The Ford Barn

Cape Codder · 03-09-2012, 08:15 PM

From one of the posts below I picked up a site that I have not seen before called Wescotts Auto from Oregon. I took note of new steel fenders on their site and was wondering if anyone has had dealings with them? Mainly what are the fenders like, i.e. can they be bolted up to the existing rear fender and splash aprons for the 1930 model fender?
Thanks again for your time.
Cape Codder

1931 flamingo · 03-10-2012, 09:16 AM

Westcott's has been in business for a loooong time. He posts on the EV8 forum occasionally. I thought they only dealt in fiberglass reproductions though. Excellent reputation. JMO
Paul in CT

Cape Codder · 03-10-2012, 09:25 AM

Thanks 1931 Flamingo. I went into the site again, this time with my glasses on and you are absolutly correct in that they are fiberglass. Maybe it was wishfull thinking the first time.
Thanks again,
Cape Codder

John LaVoy · 03-10-2012, 09:38 AM

At this time I believe that Gaslight Auto is the only one producing steel front fenders. They are sold through most of the parts dealers. There are a couple of others making rears.

Dick M · 03-10-2012, 03:40 PM

You can also order directly from Gaslight.

www.gaslightauto.com

937-652-2145

I purchased a front and a rear fender for my 31. Installation of the fenders required a minimal amount of tweaking.

Purdy Swoft · 03-10-2012, 03:47 PM

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

I thought that Brookville was the one that made the steel front fenders that others sell, I may be wrong.

Rick Steenrod · 03-10-2012, 04:06 PM

What is the current thinking of fiberglass vs metal fenders? I'm not building a show car, but plan to keep for many years. Fiberglass is a little cheaper, but?...

james.heider · 03-10-2012, 04:17 PM

The Victoria I am putting back together came with fiberglass fenders. I am going to reuse them. I can't see spending a ton of money for new reproduction fenders that don't fit or buying old junk that needs alot of work.
When someone starts to reproduce good fitting steel fenders then I will purchase steel. If they don't care to reproduce them to fit then why waste your money.
My car is not a SHOW/Concourse car so it isn't that important to me.
Do what you can with the budget you have.

Purdy Swoft · 03-10-2012, 04:18 PM

The better fiberglass fenders (Wescott) cost about the same as steel but fit. The new steel fenders will be difficult to align and install unless you are a bodyman. I ended up doing some cutting and welding on one of the new front fenders that I installed on my daughters 31 coupe. That was a few years ago,I'm pretty sure that they have gotten worse over the years as the dies have worn. I hear that the 28-29 front fenders are better than the 30-31.

Mike V. Florida · 03-10-2012, 04:43 PM

Example of the work needed by Brent.

John LaVoy · 03-10-2012, 05:35 PM

Brookville sells Gaslight fenders, I visited both locations for up coming articles in the Model A Times.

Rick Steenrod · 03-12-2012, 12:34 PM

Anyone bought fiberglass fenders recently (I have a '29)? and the vendor you would recomend?

asapguy · 03-12-2012, 01:14 PM

I have to agree with Purdy Swoft. In the late 90's I restored a 30 tudor basket case for another gentleman. His front fenders were beyond repair. I bought new metal front fenders from Gaslight & spent approx. 10 hrs. getting the drv. side fender to fit properly & didn't charge for my time. The pass. side wasn't too bad. I called Gaslight & asked if they fit them to a jig after completion, the reply was no. I used to go to Dayton Ohio about once a year for schooling. On one trip in the late 80's I drove over to Urbana Ohio & visited Gaslight. They had a stack of several fenders in their showroom. All the fenders I saw seem to vary with no two exactly the same.

james.heider · 03-12-2012, 01:17 PM

On the Victoria I am redoing, I removed a set of thick wheel welled fiberglass fenders and replaced them with non wheel well from Bee Bops.
They look pretty good to me.

http://bebops-glassworks.com/site/

700rpm · 03-12-2012, 04:00 PM

Glass fenders will decrease your resale value.

mass A man · 03-12-2012, 04:51 PM

Just started yesterday fitting my right side Gaslight steel fenders to my Slant sedan.My son-in-law, who has much more body work experience than I, is doing the "real" work with the metal. I had these fenders for 15 yrs., Slant was a basket case for $500. complete, (with rust-out). Anyway, this is 5 hours work so far... still not done. He's a little nervous with these fenders when I told him how much they cost. So far, he's used a plenishing hammer and body dollies, heating sometimes with acetylene torch, Had to make a couple of cuts in bolting flange and fill gaps with sheet metal welded in place. I noticed the edges of fenders are not cut straight where it lays on frame.Holes are far from lining up before we started. Now a bit better. We still have a ways to go. The fender in photo is not bolted up at all yet. The big problem area is the curved radius and length where it bolts to splash apron. I keep telling him "I think the driver's side may fit better" (I want him to come back).

