CMP Fender to body joins

[Bruce Parker (RIP)]

Originally Posted by Phil Waterman

Hi Bruce


My 1945 HUP had the fender welt as used on cars of the 30s basically oil cloth folded over a bead of jut rope. But it all so had about 2" wide fabric impregnated with with either tar or cosmoline.

Thanks Phil, but can you clarify your comment above? Did it have the bead and the 2" oil cloth or different fenders (or trucks) having the just the oil cloth or the bead? Or was it the bead folded over making a 2" width?

[Owen Evans]

Not fenders, but if it helps at all, here's some photos of the different types of material (or remains of) from an NOS front shell for the 11 cab. I guess the 'fabric' type would be used on the 13 cabs, when rubber became harder to obtain? Note the black residue (tar?) used to seal the fabric type to the metal.....note also that the fabric has a textured outer finish, similar to the 'grained' products listed here:

https://www.vintagecarparts.co.uk/se...ry=Wing+Piping

Owen.

[Bruce Parker (RIP)]

Thanks Owen, that is very helpful. It makes perfect sense the early CMPs used rubber similar to their pre-war cousins. Then with rubber shortages they improvised a fabric (burlap?) coated in tar. I confess to taking little notice all those years ago when I took my fenders off but today am seeing a coated loose weave burlap like material under all the roof fittings as a waterproof seal. Tar and cotton was available and cheap.

[Ganmain Tony]

Gday Gents,

This is turning into a interesting discussion.

I found a front mud guard (Fender) which still has some for the original material on it. Definitely a woven material not rubber.

In the last two photos' the new example is laid out for a comparison.

[Ganmain Tony]

Just for the record - some pictures.

The guard is not bolted to the truck so it is difficult to get the complete fitted appearance.

[Bruce Parker (RIP)]

I'm forming an opinion (though welcome to be rebutted) that early CMPs used a civilian rubber seal, flat with a round outer that was soon replaced with a similar product made of canvas impregnated with 'tar'. What is certain is that a flat example of the tar impregnated burlap/canvas was used as a roof gasket at least on CMP HUPs. Distant memory perhaps, but on my 1944 HUW I wonder if the fender bead was replace with the flat seal. I think I would have noticed a bead and recorded it when taking them off.

[Jordan Baker]

When I took my C15a apart the body joints all had flat woven seal. There was no bead nor did it ever appear to have had a bead. I found that Mac’s Antique Auto sold the same type of seal.

[Jacques Reed]

Good Day,

Here are two close up photos of some original fender welting from my 1943 F-15A.
As discussed it has the cord sewed into the webbing material which I believe was impregnated with and anti-rust agent, Cosmoline perhaps?

I obtained a vinyl repro in Australia from Old Auto Rubber Co. They list it as mudguard piping in their catalogue. It is similar to what is shown in Owens UK link. The layers of paint on the original make it look almost plastic, so once covered in paint the new material will look very similar. See attached

Cheers,