1 Here's a '67 Mustang battery...
1 Here's a '67 Mustang battery apron and inner fender. At first glance, it doesn't look that bad.
2 First, remove the battery...
2 First, remove the battery tray by extracting the four retaining bolts. Depending on how your Mustang was assembled, you may have to remove the front bumper bracket to get to the bolt heads.
3 With the battery tray removed,...
3 With the battery tray removed, it's apparent this inner-fender apron has been repaired before. Notice the sheetmetal patch that's been welded in place. This is not a solid repair. What's more, it looks awful.
Classic Mustangs have always been cursed with rust and corrosion problems. The most notorious are cowl-vent leaks that result in floorpan and kick-panel rust-out, and the inner-fender apron under the hood where the battery sits. Because lead acid batteries contain sulfuric acid and emit corrosive fumes, they are especially hard on sheetmetal body parts like the inner fender and battery tray. In the past, we've shown how to replace the entire inner-fender assembly. But what if you don't want to replace the inner fender? It's best to keep the serial number intact, which is stamped into the inner fender. And sometimes it's just too much trouble to pull the fender and drill out all of those spot welds.
We visited the Northwest Pony Shoppe in Snohomish, Washington, just outside Seattle, to see how they correct battery-apron woes without major surgery. This is an easy fix for anyone who knows how to weld. And, if it's too much for your talents and abilities, this job can be done by your favorite autobody shop.
We're going to show you how to patch the inner fender. It won't look like a patch, and you'll save time and money in the process. For our repair, Mustangs Plus provided a new right-front inner fender, which is made of the same heavy-gauge steel as original equipment.
4 We suggest removing all...
4 We suggest removing all electrical components in this area. Noone wants to cut anything by mistake during inner-fender repair,especially the wiring harness.
5 Where you cut the inner-fender...
5 Where you cut the inner-fender apron is a matter of preference. The Northwest Pony Shoppe cuts the battery apron only where necessary to eliminate the rust. The replacement patch from Mustangs Plus will fit this area nicely.
6 The corroded metal is removed...
6 The corroded metal is removed as shown.
7 This is the hole after...
7 This is the hole after cutting. Don't panic! It will look much better when we're finished.
8 The huge inner-fender apron...
8 The huge inner-fender apron has to be cut down to size for proper fitment into the existing apron.
Scott Robinson of the Northwest...
Scott Robinson of the Northwest Pony Shoppe marks the new apron with chalk, then cuts it down to size.
9 Scott fits the apron in...
9 Scott fits the apron in place in order to mark the perimeter for trimming.
10 With the new inner-fender...
10 With the new inner-fender patch positioned correctly, Scott marks the perimeter with chalk for cutting and trimming.
11 The inner-fender patch...
11 The inner-fender patch has been trimmed and fitted. Next, weld the patch in place. We're using a small, 110-volt wire feed welder from The Eastwood Company.
12 The welds are ground smooth...
12 The welds are ground smooth in preparation for filling, priming, and painting.
13 Body filler is used around...
13 Body filler is used around the edges to fill imperfections. It will be sanded smooth, then primed with a self-etching primer/sealer.
14 Primer and satin black...
14 Primer and satin black paint are applied to finish the job. Installation of the battery tray is all that's left.