Repairing rear interior wheel well covers

Discussion in 'Cosmetic & Restoration' started by OrthmannJ, Mar 13, 2020.

  1. OrthmannJ

    OrthmannJ Always looking for old ford crew cabs

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    I couldn't think of a better title for this post. I think it describes the parts I'm referring to.
    In the rear seat area of the Fury there are plastic pieces that cover the entire rear wheel well housing. They go from the tailgate to the jams of the rear doors.
    These pieces:
    NEW 003 (Small) - Copy.jpg NEW 002 (Small) - Copy.jpg
    They are cracked pretty badly. It has really started to spread in the last few years.

    Here's what they look like now:
    IMG_3597.JPG IMG_3599.JPG IMG_3598.JPG IMG_3600.JPG

    I've done some looking and not surprisingly I can't find anyone who offers these aftermarket.
    So it looks like my options are to repair what I have. I'm looking for suggestions on how to proceed. I figure someone here must have had to deal with this type of repair before. I figure covering them with vinyl is an option, I'm also thinking about ways to try and glue them back together.

    Anyone have any experience in making repairs like this?
     
    Last edited: Mar 14, 2020
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  2. Silvertwinkiehobo

    Silvertwinkiehobo "Everything that breaks starts with 'F.'"

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    The construction is vinyl over foam or cardstock? If it is, there's a member on the Ranchero forum I'm on, who does car interior work for older cars, and I'm not a betting man, but I think it's a sure bet he could deal with those.
     
  3. OrthmannJ

    OrthmannJ Always looking for old ford crew cabs

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    It's plastic. It's not very thick and it appears to just sit, or float, over the actual metal fender well. I haven't looked into how much work it will take to remove, but it's a very large piece. I've thought about just gluing it to the metal underneath, but I'm not sure if that's the best solution.
     
  4. Grizz

    Grizz Are we there yet???

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    Looks kinda like my dash pad. Real curious to see what you come up with. Wonder if an upholstery shop could help?
     
  5. Silvertwinkiehobo

    Silvertwinkiehobo "Everything that breaks starts with 'F.'"

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    If it's plastic, you should see if you can do some plastic soldering on the backside of them.
     
  6. OrthmannJ

    OrthmannJ Always looking for old ford crew cabs

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    My buddy at the upholstery shop said he could likely do something with them, but he wants to see it in person. So far he's only seen the photos.
    I was thinking maybe some thin plastic material and then some plastic epoxy could work.
     
  7. annap01gt

    annap01gt Blue Safari

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    Only thing I can add is, if possible, to check with an upholstery shop that works on boats. People who do boat work deal with a lot of different materials.
     
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  8. peter4821

    peter4821 Well-Known Member

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    I would fiberglass from the back. Bondo on the
    front side just like any panel. sand and paint.try the worst one first. A good body/interior shop can do it but like a body work Hours =$$$
     
  9. OrthmannJ

    OrthmannJ Always looking for old ford crew cabs

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    Thanks for the input. I'd like to do the repairs myself if possible, but may have to resort to farming it out. I also am trying to do it as inexpensively as possible.
     
  10. Silvertwinkiehobo

    Silvertwinkiehobo "Everything that breaks starts with 'F.'"

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    Aren't we all?
     
  11. 69plywgn

    69plywgn Well-Known Member

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    The factory parts catalog called those pieces "moulded resin." Fortunately, the ones in my '62 Savoy Suburban were in good shape (for now). Be careful/gentle when you remove them. They're thin, dry, and brittle, so it's very easy to damage them further.
    As for the aftermarket, there's not a big enough demand to reproduce these parts.
    Contact Joe Suchy in Georgia at (770) 964-4441. He specializes in '62-'65 Mopar B-Bodies and was a big help in my restoration. It wouldn't surprise me if the '62-'65 B-Body wagons all used the same pieces. Also try:
    www.1962to1965mopar.ornocar.com/restoration-sources.html
    www.forbbodiesonly.com (their forums have a '62-'65 Mopar section)
    Good luck
     
  12. OrthmannJ

    OrthmannJ Always looking for old ford crew cabs

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    Thank you! I appreciate the info.
    You are right about them being brittle. I was messing with the one on the driver's side yesterday and it was making me nervous!
     
  13. 69plywgn

    69plywgn Well-Known Member

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    OrthmannJ ; There's a forum post on the forbbodiesonly website, under "Mopar Parts Cars/Parting Out", for a '65 Fury wagon.
     
  14. OrthmannJ

    OrthmannJ Always looking for old ford crew cabs

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    I think I am going to join that forum plywgn. Looks like a fantastic source of information. Thank you.
     
  15. OrthmannJ

    OrthmannJ Always looking for old ford crew cabs

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    OK so I decided to take a whack at repairing these pieces over the weekend.

    IMG_3971.2.JPG

    First I removed the trim under the window and then carefully pulled the top back so that I could access the back side. I purchased some plastic specific two part epoxy and then grabbed some old blinds.

    IMG_3978.JPG IMG_3974.JPG


    I cut the blinds to the right length, sanded them so that they had a rough surface, wiped them off and then mixed up the epoxy.

    IMG_3975.JPG

    I tried my dangdest to get everything lined up right, then I taped it off with duct tape and added some weight to help everything set in place.

    IMG_3977.JPG

    I'm not expecting it to be perfect, but I'm hoping it looks decent.
     

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