58 front fender reinforcements - again

[Ted S.]

After seeing the recent posts and reviewing the AIM it doesn't look like the fender reinforcements were on all '58s. In the '58 AIM they only seem to show up under RPO 684. Were the front fender reinforcements on all '58s? My very late '58 (i.e. next to the last day of production) didn't have them when I bought it and doesn't appear to have had them. What does the TM&J say about them? (I need to get a new one, I had one but somehow it got lost at the body shop that worked on my '60).

John, I have a new set I bought a number of years ago that I can get dimensions off of or a tracing if that would help. The arch looks like it would be hard to reproduce without proper tooling.

Thanks, Ted

[Roy B.]

Re: 58 front fender reinforcements - again

Not all 58's had them , seems mostly early 58's and where they stop #number wise I don't know.

[John M.]

Re: 58 front fender reinforcements - again

Ted,
I found that Vette product still has them in their catalog, and have ordered a set online. They have not bounced the order back to me yet, so I presume that they are still available and are on the way to me.

Regards, John McGraw

[Bill B.]

Re: 58 front fender reinforcements - again

Ted, seems the reinforcements stopped about half way through production. The guide I have says about #5000. I did see a 99.9 judged 1958 with a serial number around 7000 and it had them. When I queried the builder on that car (I was convinced the car did not originally have them) he told me they put them on as "the judges will let you go either way". I am not saying that the 58 team judges really said this but that guy got 99.9 on that 58. It was a very FINE car but maybe not as made at the factory?

[Ted S.]

Re: 58 front fender reinforcements - again

Thanks Bill for the response. I have #9128 so it looks like I'm well after the #5000 mark. I'm assuming by guide you're referring to the NCRS TM&J. The problem with the AIM I have is some of the drawings are from late '58 and were redrawn evidently for the '59 model year. I've looked at the revisions on the page where they show the install of the top fender molding and the revision notes don't show where they removed the reinforcements. The only AIM page I see them on was the RPO 684 drawings. I have a pair and would like to use them for the added strength but I plan on having the car judged so I don't want to get the deduction.