Thread: Burgundy Bullet - Retrofit Pics and the End of the Bullet

Yea usually its the edge of the fender as it lips back in that rubs the edge of the tire once its spaced out by the wheel.

I have seen a multitude of DIY involving everything from a bat, to pvc pipe, to a phone book lol. Bat is most common with a heat gun/hair dryer to soften the paint.

Or you can find a shop with a roller and pay to have it done. Either way, I'd want it done, if it rubs now... just imagine once you get all those hookers in the car. RUB CITY!!! lol.

I had it following those lines and I ended up framing the liscense plate because I thought it would look tacky if I didn't and it didn't look that great so I said f it. lol. I will be trying my hand at actually painting body pieces next summer with the factory color. Ive got an extra trunk with no key for it so I'll shave the hole and probably fill the holes in the lid and find a special edition one to put on it. If that turns out good I will probably paint pieces and maybe even remove the door guards and paint. We will see.

Originally Posted by TLSheff

Yea usually its the edge of the fender as it lips back in that rubs the edge of the tire once its spaced out by the wheel.

I have seen a multitude of DIY involving everything from a bat, to pvc pipe, to a phone book lol. Bat is most common with a heat gun/hair dryer to soften the paint.

Or you can find a shop with a roller and pay to have it done. Either way, I'd want it done, if it rubs now... just imagine once you get all those hookers in the car. RUB CITY!!! lol.

I thought that part of it might be that the suspensions has 155000mi so its probably worn out anyway. Is heating with a propane torch a little too dangerous to try?

Originally Posted by burgundybullet

I thought that part of it might be that the suspensions has 155000mi so its probably worn out anyway. Is heating with a propane torch a little too dangerous to try?

Ya saggy back end doesn't help, I know that one. This spring I want to replace shocks and lower, this winter in the garage I will probably roll them myself, got some extra pipe I know of a good use for.

As far as heat, a good hairdryer (GF/wife/significant other should have one you can borrow) or a heat gun. I would NOT suggest open flame near the paint under any circumstances. Most DIY show to use the hair dryer on high works just fine, just warm up to the point you don't want to touch the fender and go slow and steady and it should roll without cracks. You want to warm the paint so it will flex, not burn it black lol

Originally Posted by TLSheff

Ya saggy back end doesn't help, I know that one. This spring I want to replace shocks and lower, this winter in the garage I will probably roll them myself, got some extra pipe I know of a good use for.

As far as heat, a good hairdryer (GF/wife/significant other should have one you can borrow) or a heat gun. I would NOT suggest open flame near the paint under any circumstances. Most DIY show to use the hair dryer on high works just fine, just warm up to the point you don't want to touch the fender and go slow and steady and it should roll without cracks. You want to warm the paint so it will flex, not burn it black lol

I have no significant other lol. Maybe when I go to my parents house around christmas ill jack one. Will pounding with a rubber mallet be bad too then?

It's one of the other ways to do it, I have seen it done but don't like the idea of taking a hammer to my fenders, one wrong hit and you have a dented fender to fix.

If you have a dremel handy I have seen it done with cutting notches in the fender line and then using a rubber mallet and a head gun to bend the "tabs" up, but this means having to paint the insides or risk rusting where it was cut, so I wouldn't recommend it as a easy to do. Plus it can leave jagged spots at the end of the notches if you don't round them up all the way.

Either way you decide tho, heat gun/hairdryer needs to be involved. No heat will risk the paint chipping/cracking and that won't be good on the fender. Unless you like rust. :P

Yeah I don't need anymore rust problems. lol. I'll just stick with the heat and baseball bat or similar one. Sounds pretty easy. Thanks for the help!

Originally Posted by burgundybullet

Will pounding with a rubber mallet be bad too then?

This is how I have always done it. It's not very difficult and you don't have to worry about denting anything. Just heat up the section you are working on and use the rubber mallet.

do not use a bat unless you want a nice crease in your fender.

use a heat gun and a rubber mallet. take your time, make the bend smooth. work your way back and forth across it and bring the lip up all at once, not in sections.

