(Trimming, Hacking, & Cutting) Custom body work advice needed

[MrK5]

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So this is how the rear of my truck looks now:



I would like to move the fender opening to line up with the new axle location. I'm having a hard time visualizing how to go about this.

I have a general plan of action. I was going to cut the skin off the from below the body line and cut the same from a donor truck. I want to cut them so that the new piece will move the opening back as needed. My plan is to just weld them in as butt seams.

What's really got me stumped is that I don't have any idea what the inner fender looks like once the skin is off. What will need to be done there? Anyone have pictures of a skinned rear fender?

Or does anybody have any better ideas?

[38377k5]

I think your idea of grafting part of another fender might work, but it may entail more work than you think. The curves would be really hard to get right.

If it were me, I would just cut the rear of your fenders to match the gap in the front part. It would look something like this:





Of course, we all know how much regard I have for sheetmetal

[MrK5]

I've thought about that, but there is less room to hack before you start getting into a lot of inner fender stuff. I mean looking at your rendition, it doesn't look horrible. Especially in the future when I get say 42s or something.

That fuel door also makes everything complicated. I really wish I hadn't cut anything off the front of the rear fender. Then it would be easier to make it all line up without having to make a huge opening.

One thing that will be more difficult than I think I'm anticipating is cutting my 2 pieces and getting all the gaps manageable for welding sheet metal.

And yes I underestimate the difficulty of everything!

Just for grins I've attached roughly what I'm envisioning for a new paint scheme.


Desert Tan bottom, yellow top, and graphics done by me.

[38377k5]

Well, I'm not around my truck right now to look but the inner fender wells on the rear are pretty big, you may have enough room.

I like that paint scheme. How are you going to do the graphics on the hood?

[5280k5]

If the gas door wasn't there you could just relocate the whole opening back to center over the axle, in a perfect world right


Here's my attempt at windows paint......

[38377k5]

Originally Posted by 5280k5

If the gas door wasn't there you could just relocate the whole opening back to center over the axle, in a perfect world right


Here's my attempt at windows paint......

Brigham, you pretty much posted the exact same thing as me. Way to read the whole post




































Great minds think alike though, right

[cbbr]

I agree with them. That's how they cut jeeps and it works well. Cut the fuel door out and fabricate something - a lot less work than doing the whole rear end.

[filo]

I see what you're gettin at Scott. Doing it the way you're saying would leave the wheelwell lips exactly factory looking, just moved back. It would be so subtle, people wouldn't be able to tell right away.
I just looked at mine and you will be messing with the interior floor, not just the inners. The only way I can see doing it is taking donor inner fender wells and grafting them as well and then figure out a place to put the fuel door like they said.
It's definately a lot more work, but it will look more clean when finished. I guess it's a matter of what look do you want and how bad do you want it?

That paint scheme looks awesome!!!

[5280k5]

Originally Posted by 38377k5

Brigham, you pretty much posted the exact same thing as me. Way to read the whole post


Chris, anyone with an artistic eye can plainly see the subtle differences in my rendition of The Generals wheelwell



































Great minds think alike though, right