Front fender to nose cone gasket

[taxspeaker]

When I bought my bird out of the museum two years ago it came with the nose cone to front fender gasket installed upside down. I finally decided I couldn't stand it anymore and a few weeks ago I loosened the nose cone bolts, pulled the latch tray and shield stuff and slid the nose cone forward the full 1 and 1/2 inches of movement available. I thought it would be a quick job to pull the gasket, turn it over and re-install. When I pulled the gasket off I found that whoever had put the gasket on upside down had used something to bend the front flanges on the front fenders down (looks like they used a vise grips) in a beat up wavy manner. Needless to say the gasket won't go on with this beaten in flange. Usually I can just let it sit for a while and come up with a solution.

After 3 weeks nothing is coming to mind. I don't want to heat it or pound on it and although I am a decent mechanic my knowledge of body work is below zero. I am scared to do anything now but I refuse to put it back together wrong.

Anybody got any ideas? This is causing me to miss all the summer events when for the 1st time evr I have time to do some.

Thanks for any help

[moparstuart]

 a photo of the problem area  would really help

[Arnie Cunningham]

Greetings,

I may be misunderstanding the situation but it sounds like you are putting the gasket on the fender?
Or is the fender just too bent to hold it in place?

Ken (Hemi tyme) may have some suggestions.
I will try to upload an image from the Special Parts and Maint Schedule.

[taxspeaker]

Yes that is the rubber gasket, thanks Arnie. Here are 2 inside and 1 outside of fender pictures

[62 Max]

You can probably straighten it with either of these.

[moparstuart]

You can probably straighten it with either of these.

i agree thats where i would start anyway   

[Aero426]

Exactly.  The duck bill vise grips are what you want.  They will straighten those flanges out enough to get the seal on the right way. 

[taxspeaker]

Thanks guys-local parts store purchase or specialty store?

[nascarxx29]

Maybe eastwood tools would them unique duck bill grips

[moparstuart]

http://www.amazon.com/Irwin-23EL5-8-Inch-Locking-Sheet/dp/B0000TFGFU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1345131046&sr=8-1&keywords=Duckbill+Vise+Grip




  google is your friend   

[Hemi_tyme]

Yes that is the rubber gasket, thanks Arnie. Here are 2 inside and 1 outside of fender pictures

Don't straighten it yet! Look at my pictures first
Thinking the same as Brennan, the gasket looks like it was installed on the fender and not the nose cone. The front edge of the fenders and fender  extenions are rolled a little from the factory to help with the installation and support of the gasket and nose cone. When you install the gasket to the nose you will have to cut a V-notch out of the backside (thick part not thin side) of the gasket so it will fit the V were the top and sides of the nose meet. hope this helps if you have any question feel free to pm me you phone number. Ken

[moparstuart]

wow i didnt realize his picture was sideways  and that was the side of the fender

[moparstuart]

best picture i could find of mine   , couldnt find a picture from the outside

[Hemi_tyme]

Here's a couple pix of my white bird

[FJ5WING]

Thanks for posting those pics Ken!!!
My flanges are beat down a little and I always assumed it was from having the cone replaced in the early seventies.

[taxspeaker]

Wow, wow , wow. Thanks! Yes the old restorer put the gasket on the fender not the cone! I would have never thought of the cone, next stop is after work to try that.

[Arnie Cunningham]

I wondered about that.  Cool.  Hope it fits perfect now.  Thanks Ken for the input.