Matt's Hi-Dezert Taco

Nice build and welcome. Ask the Mods to move this to the 3rd Gen Build forum, you’ll get a lot more followers. Also, pick a cool name for the title like Matt’s Yuccy Valley Build!

 

So instead of chopping my inner fenders and leaving them open to gather the elements that fling off the tires I chose to use my heat gun and welding glove to "re-mold" them. I started by heating the plastic and pushing with the welding glove on one hand. Ince its forces into position and still hot I give it a couple second blast of cool air from my air hose and it helps it set up quicker and stay where you desire. I then look for a new location for the fasteners and bolt the plastic into place. Take the heat gun again and apply more heat and more pressure to land where you desire it to be. On the front bumper there just happens to be the perfect hole available. Then proceed to mark your area to be trimmed and start whacking!

 

Thanks @Grossomotto !
Done and done!

 

I dig the new title!

 

Thanks @NunyaBizness could always be spicier though.... spicy tacos are the best

 

So theres a big ole wad of plastic with nothing behind it but room for bigger tires! Just needs to be persuaded with heat and pressure. I just mashed it up and in after a couple passes with the heat gun & air hose. Primitive but effective

 

I wonder if it would be better to just go ahead and cut those fender liners as needed and fill in any gaps with some material like what's between the engine Bay and the body/frame gaps. Maybe some pond liner material. Could be stretched tight and riveted or bolted.

 

Most definitely a good idea for plan B if the "re-molding" doesnt work out! If executed well it would probably look better than a waded up piece of melted plastic

 

Should be good to go now!

 

Well the time came and more trimming is underway..... I just couldn't take any more tire rub on extreme bump&turn scenarios.
Thanks @MESO for the pics you had posted on page 1 of your build for the stock fender trimming! They looked great on yours and I'm really digging them on mine. I've still got to do some sealing of a few engine bay holes and then undercoat as well as black out some of the wheel well area. Eventually going to have to deal with the back end but it's not nearly as common to rub back there as the front so its staying factory for now. I just drilled out a slat of wood and made a jig that would offset the existing fender curve by 2" and traced out the cuts for both the fender and fender trim and then got after it with my grinder fitted with a cutoff wheel. Then used a flapper wheel and DA Sander with 220 grit to smooth everything out and get rid of the razor edges and imperfections in my cut line. Looks like it will work for now

 

Got around to sealing up and undercoating the underside of the wheel wells. Looks much better from the side now.

 

Got around to hacking the rear!!

 

Managed to keep the inner liner in tact this time. I cut it in half and sectioned in a piece of the front lines that were rendered useless and sealed it up with silicone. I'll try to get some good pics up tomorrow when the suns back out

 

Also been looking at the Archive garage shock relocation mounts and possibly some Hammer Hangers. Anyone have any advice on running the Hammer Hangers Vs a Shackle flip?
Looking like I'm gonna run a 12" or maybe 14" smooth body shock in the rear and eventually some Deaver springs