Front Fenders Hit the Shocks?

[Old Newbie]

It's always another problem isn't it? Today I tried to mount the front fenders on my '31 Coupe. They line up nicely with the running boards, the splash aprons, the front fender brackets and the mounting holes on the frame; BUT they are riding on the front shocks. So much so that the hood latches are above the tie downs on the hood and there's too much pressure on the fenders. This can't be right. I have three sets of front fenders and all three sets fit the same. At least two sets are original, so it's not a repop issue. Anyone have any ideas? Can I add a spacer behind the shocks to move them out a little? I need about three quarters of an inch to be happy with the fit. Thanks to all for your ideas. Hoping someone has experienced this and has the solution.

[ryanheacox]

Pictures would definitely help. You're using the stock Houdaille shocks?

[d.j. moordigian]

Uh,....do you have the shocks on upside down?
I've seen it done...

[Bill G]

Original style shocks?

[Old Newbie]

Yes, they are original round shocks. Can’t spell the right word. Can’t take photos now ‘cause I’m out of the state. The comment about being upside down is intriguing. I didn’t mount them, they were already on the chassis but I’ll check that first thing on my return. Never thought to check that. Thanks to all so far.

[Ray64]

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if it makes a a difference there are a right front and left rear set also a left front and right rear set could be mixed up

[Joop]

.
This is my car there really close

If these are the shocks you have on it you may need very thick webbing material on the frame to lift the fenders

[jw hash]

something tell me the shocks might assembled wrong. and mounted upside down. the bolt pattern is off set.

[rotorwrench]

I don't think the shock itself lends itself to problematic assembly procedures but a person needs to observe right and left insallations in correct placement on the frame. There should not be any metal of the shock body above the top frame rail. A right front shock also fits the left rear and so on.

[100IH]

So, the drain plug is actually a fill plug.

[dlfrisch]

I can’t help with your situation, but I have front two fenders with the spare tire wells - I want to replace them with straight on fenders (no wells).
Do you have two good front fenders for my 1928 Sport Coupe, that you may want to sell or make a trade for my two good fenders ? [email protected]

[Old Newbie]

I won’t be back home until Monday, then I’ll take photos. They are mounted right side up. I can tell that from the above photo. They definitely reach above the frame though. I thought of just shimming up the fenders, but that doesn’t solve the hood latch issues and I’m afraid it would stress the fenders too much. Is there a way to tell if they are original. I measured them against an old rusty set of originals and they seem the same.

[Old Newbie]

Dlfrish, these are 31 fenders. I do have one ‘28 passenger side front fender but I wouldn’t call it good. It’s rusty with a small tear in the front bead. Probably not worth the shipping expense.

[Joop]

As we awaiting pictures of the car and shocks a Question:

Are the shocks rebuild? and if so maybe incorrect put back together as JW Hash
indicated maybe oil filler hole on the wrong side. I guess we will know on Monday.

[rotorwrench]

Ford used Who-Die shocks for many years so there could be different shocks on the vehicle. Many of the later shocks after 1932 have different mounting hole configurations. There were also aftermarket replacements back in the day that weren't made by Houdaille. Then there are the friction type aftermarket shocks. There are different arms for all the different shocks as well.

A photo or digital image of the installation should help clear things up.

[dlfrisch]

Thank’s for the ans. back.

[Old Newbie]

Gentlemen, Thanks for all the replies so far. I am attaching the promised photos, one showing the driver's side fender attached and sitting on the shock, one showing the passenger side shock as positioned minus the fender. It's difficult to read the yardstick in the photo but the top of the shock is sitting about three quarters of an inch above the top frame rail. If it helps, I did notice that the fill plug on both sides is on the front top of each shock. Thanks again for your help!

[Tacoma Bob]

I think post #3 is the winner. Looks upside down to me too.

[warhorseracing]

^^^^^I am going to say that they have been rebuilt and assembled wrong. In other words the fill hole should have been indexed 180 Degrees from where it is. Were they ever hooked up and have you ever had the fenders on before now? They would work in their current state without fenders but will need corrected before attaching the fenders.

