left front fender problem

[rlibew]

My left front fender has a bow at the center line of the tire opening and below the chrome line. My body guy seems to think this is a common factory defect. The right front does not have the same bow and is straight not matching left. My car was assembled in Dallas Tex and does not seem to have been in any major colissions on either side. I have seen this bow in at least one other 57; is this a common defect or is my body guy wrong?  I'm lookin for a straight left without this defect . . . .any help out there??

[RICH MUISE]

IMHO neither is correct. It is common, I have a spare fender that has a bow in that spot. I believe it is caused by a moderate impact to the bumper...not that far from the splash pan, which is bolted to the fender. Probably just the weak spot that is where it bows when everything is pushed back.

[Ford Blue blood]

I agree with Rich.  The splash pan that is behind the parking lights and the gravel pan and the fender all bolt together there and the bumper has a brace that goes from that area to the rear most bumper bolt, a slight tap on the bumper would push the splash pan up, rear ward and toward the center of the car.  The fender is anchored all the way at the rear with no other support so I can see the center of the wheel opening moving outward....

[gasman826]

Yep, a little tweak on the bumper and the fender gets sacrificed.  The first time I saw that bumper brace, I though that was a fender killer.  On one of my '57s, the bumper brace goes from the bumper to the bumper brackets at the frame...a more typical configuration.  I'm leaning toward using the nonstandard brace that separates the bumper from the fender.