Originally Posted by Bio248

do not use a bat unless you want a nice crease in your fender.

use a heat gun and a rubber mallet. take your time, make the bend smooth. work your way back and forth across it and bring the lip up all at once, not in sections.

You would only crease the fender if you pushed too hard too soon. If you take your time and go slowly it works perfectly. I have done it on 2 past vehicles and helped friends with theirs doing the same.

Or you could just rent a eastwood roller....


https://www.google.com/search?q=east...&client=safari

Take it to a shop. Have it done properly, quickly, and efficiently and save yourself time. A reputable and ethical shop should be easy to find. It's much easier.

He may have better luck, but for myself. Closest shop that with a roller is about 75 miles away and they charge $50 per fender. So gas for a 150 mile trip, food along the way, $200 to roll the fenders... I'll do it myself and pocket the money.

And as stated, rollers can mess up the fender in the wrong hands too. Just because you use the "right tool" doesn't mean something can't go wrong. As I am a perfectionist, I can take my time, bond with the car and know if something goes wrong, its my fault... not some shops.

I think I will just work with the rear for now seeing as how that is what is causing the problem. If I decide to lower I would do the front. I just do not know how easy it will be seeing as how its like 15degrees and getting colder. I have a feeling it will cool too fast to bend it.

Originally Posted by burgundybullet

I think I will just work with the rear for now seeing as how that is what is causing the problem. If I decide to lower I would do the front. I just do not know how easy it will be seeing as how its like 15degrees and getting colder. I have a feeling it will cool too fast to bend it.

To further fix your problem, you need new springs for the rear...I got sag-ass and went directly to SSC's, haven't rubbed once on 18's over speed bumps with 5 people in the car, subs in the trunk, trunk filled with stuff.

Originally Posted by TLSheff

He may have better luck, but for myself. Closest shop that with a roller is about 75 miles away and they charge $50 per fender. So gas for a 150 mile trip, food along the way, $200 to roll the fenders... I'll do it myself and pocket the money.

And as stated, rollers can mess up the fender in the wrong hands too. Just because you use the "right tool" doesn't mean something can't go wrong. As I am a perfectionist, I can take my time, bond with the car and know if something goes wrong, its my fault... not some shops.

I agree with you to some extent, but to me it seems like he'd be better off taking it there if its cold, and its a hassle and whatnot. Either way, I think rolling fenders + new springs would really fix this up properly.

I'm kind of struggling a little bit money wise so I can't really go with a bunch of new stuff. I just need to temporarily stop the rubbing until I get my tuition and stuff paid off in the next month and a half and then I could probably consider more of a long term solution.

Originally Posted by burgundybullet

I'm kind of struggling a little bit money wise so I can't really go with a bunch of new stuff. I just need to temporarily stop the rubbing until I get my tuition and stuff paid off in the next month and a half and then I could probably consider more of a long term solution.

Then get the rubber mallet, and heat gun out and giv'r. I had to sell off a full turbo kit to get money for school, so you do what you gatta do.

Lol. If anything I'll have to sell off the car for school. But then I'd be without transportation but thats not an option. I think if I get a blazing fire going in the woodstove in the garage about 5hrs prior to doing it it might be warm enough where the heat from the heat gun wont leave the metal too fast. Project for break I guess!

Originally Posted by burgundybullet

Lol. If anything I'll have to sell off the car for school. But then I'd be without transportation but thats not an option. I think if I get a blazing fire going in the woodstove in the garage about 5hrs prior to doing it it might be warm enough where the heat from the heat gun wont leave the metal too fast. Project for break I guess!

Heat loss is not dependent on temperature, it is a somewhat defined rate of acceleration in terms of heat loss. Even if it is a bit, your metal will retain 90% of the heat anyways. It won't matter if your garage is 90 degrees, or 30, the metal will still be hot if you heat it up consistently which is how you need to do it. Jack the car up, get a buddy, and roll some fenders broski.

Alright that makes sense. I could probably have my brother help when he comes to ice fish. Thanks for the tips man.