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Question about 56 Dodge front fender "caps" - attachment at top?
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56D500boy
Posted 2020-09-04 11:30 AM (#602916)
Subject: Question about 56 Dodge front fender "caps" - attachment at top?



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I am working towards restoration/replacement of both mirror bases for my 56 Dodge Custom Royal. I have a NOS base for the left side but nothing for the right side so I will have to get that side re-chromed.

I previously investigated and removed (and then re-installed) the left side mirror base just to figure it out (before I had the NOS base). This revealed that the darker colour on the top of the fender was indeed a separate piece.

This thread:

http://www.forwardlook.net/forums/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=73348&...

For the past three days I've been trying to remove the right side mirror base. Even knowing how they are attached does not make it easy. Maybe it was something about which arm/hand I had to contort to get the upper nut off. I don't know but it was difficult. It finally came off late yesterday.

As I removed the right side base, the dark colour fender cap sprang away from the fender and almost got damaged when I opened the right front door. That did not happen on the left side. It stayed nice and tight to the fender.

My questions are:

1. If the bottom of the fender cap is held to the fender by the lower stud on the mirror base, what is holding the top edge of the cap to the car once the mirror base is removed?
2. Is it just pinched between the fender and the body?
3. If I can somehow loosen the top of the fender will the cap slip up and out?

The reason I ask is, I would like to remove the fender cap while the base is in the plating shop so I don't damage it if I forget about it and open the right front door, say, for my wife? (I can also do a better job of painting in that area with the cap off).

Some previous photos of the left side followed by photos from DepsilonD (Dave N) of loose (spare) fender caps (but I can't see that upper edge).

A right side cap from some 56 Dodge, laying tight to the fender:



My left side cap also laying tight to the fender without any apparent reason:



DepsilonD's cap photos:


Edited by 56D500boy 2020-09-04 11:33 AM




(FenderCap_1_small.jpg)



(FenderCap_2_small.jpg)



Attachments
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Attachments FenderCap_1_small.jpg (117KB - 149 downloads)
Attachments FenderCap_2_small.jpg (125KB - 149 downloads)
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56D500boy
Posted 2020-09-04 4:54 PM (#602926 - in reply to #602916)
Subject: RE: Question about 56 Dodge front fender "caps" - attachment at top?



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Ralf N. from Finland came through with some photos of the caps (thanks Ralf!!). Looks like there are two tabs at the top of the cap that bend over the edge of the fender (probably so the cap is in place (more or less) before they a) install the fender on the car and/or b) install the mirror base (or non-mirror base, as the case may be).

Not sure whether I will be able to release the cap by loosening the fender a bit or not. (??)

These (thank Ralf):

(The first photo is of two caps, one black, one grey, not a double cap). Second photo is the grey cap showing the two tabs more clearly.



Edited by 56D500boy 2020-09-04 6:29 PM




(FenderCapPhotosFromRalfN_1_small.jpg)



(FenderCapPhotosFromRalfN_2_small.jpg)



Attachments
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Attachments FenderCapPhotosFromRalfN_1_small.jpg (183KB - 149 downloads)
Attachments FenderCapPhotosFromRalfN_2_small.jpg (93KB - 144 downloads)
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56D500boy
Posted 2020-09-06 3:42 PM (#602967 - in reply to #602926)
Subject: RE: Question about 56 Dodge front fender "caps" - attachment at top?



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Armed with the knowledge about the two little bent metal tabs at the top of the 56 Dodge Fender caps, I got the car out of the garage this AM (easier to work on outside) and proceeded to try to remove the cap without loosening any fender bolts.

The top of the cap was quite loose. One of the tabs (the one closest to the front of the car) wasn't even trapped/pinched very much so I got out my smallest, widest pry bar and, after taping it to protect the paint, I lifted that edge out of the fender/body gap. Then I just wiggled the rear most tab out and Bob's yer uncle, cap was off.

With the cap removed I could see some surface rust on the fender and a bit of dirt. I cleaned and polished the area with Scratch X and it came up quite nicely. I will have wet sand the area with the surface rust. I will use some of my fender paint from 2 years ago to smarten that (hidden) area up. I will also wet sand the edge between the original paint and my new paint before adding some new paint. I will leave a large area of original paint for future reference.

Taking the chrome mirror base to the plater on Tuesday.



Edited by 56D500boy 2020-09-06 7:49 PM




(DaveFs56DodgeRightFenderCapWithMirrorBaseRemoved.jpg)



(DaveFs56DodgeRightFenderCap_removedShowingFenderDaylightAfter64Years.jpg)



(DaveFs56DodgeRightFenderCap_removedAfterSomePolishingWithScratchX.jpg)



(DaveFs56DodgeRightFenderCap_BackSideShowingSurfaceRustAndTabsAtTopEdge.jpg)



Attachments
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Attachments DaveFs56DodgeRightFenderCapWithMirrorBaseRemoved.jpg (87KB - 157 downloads)
Attachments DaveFs56DodgeRightFenderCap_removedShowingFenderDaylightAfter64Years.jpg (126KB - 145 downloads)
Attachments DaveFs56DodgeRightFenderCap_removedAfterSomePolishingWithScratchX.jpg (104KB - 150 downloads)
Attachments DaveFs56DodgeRightFenderCap_BackSideShowingSurfaceRustAndTabsAtTopEdge.jpg (111KB - 157 downloads)
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56D500boy
Posted 2020-09-11 2:29 AM (#603095 - in reply to #602967)
Subject: RE: Question about 56 Dodge front fender "caps" - attachment at top?



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Location: Lower Mainland BC
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Going through some 56 Dodge Canadian Custom Royal (120" wheel base but with 303 Plymouth poly) photos and found this one of a fender cap screwed to the fender. I guess that is another way to do it.





(56DodgeFenderCapScrewedToFender.jpg)



Attachments
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Attachments 56DodgeFenderCapScrewedToFender.jpg (159KB - 143 downloads)
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