Fender welting install question

busmania

busmania

Well-known member
Been a while since I bugged y’all with a probably dumb question. Forgives it was time again.

When installing the fender welt between body and fender, should I cut holes or triangular slits around the bolt holes? Triangular slits seems easier but maybe the cheap and easy way out? What say you? Please keep in mind this is not a restoration but a patina preservation (and frame off resto, haha) and I don’t need factory correct or anything like that. I’m accepting any and all tips to this simple task. Thanks!
 
well, the way I did it, on our '41, was lay out the bolt pattern on the welting, up against the body. then punched the holes. I glued the welting to the body with contact cement, keeping the welting tight to the body line of the fender. corrected any holes that were not correct as I went. at the bottoms the welting can tend to not stay in place so I pop riveted it at the ends with the smallest rivet I could find, then installed the fenders. It worked for me and stayed in place, nice and tight.
 
busmania said:
Been a while since I bugged y’all with a probably dumb question. Forgives it was time again.

When installing the fender welt between body and fender, should I cut holes or triangular slits around the bolt holes? Triangular slits seems easier but maybe the cheap and easy way out? What say you? Please keep in mind this is not a restoration but a patina preservation (and frame off resto, haha) and I don’t need factory correct or anything like that. I’m accepting any and all tips to this simple task. Thanks!
Click to expand...

Originally there was a "V" cut at about every inch or so for the length of the welt. That helped the welt mate to the curve of the body as necessary.
 
I have used fender welt on many vintage vehicle's. I generally have found it to be easier to loosely fit the sheet metal piece to the body with all of the fasteners in place, then I cut an oversize U and/or V at each fastener location. I then carefully push the fender welt into place, tightening the fasteners as I go, once the fender/panel is in place and the fender welt is properly lines up with the body and panel I tighten the fasteners.
If the fender welt is SS capped it will require a more precise fitment of the welt before the fasteners are secured.
I always keep several rolls of fender welt, in several colors on hand, it is very handy when fitting panel/window moldings, etc, in place.
 
kurt v said:
where can i get the good welting with the cord and not that plastic tube ?
thanks kurt
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Yikes. Good luck. Roy Nacewicz made it at one time. Beautiful product.
Sadly, Roy is gone :(

I don't believe Michael Driskell took this up when he'd acquired Roy's business. Still, might be worth asking Michael.
 
blucar said:
I have used fender welt on many vintage vehicle's. I generally have found it to be easier to loosely fit the sheet metal piece to the body with all of the fasteners in place, then I cut an oversize U and/or V at each fastener location. I then carefully push the fender welt into place, tightening the fasteners as I go, once the fender/panel is in place and the fender welt is properly lines up with the body and panel I tighten the fasteners.
If the fender welt is SS capped it will require a more precise fitment of the welt before the fasteners are secured.
I always keep several rolls of fender welt, in several colors on hand, it is very handy when fitting panel/window moldings, etc, in place.
Click to expand...

This is probably what I’ll do since I’m a one man show. Difficult to find anyone to help me hold the fender while I install welt.

The “welting” I have is rubber. It’s wide (like 2-2.5”). Is there a better product?
 
kurt v said:
where can i get the good welting with the cord and not that plastic tube ?
thanks kurt
Click to expand...

Go to any trim shop or upholstery shop and they can sew it up for you. I sew my own welting out of black vinyl. Allow about 1 1/2 inches of vinyl hem to allow it to grab onto the metal parts.
 
Kube said:
Yikes. Good luck. Roy Nacewicz made it at one time. Beautiful product.
Sadly, Roy is gone :(

I don't believe Michael Driskell took this up when he'd acquired Roy's business. Still, might be worth asking Michael.
Click to expand...

We still make the welting. The material we import from Germany and the cost nearly doubled after Covid. Rather than selling in a kit form we sell both sizes by the foot on our website and sew it to order.
 
35fordtn said:
We still make the welting. The material we import from Germany and the cost nearly doubled after Covid. Rather than selling in a kit form we sell both sizes by the foot on our website and sew it to order.
Click to expand...

Thanks Mike.
Anyone that cares to do this job right, would be wise to purchase this welt from you.
 
busmania said:
This is probably what I’ll do since I’m a one man show. Difficult to find anyone to help me hold the fender while I install welt.

The “welting” I have is rubber. It’s wide (like 2-2.5”). Is there a better product?
Click to expand...


If you loosely attach the fender/panel as I suggested in my earlier response, then slip the welt into the space between the two panels, the job is very simple and does not require any assistance.
Trying to glue the welt in place prior to installing the fender/panel is a waste of time.
 
blucar said:
If you loosely attach the fender/panel as I suggested in my earlier response, then slip the welt into the space between the two panels, the job is very simple and does not require any assistance.
Trying to glue the welt in place prior to installing the fender/panel is a waste of time.
Click to expand...
Darn, I glued ours on our '41. was a piece of cake. I wish I'd known that gluing was a waste of time, and it would last for 25yrs! don't know how many 41-48's I've seen where welting has come loose and worked up from just the bolt holding it.
 
The one and only time my 36 Ford coupe was repainted was in 1961. I loosened the fenders, pulled out he original fender welt before the car went to the paint shop.
When I got the car back I installed fender welt with the SS cap in lieu of fabric.
The welting is still securely attached in perfect condition 61 years later.
 
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