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Experimental 1st Gen Fender

vtblazer

vtblazer

1/2 ton status
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Central VT
Sorta goofing around trying to find a way to make the room yet still have the stock look when running up to a 40" tire with our tiny front fender openings.

First pic shows the way is was before I swapped out the fender.

Here's what I came up with.

Any input?

dcp_4404.jpg

dcp_4410.jpg

dcp_4411.jpg

dcp_4415.jpg

dcp_4417.jpg
 
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More...

First pic shows the spring is flat, not much more is gonna happen here.

Other pics show the passengers side before the mod, this fender has consideralbe trimming already done.

Stock look with good articulation.

I was able to get the wheel opening 3" higher and 4" wider.

dcp_4419.jpg

dcp_4422.jpg

dcp_4426.jpg

dcp_4428.jpg

dcp_4432.jpg
 
VT, best custom fender job I have seen to date!! GREAT WORK

It maintains the stock look better than any other attempt I have seen!

I'll take a set right now!

thanks, Nate
 
sweet, I was eyeballing mine the other day and thought about trying to make the overall gap wider by cutting and rotating the rear portion of the fender some. make sense
 
That's pretty impressive - takes on a whole new look when at "full stuff" with such a big tire. Cool to see you taking on innovative tasks. :bow:
 
Yeah I've got some input.....

HOW?

dcp_44102.jpg


Nice_Profile1.jpg



When I did mine, I had to use a series of small "pizza slices" and then stretch the sliced fenderlip over a wooden buck (as my larger template). I tried sectioning in more complete pieces of fenderlip but could never get a 100% correct "stock appearing" opening...

I notice that you didn't continue the fender down towards the fang area, so maybe that made it easier to do???? :dunno:

Either way, I think it's a good idea (not surprising, eh?:wink1: ). Preservation of the 1st Gen styling cues has always been an important objective for me.....and it's NOT always the easiest thing to do.

Congrats! I like it.
:thumb:


:usaflag:
 
Looks great:bow: !

1) Does the experimental rear wheel well lip go all the way back to where the body panels MEET (Driver/passenger feet area)? That be a great area to exploit.

2) What's the tire size (for reference)?

And I like how you moved the front wheel well lip closer to the side marker.

F.Y.I.: Did you get my reply to your tube-door prototype?

P.S. I had to look CLOSER to see that you did indeed raise the wheel well opening!! Please tell me (us) these will be ready by spring!

P.S.S. IMO, The first Gen. K5 wheel wells are like Mona Lisas' hands; you take away the wheel well (hands), you totally change the look of the truck (painting). It just doesn't look right any more.
 
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This fender was a 'trial' effort to find out if it would even be possible to create a good/correct looking, functional, bigger wheel opening front fender for out 1st gens and still have it be possible to sell at a decent price.

Does it look good? Yes.
Does it function? Yes.
Will it sell? :dunno:

The time and materials it takes to make up this fender is pretty scary right now.
The time frame will only get better the more we make, so that's covered.

The materials are another matter.
It takes two fenders for each side.
I'm trying to find patch panels that would fit the bill, that would make thing's alot easier.

Price? :doah: kinda sums it up right now


So here's the disclaimer...:thinking:
These are of course for off road purposes
They are designed for a 40" tire on a truck running a 6 inch lift, minimum
The front fang will remain M.I.A.
The inner fender wells 'can not' be used with these fenders
Otherwise, they should be a direct bolt on

CDA 455 -
1) Yes
2) 40's
F.Y.I.: Yes and replied (unless you sent another one recently)
The tube doors are also currently being worked on, you've seen the basic design.
Ready by spring? Sure, are you placing an order? :smirk:
Is this the area your referring too?

dcp_4415.jpg
 
They'd also work for us desert guys that want to run 37's while keeping ride height as low as possible. :)

I'd also like to see pics of those tube doors you're working on, I haven't seen them yet.
 
k5james said:
They'd also work for us desert guys that want to run 37's while keeping ride height as low as possible. :)

I'd also like to see pics of those tube doors you're working on, I haven't seen them yet.
Click to expand...

Aahhhh, the days of Anza Borrego Desert. I have very fond memories there. Is that the desert your talking about?
As a former San Diegan, I spent over twenty years in that desert :bow: :D !.
 
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vtblazer said:
This fender was a 'trial' effort to find out if it would even be possible to create a good/correct looking, functional, bigger wheel opening front fender for out 1st gens and still have it be possible to sell at a decent price.

Does it look good? Yes.
Does it function? Yes.
Will it sell? :dunno:

The time and materials it takes to make up this fender is pretty scary right now.
The time frame will only get better the more we make, so that's covered.

The materials are another matter.
It takes two fenders for each side.
I'm trying to find patch panels that would fit the bill, that would make thing's alot easier.

Price? :doah: kinda sums it up right now


So here's the disclaimer...:thinking:
These are of course for off road purposes
They are designed for a 40" tire on a truck running a 6 inch lift, minimum
The front fang will remain M.I.A.
The inner fender wells 'can not' be used with these fenders
Otherwise, they should be a direct bolt on

CDA 455 -
1) Yes
2) 40's
F.Y.I.: Yes and replied (unless you sent another one recently)
The tube doors are also currently being worked on, you've seen the basic design.
Ready by spring? Sure, are you placing an order? :smirk:
Is this the area your referring too?
Click to expand...

Yes, that's what I was refering to. Looks great :bow: !

Have you figured a price range for my doors :D ?
 
Those fenders are cool, nice job.There is a lot of work, time and materials into those. I've looked at doing some like that and just haven't been able to talk myself into all of the work. So because of my lazyness I'll stay with 37s.
Hacking out the stock wheel opening just will never get it done in my book either, glad to see I'm not the only purist here.
 
Changed Direction

Wasn't happy with the performance of the 1st set of fenders.

Couldn't make them large enough or cost effective enough to continue putting time/energy into them.

Decided that "close" was good enough for my off road ride.
Wanted something that was easy to do again in 15 minutes, cause their going to get smashed and replaced more than just a couple times for sure. :D

Not finished but here's what I came up with this time.
I created a tool that lets me makes as many as I want, exactly the same every time.
The fenders don't have the 1st gen 'lip' but they are an exact outline of the original fender itself.

Whatcha think?

dcp_4509nolip.jpg

dcp_4508nolip.jpg
 
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