer fender. I can fill in behind the roll with silicon or mastic to protect from corosion. It will have a more solid look too, as it leaves a bigger radius. I did the same thing to the rear fenders. No cutting required there though.

[Trev]

Here is a shot from underneath with the inner and outer loose assembled back on the car.

[Trev]

And here is a picture with a wheel & tire raised up into the wheelwell. I made sure the tire was offset about the same as the 255/60 on my 78. I estimate that it goes about 1 1/4" higher with the modification. It is not a huge amount, but a definite improvement over the stock clearance. Only street time will confirm if it was worth the effort or not. Actually, not much effort was required. Because the car was already disassembled, it only took me an hour to do both sides, including messing around with the photos. You can see in the previous pic, my concern about getting dirt up into the bodywork between the fender and the inner fender. Since the gap is not that large, I think I will fill it with tape, or maybe fiberglass.

[Gordy Doyle]

Trev do you think there's anyway around cutting so much out of the inner fender well? Why did you have to cut the outer fender?
Gordy

[Larry Navarro]

WOW...
Thats gonna be one low machine at full compression.
Now try the clearance measurement with the wheels turned.

[Trev]

Gordy, If you do not cut that much off of the inner fender well, then you leave the sharp metal edge pointing down, and risk cutting the tire tread on full bounce. I decided to cut the secondary lip off of the outer fender because to beat it out of the way would probably have distorted the outer fender shape. By cutting away the excess, the primary fender lip folded in easily. If you are going to run a narrower tire, then you could get away with it, but the 255/60x15"s on my 78 are already too wide.

Larry, I don't expect to run the new car any lower than my 78. The problem is that the 78 bottoms out heavily even on mild bumps. So this is really a solution to that problem. If it works well, then I will do the same to the 78. I may still have to modify the steering stops to avoid rubbing at full lock, but that is a different problem. The new car will have a custom subframe, so the issues may not be the same.