Front Fenders • The Dodge Challenger Message Board

by **Dave Burnett (Daveinbc)** » 17 May 2003 21:55

I've read that there are differences in fenders that had 14" wheels and those that had 15" wheels. I have fenders off three different cars,(340 four barrel, six cylinder, and a hemi r/t). I can't find any obvious difference in looks or measurements between any of these. Does anyone know how or where to measure these or any other way to tell the difference?

by **Joel Bennett (Joel)** » 18 May 2003 8:00

Tell me that you don't own all the cars that the fenders came off of.

I've heard of the same thing. However, as long as you can fit 15" tires on the car without the tires rubbing on the insides of the fenders, there really shouldn't be anything to worry about.

by **Dave-R (Roppa440)** » 18 May 2003 8:23

If you were looking at a real Hemi fender you would see it is very different. The inner lip of the wheel opening was rolled under (by Creative Industries) over a larger area at the top where the bracket is. This was because they found that under heavy braking the extra weight of the Hemi was causing the large 15 inch tires to rub. Now I have a digital camera I am going to try and photograph these sorts of areas on the cars at shows so we can see for ourselves what (if any) differences there are between different Challenger bodies instead of relying on desk-bound authors.

by **Joel Bennett (Joel)** » 18 May 2003 9:23

I don't see a lot of hemis around here, let alone a Hemi Challenger, unless there is a car show in town. Most guys don't appreciate you crawling around underneither there babies......I mean cars, so I obviously wouldn't have known about the extra fender roll on original Hemi equiped Challengers.

Dave, what do you keep around the house for your main source for info, like what you mentioned in the post above? I feel I'm rather ill equiped in too many areas for my comfort. I'm finding myself more and more often with my foot in my mouth and I really don't care for the taste of my foot.

by **Dave-R (Roppa440)** » 18 May 2003 14:43

I probably have over 20 years head start on you Joel. That's the difference.

Anyway. You shouldn't comment if you don't know the answer! maybe one day I will take my own advice on that point? I have got used to the taste of my foot by now though.

by **Dave Burnett (Daveinbc)** » 18 May 2003 19:04

Unfortunatly I don't have the hemi car Joel, and apparently I don't have the hemi fender either. The fender I have was given to me by an ex-hemi owner that was cleaning his garage. I do have the six cylinder and 340 car though. I received the six cylinder car mostly as a shell with good sheet metal and some nice trim. I am going to do a complete restoration of the 340 car and I just wanted to make sure the fenders off of the six cylinder would support 15" tires and wheels. I have followed this forum for quite a while and have received some excellent information from it. There are some very knowledgeable people out there on the finer points of one the best looking and fun to drive cars ever built.

by **Dave-R (Roppa440)** » 18 May 2003 20:33

I know a really nice guy with a Hemi Challenger (Hello Richard!) and I am sure he will let me take some photos of these sorts of differences on his car the next time I catch him at a show with it. Trouble is it is not his only Mopar so he is not always in that one.

by **Dave Burnett (Daveinbc)** » 19 May 2003 3:35

Thanks Dave, I appreciate any info I can get on this before I start putting parts where they shouldn't be. I can probably just use the 340 fenders since it had the performance package and 15" wheels but the six cylinders fenders are in great shape with much less work if they can be used here.

by **Christer** » 24 May 2004 19:40

It is now time to get the fenders back in place.

That is the reason for these questions. Thanks!

( The pic of the two small brackets is from this ebay ad: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayI ... AMEWA%3AIT )

by **dave-r** » 24 May 2004 20:54

I think the brakets shown are labled "Cowl top fender side shield" in your diagram.

The plastic wedges you mention contol sideways movement of the hood I think and guid the hood down into place??

as far as brakets are concerned. You can always do without them. But the car will always have more flex and rattles.

You sure they are not on your car?

by **Christer** » 25 May 2004 6:29

I guess that the plastic wedges are easy to attach later on if I choose to do so. (...but I am a bit puzzled about why I haven´t noticed this part earlier on in any of the engine bay pic´s I have looked at.)

No, I am not sure if I have the small brackets or not, but I will look into that this evening.

by **dave-r** » 25 May 2004 7:11

Ignor what I said above. It is total crap! :shock:

I think these are what are marked as "cowl bracket" on your diagram (left hand side).

by **Christer** » 26 May 2004 12:32

I have found the brackets. They have been mounted on the fenders all of the time. (It has been so long time since I took off the fenders so I have forgotten how everything is supposed to be placed. :oops:

)

I have also found the mounting holes for the angle wedges. Thanks for your help.

by **Christer** » 15 Nov 2004 12:22

Dave-R (Roppa440) wrote:If you were looking at a real Hemi fender you would see it is very different. The inner lip of the wheel opening was rolled under (by Creative Industries) over a larger area at the top where the bracket is. This was because they found that under heavy braking the extra weight of the Hemi was causing the large 15 inch tires to rub. Now I have a digital camera I am going to try and photograph these sorts of areas on the cars at shows so we can see for ourselves what (if any) differences there are between different Challenger bodies instead of relying on desk-bound authors.

Soon time to post some pic´s of hemi fenders, Dave? :wink:

The thing is that I recently spoke with a guy who wrongly believed that the difference between Hemi fenders and Ordinary fenders were two different inner fenders. I had to check this to be sure myself.

by **dave-r** » 15 Nov 2004 12:43

I was hoping to get a Photo of Richard Wards car for that purpose but he sold the car and it is back in the USA now. I don't know of any other Hemi Challengers in teh UK that are not in private collections.

by **Christer** » 15 Nov 2004 14:15

dave-r wrote:I was hoping to get a Photo of Richard Wards car for that purpose but he sold the car and it is back in the USA now. I don't know of any other Hemi Challengers in teh UK that are not in private collections.

I see. Maybe there are one or two Hemi Challenger owners among our 500 members who can help us? :roll: