fender welt, fender to body tub

1941 - 1945, MB, GPW Technical questions and discussions, regarding anything related to the WWII jeep.
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JAB
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fender welt, fender to body tub

Post by JAB » Tue Mar 13, 2018 4:33 pm

I have the remains of fender welting (between fender and body tub) on several fenders, GPW and MB, and it all looks the same, like a strip of scrap canvas with holes punched in it. None of my surviving pieces seem to be "finished" like a webbing strap, but have ends and side edges that can be unraveled. Assuming that's correct (like I stated, I have several pieces from several jeeps to compare), that it's just canvas cut to size, I worry that it would hold moisture. Were these pieces treated with anything prior to installation? I have two pieces that are good enough to re-use, but they're stiff as if they were treated with something. If they were soaked in some sort of preservative and dried prior to installation what would that solution be? or do they go in dry because the jeep wasn't supposed to last 75 years?

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Re: fender welt, fender to body tub

Post by dpcd67 » Wed Mar 14, 2018 7:02 am

I think they were coated with tar; the ones I have removed were stiff and seemed to be coated with tar. asphalt. Otherwise they would be moisture sinks. I always thought they were webbing tape with finished edges. Anyway, I spray them with undercoating and that is the best way, even if not the original way.
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Re: fender welt, fender to body tub

Post by tsmgguy » Wed Mar 14, 2018 8:32 am

I notice that the professional restorer of my MB used what look like neoprene strips instead of fiber or woven welting. Seem to work well.
Last edited by tsmgguy on Wed Mar 14, 2018 4:51 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: fender welt, fender to body tub

Post by Joe Gopan » Wed Mar 14, 2018 9:07 am

Willys used a felt type material that was soaked in a tar like black mastic. The fender welt was still available from Jeep MB/CJ part number thru the early 70's. I have a NOS set stored away should it ever be needed on my MB.
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Re: fender welt, fender to body tub

Post by JAB » Sun Mar 18, 2018 12:56 pm

Ben Dover wrote:
Wed Mar 14, 2018 9:07 am
Willys used a felt type material that was soaked in a tar like black mastic. The fender welt was still available from Jeep MB/CJ part number thru the early 70's. I have a NOS set stored away should it ever be needed on my MB.
So the canvas pieces I have are GPW style?
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Re: fender welt, fender to body tub

Post by Ian Fawbert » Sun Mar 18, 2018 2:12 pm

JAB wrote:
Sun Mar 18, 2018 12:56 pm
So the canvas pieces I have are GPW style?
Possibly Jeff. I`ve seen 2 types before, but I couldn't put a finger on which one was MB or GPW or early/mid/late/replacement.

This link to a firewall I documented (as one does in their spare time!!!) might help?

http://www.surfacezero.com/g503/showgal ... p?cat=4265

eg: Image

I might have mis labelled what the material was, but go with the photo instead of my caption. I wasnt really sure what it was.

A bit more discussion on this firewall here:
viewtopic.php?t=280709

I think i`ve a few fenders with some welting on it still. I`ll check.

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Re: fender welt, fender to body tub

Post by JAB » Sun Mar 18, 2018 7:59 pm

WOW! I don't know how I missed that thread. That's a lot of info! Thank you Ian!

My toeboard gusset number of 121371 on this one indicates that it's probably a Sept. '44 MB. It's a jeep salad that obviously went through a re-build. I have no surviving info other than the toeboard number (and recently, like 1/2 hour ago, recovered USA registration number) to indicate what serial number or year this jeep is. The fabric that you have as fender welting looks very similar to what I had as radiator shroud "welting", but all of my surviving fender/tub welting looks like simple canvas. I can't trust anything that I find on this jeep as being original or correct, thus my questions.
-Jeff

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Re: fender welt, fender to body tub

Post by Ian Fawbert » Mon Mar 19, 2018 1:44 am

HI mate,

I`ll keep digging for you.

The welt is one of those VERY grey areas... seems under researched and under considered by vendors?

I wouldn't discount your canvas bits really.

viewtopic.php?t=284738

Note this photo: Image

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Re: fender welt, fender to body tub

Post by Ian Fawbert » Mon Mar 19, 2018 1:54 am

There are a few better photos of the welt here too on what seemed to be a 44 MB tub.

viewtopic.php?t=280655


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Re: fender welt, fender to body tub

Post by Joe Gopan » Mon Mar 19, 2018 4:52 am

The welting does tend to stick in place due to being clamped between fender and cowl. It can easily be damaged or torn even when fresh. All Flat fender Jeeps including early M-38A1 used it.
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Re: fender welt, fender to body tub

Post by JAB » Mon Mar 19, 2018 1:31 pm

Here's a couple of pictures of what I have and where it's from:

This is from the jeep salad that was obviously re-built at some point in time long ago. I deduced that by the features of the frame, tub toeboard gusset number (Sept. 44 MB), and features of the hood (pre-grease gun ACM). The felt with the fabric backing (bottom item) was the radiator shroud material that looks very much like your fender welting. The canvas (center item) was between the fender and tub, and the traditional welting (top item) was on top of the grille.
Image

This is the remains from a May '42 GPW fender.

Image

This is from a GPW with a toeboard gusset number of 255889.
Image

This is from a GPW of unknown vintage.
Image

In every case, it looks like either a piece of cut canvas or a thin canvas strap treated with creosote or tar or similar. The piece in the top picture is definitely cut canvas with fraying on all four edges, but the others may (or may not) have finished edges like a strap. Each one appears to be as thin as a piece of canvas where a strap usually seems thicker.
-Jeff

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Re: fender welt, fender to body tub

Post by JAB » Mon Jul 16, 2018 9:05 am

-Jeff

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Re: fender welt, fender to body tub

Post by Joe Gopan » Mon Jul 16, 2018 9:11 am

I have saved some NOS MB fender Welting that I bought from Jeep in 1970 when I was stocking up on still available MB items for future projects. Will compare just for the heck of it.
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Re: fender welt, fender to body tub

Post by bazza46 » Mon Jul 16, 2018 7:48 pm

I tend to believe what M.V. Spares says about fender welting. My 45 GPW has the welting only going through two holes, too.
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