Keith True · 03-12-2012, 05:47 PM

If you want to get in your car and drive for a while,use the glass.You can change them whenever you want,they are an outside bolt on piece.I've used quite a few glass fenders over the years.I have bought from Fibreglas unlimited in Florida,they were OK,they supply Smith and Jones.I used some from R&R in Tennessee,they were OK.Wescotts are nice,but pricey for temporary fenders.The last ones I just bought from a local glass guy.He used to make 36 phaeton bodies.His workmanship and quality is great,but I found later he copped his molds off a pair of new Gaslight fenders.I held them up on a car,everything seems to line up nicely.I had my 30 pickup ready to go after it's second rebuild,the fenders needed a lot of time put into them.I put a set of glass fenders on it,temporarily,for 15 years.I was at a diner in town having dinner one day watching an old boy showing my truck off to other people.He was explaining what everything did and how it worked.He knocked on the front fender and hollered,real Ford steel,no plastic crap here! We didn't tell him he was knocking on a plastic fender,he was having a good time,so we didn't pee in his wheaties.

Mikeinnj · 03-12-2012, 07:52 PM

I cannot understand why people continue to buy the steel fenders, knowing they will not fit and are junk. Why did Gaslight Auto bother to make the tooling for this product, knowing they are selling junk, when they could have done it right the first time. ?

Roger V · 03-12-2012, 10:08 PM

As a story goes, Gaslight had the dies made off of what they thought was a NOS fender. Supposedly, it was a NROS Fostoria fender which wasn't quite true to the Ford print.

TerryH · 03-12-2012, 11:14 PM

Haven't we also heard that as the dies have worn over the years, the fit has gotten worse than when they first made them? I bought a restored 1930 Town Sedan that had the new steel fenders done around 1994 and the finished product looks great, and the restorer did not have that much trouble fitting them then.

03-09-2012, 08:15 PM	#1
Cape Codder Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 1,262	New Steel Fenders From one of the posts below I picked up a site that I have not seen before called Wescotts Auto from Oregon. I took note of new steel fenders on their site and was wondering if anyone has had dealings with them? Mainly what are the fenders like, i.e. can they be bolted up to the existing rear fender and splash aprons for the 1930 model fender? Thanks again for your time. Cape Codder

03-10-2012, 09:16 AM	#2
1931 flamingo Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: new britain,ct 06052 Posts: 9,391	Re: New Steel Fenders Westcott's has been in business for a loooong time. He posts on the EV8 forum occasionally. I thought they only dealt in fiberglass reproductions though. Excellent reputation. JMO Paul in CT

03-10-2012, 09:25 AM	#3
Cape Codder Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 1,262	Re: New Steel Fenders Thanks 1931 Flamingo. I went into the site again, this time with my glasses on and you are absolutly correct in that they are fiberglass. Maybe it was wishfull thinking the first time. Thanks again, Cape Codder

03-10-2012, 09:38 AM	#4
John LaVoy Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Rocklin, CA Posts: 1,219	Re: New Steel Fenders At this time I believe that Gaslight Auto is the only one producing steel front fenders. They are sold through most of the parts dealers. There are a couple of others making rears.

03-10-2012, 03:40 PM	#5
Dick M Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Ukiah, CA Posts: 477	Re: New Steel Fenders You can also order directly from Gaslight. www.gaslightauto.com 937-652-2145 I purchased a front and a rear fender for my 31. Installation of the fenders required a minimal amount of tweaking.

03-10-2012, 03:47 PM	#6
Purdy Swoft Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Alabama Posts: 8,099	Re: New Steel Fenders Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) I thought that Brookville was the one that made the steel front fenders that others sell, I may be wrong.

03-10-2012, 04:06 PM	#7
Rick Steenrod Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Ohio Posts: 13	Re: New Steel Fenders What is the current thinking of fiberglass vs metal fenders? I'm not building a show car, but plan to keep for many years. Fiberglass is a little cheaper, but?...

03-10-2012, 04:17 PM	#8
james.heider Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Florida Posts: 186	Re: New Steel Fenders The Victoria I am putting back together came with fiberglass fenders. I am going to reuse them. I can't see spending a ton of money for new reproduction fenders that don't fit or buying old junk that needs alot of work. When someone starts to reproduce good fitting steel fenders then I will purchase steel. If they don't care to reproduce them to fit then why waste your money. My car is not a SHOW/Concourse car so it isn't that important to me. Do what you can with the budget you have.

03-10-2012, 04:18 PM	#9
Purdy Swoft Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Alabama Posts: 8,099	Re: New Steel Fenders The better fiberglass fenders (Wescott) cost about the same as steel but fit. The new steel fenders will be difficult to align and install unless you are a bodyman. I ended up doing some cutting and welding on one of the new front fenders that I installed on my daughters 31 coupe. That was a few years ago,I'm pretty sure that they have gotten worse over the years as the dies have worn. I hear that the 28-29 front fenders are better than the 30-31.

