Front inner fender panels

Front Inner Fender Panels.....

Who has these installed in their cars? A pair came with my CMC kit but I never got around to installing them. Now that I'm putting in the front sway bar and everything is open, I'm thinking about putting them in, too.

These are the vertical panels that go against the body at the far inside of the wheel wells and must be cut out to clear the tie-rods.

Are they useful or should I just move on to something more important? They would provide a little protection from road splash for the brake and fuel pump wiring, but that's about it.

Thoughts? gn

I would like to know the answer to this as well. Pretty much of all the other glassed in pieces came completed on my car except for those front inner fender panels. The only other pieces that haven't been glassed in are the boxes for the front hood hinges that go under the dash. I have them. Both the hinge boxes and inner fender panels came in a box with a bunch of other stuff. Is it worth the time to put these in?

Gordon and Tony:

I installed the front inner fender panels on my '78 IM last year. It was about the last thing I did before I sold the car. I had done a number of other improvements to it, and thought that it should have the panels in place.

It was an interesting project. The panels will need to be ground off to shape into the space you have there. As they are fibreglass, be sure to wear a mask. I then drilled a number of holes into parts of the subframe, and attached the panels with good quality bolts and nuts. This required pressing the panels to fit, and holding them in place with vise grips until I was able to secure a bolt or two. I then sealed them with underbody compound around the edges, and sprayed underbody sealant (black) to seal off any small openings.

Once the front wheels are on, you can't really notice the panels in place, but I felt that it finished off the car. I didn't drive it in the rain after they were installed, but I imagine it would help to keep the rain from getting into the centre of the underbelly.

Bob

OK, I'm sold......I'll have the front end apart anyway to do the sway bar, so this shouldn't take that long.

I planned on going the screw and nut routine, too, but planned on using black silicone caulk (like for driveways) all around to seal them - 6 of one, half dozen of the other. That way, if I want to take off one side (like to get at the front fuel filter) it's not that big a deal. gn

I think you should take the time and do it. I remember a few months back when many people were looking to install them and the ones that did were happy with them. Let us know how it turns out. And take some pics.
MR DS

I'd like to see a pic of these panels, I have a cmc. Is it on the manuel or on IM only?

Tom: I have them sitting in the gerage, but got busy today.......hold on and I'll get pictures of them for tomorrow.

Gordon

Tom: Check page 58 in the 1984 CMC manual in the On-line library. It's the picture on the bottom.

Also, I've attached a picture of both panels sitting on my garage floor (I believe they're indicative of left and right, but they're both the same anyway, you just turn one around :-)

Oh yes I have them, there aren't any screws so I don't know how they installed them, I'll put a few in and re-seal it.I still have to seal the whole underbody. Thank's gordon 4 the pic's.

Tom: I'll be getting around to installing mine in a few weeks. I have an electric fuel pump tucked under the tank on the right side of the car, just ahead of the passenger's foot space. I'll need to do something fancy with the inner fender panel there to provide access to the pump (and a fuel filter there as well) without pulling the entire panel off. Maybe a hinged section? Don't know just yet.
I'll keep you posted, but I suspect I'll be using black silicon caulk and sheetmetal screws to attach it. Only question is what to do where the back sides of the screws might show into the cockpit or trunk - there I may use a regular screw and stop nut - we'll see.

gn