cutting fenderwells (1 Viewer)

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RFB

97 FZJ80 LIFTED SC DUAL BATTERIES,37s
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I want/need to cut my fenderwells and have seen many that have it done. My question is, Has anyone actually taken video or good pics I am well aware of how to trim the sheetmetal, what eludes me is making it look like they werent cut after. I want it to look factory AFTER the cutting is done. Lil help.
 
1st I have to say, I aint no body man. I did it yrs ago. I don't know if this is right or not, but it worked for me. I wanted them to have a stock appearing opening, with a folded edge. 1st I got some heavy paper or 30 pack beer cardboard and traced out the stk opening, and cut it out to use as a template. I wanted the frt and rear angles of the stk opening. I then figured out the opening size I wanted and traced the opening with the template on to the rear 1/4's with a permanent marker. Once the opening I wanted was traced, I then drew another line about a 1/2 inch on the inside of my opening line, which represented where I was going to cut. I wanted to fold the sheet metal around the opening like the stk opening was and not have a sharp unfinished edge. I then cut the sheet metal on the inside line with tin snips or whatever. There are several ways to make the fold, 1 using pliers and 2 using a piece of angle iron clamped or held to the inside of the fender along the new opening line, I used both. To start the folding process I used pliers/channel locks/visegrips, putting the nose of the pliers to my traced opening line and started to begin folding, but only bending a little bit at a time, moving along the opening line. I worked it over and over a little at a time. After that I clamped or held the angle iron on the inside of the 1/4's along the opening line as backing and slowly hammered/tapped along the edge to be folded. You have to hammer/tap along the whole edge being folded. don't try to do 1 spot at time. Initially, hit closer to the edge you cut. Again, I worked it over and over a little at time. The curves are tricky. I also used a dolly or whatever else I could find to help in making a clean bend. Once the bends are clearly defined you can be a little more aggressive to get a clean edge, again using angle iron or a dolly as backing on inside of the 1/4 along the opening edge. The corners will probably wrinkle a little on the folded edge, but not on the exposed edge. I started folding on the bottom vertical openings 1st, on the horizontal edge I started folding in the center of the opening, I think.
 
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I did it yrs ago. I don't know if this is right or not, but it worked for me. I wanted them to have a stock appearing opening, with a folded edge. 1st I got some heavy paper or 30 pack beer cardboard and traced out the stk opening, and cut it out to use as a template. I wanted the frt and rear angles of the stk opening. I then figured out the opening size I wanted and traced the opening with the template on to the rear 1/4's with a permanent marker. Once the opening I wanted was traced, I then drew another line about a 1/2 inch on the inside of my opening line, which represented where I was going to cut. I wanted to fold the sheet metal around the opening like the stk opening was and not have a sharp unfinished edge. I then cut the sheet metal on the inside line with tin snips or whatever. There are several ways to make the fold, 1 using pliers and 2 using a piece of angle iron clamped or held to the inside of the fender along the new opening line, I used both. To start the folding process I used pliers/channel locks/visegrips, putting the nose of the pliers to my traced opening line and started to begin folding, but only bending a little bit at a time, moving along the opening line. I worked it over and over a little at a time. After that I clamped or held the angle iron on the inside of the 1/4's along the opening line as backing and slowly hammered/tapped along the edge to be folded. You have to hammer/tap along the whole edge being folded. don't try to do 1 spot at time. Initially, hit closer to the edge you cut. Again, I worked it over and over a little at time. The curves are tricky. I also used a dolly or whatever else I could find to help in making a clean bend. Once the bends are clearly defined you can be a little more aggressive to get a clean edge, again using angle iron or a dolly as backing on inside of the 1/4 along the opening edge. The corners will probably wrinkle a little on the folded edge, but not on the exposed edge. I started folding on the bottom vertical openings 1st, on the horizontal edge I started folding in the center of the opening, I think.
yea lots of people have done it, what I need is pictures to see the finished prduct so I can replicate it hopefully.
 
really noone has pics of the finish part of fenderwell cutting? @NCTrey133
 
Rears:
1. Chop the wells following the line of the door.
2033108


2. This will cause a gap the body panel and wheel well and that opens into the cabin
2033110

3. Pizza cut the wheel well and tack it in place, you'll still have a gap and if you're lazy like me you can cover that in fiberglass and flex seal.
2033109


4. What it looks like from the inside of the cab after welded. Fix to your liking (or like in step 3, be lazy like me :) )
2033116
 
Here is a look at my front - my front chop has since gone much more aggressive when I went to 40s but this will give you the idea.

1. I drew a line around 2.5" above my wheel well
2. Disconnected the wheel well from the body panel (you can also just chop this if your bolts are too rusty)
3. I sliced with an angle iron vs. sawzall to go a bit slower
4. Final cut looks like this (on the body)
2033128


5. Pizza slice the wheel well in 5" sections, take it as far as you desire (I took mine up past that hump in the wheel well)
6. Take a 3lb sledge and bang the wheel well up behind the new body line you made
7. Bad look at finished product
2033133
 

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