03-10-2012, 05:35 PM	#11
John LaVoy Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Rocklin, CA Posts: 1,219	Re: New Steel Fenders Brookville sells Gaslight fenders, I visited both locations for up coming articles in the Model A Times.

03-12-2012, 12:34 PM	#12
Rick Steenrod Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Ohio Posts: 13	Re: New Steel Fenders Anyone bought fiberglass fenders recently (I have a '29)? and the vendor you would recomend?

03-12-2012, 01:14 PM	#13
asapguy Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Snohomish Wa. Posts: 389	Re: New Steel Fenders I have to agree with Purdy Swoft. In the late 90's I restored a 30 tudor basket case for another gentleman. His front fenders were beyond repair. I bought new metal front fenders from Gaslight & spent approx. 10 hrs. getting the drv. side fender to fit properly & didn't charge for my time. The pass. side wasn't too bad. I called Gaslight & asked if they fit them to a jig after completion, the reply was no. I used to go to Dayton Ohio about once a year for schooling. On one trip in the late 80's I drove over to Urbana Ohio & visited Gaslight. They had a stack of several fenders in their showroom. All the fenders I saw seem to vary with no two exactly the same.

03-12-2012, 01:17 PM	#14
james.heider Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Florida Posts: 186	Re: New Steel Fenders On the Victoria I am redoing, I removed a set of thick wheel welled fiberglass fenders and replaced them with non wheel well from Bee Bops. They look pretty good to me. http://bebops-glassworks.com/site/

03-12-2012, 04:00 PM	#15
700rpm Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Portland, Oregon Posts: 5,913	Re: New Steel Fenders Glass fenders will decrease your resale value. __________________ Ray Horton, Portland, OR As you go through life, keep your eye on the donut, not the hole.

03-12-2012, 04:51 PM	#16
mass A man Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Danvers, Ma. Posts: 713	Re: New Steel Fenders Just started yesterday fitting my right side Gaslight steel fenders to my Slant sedan.My son-in-law, who has much more body work experience than I, is doing the "real" work with the metal. I had these fenders for 15 yrs., Slant was a basket case for $500. complete, (with rust-out). Anyway, this is 5 hours work so far... still not done. He's a little nervous with these fenders when I told him how much they cost. So far, he's used a plenishing hammer and body dollies, heating sometimes with acetylene torch, Had to make a couple of cuts in bolting flange and fill gaps with sheet metal welded in place. I noticed the edges of fenders are not cut straight where it lays on frame.Holes are far from lining up before we started. Now a bit better. We still have a ways to go. The fender in photo is not bolted up at all yet. The big problem area is the curved radius and length where it bolts to splash apron. I keep telling him "I think the driver's side may fit better" (I want him to come back). Last edited by mass A man; 08-15-2022 at 03:52 PM.

03-12-2012, 05:47 PM	#17
Keith True Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Epping N.H. Posts: 2,992	Re: New Steel Fenders If you want to get in your car and drive for a while,use the glass.You can change them whenever you want,they are an outside bolt on piece.I've used quite a few glass fenders over the years.I have bought from Fibreglas unlimited in Florida,they were OK,they supply Smith and Jones.I used some from R&R in Tennessee,they were OK.Wescotts are nice,but pricey for temporary fenders.The last ones I just bought from a local glass guy.He used to make 36 phaeton bodies.His workmanship and quality is great,but I found later he copped his molds off a pair of new Gaslight fenders.I held them up on a car,everything seems to line up nicely.I had my 30 pickup ready to go after it's second rebuild,the fenders needed a lot of time put into them.I put a set of glass fenders on it,temporarily,for 15 years.I was at a diner in town having dinner one day watching an old boy showing my truck off to other people.He was explaining what everything did and how it worked.He knocked on the front fender and hollered,real Ford steel,no plastic crap here! We didn't tell him he was knocking on a plastic fender,he was having a good time,so we didn't pee in his wheaties.

03-12-2012, 07:52 PM	#18
Mikeinnj Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Northern New Jersey Posts: 1,262	Re: New Steel Fenders I cannot understand why people continue to buy the steel fenders, knowing they will not fit and are junk. Why did Gaslight Auto bother to make the tooling for this product, knowing they are selling junk, when they could have done it right the first time. ?

03-12-2012, 10:08 PM	#19
Roger V Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Michigan Posts: 1,593	Re: New Steel Fenders As a story goes, Gaslight had the dies made off of what they thought was a NOS fender. Supposedly, it was a NROS Fostoria fender which wasn't quite true to the Ford print.

03-12-2012, 11:14 PM	#20
TerryH Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Fountain Valley, Calif. Posts: 937	Re: New Steel Fenders Haven't we also heard that as the dies have worn over the years, the fit has gotten worse than when they first made them? I bought a restored 1930 Town Sedan that had the new steel fenders done around 1994 and the finished product looks great, and the restorer did not have that much trouble fitting them then.