BUILD YOUR OWN
Instead of shaping each flare
from scratch, spending many
hours fighting the metal, Jeff
has found these factory flares
work great. They are from a ’71
Mustang and the front reproduction fenders go for around
$80 each. This year’s flare is
much more aggressive than on
the ’66, but not gaudy looking.
Here, Mani at Jeff Lilly
Restorations, looks over the
fender for any imperfections.
FENDER FLARES
An expert shows you how to create
dramatic yet tasteful fender flares
using common tools.
The ’66 Mustang wheel openings are significantly smaller than
those of the ’71, so they would need to narrow the flare. Using a
plumb bob, they mark the center of the ’66 fender and mark the
’71 flare’s center using a square.
Here is the ’71 flare after it has
been cut from the fender. Mani
marked the fender ¼ inch outside
of where the taper begins. He
carefully cuts it out using a cut-off wheel, tin snips, and power
sheers. Mani points to the drop off that is factory on the ’71 but
not on the ’66. Jeff wanted to keep the look closer to that of the
’66, so Mani will be removing the flat edge.
By Liz Miles & Jeff Lilly • Photography by Jeff Lilly
This is the finished fender
flare. It’s hard to tell that
anything has been done at
all. Let’s see how Jeff Lilly
Restorations accomplished
this look.
This is what they had to start with. It’s a
stock fendered ’66 Mustang Fastback.
The original wheel openings don’t fit the
racer look Jeff Lilly was going for.
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F
ast cars call for fat tires. Drag racers can get away with
installing wheel tubs, bringing the tire in as far as possible. This works well, but what about the guys who need
big tires in the front too? Fender flares can give us some room
for the extra rubber. They also give us more clearance for lowered cars. The great thing about fender flares is that even if you
don’t need the wider meats, they look really cool.
Some people have gone overboard with fender flares, giving
the car a cartoon-ish look. Fortunately, Jeff Lilly, owner and
builder at Jeff Lilly Restorations of San Antonio, agrees with us.
Jeff’s story started in his early years, working for his father
building custom cars in Ohio. When his father retired in 1985,
Jeff packed up and moved the shop to San Antonio.
He walked us through the process of grafting tasteful and
functional fender flares on their project ’66 Mustang Fastback.
The Mustang, named “Franken Stang,” is a great example of his
work because he has refined the style of the car, keeping the
appeal of its factory look. The car has undergone many changes
at the shop, but the intentions were always the same, to keep
the car looking clean and not overdone.
The fender flare modification was inspired by the Trans-Am
race cars of the late ’60s and early ’70s. Instead of starting from
scratch and creating the flare from a flat piece of metal, Jeff has
found that the ’71 reproduction quarter-panels feature a flare
that looks great on the early cars. Because it came from the
factory, it isn’t too large or goofy looking. Being able to use a
“There are some specialty tools
involved, but nothing out of reach
to the home-based builder.”
Mani fits them on the car until the look is just right. The overhang
gives the car a slammed look. They use tape to attach the pieces
so they can stand back and take a look.
Once the general position is established, Mani uses clekos to hold
the panels in their final location. Clekos are like temporary rivets
that use ⅛-inch holes to mount them. These holes will later be
welded up.
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BUILD YOUR OWN FENDER FLARES
factory panel also helps keep the flares consistent one wheel to
another. These replacement quarter-panels go for around $80,
and keep the cost low.
There are some specialty tools involved, but nothing out
of reach to the home-based builder. This project can serve
as guidance for many makes and models, not just an early
Mustang.
“The great thing about fender flares
is that even if you don’t need the
wider meats, they look really cool.”
Now is a great time to make a template of the wheel opening
so it can be duplicated for the other side.
Since they cut the original drop off on the ’71 flare, the edge needs
to be finished. Mani creates a cardboard template of the wheel
opening. A new template will have to be made for each corner
of the car to accommodate minor inconsistencies.
What Is A Cleko?
There are a handful of absolutely necessary tools in
the fabrication of body panels, and a set of Clekos and
Cleko pliers are some of them. A Cleko is basically a
temporary rivet that can be reused many times. It’s purpose is to hold two panels together while adjustments
are made.
Most Clekos use a ⅛-inch pilot hole to locate the
two panels. The Cleko then is pushed through a hole
drilled through
the two panels
to be temporarily
fastened. The pliers depress the
button on the top
of the Cleko forcing the fingers at
the opposite end
to retract. You
press the Cleko
Source:
into the hole, and then release
Matco Tools
the pliers. The fingers force out
www.matcotools.com
and hold the two panels together.
Removal uses the exact opposite procedure.
Local hardware stores probably won’t carry Clekos
or Cleko pliers because they are a specialty metal fabrication tool. Matco Tools does carry a complete line
of Clekos in ⅛-, 3/16-, and ¼-inch diameters. It’s good
to keep a decent stash of Clekos because you never
know how many you will need. If you want to stock up,
1
⁄8-inch Clekos are the most common.
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popularhotrodding.com
They like to use a MIG welder to do the final weld because it
keeps the heat-affected zone relatively small. After each squirt
of the welder, Mani cools off the weld with compressed air.
This keeps the panel from getting distorted.
Here Mani uses simple spring clamps to hold the wire to the
fender. These can be purchased at any hardware store. He also
replaces the Clekos with self-tapping screws for a tighter fit.
Here you can
see how the
overlap fit
has been
turned into a
butt joint.
Metal finishing starts with a grinding disc, then ends with a 36-grit
sanding pad seen here. When completed, the body should look
like it came from the factory that way.
How Much It Costs
Description:..........................................Part No.:.................................. Price:
Cleko Pliers......................................F2AV11-192................................$28.30
⅛-inch Cleko...................................F2AV11-194 .........................$0.50 each
3/16-inch Cleko..................................F2AV11-195.........................$0.50 each
¼-inch Cleko....................................F2AV11-193.................................. $2.35
Between the
tack welds,
Mani cuts along
the edge of the
new flare
through the
original fender.
On the backside, Mani peels
away the old
fender where
the two overlap
so there is an
even transition
from the old
fender to the
new flare.
Mani bends a piece of wire to match the template that will be
attached to the wheel opening. The closer the shape is to the
template, the less it will fight you later on.
Now is the time for any last minute adjustments before the flare
is welded on completely. Mani uses a hammer and dolly to smooth
out the metal.
Source:
Jeff Lilly Restorations
Mani tack welds the wire onto the flare every couple inches.
This helps keep the shape while they remove and replace the
flare in the next couple steps.
210-695-5151
www.jefflilly.com
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