[AMC-list] 78 Concord/Gremlin fenders

[Jeff D <mr_amc@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Just adding my 2 cents  Hornet/Gremlin/Concord/Spirit/Eagle stuff..

I have played with these cars a lot.  The headlight housing part is different. Like someone said, on steel fenders,
you can cit, drill and weld the 78 piece in a later fender.  If I remember correctly, the 77 Gremlin also uses this fender.  
76 Gremlin was the last year for the original '70 style fenders. Of course, the 73-77 Hornet fenders are Hornet Only, but will fit the 
Gremlin before 77.  The front part of the uni-body was rounded down a little bit, and the setback of the Radiator mounting part is 
different on the later cars.  This allowed for the more sloping look.  That is why the top radiator tank is so short after 77. 
I have the later model radiator, along with the shroud in my '73 Hornet. I just used longer bolts to set it back, and used pressure
treated 2X2's painted black for the spacers.  This, combined with the wonderful flex fan which requires no clutch, works great on my 
'73 vintage 232.  The later radiator is available with a lifetime warranty from autozone.  Just order one for an 83.  

Also, always keep the full plastic wheel well liners from the  later cars that have them.  You can easily make them fit the older cars, keeping
 the dirt out of the areas that rust out  on the tops of the fenders. I have cleaned, de-rusted, and re-done several of the ones that
 are rusted out from dirt collecting.  They will still be quite sturdy, even with some rust up there.  The biggest problem areas seem to 
 be the bottom where the folded part of the steel body ends.  about where the back of the front seats bolt down.  Dirt collects in there, and will 
 rust through the floor from the bottom.  If you clean out all the dirt before they rust through with high pressure water, let it dry
 very well for days, then use the 3M- interior panel spray rustproofing, you can protect them pretty well. same goes with the insides
 of the "A'" pillar.  It will rust out badly there if you gon't get the accumulated dirt from the coweling out of there, and then again, spray it and 
up inside where the overlap seam in half way between the 2 front door hinges.  Once they rust badly there, the only real fix is cut them
 out, and weld in good ones.  THAT would probably not be worth it for most cars.  I do keel ALL of the good ones from cut up parts cars..
 just in case.  
OK, enough on making the bodys last forever.  Do it right once, and in theory, it will not rust.....

Jeff.. 
With too many Hornet based cars....  LOL

 
When I bought fiberglass fenders for my 1978 AMX, I bought some for a Spirit 
They were different and would take considerable effort to make them fit. I 
checked and found that 1978 Spirit, concord, fenders were a one year model. 
I ordered a ne set and when they arived they fit and the head light area was 
the differnce. 		 	   		  
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