[Bob C]

Your going to have trouble mounting the fenders even when you get the shocks
corrected. You need to get rid of the hex head bolts on the front cross member
and at least use flat head bolts.

[Agent Orange]

Something is incorrect.

[rotorwrench]

The shock body does appear to be upside down but the reservoir cap in not positioned correctly either so someone was playing around with them at some point. If both front ones are that way then they will have to have some work done to get them to fit. Now whether they will work or not is another story. The rear ones mount more on an angle but I'd be curious if any of them were put together correctly or not.

Houdaille didn't have interchangeability with these units as far as the wing shaft to body fit up. Each one was hand fit which makes it very important to keep all parts from one shock separate from other ones. I would wonder how the flange covers are arranged inside there and whether the air vent plug pins are in the right place. Most rebuilders will make match marks in appropriate places before disassembly. This way they will put everything back in the right place.

[Old Newbie]

Wow. Lots to digest. These shocks came as they are photographed already assembled and mounted to the chassis. Seems like I should at the very least try to swap them right to left. I'm not sure what I'd get into if I pulled out the Les Andrews' book and tried to rebuild them. Can they be saved? How difficult a task is that? I understand the comment on hex head bolts. Lots of them placed by whoever assembled this chassis.

[jw hash]

the shock is upside down. the covers are installed incorrectly. hopefully they put the rest of the shock together correct. if you remove the shock from the car and remove the cover from the shock. and take a picture looking down on the shock, posts it on FB so we can see where the vent holes are located on the inner nut . you might get lucky and will be only the covers.

[rotorwrench]

The Les Andrews book is good but not much for good photos. One of the Restorer series of books has a good run down on shock repairs with photos. Hopefully the reservoir covers will come off a bit easier due to the fact that they've been off before. There is a lock ring that is used to set the filler location for that cover. There are basically only two seals for the reservoir cover and that's about it.

Shocks that are crusty don't disassembly very easy and many times they are rusted up so bad that they are basically boat anchors. Folks even put them in a charcoal grill and bake them for a way to loosen things up. The valve on the one in the photo on post 17 looks to be in poor condition. I'd love to tell a person that they will be easy to repair and they will work like a champ but this is not a common outcome for these old units. Bill Stipe's shocks are expensive but they work better than the old originals since they are made to some scale of precision unlike the old originals.

[Y-Blockhead]

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Here is a picture of my RF shock. As you can see there is not any interference with the fender. This is a Stipe shock.

[Cape Codder]

Y-Blockhead - What is that attached to your tie rod in the above picture?

[Old Newbie]

Well, here's my likely final post regarding this issue. I removed both shocks .. The arms are free but have next to no resistance or "shock effect". Removed the drain plug from each shock. There was next to no fluid in either shock. Read everything I could get my hands on about how to disassemble them. Managed to get the locking or retaining ring to back off on one of the two shocks. The other won't budge. Once the locking ring was backed off of the one shock I tried to remove the cover. Nothing doing. Used a pipe wrench and an old-style spanning oil filter wrench. I guess next it's four hours in a charcoal grill. Not for this guy. It's either already rebuilt originals, modern style tube shocks or friction shocks for me. Anyone want two original shocks? I also have two rusted originals on the rear of another chassis that some one cut the arms off of years ago. Apparently he gave up too.

[Tacoma Bob]

I recommend Stipe machine co. shocks. Don't cringe at the cost they are well worth the $$$$.

[Y-Blockhead]

Originally Posted by Cape Codder

Y-Blockhead - What is that attached to your tie rod in the above picture?

That is the mount for a steering damper. It was on the car when I bought it several years ago. I took it off when I installed a new front spring. I could not feel any difference.

[700rpm]

I put Stipes on my coupe. They made a huge difference in the ride!

It takes serious anchoring of old shocks on something solidly attached to the floor and/or a wall, then being able to adequately grip it, using about a six-foot handle to get enough moment and torque.
Then if you can get them apart, you find most originals are junk. My justifications for buying Stipes was: they look original; they work beautifully; I’ve got a car worth $14-15,000, so why would I not put good quality into restoration and maintenance?